# my daughters essay

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-essay/574675>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 14, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-essay/574675 "2011-03-14T17:40:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-essay/574675/41 "2011-03-17T16:10:34Z")

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I wasn’t suggesting that her thesis statement and sentences read anything like what I posted there. I was trying to illustrate structure only, which her essay is sadly lacking.

I used that approach through high school and college, and got high marks on my papers. That structure is a guideline only, and can support sophisticated arguments in the hands of a proficient writer. Each key idea can have anywhere from one paragraph to several pages to support it. The point is: have a thesis to support. Support your thesis. Summarize your argument at the end. It works well.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-essay/574675/42 "2011-03-17T16:23:50Z")

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I wouldn’t take off points for this, but parenthetical citations including the author’s name are kind of goofy in a book review.

That is, unless she was citing other works in the paper, which she isn’t.

Beyond that, I would have to see the wording of the assignment itself to grade the paper. If it’s supposed to be formatted like a paper, rather than an article, I’d give it a D. The language is too conversational and the overall tone is too conclusory.

ETA: And as **Oakminster** notes, it would give anyone who hasn’t read the book a rather limited idea of what it’s about.

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