Global Statements
THE GLOBAL STATEMENT: What is it and where to use it?
Aside from courtesy details, a thesis statement (a more direct statement about the topic/text than the examples below; a simple equation which may help is thesis = topic +opinion) and your road map, an introduction may also offer (usually in the opening sentence) a general or global statement about the nature of texts/ characters/conflicts/ideas/identity/ conventions/responses etc… on all the usual topics you are asked to discuss in essay writing.
You should use the global statements as the opening sentence of your introduction. Ensure your global statement stills offer a sense of where your thesis is heading, that is, it makes reference to an aspect of the topic. The global statement should, however, be much broader than your thesis. It may be useful to think of an introduction as sentences which transition from broad to narrow in sequence i.e. power structures and identity ( position on hierarchy/social status ( age, sex and occupation affect opportunities and way others behave towards you
Here are some examples of global statements to learn/know/experiment with: • Text can often reflect the real world; characters can reflect real people; settings can reflect real places or attempt to predict what the real world might be like in the future (sci-fi or speculative texts). If you need to discuss how ideas in texts can reflect or interpret the real world you might say - “Any given text can be considered the author’s attempt to reflect their understanding of the world” - “Narratives can allow readers to consider the nature of the world/the way the world works” - “Texts can speculate as to the future of our world” - “Texts can be critical of the nature of the world/human nature/ humanity” - “A narrative’s purpose is to communicate an understanding/ interpretation of the world” - “A text can teach us to appreciate aspects of our world we might take for granted” - “A
Aside from courtesy details, a thesis statement (a more direct statement about the topic/text than the examples below; a simple equation which may help is thesis = topic +opinion) and your road map, an introduction may also offer (usually in the opening sentence) a general or global statement about the nature of texts/ characters/conflicts/ideas/identity/ conventions/responses etc… on all the usual topics you are asked to discuss in essay writing.
You should use the global statements as the opening sentence of your introduction. Ensure your global statement stills offer a sense of where your thesis is heading, that is, it makes reference to an aspect of the topic. The global statement should, however, be much broader than your thesis. It may be useful to think of an introduction as sentences which transition from broad to narrow in sequence i.e. power structures and identity ( position on hierarchy/social status ( age, sex and occupation affect opportunities and way others behave towards you
Here are some examples of global statements to learn/know/experiment with: • Text can often reflect the real world; characters can reflect real people; settings can reflect real places or attempt to predict what the real world might be like in the future (sci-fi or speculative texts). If you need to discuss how ideas in texts can reflect or interpret the real world you might say - “Any given text can be considered the author’s attempt to reflect their understanding of the world” - “Narratives can allow readers to consider the nature of the world/the way the world works” - “Texts can speculate as to the future of our world” - “Texts can be critical of the nature of the world/human nature/ humanity” - “A narrative’s purpose is to communicate an understanding/ interpretation of the world” - “A text can teach us to appreciate aspects of our world we might take for granted” - “A