Writing Resources

Lesson Plan: Thesis and Motive

Biology

Objective

To define thesis and motive and to learn how these occur in real-world examples of scientific writing.

In Class

Work in groups of two to answer the following questions.

  • Thesis
    • When writing, how do you define a thesis statement?
    • List three elements of a strong thesis statement.
  • Motive
    • When writing, how do you define a motive?
    • List three elements of a strong motive.
  • Read the following passages and as a group, decide what is the motive and what is the thesis of the work. If you think the passage does not have a thesis and/or motive, explain why.
    • "Grifols, SA, a global health care company focused on clinical applications of human plasma proteins, announced at its annual meeting with investors and analysts, that it will initiate a new clinical investigation of Alzheimer's Disease in January 2011 with an anticipated enrollment of over 300 patients. The new clinical investigation involves a combined treatment of therapeutic plasmapheresis and the administration of human albumin and intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) at different doses and frequencies. Human albumin and IVIG are two of the main therapeutic plasma proteins Grifols' produces from donations of human blood plasma at dedicated donation centers across the United States."
    • "Parkinson's disease, also known as Parkinson disease, PD, paralysis agitans and shaking palsy, is a gradually progressive, degenerative neurologic disorder which typically impairs the patient's motor skills, speech, writing, as well as some other functions. Sufferers often have a fixed, inexpressive face, tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements (bradykinesia), an unusual posture and muscle weakness. In extreme cases, there is a loss of physical movement (akinesia)."
    • "Brian Grant is crusading on behalf of Parkinson's disease research with the same grit and determination that made him a popular Portland Trail Blazer. "I have to deal with the ups and downs of my own Parkinson's on a daily basis, but I'm trying to be out there as much as I can to tell anyone who will listen, especially young people, about this disease," Grant said at a fundraiser last week in Portland that pulled in more than $130,000 for Parkinson's Resources of Oregon. "My goal right now is education."
    • "Concerned about Mad Cow Disease? If so, you're not alone. With the first case of Mad Cow Disease reported in the United States in mid-December, the awareness of and concern about this disease have reached record levels. Recent recalls of meat from a number of states, and economically devastating international bans on beef exports from the United States have shown what just one case of the deadly disease can cause."

Melissa Kosinski-Collins
Developed at Brandeis University through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation