上海交通大学：《学术英语写作与演讲 Academic Writing and Presentation in English》教学资源（课件讲稿）05 thesis

⑧ Thesis What is a thesis? A thesis is a statement that summarizes the central idea of the research paper

Thesis What is a thesis?

⑧ Thesis Functions of a thesis: establishes a boundary around the topic 2 chart an orderly route for the paper tells the reader what to expect from the 3 rest of the paper

Thesis Functions of a thesis: establishes a boundary around the topic chart an orderly route for the paper tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper 3 2 1

③ Thesis How to formulate the thesis? Thinking Gather and organize evidence Find and analyze possible relationships Asking What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? How will I convince the reader that this is true? Improving Revise your thesis all along your writing process

Thesis How to formulate the thesis? Gather and organize evidence Find and analyze possible relationships Thinking What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? How will I convince the reader that this is true? Asking Revise your thesis all along your writing process Improving

⑧ Thesis How to word the thesis? 1.A thesis must be expressed as a complete sentence. Examples How life is in Residents in a farm tend afarm. to have longer lives,a more established sense of community,and socialize in bigger groups than do city dwellers

Thesis How to word the thesis? 1. A thesis must be expressed as a complete sentence. Examples Residents in a farm tend to have longer lives, a more established sense of community, and socialize in bigger groups than do city dwellers. How life is in a farm

Thesis 2.A thesis should be focused on a single idea. Example The Roman theater was Because of his inspired by the Greek robust language and theater,which it imitated novel comic plots, and eventually the Titus Maccius Romans produced great Plautus can be plays in their theatrons, considered the best such as those by Plautus, Roman comic who was the best Roman playwright,and his comic writer because of plays are still his robustness and successfully staged. inventiveness

Thesis 2. A thesis should be focused on a single idea. Example Because of his robust language and novel comic plots, Titus Maccius Plautus can be considered the best Roman comic playwright, and his plays are still successfully staged. The Roman theater was inspired by the Greek theater, which it imitated and eventually the Romans produced great plays in their theatrons, such as those by Plautus, who was the best Roman comic writer because of his robustness and inventiveness

⑧ Thesis 3.A thesis should not be worded vaguely. Example Smoking is Smoking harms the body by harmful to constricting the blood vessels, your body. accelerating the heartbeat, paralyzing the cilia,纤毛in the bronchial tubes,and activating excessive gastric 的secretions:分泌物in the stomach

Thesis 3. A thesis should not be worded vaguely. Example Smoking harms the body by constricting the blood vessels, accelerating the heartbeat, paralyzing the cilia纤毛 in the bronchial tubes, and activating excessive gastric 胃 的 secretions分泌物 in the stomach. Smoking is harmful to your body.

⑧ Thesis 4.A thesis should not be worded as a question. Example What A student in learning a second motivates a language can be motivated by student in second the requirement of the course, language the necessity of passing the learning? exam,the need to study abroad,or the interest in the culture of that target language

Thesis 4. A thesis should not be worded as a question. Example A student in learning a second language can be motivated by the requirement of the course, the necessity of passing the exam, the need to study abroad, or the interest in the culture of that target language. What motivates a student in second language learning?

⑧ Thesis 5.A thesis should not be too broad or general. Example Children must By using disciplinary be disciplined. techniques,parents, teachers,and police are the main agents for controlling children

Thesis 5. A thesis should not be too broad or general. Example By using disciplinary techniques, parents, teachers, and police are the main agents for controlling children Children must be disciplined

Thesis 6.A thesis must not be expressed in muddled or incoherent language. Example The benefits of clarity and easy communication The benefits of of a unified language clarity and easy compel a state to adopt communication codes to the effect that offered by a single make bilingualism official language in possible but preserving a a state are single official language compelling and for transacting business persuasive. and social communications

Thesis 6. A thesis must not be expressed in muddled or incoherent language. Example The benefits of clarity and easy communication offered by a single official language in a state are compelling and persuasive. The benefits of clarity and easy communication of a unified language compel a state to adopt codes to the effect that make bilingualism possible but preserving a single official language for transacting business and social communications

⑧ Thesis 7.A thesis should not contain phrases like "in my opinion" or“I think”. Example In my opinion, Smoking should be smoking should outlawed because of be outlawed because of the the adverse health adverse health effects of“passive effects of“passive smoking.” smoking

Thesis 7. A thesis should not contain phrases like “in my opinion” or “I think”. Example Smoking should be outlawed because of the adverse health effects of “passive smoking.” In my opinion, smoking should be outlawed because of the adverse health effects of “passive smoking