UNIT 5 SEMINAR:
Planning & Developing an Essay
GOALS
Recap thesis statements
 Discuss outlining and Unit 5 Project
 Consider the place of modes in the presentation
of information

HELPFUL READING

Chapter 21 shows the whole process for writing
an expository essay.

Section VI also covers the different modes, or ways to
develop the information—cause and effect, compare
and contrast, etc.
Chapter 13 covers outlining in detail.
 Chapter 12 and the “APA Quick Reference
Guide” will help with giving research the credit
it’s due.


Pages 129-138 will help with integrating the research
with your ideas for fluid point presentation.
THESIS REVIEW
The beginning of Chapter 14 covers thesis
statements in depth.
Thesis statements are specific.

Vague: There are many causes of
childhood obesity; there are many
effects, too, and there are lots of ways
people can keep their kids from being
obese.

The start of something specific: Three
particularly scary causes of childhood
obesity are x, y, and z.
REVIEW

What’s the problem? Any essay must
provide lots of vivid details and examples
to support each key point. This would
mean providing several examples of
causes and explaining those, then
providing several effects and explaining
those, and then several methods of
prevention and explaining those. This is
simply not possible in 4-7 pages.
THESIS STATEMENT

If you’re having
problems focusing
your thesis
statement, the WC
has two great
tutorials on thesis
statements:
http://kucampus.k
aplan.edu/Platfor
m/AcademicSuppo
rt/AcademicSucces
s/PeerTutoring/Wr
iting/pdf/process/F
rom_Topic_Resear
ch_Thesis.pdf
http://kucampus.k
aplan.edu/Platfor
m/AcademicSuppo
rt/AcademicSucces
s/PeerTutoring/Wr
iting/pdf/typestool
s/Writing_a_Thesi
s_Statement.pdf
THESIS STATEMENTS REVIEW

Thesis statements are just
that—statements. They are
NOT questions. Research
questions are questions, and
the thesis answers the
question.
 What effects do smoking
bans have on the public?
 Because of smoking
bans in public places,
people have x, y, and z.

By following the x,y,z
formula, you will make
writing the topic sentences
much easier. For example:
 The first major effect of
the smoking ban is x.

By reinforcing the key
points in the topic
sentences, readers will
know exactly where they
are in the essay, and you
as a writer will know
exactly what kind of
supporting details should
be inside that paragraph.
OUTLINING AND THE UNIT 5
PROJECT
Chapter 13 is all about outlining. If you haven’t
read it yet, you should now!
QUESTION: WHAT IS THE OUTLINE AND
HOW SHOULD IT WORK?
We use an outline because it provides the
structure we need to create an organized
essay.
 Although our writing can use creativity, the
essay that the outline will help you write is not
creative writing. It is informative writing
based on ideas and facts.

SEE WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OUTLINE BELOW.
HOW USEFUL WOULD SUCH AN OUTLINE BE
FOR DRAFTING A 4-7 PAGE RESEARCH PAPER?






Thesis: College is overrated, lean just as much and do just as good on the
job.
Introduction
College
 4 year degree
 Higher pay
 NEXT PARAGRAPH DISADVANTAGES
On the Job
 No schooling
 Money right out of high school
 No debt
 NEXT PARAGRAPH DISADVANTAGES
Conclusion
I know this outline doesn’t fulfill the required format, but I did indeed
receive this outline from a student once.
REVIEW UNIT’S MATERIALS.




Review the online reading. It also breaks down the crucial
components of an essay.
Visit all links for the Unit, as well as the links under
“Course Home” that assist with the project (“Maggie’s
Journey,” “APA Quick Reference Guide,” etc.). DocSharing
also has useful downloads that may help you.
Be sure you have chosen the topic for the outline from the
list in Unit 1, and that your thesis has three key points
for the different body paragraph sections of the outline.
Make sure you have credible research handy (all of which is
likely from your Unit 3 Project). You can provide some
pieces of outside information in the outline.
USE MAGGIE DURHAM’S EXAMPLE
OUTLINE.
In fact, you can use Maggie’s work as a
template.
 Save her outline as a Word document and type
over her work to be sure you have the right
format.
 Pay close attention to presentation items such as
punctuation and spacing.
 Be sure to use complete sentences.
 Remember, you need to follow Maggie’s work—
you cannot make up your own outline format!

