Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
Communicating effectively is an important aspect of being successful in the workplace. Think about the many ways you may need to communicate with others. You may be asked to write a set of specific instructions, a memo, an email, a proposal, or an essay. It is necessary to reinforce your ideas with support. Without support, writing lacks merit and value. Providing support will bring relevance to your ideas.
| Readings, Resources, and Assignments | |
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| Required Readings | Read the following before starting this lesson: |
| Multimedia Resources | |
| Required Assignments |
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Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Support a topic with relevant and specific examples.
Key Terms
Thesis
Specific
Relevant
Presentation
Supporting a Topic with Relevant and Specific Examples
Have you ever witnessed a case unfold before a jury? Consider what would happen if the prosecution proclaimed the defendant guilty without ever presenting a case. At the heart of the American justice system rests the concept that all men are innocent until proven guilty. In order to be proven guilty, the prosecution must support their case with relevant and specific evidence.
Just like a prosecutor must use relevant and specific evidence to make his case, a writer must also use relevant and specific examples to prove a point.
Think of an essay in the simplest of terms.
- The writer must prove his or her thesis.
- The essay is about the thesis and only about the thesis. This is the writer's only goal.
- How does a writer do this? A writer does this by providing specific and relevant examples.
The body paragraphs that follow the thesis must provide supporting detail. This detail must be both relevant and specific.
Consider the following thesis: Technology has positively impacted society.
- The writer's job and only job is to prove this thesis.
- The writer would do this by including relevant and specific evidence that supports the claim that technology has positively impacted society.
- The writer could include examples that expound upon the convenience of technology or the connectivity that it allows. However, the writer should stay away from examples that illustrate any negative impact technology might have on society.
For example:
- Good: The Internet allows families to stay connected through social networking devices.
- Better: The Internet allows families to stay connected via Facebook and Twitter.
(This example is relevant but not specific.)
(This example is both relevant and specific.)
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Now that you have a basic understanding of how to support a topic with relevant and specific examples, read Chapter 6: Section 6.3, "Supporting a Thesis" in the Flat World Knowledge Handbook for Writers for explanations on how you can create and use supporting details. |
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Watch the following video, Finding Reliable Resources-YouTube, to see a more in-depth explanation of how to evaluate resources. |
Practice
Based on the knowledge you have gained, you know the importance of supporting a thesis statement with relevant and specific examples. Now it is your turn to practice. For the following thesis statements, determine which statement is both relevant and specific then check your answers to see how well you did.
- Social networks have changed education.
- Social networks provide opportunities for learning communities.
- When Sal Khan began creating YouTube videos to help his cousins with their homework, he changed education forever.
- Online learning allows for both convenience and freedom.
- Online students can study where and when they want.
- Online students are free of imposed structures, both the brick-and-mortar type and the scheduling type.
Summarizing Your Learning
Remember to think of writing in the simplest way. Whether you are writing one paragraph or a complete essay, your thesis is your argument. It is your only focus. Your job is to prove your thesis. You prove your argument or thesis by including specific and relevant support.
Assessing Your Learning
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Now that you have practiced, it is time to show what you know. Complete the assignment below. |
- Prewriting: Supporting a Topic