The Thesis Statement

EN090

The punch line versus the thesisHey, did you hear the one where a sumo wrestler and two lawyers were on an airplane…?

The punch line versus the thesis Unlike jokes where some suspense sets up a

punch line, academic essays are different. Readers don’t want to have to guess where,

you, the writer are going. Therefore, you must give the reader or

audience a preview of what is to come in the essay.

A thesis statement, which is generally one sentence in length, does this.

A thesis statement, or, specifically for EN090, a three pronged thesis statement does this while also stating your essay’s main points.

Another example with dialogueWhat is a thesis statement, and what does it do?

Well, it is the paper’s main claim. It basically orientates the reader.

Main claim! Ah, you mean, if I say, “I need a wife because I am lonely, I want to know what love is, and I want to start a family. And, by orientate, you mean direction; it directs the reader? Why, yes, main claim is right, because it is certainly debatable if you “need” a wife. Having one might certainly give you someone to talk to and teach you about love. It might even get you to stop killing my family members. But, I could debate that with you, since you could create a race of superhuman monsters and take over the world. That wouldn’t be good.

Really, what is a thesis statement? Thesis is a Greek word meaning “setting down”

and, as used today, the job of the thesis statement is to focus and announce (to “set down”) the argument.

Consider the thesis statement a roadmap for the reader as well as the writer.

The basic thesis statement gives order and direction. Consider these two examples and decide which one is

the superior choice: Michael Jordan is the best basketball player in the world. Michael Jordan can be considered one of the best basketball

players in the world because of his passion for the game, his numerous awards and achievements, and his ability to play well under pressure.

But, how do I create a thesis? First, keep in mind that most writers do not have the

perfect thesis statement before writing their papers. The thesis statement involves contemplation, thought. For EN090, you should spend some time reading the

question prompt, whether it is an essay assignment or the exit exam.

Make sure you know what the question is asking of you. From there, consider the reasons for your claim. Ask yourself, “Will I have at least three (3) reasons?”

Let’s consider this diagnostic exam question: Everyone has received gifts that were particularly meaningful

for some reason. What was the best gift you ever received? Give at least three reasons this gift was meaningful, important or awesome.

Question breakdown Everyone has received gifts that were particularly

meaningful for some reason. What was the best gift you ever received? Give at least three reasons this gift was meaningful, important or awesome. One issue students faced concerned the three reasons. If you read carefully, you realized that the question is asking

for three reasons that one gift was meaningful, important, OR awesome.

Easy enough question, right? Well, many students gave their three reasons as such: why my gift is meaningful, why my gift is important, AND why my gift is awesome.

But that’s not what the question is asking. The issue with doing it that way is that each reason is not

really separate, since meaningful, important, and awesome are very similar.

How do I know if my thesis is strong? If there's time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center

to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following:

Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.

Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your

thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something "successful"? Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.

Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It's o.k. to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.

Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is "how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Parallel form in the thesis The three pronged thesis statement must also

be parallel, meaning that each reason has to follow the same grammatical structure.

For example: Television has a positive effect because it helps

you learn, it gives you information from all over the world, and it allows you to relax.

Why parallel? Consider the following two advertisements:

Parallel form in the thesisThe Art Institute of

Washington1st Annual Senior Social

Eat pizza

Network with friends

Interview with prospective employees

Discuss resume

The Art Institute of Washington

1st Annual Senior Social

Pizza eating

Networking with friends

Interviewing with prospective employees

Resume discussing

Which advertisement is most clear?

Parallel form in the thesis If you selected the advertisement on the right, you

are correct. All three items are stated in parallel form and are easier to understand. Each items starts with a verb that describes one of the activities at the senior social.

Now notice how parallel form works in thesis statements: 

Non-Parallel Thesis: The most important qualities of a good friend are a sense of humor, being kind, and someone I can depend on.

Parallel Thesis: The most important qualities of a good friend are a sense of humor, kindness, and dependability.

Revise the following thesis statements so that they are written in parallel form.

1) Sports benefit your overall health because they relieve stress in your muscles, they work your cardiovascular system, and your brain needs oxygen.

