Lesson Plan: From Thesis to Structure
Comparative Literature and Culture
Objective
To collaboratively model how to structure an essay based on the logical progression of evidence necessary for evolving and proving its initial thesis
Estimated Time
20-30 minutes (through step 3)
Work Completed Before Class
Students have completed the following assignment: “Bring a (word-processed) outline of your research essay to class (no more than one page).” Students’ efforts to structure their outlines serve as the backdrop for this lesson’s focus on developing an organic essay structure.
In Class
- Pass out a sample thesis statement to the class and ask students to summarize what the author is arguing. Write the students’ summaries on the board. (3-5 minutes)
- As a class, brainstorm the kinds of evidence that would be necessary to prove such a claim. If necessary, you might re-frame this by asking, “What smaller claims must the author make in order to prove this claim?” Write the students’ responses on the board. (5-10 minutes)
- Discuss the most logical order in which to place the various evidence you have generated in step 2. Sample discussion questions include: What is the most logical order in which to place this evidence? What types of evidence should come first? Why? Does everyone agree? What would come next? (10-15 minutes)
- If there is time, you might break the class into groups, assign each group a piece of evidence you have included in your outline on the board, and ask them to supply the analysis necessary for linking their assigned piece of evidence to the essay’s overall thesis. (5 minutes of group work; each group shares for 2-3 minutes)
- Follow-up: Schedule individual conferences to go over each student’s outline. Limiting outlines to one page will make them easy to go over in your office. This allows you, the instructor, to reinforce the principles of the structuring exercise in brief one-on-one meetings with your students. (5-10 minutes per conference)
Ryan Wepler
Developed at Brandeis University through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation