All The Tropes:Example as a Thesis: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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In most cases, the better order of things is to tell the folks what you are going to talk about, then talk about it. Frequently -- if the 'thesis' is good and does a good job describing the trope -- you can just remove the example completely; after all, there's an entire list of perfectly serviceable examples right below the introduction... a good quote and image also tend to do a lot more than trying to work an example into the introduction text. Alternately, you can try moving the example to the ''middle'' of the description rather than the beginning so that readers know what they're supposed to be reading about ahead of time.
In most cases, the better order of things is to tell the folks what you are going to talk about, then talk about it. Frequently -- if the 'thesis' is good and does a good job describing the trope -- you can just remove the example completely; after all, there's an entire list of perfectly serviceable examples right below the introduction... a good quote and image also tend to do a lot more than trying to work an example into the introduction text. Alternately, you can try moving the example to the ''middle'' of the description rather than the beginning so that readers know what they're supposed to be reading about ahead of time.


This isn't to say that the Example As A Thesis is ''never'' acceptable--it's just that [[Sturgeons Law|90% of the time]], it's a weak way to introduce the trope. So if you're considering starting a description with an example, take a minute to think first about whether you should just cut to the chase instead.
This isn't to say that the Example As A Thesis is ''never'' acceptable--it's just that [[Sturgeon's Law|90% of the time]], it's a weak way to introduce the trope. So if you're considering starting a description with an example, take a minute to think first about whether you should just cut to the chase instead.


In short, a trope needs a concise definition. A good quote and an image certainly help. Examples are strictly optional and a stylistic feature; an example shouldn't have to define the trope by itself.
In short, a trope needs a concise definition. A good quote and an image certainly help. Examples are strictly optional and a stylistic feature; an example shouldn't have to define the trope by itself.
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* [[Actually Not a Vampire]]
* [[Actually Not a Vampire]]
* [[Actually That's My Assistant]]
* [[Actually, That's My Assistant]]
* [[Aesop Amnesia]]
* [[Aesop Amnesia]]
* [[America Saves the Day]]
* [[America Saves the Day]]
* [[And Then What]]
* [[And Then What?]]
* [[Aren't You Going to Ravish Me]]
* [[Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?]]
* [[Awesomeness Withdrawal]]
* [[Awesomeness Withdrawal]]
* [[Bad Mood As an Excuse]]
* [[Bad Mood As an Excuse]]
* [[Bad Powers Bad People]]
* [[Bad Powers, Bad People]]
* [[Bait the Dog]]
* [[Bait the Dog]]
* [[Bait and Switch Boss]]
* [[Bait and Switch Boss]]
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* [[The Cat Came Back]]
* [[The Cat Came Back]]
* [[Catch the Conscience]]
* [[Catch the Conscience]]
* [[Changed My Mind Kid]]
* [[Changed My Mind, Kid]]
* [[Character Check]]
* [[Character Check]]
* [[City of Weirdos]]
* [[City of Weirdos]]
* [[Cliche Storm]]
* [[Cliché Storm]]
* [[Close to Home]]
* [[Close to Home]]
* [[Coincidental Accidental Disguise]]
* [[Coincidental Accidental Disguise]]
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* [[Delayed Reaction]]
* [[Delayed Reaction]]
* [[Did You Just Have Sex]]
* [[Did You Just Have Sex]]
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu]]
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]
** [[Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu]]
** [[Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu]]
* [[Did You Just Scam Cthulhu]]
* [[Did You Just Scam Cthulhu]]
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* [[Don't Shoot the Message]]
* [[Don't Shoot the Message]]
* [[Dungeon Bypass]]
* [[Dungeon Bypass]]
* [[Easily Conquered World]]
* [[Easily-Conquered World]]
* [[Emergency Stash]]
* [[Emergency Stash]]
* [[Escape From the Crazy Place]]
* [[Escape From the Crazy Place]]
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* [[The Eyes Have It]]
* [[The Eyes Have It]]
* [[Fake Kill Scare]]
* [[Fake Kill Scare]]
* [[Famous Named Foreigner]]
* [[Famous-Named Foreigner]]
* [[Fan Preferred Couple]]
* [[Fan Preferred Couple]]
* [[Fidelity Test]]
* [[Fidelity Test]]
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* [[Happily Ever Before]]
* [[Happily Ever Before]]
* [[Has Two Thumbs And]]
* [[Has Two Thumbs And]]
* [[He Panned It Now He Sucks]]
* [[He Panned It, Now He Sucks]]
* [[Hilarity in Zoos]]
* [[Hilarity in Zoos]]
* [[Hire the Critic]]
* [[Hire the Critic]]
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* [[Massive Multiplayer Scam]]
* [[Massive Multiplayer Scam]]
* [[Master of the Mixed Message]]
* [[Master of the Mixed Message]]
* [[Maybe Magic Maybe Mundane]]
* [[Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane]]
* [[Meat-O-Vision]]
* [[Meat-O-Vision]]
* [[A Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Read]]
* [[A Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Read]]
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* [[Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly]]
* [[Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly]]
* [[Nerd Nanny]]
* [[Nerd Nanny]]
* [[Newspaper Thin Disguise]]
* [[Newspaper-Thin Disguise]]
* [[Nice Job Fixing It Villain]]
* [[Nice Job Fixing It, Villain]]
* [[No Mr. Bond I Expect You to Dine]]
* [[No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine]]
* [[No Party Like a Donner Party]]
* [[No Party Like a Donner Party]]
* [[No Sympathy]]
* [[No Sympathy]]
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* [[Not Brainwashed]]
* [[Not Brainwashed]]
* [[The Not Secret]]
* [[The Not Secret]]
* [[The Not So Harmless Punishment]]
* [[The Not-So-Harmless Punishment]]
* [[Note to Self]]
* [[Note to Self]]
* [[Now Let Me Carry You]]
* [[Now Let Me Carry You]]
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* [[Samus Is a Girl]]
* [[Samus Is a Girl]]
* [[Say Your Prayers]]
* [[Say Your Prayers]]
* [[Schrodingers Player Character]]
* [[Schrodinger's Player Character]]
* [[Screw Learning I Have Phlebotinum]]
* [[Screw Learning I Have Phlebotinum]]
* [[Seemingly Profound Fool]]
* [[Seemingly Profound Fool]]
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* [[Shrug of God]]
* [[Shrug of God]]
* [[Shut Up and Save Me]]
* [[Shut Up and Save Me]]
* [[Shut UP Hannibal]]
* [[Shut UP, Hannibal]]
* [[Silly Rabbit Idealism Is for Kids]]
* [[Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids]]
* [[Slept Through the Apocalypse]]
* [[Slept Through the Apocalypse]]
* [[The Slow Walk]]
* [[The Slow Walk]]
* [[Smash Mook]]
* [[Smash Mook]]
* [[So Last Season]]
* [[So Last Season]]
* [[Somebody Elses Problem]]
* [[Somebody Else's Problem]]
* [[Somebody Set Up Us the Bomb]]
* [[Somebody Set Up Us the Bomb]]
* [[Spank the Cutie]]
* [[Spank the Cutie]]
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* [[That Was Not a Dream]]
* [[That Was Not a Dream]]
* [[Think Happy Thoughts]]
* [[Think Happy Thoughts]]
* [[Third Act Misunderstanding]]
* [[Third-Act Misunderstanding]]
* [[Through the Eyes of Madness]]
* [[Through the Eyes of Madness]]
* [[Tomato in The Mirror]]
* [[Tomato in The Mirror]]
* [[Too Dumb to Fool]]
* [[Too Dumb to Fool]]
* [[Too Spicy for Yog Sothoth]]
* [[Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth]]
* [[Totally Not a Werewolf]]
* [[Totally Not a Werewolf]]
* [[Tough Act to Follow]]
* [[Tough Act to Follow]]
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* [[Wax Museum Morgue]]
* [[Wax Museum Morgue]]
* [[Weapon Tombstone]]
* [[Weapon Tombstone]]
* [[Why Isn't It Attacking]]
* [[Why Isn't It Attacking?]]
* [[With or Without You]]
* [[With or Without You]]
* [[With This Herring]]
* [[With This Herring]]

Revision as of 13:26, 8 January 2014


"Example As A Thesis" occurs when a trope is described by giving a generic example of it first.

Instead of trying to tell people what the trope is, it starts out describing a scenario, often written in the third person referring to Alice and Bob. The description takes a while to set up and execute even a few paragraphs. It concludes with a Title Drop before proceeding with a straight description. That straight description is the thesis.

In most cases, the better order of things is to tell the folks what you are going to talk about, then talk about it. Frequently -- if the 'thesis' is good and does a good job describing the trope -- you can just remove the example completely; after all, there's an entire list of perfectly serviceable examples right below the introduction... a good quote and image also tend to do a lot more than trying to work an example into the introduction text. Alternately, you can try moving the example to the middle of the description rather than the beginning so that readers know what they're supposed to be reading about ahead of time.

This isn't to say that the Example As A Thesis is never acceptable--it's just that 90% of the time, it's a weak way to introduce the trope. So if you're considering starting a description with an example, take a minute to think first about whether you should just cut to the chase instead.

In short, a trope needs a concise definition. A good quote and an image certainly help. Examples are strictly optional and a stylistic feature; an example shouldn't have to define the trope by itself.

If a description is written with an example as the thesis, list it here. This will help tropers who are in the mood to find and fix those tropes where Example As A Thesis is not the best format for the trope.[1]

Tropes:

  1. ↑ If you fix one, remember to pull it off the list. And thanks for helping out!
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