If you remember what I said on Wednesday, a good idea for this paper has three qualities: it is a complicated thesis that has a lot of parts to it so you have to prove a lot of things--giving you your five pages; it is arguable--someone can reasonably tell you you are wrong and why; and, finally, a point we didn't get to, you could do research on it. If you can't come up with something that fits all three of these criteria, you are not going to have an easy time writing your paper. So, to that end, please post the following:

1. A Tentative thesis statement. Think back to my Dirty Dancing thesis. It was long. It was more than one sentence. It had lots of parts to prove--making it a good thesis for a five page paper. 

2. Explain in a sentence or two how you could argue against your point. 

3. Tell me what kind of research you could maybe do. Don't worry if you don't know for sure, just try. 

Please try to write your answer on the blog by 5:00 PM on Friday. And, then, REPLY to one or more of your classmates giving them feedback. If you DON'T think it is an arguable point, tell them. If you think there is no way they could do research on that subject--or that it would be crazy hard--tell them. If you think that it's just sort of boring, tell them that--but nicely. You know I'm certainly going to do that. Please RESPOND to your classmates by Sunday at 5:00. 

TO POST: CLICK ON THE "COMMENT" BUTTON AT THE TOP RIGHT OR BOTTOM LEFT OF THE PAGE. 
On MONDAY we will meet in the library computer room, which is located on the first floor of Maxwell Library. If you walk in the main entrance, just before you get to the staircase, turn left and walk all the way back until you hit the wall. That room will be the library computer room.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUR ONLINE CLASS: We are not meeting as a class on Monday, 3 October 2016. PLEASE NOTE: You still need to go to your meeting with Tristen or your book club if that is your regularly scheduled day to meet. 

Instead of holding class, you need to post to this site. You post by clicking on the "comment" button. The comment button can be found at the top right or at the bottom of this post. 

WHAT TO POST: Based on the information you've gotten so far from your alumni interview, what is the THESIS of their story so far. Identify write down three facts that SUPPORT that thesis. You MUST POST by 5:00 on Monday, 3 October 2016.

REPLY TO THREE POSTS: Read your classmates posts. Reply by clicking on the "reply" button to their post. Respond by telling them if you think that the facts they've included PROVE the thesis they say it proves. If it doesn't, tell them what thesis you think it could prove instead. Also, tell them what information or story you'd be interested in hearing more about. BE HELPFUL NOT CONGRATULATORY. If the thesis sort of sucks--tell your classmate, but nicely. Help them write a better paper.