What is a thesis statement? The MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE in your paper!

What is a thesis statement? A road map for the rest of the paper Lets the reader know the main idea of the paper Answers the question: “What am I trying to prove?” Not a factual statement, but a claim that has to be proven throughout the paper The engine that drives the car The foundation of the building Key Concept: A definition of a thesis statement is offered in this slide. The facilitator may choose to emphasize to students the difference between a claim that has to be proven and a statement of fact. Click mouse to reveal answers to the question.

Role of the Thesis Statement: The thesis statement should guide your reader through your argument. The thesis statement is generally located in the introduction of the paper. A thesis statement may also be located within the body of the paper, depending upon the purpose or argument of the paper.

Which thesis statement is the most effective for an argument about the need for V-chips in television sets? 1. Parents, often too busy to watch television shows with their families, can monitor their children’s viewing habits with the aid of the V-chip. 2. To help parents monitor their children’s viewing habits, the V-chip should be a required feature for television sets sold in the U.S. 3. This paper will describe a V-chip and examine the uses of the V-chip in American-made television sets. Activity: The facilitator may ask students to identify the most effective thesis statement from the three listed examples. The first example, while a well-phrased informative sentence, offers a factual statement rather than an argumentative claim that needs to be proven. The third example also fails to provide an effective claim about the value of the V-chip. The second example is the strongest argumentative thesis; it clearly articulates the writer’s position on the issue and suggests that the writer will proceed to prove this claim throughout the rest of the paper.

How do I know if my thesis is strong? Do I answer the prompt question? Have I taken a position others would oppose? Does my thesis pass the “SO WHAT” test? Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? Does my thesis pass the “HOW or WHY” test?

Choose the best thesis statement from the list below, and explain why you feel it answers questions 2, 3, and 5 from the previous slide. 1. The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different. 2. While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions. 3. While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused nobly on the rights of others and the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended only their rights to own property and to be self-governing.

Choose the best thesis statement from the list below, and explain why you feel it answers questions 2, 3, and 5 from the previous slide. 1. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel. 2. In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore. 3. Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

THESIS STATEMENT REVIEW Using the information you have learned in this PowerPoint, create a thesis for a paper on the following essay prompt: The Function of Deceit: A central theme in the play is trickery or deceit, whether for good or evil purposes. Counterfeiting, or concealing one’s true feelings, is part of this theme. Good characters as well as evil ones engage in deceit as they attempt to conceal their feelings: Beatrice and Benedick mask their feelings for one another with bitter insults; Don John spies on Claudio and Hero. Who hides and what is hidden? How does deceit function in the world of the play, and how does it help the play comment on life in general?

THESIS STATEMENT REVIEW Using the information you have learned in this PowerPoint, create a thesis for a paper on the following essay prompt: Appearance vs Reality: Appearance versus reality is a major theme in Much Ado About Nothing and the lesson of the play is to learn to discriminate properly and to estimate everything at its true value. Write an analytical essay on mistakes/mis-notings that take place in this play, as well as the way in which they are resolved; include the motifs, imagery, dialogue, and theatrical devices that Shakespeare employs to explore this theme.

THESIS STATEMENT REVIEW Using the information you have learned in this PowerPoint, create a thesis for a paper on the following essay prompt: The Ideal Couple? Are Beatrice and Benedick an ideal couple? Is the fact they are roughly equal in wit and intelligence significant? Do you find their attitude toward love and their courtship more satisfying than Claudio and Hero's? Why or why not?