Thesis Statement and Introductory Paragraph for your Research Paper

Just so we’re clear… A thesis statement is: THE MOST important sentence in your paper One or two declarative sentence(s) that contains your claim (FROM YOU) and the specific subtopics (areas of you researched) of your paper Located at the END of your INTRO paragraph A thesis statement is NOT: A question A statement beginning with, “The purpose of this paper is…” or “The essay will talk about…” – or any other “proclamation” sentences!

AFTER you have COMPLETED your research (in this case, filled out the “Research Worksheet”) CANNOT move forward in the writing process until you have read and summarized, paraphrased, and directly quoted from your sources When do you create a thesis statement??? STOP

1.CLAIM (where you take a side) 2.COUNTERARGUMENT (the other side) 3.SUBTOPICS (the support for your claim) What goes into a PROFICIENT persuasive thesis statement?

CLAIM-where you take a side – Examples: Music therapy should be strongly considered for those suffering depression rather than pharmaceuticals because it is proven to affect the mind, body, and soul. Public schools should have a mandatory uniform policy instead of placing little to no restrictions because research shows it would lessen disruptive behavior, reduce bullying, and improve school morale. What goes into a PROFICIENT persuasive thesis statement? CLAIM!

COUNTERARGUMENT-the other side to the issue – Examples: Music therapy should be strongly considered for those suffering depression rather than pharmaceuticals because it is proven to affect the mind, body, and soul. Public schools should have a mandatory uniform policy instead of placing little to no restrictions because research shows it would lessen disruptive behavior, reduce bullying, and improve school morale. What goes into a PROFICIENT persuasive thesis statement? THE OTHER SIDE!

SUBTOPICS- which is a “road-map the paper” – Examples: Music therapy should be strongly considered for those suffering depression rather than pharmaceuticals because it is proven to affect the mind, body, and soul. Public schools should have a mandatory uniform policy instead of placing little to no restrictions because research shows it would lessen disruptive behavior, reduce bullying, and improve school morale. What goes into a thesis statement? SUBTOPICS!

1.CLAIM (where you take a side) 2.COUNTERARGUMENT (the other side) 3.GENERALIZED SUBTOPICS (the support for your claim) 4.CRITICAL ASSERTION (this comes from you and is something you add to the thesis to make it more in-depth and insightful) What goes into an ADVANCED persuasive thesis statement?

Music therapy should be strongly considered for those suffering depression rather than the “quick fix” provided by pharmaceutical drugs. Furthermore, research shows this alternative remedy has a beneficial impact on the human body and has proven to be conducive in lessening triggers that bring the onset of depression. Music is not simply just an anecdote for the ailing soul. *What do you notice about this thesis? EXAMPLE!

Public schools should have a mandatory uniform policy instead of placing little to no restrictions for the sake of allowing students to have an outlet for self-expression. Uniforms have been proven to create a more supportive and secure environment, and safety for all students trumps the choice to wear jeans. *What do you notice about this thesis? Another example...

Introductory Paragraph Functions like a funnel General Background Information (3-4 sentences) Hook (1-2 sentences) Thesis (1-2 sentences

Introductory Paragraph Must be at least 5 sentences long! Begin with a hook or a catchy phrase to immediately draw the reader Think of the “hook” as a more personal way of working into a topic for you reader The following choices would work best for your informational essay: Quote General statement Background information on topic Anecdote (story)

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!

Quote Famous musical composer, Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul”. In this quote, Beethoven exclaims the true powers of music on the individual. Music can be defined as any agreeable, pleasing and harmonious sound. It can also be one of the most powerful remedies in the world. Unlike other medications, music is a strong soother of heartaches, stress and other painful experiences life inflicts. Even through ones’ own life, turning up the radio when one is having a bad day can make one’s mood and outlook much brighter. Music is a glimpse of one’s soul through a pattern of rhythms and notes. Therefore, music therapy should be strongly considered for those suffering depression rather than the “quick fix” provided by pharmaceutical drugs. Furthermore, research shows this alternative remedy has a beneficial impact on the human body and has proven to be conducive in lessening triggers that bring the onset of depression. Clearly, music is not simply just an anecdote for the ailing soul.

Background Info on Topic One in every 150 people suffers from it, and scientists still don’t fully understand it: Autism, a disorder rapidly increasing and affecting today’s youth. Autism and the urgency to understand it has increased as many more children are affected each year. In classic Autism, symptoms of social inadequacies are noticeable before the age of three. Since many specifics of the disorder are still unclear, Autism presents significant challenges to the affected families, as well as to society in general. Autistic disorder affects parents, siblings and society differently, ultimately engendering a difficult but potentially rewarding experience. Autism commonly becomes apparent in children within…

General Statement Stress is a natural function of the human body. It is composed of the chemicals cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. When the body is in a desperate situation, these chemicals are released in the brain for either short term energy, or for “flight or fight”, also known as the reaction to stimulus (Msnbc 1). One experiences stress each day, no matter what. Studies have found however, that too much is bad for the body, and that the most affected age group seems to be teenagers. One can point fingers, but the base of the problem is believed to be school-related. The very thing designed to help students is degrading them bit by bit, and causing life to be a little less worth living. The social, academic, and environmental aspects of school are all the incendiaries, and concomitant youth’s mental and physical well-being is considerably affected from these school-induced stressors.