Writing aWriting aThesis Thesis

StatementStatement

A A thesis statement thesis statement in an in an essay is …essay is …

a sentence that clearly a sentence that clearly identifies the identifies the purposepurpose of of the paper and the paper and previewspreviews

its main ideas.its main ideas.

11. A thesis statement is . A thesis statement is an an assertionassertion, , notnot a a statement of fact or an statement of fact or an observation. observation. Fact/Observation: Fact/Observation: People use many People use many lawn chemicals. lawn chemicals. Thesis: Thesis: People are poisoning the People are poisoning the environment with chemicals merely environment with chemicals merely to keep their lawns clean. to keep their lawns clean.

22. A thesis . A thesis takes a stand takes a stand rather than rather than announcing a subject.announcing a subject. Announcement: Announcement: The thesis of this The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our paper is the difficulty of solving our environmental problems. environmental problems. Thesis: Thesis: Solving our environmental Solving our environmental problems is more difficult than problems is more difficult than many environmentalists believe. many environmentalists believe.

33. A thesis is the . A thesis is the main ideamain idea, , not the title. It must be a not the title. It must be a complete sentence complete sentence that that explains in some detail explains in some detail what what you expect to write aboutyou expect to write about..

Title: Title: Social Security and Old Age. Social Security and Old Age. Thesis: Thesis: Continuing changes in the Continuing changes in the Social Security System make it Social Security System make it almost impossible to plan almost impossible to plan intelligently for one's retirement. intelligently for one's retirement.

44. A thesis statement is . A thesis statement is narrownarrow, , rather than broad. If the thesis rather than broad. If the thesis statement is sufficiently narrow, statement is sufficiently narrow, it can be it can be fully supportedfully supported..

BroadBroad: The American steel industry : The American steel industry has many problems. has many problems. NarrowNarrow: The primary problem of : The primary problem of the American steel industry is the the American steel industry is the lack of funds to renovate outdated lack of funds to renovate outdated plants and equipment. plants and equipment.

55. A thesis statement is . A thesis statement is specific specific rather than vague rather than vague or general.or general.

Vague: Vague: Hemingway's war stories are Hemingway's war stories are very good.very good.Specific: Specific: Hemingway's stories Hemingway's stories helped create a new prose style by helped create a new prose style by employing extensive dialogue, employing extensive dialogue, shorter sentences, and strong shorter sentences, and strong Anglo-Saxon words. Anglo-Saxon words.

66. A thesis statement has . A thesis statement has one main one main point point rather than several main points. rather than several main points. More than one point may be too More than one point may be too difficult for the reader to understand difficult for the reader to understand and the writer to support.and the writer to support.

More than One Point: More than One Point: Stephen Hawking's Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him physical disability has not prevented him from becoming a world-renowned physicist, from becoming a world-renowned physicist, and his book is the subject of a movie. and his book is the subject of a movie. One Main Point: One Main Point: Stephen Hawking's physical Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him from disability has not prevented him from becoming a world renowned physicist. becoming a world renowned physicist.

You can You can revise your thesis revise your thesis statement whenever you want statement whenever you want to while you are writing your to while you are writing your essay.essay.

Writers often discover what Writers often discover what their real purpose and point is in their real purpose and point is in the process of putting their the process of putting their thoughts into words and then thoughts into words and then reading what they've written.reading what they've written.

Things to Remember about Things to Remember about Thesis StatementsThesis Statements

a a single sentencesingle sentence appears in the appears in the introductory introductory

paragraphparagraph, usually near the end, usually near the end does not does not use the words: I, me, my, etc.use the words: I, me, my, etc. usuallyusually begins with a begins with a subordinatesubordinate

conjunction …conjunction …

Common Subordinate ConjunctionsCommon Subordinate Conjunctions

unlessunlesswhilewhilebeforebeforeas long asas long asin order thatin order that

wheneverwhenever

althoughalthoughbecausebecausesincesinceeven thougheven thoughwhetherwhetheruntiluntil

Review the 6 attributes of a Review the 6 attributes of a healthy thesis statement?healthy thesis statement?

assertion assertion (opinion)(opinion) takes a stand takes a stand (arguable)(arguable) narrownarrow main idea main idea specificspecific one main pointone main point

Weak Thesis Statements … Why?Weak Thesis Statements … Why? Foreign language is required in high schools.Foreign language is required in high schools. Professional athletes make a lot of money.Professional athletes make a lot of money. Watching a movie at home is different from going Watching a movie at home is different from going

to the theater to see a film.to the theater to see a film. Reading romance novels is a waste of time.Reading romance novels is a waste of time. Intelligence tests are used extensively in some Intelligence tests are used extensively in some

elementary schools.elementary schools. Women are usually awarded custody of children Women are usually awarded custody of children

in divorce settlements.in divorce settlements.

Practice TimePractice TimeRewrite the following into STRONG thesisRewrite the following into STRONG thesisstatements. Remember that each statementstatements. Remember that each statementmust include …must include …

1)1) a statement of fact or the topic of the a statement of fact or the topic of the paperpaper

2)2) the point of your paper, usually your the point of your paper, usually your opinion or beliefopinion or belief

It makes sense to drive a It makes sense to drive a compact car.compact car.

The cost of a community college is The cost of a community college is low.low.

There is a shortage in the nursing There is a shortage in the nursing profession.profession.

Men as well as women suffer sexual Men as well as women suffer sexual stereotypes.stereotypes.

1. 1. What is the topic you want to write about?What is the topic you want to write about? 2. 2. What is your main opinion on this topic?What is your main opinion on this topic?

3. 3. What is the strongest reason supporting your opinion?What is the strongest reason supporting your opinion?

4. 4. What is another strong reason supporting your opinion?What is another strong reason supporting your opinion?

5. 5. What is the main argument against your opinion?What is the main argument against your opinion?

1. 1. What is the topic you want to write about?What is the topic you want to write about? extending the school year to 12 monthsextending the school year to 12 months2. 2. What is your main opinion on this topic?What is your main opinion on this topic?

3. 3. What is the strongest reason supporting your opinion?What is the strongest reason supporting your opinion?

4. 4. What is another strong reason supporting your opinion?What is another strong reason supporting your opinion?

5. 5. What is the main argument against your opinion?What is the main argument against your opinion?

Even though Even though 55 , , 2 2 because because 44 and and 3 3 . .

Even though Even though 55 , , 2 2 because because 44 and and 3 3 . .

2 2 because because 44 . .

While While 55 , , 22 . .

1. 1. What is the topic you want to write What is the topic you want to write about?about? twins twins 2. 2. What is your main opinion on this topic?What is your main opinion on this topic?

twins are closer than siblingstwins are closer than siblings3. 3. What is the strongest reason supporting What is the strongest reason supporting your opinion?your opinion?

twins spend almost minute together twins spend almost minute together since birthsince birth4. 4. What is another strong reason What is another strong reason supporting your opinion?supporting your opinion?

twins develop their own languagetwins develop their own language 5. 5. What is the main argument against your What is the main argument against your opinion?opinion?

some siblings who are not twins are some siblings who are not twins are also very closealso very close