263 bridgethesistitle.doc

 Writing Your Thesis SentenceWhen you write your thesis sentence you have to carefully study the general meaning of your body paragraphs.  Your thesis sentence has to describe the general meaning of your body paragraphs.  If the thesis sentence is too specific it may not describe the meaning of your body paragraphs accurately. Often a thesis sentence uses general phrases like:There are many benefits/problems/reasons/points...If you can think of a more specific thesis to describe your body paragraphs, your point will be clearer to the reader. Your Thesis:What is a bridge?A paragraph bridge, is a type of topic sentence that helps connect the previous paragraph or idea to the following paragraph. It conveys what the new paragraph is about and how it relates to the one introduced prior to itBuilding a BridgeWhen you write your bridge, you want to clearly understand the relationship between the paragraphs you are connecting.  Your bridge sentence should use a transition word that explains that relationship to your reader. Some possible relationships are: additional support, contrast, sequence, and comparison. Most successful bridges will use a transition word to show a relationship and summarize the idea in the previous sentence. Then you can write your topic sentence.Examples: These examples use ideas from our first paragraph.Additional supportBody Paragraph 1: ...beer for work is effective at helping its members become more mentally healthy.Body Paragraph 2: (Bridge) In addition to helping its members feel better about themselves, the program offers another important benefit. It makes the community a better place to be. Your example:

ContrastBody Paragraph 1: ...beer for work is effective at helping its members become more mentally healthy.Body Paragraph 2: (Bridge) Although the program has some clear benefits for its members, some people are still opposed to it.  Some people feel the program does not sufficiently address the addictions of its members.Your example:TitleDo I have to have a title? Yes, you do. : )Your title should follow several important guidelines:-All “important” words should be capitalized. (Not grammar words)-Don’t use a complete sentence-Give a clue to your paper’s meanin