WRITING AN EFFECTIVE THESIS STATEMENT

What is a thesis statement?  Short 1-2 sentence statement  Gives an opinion about a topic  Directly answers the prompt  Clearly written  Usually at the end of the introductory paragraph

Why is it important?  Keeps you focused and organized  Helps the reader understand the point of your essay  First thing they look for on the writing HSPE

How do I write one?  Read the essay prompt carefully  Do your brainstorming/prewriting  Follow the 4 Steps

Step 1: Identify your Topic  Prompt: Write a five paragraph essay that explains whether or not you believe global warming to be a serious issue that effects our planet. Use evidence to justify your position.  What is the Topic? Global Warming

Step 2: State your Opinion  Global warming is a serious problem

Step 3: Use ‘the Rule of Three’  Why is global warming a serious problem? 1. It could cause drought and famine 2. Flooding could damage property 3. Rising sea levels = large scale migration away from coastal regions

Step 4: Write your Thesis In my opinion, global warming is a serious problem because it could cause famine, large scale destruction of property, and mass migration from coastal urban areas.

Topic vs. Thesis  Topic: The War on Terror Opinion: The government’s reaction to the War on Terror has made our lives less private. Thesis: One major consequence of America’s War on Terror has been the erosion of its citizen’s right to privacy.

Examples  In my opinion, mandatory military service would teach young people discipline, benefit the community, and make our country safer.  In my opinion, the death penalty is immoral because innocent people could be executed, it is applied in a racist manner, and it doesn’t appear to deter crime.  Giving every student a laptop computer will help young people to communicate with teachers, improve their research skills, and get better grades.

Common Mistakes 1. Making an announcement:  I want to share some of my thoughts with you about the use of cell phones in schools. 2. Just stating a topic:  Drug use in schools. 3. Making it too broad:  Drug addiction is a big problem. 4. Making it too narrow:  Drug addiction has had a massive impact in the hygiene of third generation Irish American vegan democrats.

Practice #1  In your opinion, is violence an acceptable form of protest? Use evidence from the videos and article to support your opinion.