Tutor profile: Jacob D.

What is a thesis, and how can I get better at creating one?

A thesis is essentially the main point of your argument. It's the singular point you want to write your paper about, and while you have points that might slightly diverge, they should ultimately be in the service of supporting that thesis, or main argument. I always had trouble creating a thesis, and what I found out helps in figuring out what I genuinely feel about what I'm supposed to be writing. A lot of times I would try and write what I thought an instructor wanted to hear, not what I felt. I would say figuring out your opinion, or what you feel about a certain subject has helped me most when creating a thesis.

When Romeo says to Juliet "If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. What does he mean?

We have to make sure we put things in context. They are meeting for the first time, and he is clearly smitten with her from a previous quote. Knowing this, we can realize that this quote is meant to compliment her, and he does so by using religious imagery. By saying he will "profane her with [his] unworthiest hand" Romeo is using the word "profane" to indicate that she is something more than human, almost saint-like. This continues onto the next line. What is a shrine? It is something you worship at, something you are devoted to, something he calls "holy." What is a pilgrimage? It is a religious journey. Romeo is using religious imagery to both compliment Juliet, and compare her to something that he is both not worthy of, and almost "above humanity."

What is the correct usage of an apostrophe, especially when the word ends in "s"?

An apostrophe is used to show possessiveness, or if something "belongs" to someone. If it is a last name that ends in "s" like "Jones" you put the apostrophe after the "s" in order to show they possess what is being talked about. It would read "Mr. Jones' car was new and shiny" because Mr. Jones possesses his car. Apostrophes are not a contraction (combination) of "it is." Be careful not to write something like "It's cold outside" because that would be a combination of "it" and "is."