BASIC ESSAY STRUCTURE: THESIS STATEMENTS

Strategies for Introductions• Controversial statement• Rhetorical Question• Story or anecdote• Startling statistic• Statement of popular opinion that is contradicted or shown

to be untrue• Comparison or analogy• Rhetorical Devices: poetic, repetition, anticipation,

emphasis• Quotation

What is a Thesis Statement?• It is typically one sentence; however, sometimes you may

need more than one sentence.

• It states the main idea or argument of your essay.

• It lets your reader know what to expect.

• It is the basis for your entire essay.

• It is the most important part of your essay.

• It is awesome (kinda).

HOW DO I WRITE A THESIS STATEMENT?

Your thesis is the foundation of your essay

• The entire essay attempts to prove that your thesis is correct.

• Constantly refer back to your thesis to make sure that your essay is staying on track.

• If you used a Closed Thesis, your body paragraphs should cover one of the points mentioned in your thesis.

•Your body paragraphs should go in the same order as the

points they cover were mentioned in the thesis.

Simple or Complex?

A beginning THESIS STATEMENT:

A is B.

A better THESIS STATEMENT:

A is B because of x, y, and z

A more complex THESIS STATEMENT:

Although C is D, A is B because of x, y, and z.

Thesis Formula

Although , ________

because ,_____________

and _______________________.

gasoline-powered cars are popular people should drive hybrid cars

they cut down on pollution they save you money on gas,

hybrid owners receive special tax breaks

The Formula

_________________________ + __________________________ Subject Opinion

because _____________________________, _____________________________, reason 1 reason 2

_________________________________________ reason 3

Although _________________________________________________, counter argument (opposite of your opinion)

the war on drugs is a travesty of justice

sentencing laws are discriminatory more prisons than colleges are built

and addiction is treated as a crime rather than a disease.

most politicians support ongoing funding for the DEA

Thesis Formula

Although , ________

because _____.

many people remain skeptical the gov’t should research bigfoot

compelling evidence suggests it exist

A Few Examples

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written by Mark Twain in 1876.

Some people think that The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain’s best novel.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain’s best novel.

Although some scholars argue that Huckleberry Finn is Twain’s crowning achievement, the Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain’s best novel because of its use of satire, imagery, and symbolism.

WEAK

WEAK

STRONG

STRONGER

Where Does the THESIS STATEMENT Go?

The Five Paragraph EssayAlthough some believe martial arts are dangerous, they are beneficial because they teach discipline, patience, and character.

Have you ever had an interest in self defense? Karate is martial art and a way of fighting and self-defense based on an understanding of both body and mind. As a college student, I discovered tae kwon do. Even though I was physically fit and planned to become a police officer, I thought that women needed special skills to protect themselves. Karate teaches these skills and more. Although some people feel martial arts dangerous, the person who practices karate gains discipline, maturity, and a changed self-concept.

First, the discipline of karate helps the student to outfight and outsmart her opponent. For a while, I didn’t appreciate the discipline. We had to practice every night in class and also commit to a rigid exercise plan outside of class. We also had to be disciplined in our study of the course materials.

Second, with practice, karate increases maturity. Although maturity sometimes comes with age, it can also come with experience. Maturity is something that I thought I had developed until I started my karate classes, and I realized that I have a hot temper and often jump to conclusions.

Finally, after a year or so, karate can change the student’s self-concept. This happened to me. On one hand, I became confident that I had the skills to take care of business if necessary. On the other hand, the better I got, the more I started to act like a pussycat instead of a lion. Inside I knew that I had nothing to prove to anybody.

As I discovered firsthand, the practice of karate can bring personal benefits that go far beyond self-defense. I know that my own maturity, discipline and sense of self have been enhanced through my involvement in this martial art. Imagine the benefits that practicing karate could possibly bring to your own life. Chances are that there classes are being offered in your local community right now. What are you waiting for? Sign-up today.

Adapted from the following book:

Fawcett, Susan and Alvin Sandberg. Grassroots with Readings. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.

Five strategies for the conclusion

• Go beyond restating and/or summarizing. • Explain the benefits if the audience accepts our view. • Make inferences or predictions.

• Ask the audience to consider what would happen if they don’t accept your point of view. • Make a connection to society in general, the bigger picture, or the human condition.

The Five Paragraph Essay

In defense of the 5 paragraph essay

Ill Effects of the Five Paragraph theme

The length of your essay—the number of paragraphs, the sentences in each paragraph, etc—depends on the audience.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that essays should only be five paragraphs long. Even if you list three points in your thesis, you may need 20 paragraphs to explain those three points.

The five paragraph essay is a great place to start for beginning writers. It’s similar to riding a bicycle with training wheels. After the you get comfortable with the form, you will want to expand beyond five. This is especially true when you are writing essays for English 101 and above. The following articles provide some commentary on the pros and cons of five paragraph essays.

Let’s practice thesis statements

Prompts

Choose one of the prompts below:• What do you believe are the benefits of daily exercise?• Are online courses better than traditional course? Why or why

not?• What do you think should be the main priorities for California’s

budget?• Should marijuana be legalized in CA?

Using one of the prompts below, write a “complex, closed thesis statement” using the “although clause” described in the previous slides. Include three points in your thesis statement. This will be submitted as part of your homework module for this week.