Thesis Practice for TMU - 9th

Here are two practice prompts. On the test, you will be asked to write a GOOD thesis for a few prompts. Think about what the prompt is asking you to do. Make sure that your thesis is specific, detailed, and ANSWERS THE PROMPT.

1. Write an essay comparing and contrasting Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. 
Make sure that your prompt explores details of both of their personalities and circumstances that are similar and different about Boo and Tom. Think: What is interesting about them both? What specific traits can I use in my thesis that I could then explore in the (fake) entire essay? 
**Stay away from "Tom and Boo are both similar and different." MUCH TOO VAGUE - HOW??

2. Should our school switch to year-round school?
Look at both sides of the issue and give solid reasons why we should or shouldn't have year-round school.
**Stay away from "Year-round school is not a good idea." (You can start with that, but you need to then give reasons.) Stay away from "There are good and bad things about year-round school." (You can say that but then get SPECIFIC in your thesis.)

MLA Format Practice

Directions: On the first five questions, write down whether the statement about MLA Format is True or False on the line following the sentence.

1.       You should always create a Title Page for your papers. _________

2.      The entire paper should be double-spaced. _________

3.    The Works Cited page should be on its own page. _________

4.      In-text citations should include author’s last name, the title of the work, and the page number the quote or paraphrase was taken from. _________

5.      The titles of longer works you reference should be italicized while the titles of shorter works should be in quotations. _________

Directions: After reading the examples of in-text citations and Works Cited entries below, write down what is INCORRECT about each one.

§      When studying the most intelligent pigs, Dawson recorded, “They never seemed to realize that rewards were being offered” (Dawson 93).

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§      Renfro, Frank. Crying to Myself. Boston: Penguin, 2003.

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§      Understanding poetry is a matter of “making yourself realize that you can get meaning out of it no matter what.” (Foster 101)

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Directions: Answer the following questions as accurately as possible.

1.     Why do teachers/professors require citations? _______________________

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2.     What is the last thing you list about a source in its Works Cited entry? ______

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3.     Name three pieces of information you need to try to find for your Works Cited page when you visit a website. ____________________________________

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4.     What goes in your header at the top right of your paper? _________________

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