 2) Every student should complete high school because high school graduates earn more, finding better jobs, and they have more choices.

 3) Jonas’ character in Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver is brave in many situations, skeptical about his community, and chooses his words carefully.

Independent in-class work Write about one person who has made a

difference in your life. Name that person and give specific reasons why that person has made a difference in your life.

What is your favorite pastime? Name the activity and give reasons why you like it.

What do you think is the most significant invention ever made and why do you think so.

Topic Sentences

Thesis Statement

Topic sentences A topic sentence is a sentence whose main

idea or claim controls the rest of the paragraph.

The body of a paragraph explains, develops or supports with evidence the topic sentence's main idea or claim.

The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of a paragraph, but not necessarily. It may come, for example, after a transition sentence; it may even come at the end of a paragraph.

For the sakes of EN090, begin your body paragraphs with your topic sentence.

Topic sentences Topic sentences are also useful to readers

because they guide them through sometimes complex arguments.

Many well-known, experienced writers effectively use topic sentences to bridge between paragraphs.

Here's an example of how one professional writer does this:

Soon after the spraying had ended there were unmistakable signs that all was not well. Within two days dead and dying fish, including many young salmon, were found along the banks of the stream. Brook trout also appeared among the dead fish, and along the roads and in the woods birds were dying. All the life of the stream was stilled. Before the spraying there had been a rich assortment of the water life that forms the food of salmon and trout — caddis fly larvae, living in loosely fitting protective cases of leaves, stems, or gravel cemented together with saliva, stonefly nymphs clinging to rocks in the swirling currents, and the wormlike larvae of blackflies edging the stones under riffles or where the stream spills over steeply slanting rocks. But now the stream insects were dead, killed by DDT, and there was nothing for a young salmon to eat.

The first part of Carson's topic sentence — Soon after the spraying had ended — is a transitional clause that looks back to the previous topic: DDT spraying.

Topic sentences often begin with such transitional clauses referring to the previous paragraph.

The second part of the topic sentence — there were unmistakable signs that all was not well — shapes and controls what follows.

This kind of bridging helps the reader follow Carson's argument. Notice, too, how Carson further helps the reader follow her argument by providing a more focused version of the topic sentence later in the paragraph — All the life of the stream was stilled.

This sentence tells us exactly what Carson meant by all was not well.

Topic sentences: diagnostic exampleQuestion prompt: Everyone has received gifts that were particularly

meaningful for some reason. What was the best gift you ever received? Give at least three reasons this gift

was meaningful, important or awesome.

Our example: The best gift that I ever received was my car because it allowed me to be

independent, taught me about responsibility, and made life more convenient. Body 1: My car was the best gift ever because it allowed me to be

independent.

Body 2: My car was the best gift ever because it taught me about responsibility.

Body 3: My car was the best gift ever because it made life more convenient.

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Keep in mind and be aware This is one way of formulating a thesis

statement If the thesis is generally strong, you should be

able to extract your main topic sentences. The previous example is devoid of any real

creativity as it pertains to academic writing. But, it does reveal how the thesis statement

and main topic sentences are connected. As you gain confidence, you may expand and

be more creative. But, keep in mind that the main topic

sentences must echo back to the thesis.

Topic sentences: diagnostic exampleQuestion prompt: Everyone has received gifts that were particularly

meaningful for some reason. What was the best gift you ever received? Give at least three reasons this gift

was meaningful, important or awesome.

Our example: The best gift that I ever received was my car because it allowed me to be

independent, taught me about responsibility, and made life more convenient. Body 1:When I was given my car as a gift, I was also given my freedom.

Body 2: While a car enabled me to be free, I still had to learn to be responsible.

Body 3: Responsibility was important, but the convenience my car afforded me was unmatched with anything I had experienced before.

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Create three (3) MTS to relate to the thesis Statements you created earlier Write about one person who has made a

difference in your life. Name that person and give specific reasons why that person has made a difference in your life.

What is your favorite pastime? Name the activity and give reasons why you like it.

What do you think is the most significant invention ever made and why do you think so.

Make sure your name is at the top, and turn them in when you are finished.