Mini Lesson:Finding a Theme for Your APA Paper

Reading and Writing for College-Bound Students

Journal Prompt (Woo hoo!!!)Tell me what you have learned about thesis statements in the past. How should they be formatted? Where do they go? What is their function?

A thesis is. . . A statement regarding an

observation that you made about the genre, time period, social aspect that you are research about film

A statement that you can spend the rest of your paper backing up!

Goes at the end of your introduction

Remember, don’t stray from the thesis in your paper!

Yeah, but how do I come up with one?

My answer to you is to work backwards!

That means:› Look at your notes› What common trend do you

see as you have been researching your genre, time period, social aspect?

› Could you devote your paper to arguing about how this common trend is apparent?

Example: Part One I’m doing my research

paper on Chris Nolan films (Inception, Batman, Memento)

While doing my research I noticed these key things. . .› They all have elements of

film noir› They all focus on the trouble

that human nature causes› They all have a martyr

Example: Part Two Figure out how you can support these observations in a paper Example:

› They all have elements of film noir Dark story lines High contrast lighting Characters led by fate/ destiny

› They all focus on the trouble that human nature causes Inception: Cobb’s love for Mal Batman: Trying to protect Gotham from themselves/ their corrupt

nature Memento: The lies people tell themselves

› They all have a martyr Inception: Cobb Batman: Bruce Wayne Memento: Leonard

Example: Part Three What are some things that these three

elements might have in common?› Film noir elements› Human nature› Martyrs

Brainstorm with the people around you!

Example: Part Three These were the

things that I thought they had in common. . .› All of these aspects

were negative/ dark in some way, shape or form

› All of these aspects were elements of tragedies

Example: Part Four Now, use these commonalities to make

a thesis!!! My Thesis:

Christopher Nolan films are all alike in that they use character development and the mise-en-scene to create dark and ominous films.

Now it’s your turn! Get in groups based on your topic

(genre, history, or study) SHARE with one another the particular

aspect that you are studying Work together to fill out the handout

given Bounce ideas off of each other to come

up with a thesis!!!