UNDERSTAND MAGGIE’S OUTLINE
The first level of Maggie’s outline is her
introduction.
 She uses Roman numerals to divide her outline.
 The introduction is Roman numeral “I.”
 A = Her attention-engaging technique (filmmaker
analogy)
 B = Her topic background
 C = Her specific thesis sentence
(topic + key points = thesis sentence).
Note: If Maggie does not cite an item in her
outline as being from an outside source, it is her
own idea.
See pages 181-189 in your handbook for extra help
with introductions.

UNDERSTAND MAGGIE’S USE OF SOURCES


If Maggie has already written draft body paragraphs
(such as in the example in Unit 5’s reading), the primary
purpose of her outline is to plan how outside sources fit
with her own ideas.
Therefore, Maggie (and you, too!) can use topic sentences
from body paragraphs at the Roman numeral levels II-IV
and follow these topic sentences with source paraphrase
and quotation that support the topic sentences (A, B, C,
etc.).


For help with topic sentences, see pages 167-8 in your
textbooks.
Keep in mind that Maggie is not going to string together a
series of sources and expect this to be an essay. She will
use her own ideas and use outside sources to support her
ideas. The outline is a plan for this process.
UNDERSTAND MAGGIE’S CONCLUSION
FORMAT.
Roman numeral “V” represents the conclusion
paragraph.
 A = Restatement of the thesis sentence in brief
 B = Wrap up of significant ideas associated with
the thesis key points
 C = Circle back to the attention-capturing
technique of the introduction

See pages 189-194 in your handbook for extra help
with conclusions.
WHAT ARE MODES OF WRITING?
Modes are organizational strategies that help
convey information and a purpose.
For this presentation, we will focus on just
three of these:


1.
2.
3.
Cause and Effect
Comparison and Contrast
Process Analysis
Please see Section VI in your textbooks
for examples of these modes.
DEFINE THREE MODES
Cause and effect – By explaining or analyzing
the causes and effects of something, you provide
your readers with ways to understand a topic
and sometimes cope with new ideas.
 Comparison and/or contrast – Often,
explaining how things are alike and/or different,
or how they were and how they have changed,
will present new information.
 Process analysis – Sometimes explaining how
something is done, made, or works, or how it
came to be, will clarify a topic for a reader.


Process writing is another kind of expository writing.
EXAMPLES OF EACH MODE
 Cause
and effect:
Change can lead to anxiety and stress.
Contemplating the change of a new work or
family dynamic often creates ripples of stress
that affect every area of daily life. In fact,
even good changes such as job promotion or
new relationships can cause anxious feelings of
adjustment.
 In these few sentences, the writer
demonstrates cause and effect. Change 
causes  anxiety and stress.
MORE EXAMPLES:


Comparison and contrast:
Although the former filing system for our company used only
alphabetical order, the new filing system uses both alphabetical
order and chronological order. Therefore, while the older system
allowed quick access only to client names and invoices, the new
system allows employees to find invoices in certain timeframes for
certain clients. Using this new system decreases time spent
searching for invoices with the old system and the frequent
misfiling that occurred with that system. However, this new
method retains the alphabetical order of the old system because
this order has served the company well.
These sentences set up a comparison and contrast. The
difference (chronological order) is pointed out with the
likeness (alphabetical order).
THE FINAL EXAMPLE:


Process Analysis:
Although photography is a complex process, the amateur
version of this art usually involves simple steps. First, the
photographer loads the film into an analog camera. Next,
the person behind the camera arranges the desired image,
makes sure the flash is engaged and film advanced if
necessary, and presses the shutter button. Finally, when the
film roll is complete, the photographer takes the film to a
developing lab and awaits the results.
These sentences explain a process. Notice the words
used to transition between ideas  “First,” “Next,” and
“Finally.” Writing requires this kind of transition, but
the words used to transition change from mode to
mode.
A WORD ON USING RESEARCH
Chapter 12 is vital in helping you avoid accidental
plagiarism. We’re not going to dwell on this much
this week, but if you follow the rules in the
chapter, you should be fine for the project.
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN PARAPHRASE AND QUOTATION.




