Thesis Statements What and how

- is a road map for the paper; it tells your reader what you will prove - tells your reader how you will prove the “what” from above - makes a claim that others might dispute - is usually a single sentence (sometimes two) toward the end of your introduction that presents your argument to the reader.

Example To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age. Should I go right or left? Should I study or procrastinate? Should I take someone else’s advice or trust my instincts? When all is said and done, it’s up to us to make the best choice and live with the consequences of those choices. When fear is introduced to the decision-making process, the results can often be destructive. Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

What is this thesis trying to prove?

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

How will this paper prove it?

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Organizational hint: your “how” statement should contain topic sentences.

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Thesis “hows” connects to body paragraphs Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others. Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 1 Fear can cloud our thought process. Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 2 If enough people make decisions based on fear, it can lead to a mass hysteria. Topic Sentence: Body Paragraph 3 Letting fear guide our choices can often have harmful consequences for those around us.

Try to craft a thesis now

Thesis Peer Edit

1) Does the thesis address a specific literary reason why I should or should not teach the novel next year? 2) Does it answer the “what” question? 3) Does it answer the “how” question? a) Can the “how” portion be broken up into different topic sentences? b) Are the “how” statements in the most effective order? 4) Is the thesis precise? Is the language straightforward and clear?

How to write an introduction…

Purpose: By the end of this lesson, you will understand how to write a complete and focused introduction.

General (topic of paper) Specific (idea about topic)

Hook This is the first thing I will read. Make it count. It should make me want to continue reading. This will always address the topic of the paper. This will be your most general statement in your intro. Elaborate on your hook in the following sentence(s).

Hook No No’s! - Define a word. Leave Webster’s out of this. - Grandiose statement. “In all of literature…” - Dumb questions - Quotes– unless you avoid cliché. Make sure you discuss the quote. - One word

To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age.

Elaborate on hook. Discuss it. Include title and author’s full name (use last name after this). Punctuate correctly. Piece: use “ ” Whole: use italics A one or two sentence thesis statement that addresses: What you will argue How you will argue it General Specific

General

To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age. Should I go right or left? Should I study or procrastinate? Should I take someone else’s advice or trust my instincts? When all is said and done, it’s up to us to make the best choice and live with the consequences of those choices. When fear is introduced to the decision-making process, the results can often be destructive. Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age. Should I go right or left? Should I study or procrastinate? Should I take someone else’s advice or trust my instincts? When all is said and done, it’s up to us to make the best choice and live with the consequences of those choices. When fear is introduced to the decision-making process, the results can often be destructive. Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Specific

To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age. Should I go right or left? Should I study or procrastinate? Should I take someone else’s advice or trust my instincts? When all is said and done, it’s up to us to make the best choice and live with the consequences of those choices. When fear is introduced to the decision-making process, the results can often be destructive. Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age To live is to make decisions, no matter what your age. Should I go right or left? Should I study or procrastinate? Should I take someone else’s advice or trust my instincts? When all is said and done, it’s up to us to make the best choice and live with the consequences of those choices. When fear is introduced to the decision-making process, the results can often be destructive. Fear should never influence our decisions because it fogs the thought process and can lead to mass hysteria. The results of our choices made as a result of fear can also be harmful to others.

Now, craft a rough draft of your intro according to what we just learned.

Homework: Complete the rough draft of your intro for tomorrow Homework: Complete the rough draft of your intro for tomorrow. Also have your outline completed.