Monday, April 1, 2013

Thesis/Opening Paragraph

For your convenience and to guide the research process, I am going to post a template that you may use to compose your opening paragraph and complex thesis statement. The thesis statement is underlined. If you do decide to use this template, simply insert the relevant information according to the bracketed phrases (each is bolded).

"There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air." Bob Dylan, a seminal figure of the 1960's, succinctly describes the decade of the 1960's: it was a period of great change socially and culturally in the United States. [Topic 1: List the area of life your first topic affected. So, for example, if your first topic is Muhammad Ali, he changed boxing and professional sports.], [Topic 2], and [topic 3]  all underwent dramatic changes during the 1960's. [Topic 1] revolutionized [explain what aspect of life was affected] by [explain the revolutionary nature of topic 1]; [topic 2] revolutionized [explain what aspect of life was affected] by [explain the revolutionary nature of topic 2]; and [topic 3] revolutionized [explain what aspect of life was affected] by [explain the revolutionary aspect of topic 3].

Here is a sample introductory paragraph using Bob Dylan, Muhammad Ali, and Malcolm X:

"There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air." Bob Dylan, a seminal figure of the 1960's, succinctly describes the decade of the 1960's: it was a period of great change socially and culturally in the United States. Popular music, professional sports, and the Civil Rights Movement all underwent dramatic changes during the 1960's. Bob Dylan revolutionized folk music and popular music alike by writing topical protest songs and using electric instruments to create folk rock; Muhammad Ali revolutionized professional boxing by dominating the sport and using his religious views to communicate his anti-war sentiments; and Malcolm X revolutionized the Civil Rights Movement by urging his followers to seek freedom through self-determination and, if necessary, even violence.

Now, remember, you may change this template however you see fit, but the last sentence of your opening paragraph  must consist of a complex thesis statement. The thesis statement identifies the points your paper will prove and support with cited facts.

Your intro paragraph complete with a proper MLA heading and formatting is due Friday, April 5.

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