Strong Thesis Statements

“In this paper, I am going to tell you my opinion of the things that

are going on in the world of television in the modern day

world.”And your point is?

What is a thesis statement? It is a complete sentence that

expresses your position on a given topic.

It narrows down your topic to a specific focus of investigation.

It establishes a direction for the entire paper, especially if it consists of sub-parts.

It is the thread the connects all parts of your paper.

It is always stated near the beginning of your paper.

What is not a thesis statement? A thesis is never a question; it could

be the answer to a question.

A thesis is not a statement of purpose.

A thesis is not simply a topic.

Your thesis should include three components: WHAT, HOW, and WHY

WHAT—claim about topic HOW—the events, ideas, sources,

etc. that you choose to prove your claim

WHY—the significance of your idea in terms of understanding your position as a whole (answers the dreaded “so what?” question)

Successful Thesis Statement In both its geography and its

brutality, the U.S. Civil War remains vastly different from other conflicts experienced by Americans in the past three centuries; Specifically, the widespread impact of the war on the citizenry, the economy, and the landscape proves that the importance of the Civil War lies as much on the home front as it does on the battlefield.

Why is it successful? Answers WHAT Mentions HOW States WHY

In both its geography and its brutality, the U.S. Civil War remains vastly different from other conflicts experienced by Americans in the past three centuries; Specifically, the widespread impact of the war on the citizenry, the economy, and the landscape proves that the importance of the Civil War lies as much on the home front as it does on the battlefield.

What to Avoid The plot summary thesis:

The Confederate soldiers gave up their weapons after General Lee surrendered to General Grant.

Proving the universal:The U.S. Civil War was a conflict between the North and the South.

The overly general thesis: The U.S. Civil War demonstrated that war could be very bloody. [Note: if you can plug another subject/topic into your thesis, your thesis is probably too general.]

More to Avoid The cliché thesis:

The U.S. Civil War proved that war is hell.  The list thesis: 

The death of civilians, the destruction of cities, and the devastation of countrysides showed the extent to which the U.S. Civil War severely damaged the entire nation. [Nothing technically “wrong” with this thesis, but it’s really boring! This is a great place to start with a thesis statement; then expand and/or finesse the what? how? and why? components.]

Remember to Always Take A Stand

Consider: There are some negative and positive

aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

Versus: Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement

promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

The More Specific the Better Consider:

World hunger has many causes and effects.

Verses: Hunger persists in Appalachia because

jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable, resulting in vastly increasing numbers of childhood diseases and even death.

Practice with Thesis Statements In groups, compose a

thesis statement for the Ford Escape Hybrid ad that we discussed in class last week.

Make sure to include the WHAT: topic/subject

(who is the audience of your advertisement)

HOW: what evidence will you use to prove this statement (color, font, text, etc.)

WHY: your opinion/why is it important

More Practice Now that you know what a thesis statement

should contain, take 5 minutes and compose a thesis statement for your Illustration Essay.

Make sure to include the WHAT: topic/subject (who is the audience of

your advertisement) HOW: what evidence will you use to prove this

statement (color, font, text, etc.) WHY: your opinion/why is it important

If you get stuck, you can think of it like a fill-in-the-blank. (i.e. This particular ad appeals to its audience of ____________ through its use of _________, __________, and _________, which plays upon the __________’s desire for/to __________________.