THE THESIS STATEMENT

The essay you write will contain a thesis statement. Thisstatement is usually one sentence that gives the purpose of theessay.

1. The thesis statement should be expressed in a completesentence.

ExamDle:

NOT A THESIS STATEMENTTHESIS STATEMENT

My fear of the darkMy fear of the dark has mademy life miserable

2. The thesis statement is the strongest, clearest statement inthe essay.

3. The thesis should comeat the beginning of the essay,usually at the endof the introductory paragraph.

The thesis sentence must not be a simple statement of factthat requires no elaboration. A simple statement of fact hasno possibilities for development.

ExamDle:

Mrs. Brown, myneighbour, has four cats NOTA THESISandthree dogs. STATEMENT

The thesis will probably not be expressed as a question, fora question contains no attitude or opinion.

Thethesis will contain controlling ideas that will be usedin the topic sentences of the body paragraphs of the essay.

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ExamDle:

A successful football coach'has(!o~-

qualitiesCONTROLLING

IDEAS(CIRCLED)

7. The thesis may bea statementof oDinion that you willexplainandprovein the bodyof the essay.

EX8mDle:

Myneighbour,Mrs. Brown,ownsfour cats

ourserious health

~eighbourhood~

in

EX8mDle:

ThelmilkcowsproduceJis~talwaysfi)for humanconsumption~

STATEMENTOF

OPINION

STATEMENT01=

OPINION

8. The thesis may bea statementof intent that you willexplainandillustrate in thebodyparagraphsof theessay..

ExamDle:

Theseimportantsteps will show'howcorn

~lante~and~hY this procedure of....planting is successful.

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STATEMENTOF

INTENT

......

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The tlstatalcontrestat9l1gOingstaten

One sthreeyougiof thethesis

Comparlundivilgives Ihow i1dividecthe es~

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9. Thethesis statementshouldexpressonly oneideatowardonetopic. If the thesis statementcontainstwoor more ideas,the essayrunsthe risks of lackingunity andcoherence.

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ExamQle:

11Going to college in WestCoast can be NOTA THESISfun, and I havefoundthat living in a STATEMENTlarge city is the best wayto live whilein college

Thereare twoideas in the abovestatement:-

a) Goingto college in WestCoast can be fun; and

b) Living in a large city is the best wayto live whilein college.

Going to college in the WestCoast can THESISbefun. STATEMENT

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Thethesis statementis very importantnot only in makinga clearstatementbut in makingit in sucha waythat it governsorcontrols the organization of the wholeessay. A good thesisstatementtells not onlywherethe essayis goingbut howit isgoing to get there. Muchlike a good outline, the thesisstatementgivesthe planfor the essay.

One suggestionis to divide the thesis statementinto two orthree parts. Whenyoudivide yourthesis statemen~rin~o parts,P/(, l.,1" '".'/ l'O)'(f,.;-yougive yourreader,aswell as yourself, a moreprecise previewof the essayas a wholethanwouldbepossiblewith an undividedthesis statement.

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Comparethe following sentences.Thefirst of eachpair is anundividedthesis. Thethought is expressedin onevaguelumpthatgives no indication of the wayin whichthe essaywill proceedorhow it will be organized. Thesecondsentenceof each pair isdivided into twoor three parts that suggestthe organization ofthe essay.

1. Peoplewholive in the suburbsare alike ( UNDIVIDED)

People wholive in the suburbsare alike in (DIVIDED~ race. andDOl1t1cs INTO THREE

PARTS)

-- - ----

2. Pollution constitutes a serious problem to (UNDIVIDED)humanity.

Air and water pollution constitutes a seriousproblem to humanity

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The second sentence of each pair is a brief summarynot only where the essay is going but how it willConsider the first example;

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2.

People who live in the suburb are alike inage, race and politics.

3.

One can tell at a glance not only the subject of the essay, butalso how the essay will be organized. The subject,similaritiv of the suburbanites. is divided into three parts:age, race, and politics. One knows what to expect in the essay.

4.

The division is as useful to you as it is to your reader.Suppose you lose track of your subject and the way in which youwanted to present it. Look back. There it is, all spelled out inthe thesis.

5.

6.

Keep in mind that the essay must discuss each part of the thesisin the order in which it appears in the thesis. The discussionpart of the essay about the similarity of the suburbanites mustbegin with age, proceed then to race, and then turn to Dolitics.

Of course the order might be rearranged in the thesis statementand, therefore, rearranged in the discussion, but whatever theorder of the thesis, so must the order of the discussion.

7.

8.

The division of the thesis statement into parts is sometimessimply for the purpose of breaking the thought down into aspectsor areas that make the discussion more orderly and manageaable.

EXE

( DIVIDEDINTO TWOPARTS)

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that tells

get there.1.

---- - - ---- ~.

2. Pollution constitutesa serious problemto (UNDIVIDED)humanity.

Air andwaterpollution constitutesa seriousproblemto humanity

The secondsentenceof eachpair is a brief summarynot only wheretheessay is goingbut howit willConsiderthe first example;

2.People wholive in the suburbare alike inage, raceandpolitics.

3.

One cantell at a glancenotonly the subjectof the essay, butalso how the essay will be organized. The subject,similar1tiv of the suburbanites. is divided into three parts:age, race, andpolitics. Oneknowswhatto expectin the essay.

4.

The division is as useful to youas it is to your reader.Supposeyoulose track of yoursubjectandthe wayin which youwantedto presentit. Lookback.Thereit is, all spelledout inthe thesis.

5.

6.Keepin mindthat the essaymustdiscusseachpart of the thesisin the order in whichit appearsin the thesis. The discussionpart of the essayaboutthe similarity of the suburbanitesmustbeginwith age,proceedthento race, andthenturn to Dolitics.

Of coursethe ordermightbe rearrangedin the thesis statementand, therefore, rearrangedin the discussion,but whatevertheorderof the thesis, so mustthe orderof the discussion.

The division of the thesis statementinto parts is sometimessimplyfor the purposeof breakingthe thoughtdowninto aspectsor areasthat makethe discussionmoreorderly andmanageaable.

7.

8.

EXE

( DIVIDEDINTO TWOPARTS)

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su

that tellsget there. 1.