Discussion Guideline Your discussion post should aspire to include six sentences. Below are some guidelines to help you frame your thoughts. Organizing Your Thoughts 1. Topic Sentence (TS): Introduce the main topic this paragraph will address. Open up the discussion in a way that is considerate of the reader’s comprehension. Explain what the audience needs to know before they read your discussion post. 2. Concrete Detail I (CD I): Present your first piece of evidence ( quote, fact, statistic, data) to the reader in a clear, deliberate manner. Remember to cite the source of your evidence parenthetically. 3. Commentary I (CM1): Clearly explain to the reader what this piece of evidence means. Explain the significance of the quote you have chosen. Begin to build upon the theme you introduced in your Topic Sentence. 4. Commentary II (CM2): Advance your argument by explaining why this piece of evidence matters. Explain why the reader should care about the quote and topic you have selected to discuss. 5. Commentary III (CM3): Explain how the evidence impacts your main point. Complete your thoughts in a way that builds momentum from CM I, II, and III, so the reader understands how your thoughts are developing. 6. Conclusion Sentence (CS): Conclude your discussion post with a sentence that states the core idea of the paragraph. Leave the audience with a “a take away” message that is easy to understand. Notes for Citing a Quote Remember, a quote cannot stand alone. It must be introduced with a speaker tag (Adichie says). Also, you should include the page number parenthetically at the end of the sentence. Note: the period comes after the cited page number. The below examples are correct. In the beginning of her third suggestion, Adichie says, “Teach her that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense” (14). Adichie states her third suggestion plainly: “Teach her that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense” (14). “Teach her,” Adichie explains, “that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense” (14). At the heart of her third suggestion, Adichie believes that “gender roles [are] absolute nonsense” because they create unfair, inherent division (14). The most direct thesis statement in today's reading is "the idea (that) gender roles is absolute nonsense" (Adichie 14). This example is NOT CORRECT: "Teach her that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense" (14). Student Example Through humility and honesty, Chimamanda Adichie attempts to guide her friend through raising a child with a feminist outlook in the best way possible. She starts with a suggestion that is personable and important when she tells Ijeawele, “Be a full person” (7). This quote suggests that Ijeawele should not to lose herself in becoming a mother, but instead keep aspects of herself before motherhood intact. This advice is important because a mother should not be defined solely as the mother of her child. She needs to have an identity tha ...

1. Discussion Guideline
Your discussion post should aspire to include six sentences.
Below are some guidelines to help you frame your thoughts.
Organizing Your Thoughts
1. Topic Sentence (TS): Introduce the main topic this paragraph
will address. Open up the discussion in a way that is considerate
of the reader’s comprehension. Explain what the audience
needs to know before they read your discussion post.
2. Concrete Detail I (CD I): Present your first piece of evidence
( quote, fact, statistic, data) to the reader in a clear, deliberate
manner. Remember to cite the source of your evidence
parenthetically.
3. Commentary I (CM1): Clearly explain to the reader what this
piece of evidence means. Explain the significance of the quote
you have chosen. Begin to build upon the theme you introduced
in your Topic Sentence.
4. Commentary II (CM2): Advance your argument by explaining
why this piece of evidence matters. Explain why the reader
should care about the quote and topic you have selected to
discuss.
5. Commentary III (CM3): Explain how the evidence impacts
your main point. Complete your thoughts in a way that builds
momentum from CM I, II, and III, so the reader understands
how your thoughts are developing.
6. Conclusion Sentence (CS): Conclude your discussion post
with a sentence that states the core idea of the paragraph.
Leave the audience with a

2. “a take away” message that is easy to understand.
Notes for Citing a Quote
Remember, a quote cannot stand alone. It must be introduced
with a speaker tag (Adichie says). Also, you should include the
page number parenthetically at the end of the sentence. Note:
the period comes after the cited page number. The below
examples are correct.
In the beginning of her third suggestion, Adichie says, “Teach
her that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense” (14).
Adichie states her third suggestion plainly: “Teach her that the
idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense” (14).
“Teach her,” Adichie explains, “that the idea of gender roles is
absolute nonsense” (14).
At the heart of her third suggestion, Adichie believes that
“gender roles [are] absolute nonsense” because they create
unfair, inherent division (14).
The most direct thesis statement in today's reading is "the idea
(that) gender roles is absolute nonsense" (Adichie 14).
This example is NOT CORRECT: "Teach her that the idea of
gender roles is absolute nonsense" (14).
Student Example
Through humility and honesty, Chimamanda Adichie attempts to
guide her friend through raising a child with a feminist outlook
in the best way possible. She starts with a suggestion that is
personable and important when she tells Ijeawele, “Be a full
person” (7). This quote suggests that Ijeawele should not to lose

3. herself in becoming a mother, but instead keep aspects of
herself before motherhood intact. This advice is important
because a mother should not be defined solely as the mother of
her child. She needs to have an identity that the child will learn
about and admire. This idea shows that mothers are more than
just mothers. They are powerful women who can make anything
happen all while having a child under their wing. Being a full
person is a meaningful idea that Adichie thinks Ijeawele should
practice when teaching her child to have feminist ideals.
r
patriarchy. It shows us, too, that not all women
are feminists and not all men are misogynists.
FIFTEENTH SUGGESTION
Teach her about difference. Make difference
ordinary. Make difference normal. Teach her
not to attach value to difference. And the reason
for this is not to be fair or to be nice, but merely
to be human and practical. Because difference
is the reality of our world. And by teaching
her about difference, you are equipping her to
survive in a diverse world.
She must know and understand that people
walk different paths in the world, and that as
long as those paths do no harm to others, they

4. are valid paths that she must respect. Teach
her that we do not know-we cannot know-
eve rythi ng about li fe. Both reli gion and sc ience
have spaces for the things we do not know, and
it is enough to make peace with that.
Teach her never to universalize her own
standards or experiences. Teach her that her
standards are for her alone, and not for other
people. This is the only necessary form of hu-
mility: the realization that difference is normal.
Tell her that some people are gay, and some
are not. A little child has two daddies or two
mommies because some people just do. Tell her
that some people go to mosque and others go
to church and others go to different places of
worship and still others don't worship at all, be-
cause that is just the way it is for some people.
You say to her: You like palm oil but some
people don't like palm oil.
She says to you: Why?
You say to her: I don't know. It's just the way
the world is.
Please note that I am not suggesti ng that
you raise her to be "non-judgmental," which

5. 62
is a commonly used expression these days, and
which slightly worries me. The general senti-
ment behind the idea is a fine one, but "non-
judgmental" can easily devolve into meaning
"don't have an opinion about anything" or "I
keep my opinions to myself." And so, instead
of that, what I hope for Chizalum is this: that
she will be full of opinions, and that her opin-
ions will come from an informed, humane, and
broad-minded place.
May she be healthy and happy. May her life
be whatever she wants it to be.
Do you have a headache after reading all this?
Sorry. Next time don't ask me how to raise your
daughter feminist.
With love, oyi gi,
Chimamanda