1. Thesis Statement A good thesis often has an essay map or plan of development to help readers know what the essay is going to be about.

2.  State the writer’s clearly defined opinion  Poor Many people have different opinions about motorcycle safety.  Better Solid training, hours of practice, and protective clothing are three sure ways motorcycle riders can ensure their safety.  Are limited to fit the assignment  Poor The democratic process has many flaws  Better Voting machines in San Diego are unreliable because of unresponsive screens, poorly structured pages, and no voter training in how to use them. Good Thesis Statements do the following:

3.  Are stated in specific terms  Poor The online enrollment system is a pain.  BetterThe online enrollment system at Bate College has several flaws that cause students to give up and go elsewhere.  Are recognizable as the main idea in the body paragraphs. Good Thesis Statements also do the following:

4. Advantages of listing points: 1) makes you plan 2) shows organization to reader 3) aids clarity with road map 4) gives you an outline Points can be listed before or after thesis statement.

5. 1) Makes main idea clear and focused 2)When points are long, not listing makes point clearer 3) Eliminates repetition when topic sentences are too similar to thesis 4) Makes you show connections in more subtle ways. Advantages of not listing points:

6.  Announcements – PoorI am going to talk about Cuyamaca College. – Better Cuyamaca College is an excellent choice for many students  Unreasonable Statements – PoorFanatical conspirators in the bookstore constantly cheat students. – BetterTo better serve students, the bookstore needs to make significant changes in its policies. Things to avoid

7.  Plain Facts – PoorCuyamaca is a community college in El Cajon. – Better Cuyamaca College is better than Mesa College for three important reasons.  Questions – PoorWhy should you attend Cuyamaca College? – Better Saving money and time are two good reasons to attend Cuyamaca College. Things to avoid #2

8.  Cuyamaca college is an excellent choice for students who want to save money, get the classes they need, and enjoy the benefits of close teacher-student relations.  Science Fiction novels help people plan for the future as well as analyze the past Two Good Examples