The Thesis McGraw Hill: Deciding on a Thesis

Don’t lose your thesis… Think of the thesis as a long-distance runner who has to pass the baton. If the runner is lagging behind or he drops the baton, the whole team could lose the race. If your paper does not have an effective thesis, the entire essay is considered null and void!

The thesis statement is… The thesis statement is the main (or central) idea of an essay. A thesis statement should fit the purpose of the assignment. A thesis statement should be specific and present the direction of the paper to the reader. A good thesis makes an assertion (or a claim) about a topic. (Note: An informative thesis statement may not make a claim, but it will be specific and it will provide the reader with a sense of direction.)

Effective Thesis statement Although many mothers of teens struggling with body image may blame models and other such stars, certain disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa stem back to the mother’s own insecurities with weight.

Checklist for a strong thesis: A thesis statement should be specific. A thesis statement should fit the purpose of the assignment. A thesis makes an assertion or a claim about a topic. A thesis outlines the scope of your paper.

Fitting the assignment… A thesis should always fit the assignment. A good thesis is limited to fit the assignment. Your thesis should be focused enough to adequately explore and develop in one essay.

Fitting the assignment… Poor: The parking permit system at Houston Community College should be completely revised. [An essay calling for revision of the parking permit system would probably involve discussion of permits for various kinds of students, faculty, administrators, staff, visitors, etc. Therefore, the thesis is probably too broad for a short essay.] Better: Because of the complicated application process, the parking permit system at HCC penalizes disabled students.

Making thesis statements specific… What is wrong with the following thesis? 1.More attention should be paid to the clothing and video game choices available to teenage children. The words ‘clothing’ and ‘video game’ are vague. This statement needs to be revised because it lacks specificity. 2. Because half of all teenagers make decisions based on what is popular rather than what is necessary, parents should spend more time teaching their children how to make informed, rational decisions.

How can this thesis be revised? There are several reasons why smoking is bad for your health.

What is wrong with the following thesis? Doris Day was a great 1950s actress.

Making your claim… Your thesis will need to be more than a simple or obvious statement such as “Doris Day was a great 1950s actress." Such a statement might capture your initial impressions of Doris Day; however, you need to look deeper and express specifically what caused her "greatness." Your instructor will probably expect something more complicated, such as “Doris Day’s acting skills, whether they were displayed in a comedy, musical, or drama were great because she was always able to touch the heart of her audience.

What claim can you make about the following topics? Mortgage Crisis Divorce and young children Children being raised by single parents Marriage and young people You will be asked to share your thesis statements for these topics in a chat session.

Do’s and Don’ts for Thesis Statements Be specific Use declarative sentences (In persuasive thesis statements) Use opinionated statements Don’ts Don’t be too broad Don’t use words like bad, good, nice, etc. in your thesis Don’t phrase thesis as a question (In persuasive thesis statements) Do not use facts Don’t make announcements (‘In my essay’…’I will discuss’…’I will prove’…) (In persuasive thesis statements) Steer away from 1st person In a persuasive essay, don’t use factual statements.

Complete this worksheet. Directions: Decided which of the following statement is a fact, an announcement, a thesis, or a broad statement. 1. Violence in Disney films 2. In this paper, I will discuss the different types of ants. 3. Stephen King is the author of The Shining. 4. Saving Private Ryan is a very good movie. 5. I will show why rabbits make poor pets. 6. A United States president should have charisma, compassion, and control. 7. The drop-dead gorgeous realm of beauty pageants 8. School uniforms are necessary. 9. William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, Hamlet, and The Tempest. 10. Aromatherapy helps to soothe the mind, body, and spirit. 11. This paper will show how single mothers have a hard time in the workplace. 12. Hollywood: Your road to fame and fortune Adapted from: http://www.epcc.edu/Student/Tutorial/Writingcenter/Handouts/paragraphessaystructure/essaystructure/Quizzes/thesisquiz.htm

A thesis is a promise. It is a statement that not only outlines the scope of your paper, but it is a promise to your reader that you will focus on your topic from the introduction to the conclusion of your essay.