Again, a paraphrase occurs when the writer uses his or her
own words to express the ideas of a source.
Direct quotation occurs when a writer copies the exact words
of a source.
One should use more paraphrase than direct quotation, but
sometimes we just cannot say it better than the original source.
 Direct quotes should make up no more than 25% of your
paper.
 On your outlines, try to only have one quote per key point so
that you also practice paraphrasing at this stage.
Pages 128-136 in your textbooks cover the ins and outs of source
integration.
UNDERSTAND APA IN-TEXT CITATION
FOR PARAPHRASE.
When a writer paraphrases, he or she cites the author
and year of the source.
Examples:
*Mary Smith (2005) indicates that young voters may feel
disconnected from political issues.
*A recent study indicates that young voters may feel
disconnected from political issues (Smith, 2005).
*In 2005, Mary Smith’s study of young voters indicated
that these voters may feel disconnected from political
issues.
Note: In the third example, there are no parentheses
because all the information needed for this paraphrase is
in the text of the sentence.
I’ve posted a nice handout about paraphrasing from the
Writing Center into Doc Sharing—check it out!

CONSIDER THIS…



Original Quote: Chemical fingerprinting involves taking a speck
of the material and splitting it into its different atomic elements.
The tiniest portions of unusual suites can reveal where something
came from. One of the growing uses of this technique is in food
forensics, where the integrity of regional brands is big business.
Paraphrase 1: The smallest elements of strange sets can show
an item’s origins (Eastwood, 2009).
Paraphrase 2: According to Eastwood, the smallest portions of
weird suites can reveal where something was from.
What’s the difference between the two paraphrases? Which is
appropriate, and which isn’t? Why?
Eastwood, Ken. (2009, July-September). Can this fly solve a murder? Australian Geographic. (95). 8187. Retrieved September 20, 2009, from Academic Search Premier.
UNDERSTAND APA IN-TEXT CITATION
FOR DIRECT QUOTATION.
When a writer quotes directly, he or she will include a
page number when one is available. Not all sources have
page numbers.
Examples:
• Mary Smith (2005) points out that “most kids simply are
not involved in the typical voting agenda” (p. 25).
• A recent study suggests that “most kids simply are not
involved in the typical voting agenda” (Smith, 2005, p. 25).
• In her 2005 study, Mary Smith suggests that “most kids
simply are not involved in the typical political agenda” (p.
25).
• Note: These examples are all ways of handling the same
quotation. Notice that these examples and Maggie’s
examples integrate quotation into the writer’s own
sentences. No quotation should stand alone as its
own sentence.

COMBINE YOUR OWN IDEAS AND
RESEARCH FINDINGS.
This point is worth repeating: Maggie began this
essay with her own ideas and sentences.
 Research supports Maggie’s ideas and gives her
new perspectives from which to write, but the
essay is Maggie’s work based on her research.
 Outside sources are important, but we cannot
string them together and call them an essay.
 Her sources are cited. Non-cited material is
Maggie's own.
 In the body-paragraph levels of the outline, the
sub-points (A, B, C, etc.) include citation because
Maggie is going to use these to decide how to
support her ideas with her research.

PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
The References Page has a specific spacing and
indentation format.
 Copy this format exactly.
 Use the APA resources in Doc Sharing and under
Course Home to find out what every item in the
reference entry means.

ASK QUESTIONS! 
 The
outline is a detailed project.
 Read the instructions for the project. Are
there any rules you might have
overlooked? Are there specific
requirements for the sources from which
you will borrow information?
 Use the rubric as a checklist for the
project.
 Use the Kaplan Writing Center’s help.
 Ask your instructor for help.
 Leave time to ask questions by
beginning work early in the Unit.
SOME REMINDERS . . .
 Read,
print, and read at least two more
times.
 Begin immediately; don’t let one minute
go to waste.
 Set a personal plan for completing the
outline and submitting it by your own due
date and time. Do not use 11:59 PM ET
on the Tuesday night the outline is due as
a due date. Work ahead.
 Pat yourself on the back for a job well
done! 
A STEP AT A TIME . . .
 Learning
to outline and use APA requires
patience, practice, and timemanagement.
 Consider the rules for the sources you are
using. Do not try to learn all the rules at
one time.
 If you take these issues a step at a time,
you will learn with practice.
 We often learn from making mistakes; do
your best and seek help when you need it.

LOOKING AHEAD

In Unit 6 we will:
Recap the major connection between the outline and
the essay
 Look at in-text citation more closely
 Focus on integrating information from a source into a
paragraph.
