EN106 Park University Unit 3 Academic Audience Discussion
Humanities
For all references, use an appropriate form of documentation (MLA, APA, or another standard academic style discussed in Easy Writer.)
Discussion Topic
We will use this discussion to generate and respond to working thesis statements for Essay #2. Remember Essay #2 will be related to one of the articles we read in Chapter 14:
Assigned articles from Ch. 14:
“Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here? A Word to the Incoming Class.” by Mark Edmundson
“why American Schools Are Even More Unequal Than We Thought” by Susan Dynarski
Greene and Lidinsky present four helpful models for formulating a working thesis:
The Misinterpretations model: “Although many have argued X, a careful examination suggests Z.”
The Gap model: “Although others have noted X, they have overlooked the importance of Y.”
The Modification model: “Although I agree with the X and Y ideas of other writers, it is important to extend/refine/limit their ideas in this way…”
The Hypothesis-testing model: “While some writers explain X by suggesting Y, a close analysis of the problem reveals several competing explanations…”
These thesis models are certainly not the only options available to you, but they do offer ways to enter an academic conversation and make a contribution that extends beyond merely summarizing or echoing someone else’s ideas.
In your initial post, do the following:
Use two of the thesis models above to craft two potential working thesis statements you could use in this unit’s essay
Write a paragraph or so defining the audience you plan to write your essay to. Explain who this audience is, why you have chosen this audience, and what techniques you plan to use in your essay to connect with this audience.
