How To Write A Microtheme

HOW TO WRITE A MICROTHEME: A SHORT GUIDE The idea behind a microtheme is to present an argument about an assigned topic or question as clearly and concisely as possible, without sacrificing evidence to support the microtheme’s thesis. In order to create such a concise argument, you should not concern yourself with crafting elaborate introductions and conclusions. In fact, when complete, a microtheme should ideally have the feel of an outline created in sentence and paragraph form, with transition statements linking the main supporting points of an argument. It will be impossible for you to create a well-written microtheme in one draft, particularly because attempting to limit yourself to 500 words as you are discovering your ideas and the best way to support your thesis will likely prove difficult. You should expect to revise your microtheme several times before you submit it, then, first to assure your essay has the organization and supporting points you want, next to eliminate extraneous points and ideas, and last to work on clarity and conciseness of word choice, etc. I encourage you to follow the steps below as you work on each microtheme: Begin by prewriting, for several pages if necessary, about the assigned question. Focus on coming up with as many ideas and supporting points as you can, and do not concern yourself with length. Do work to find specific textual evidence—quotes, elements of an author’s style, plot events, etc.—to support the claims you make, and incorporate that into your prewriting as you are able. Go back over your prewriting and look for the main idea or thesis which emerges. Highlight or note places where you use the best supporting arguments for this thesis. Create an outline or draft in which you present as directly as possible your thesis and supporting points. Include your textual support in this outline, along with your explanation of how/why the textual evidence supports your thesis. Remember that quotes and other evidence cannot stand alone, but must be explained in your own words to be convincing.Draft your microtheme using this outline. Review your microtheme and revise, making sure your argument has sufficient support and is not hidden behind vague language. Trim out wordiness so that you are as close to the 500 word limit as possible. A successful microtheme should do the following: include a very brief, 1-2 sentence introduction which presents the argument of the paper and sets up its organizational plan include clear supporting paragraphs which state the supporting point of the paragraph, give specific textual evidence to support the claim made, and relate the evidence back to the thesis with thoughtful explanation demonstrate a strong understanding of the assigned question and texts used to support the argument avoid wordiness, and express its argument in approximately 500 words (see below for specifications) be free of grammatical and other surface mistakes (i.e. spelling errors) A MICROTHEME ON MICROTHEMES The MICROTHEME, a brief essay (see below for specifications), is an ideal instrument for painlessly increasing the written content of a course. Brief and thus easily graded it is educationally sound, for a great deal of thinking must precede the writing. There are four main formats, each of which challenges and cultivates writing and cognitive skills in a different way. The Summary-Writing Microtheme The student must read a body of material, discuss its structure (main idea. supportive points, connections among its parts), condense it while retaining its hierarchy. and eliminate frill in order to write a summary. This exercise strengthens reading comprehension and writing ability. It also targets "egocentrism," that is the tendency of the "maturing" student thinker to impose personal opinion on data, veer from the topic, and distort an author’s perspective. The Thesis-Support Microtheme The student must take a stand and defend it. A topic citing Spock’s childhood permissiveness as the cause for the sixties revolution becomes the thesis "The student revolutionary movement in the sixties was not causally related to...." This exercise strengthens the ability to discover, state, and defend an issue, using clear evidence and logical reasoning. The Data-Provided Microtheme Data is provided in the form of tables or factual statements. The student must comment on its significance. Selecting, arranging, connecting, and generalizing about data develops inductive reasoning. Students thus progress from merely listing facts to making assertions. The Quandary-Posing Microtheme A practical occurrence or puzzling situation is presented. The student must explain the underlying scientific principles in clear terms and pose a solution. This exercise moves students from rote learning to application, thereby strengthening concept comprehension and abstract reasoning.