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http://www.cstw.org - Chat Transcript - Microsoft Inte...

Transcript 1107528947
Date Fri 02/04/05 10:17 am
Operator C.S.
Visitor Mike
IP 140.254.245.151 (dhcp-ml-245-151.cohums.ohio-state.edu
Browser Mozilla/4.0 (compatible: MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0)
Monitor 1152 x 864

Mike(09:54:42 am): Did you get my paper?
** (09:54:55 am) You are now speaking with C.S., Writing Center. **
C.S. (09:55:33 am): Hello. Yes, I got your paper. I thought it was pretty good. What are your concerns about it?
Mike (09:56:23 am): I guess I just wanted someone else to look at it. My TA said it was good, but it could some help.
C.S. (09:56:39 am): What type of help? Anything in particular?
Mike (09:57:18 am): I think I need a stronger thesis. And better organization.
C.S. (09:58:42 am)Okay, great. I think those two things go together. If you have strong thesis, it suggests the organization. Where is your thesis?
Mike (09:59:19 am): I think it is the last sentence in the first paragraph.
Mike (09:59:22 am): ?
C.S. (09:59:44 am): Okay, do you think that sentence reflects the rest of your paper?
Mike (09:59:50 am): Should it?
C.S. (10:00:43 am): Yeah, I think that would be nice. Some people think of a thesis as a road map to the rest of the paper.
Mike (10:04:17 am): oooohhh.....so maybe I should mention women's oppression in a work setting.
C.S. (10:05:34 am): Yes, that seems to be a major component of your paper, so introducing it into your thesis or at least alluding to it may be a good idea.
Mike (10:05:50 am): How do I do that?
C.S. (10:07:21 am): Well, your thesis has the traditional thesis look (compound sentence with a semicolon), so just add two more elements to the last part, "this is because 1, 2, and 3" Or you could heighten the cause and effect relationship.
Mike (10:07:48 am): I like the first suggestion. That's easier. :)
C.S. (10:08:18 am): Good, so these suggestions are helpful?
Mike (10:08:31 am): Yeah, I think so. What else?
C.S. (10:08:41 am): What other concerns do you have?
Mike (10:08:52 am): Is my organization okay?
C.S. (10:10:00 am): Well since you like the 1, 2 and 3 structure for your thesis, just follow the same pattern in the body of your paper. 1 is the first paragraph of the body, 2 is the second and so on...
Mike (10:10:15 am): I think I do that, don't I?