1. Thesis
Creating Your Claim

2. Notes

3. Watch this video and take notes on good vs. bad theses

4. Take notes on the four parts of a killer thesis.

5. Practice

6. Pick out the thesis statement.
(1)Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. (2) It is a way of fighting and self-defense based on any understanding of both body and mind. (3) As a college student, I discovered tae kwon do. (4) Even though I was physically fit and planned to become a police officer, I thought that women needed special skills to protect themselves. (5) Tae kwon do teaches these skills and much more. (6) The person who practices taekwondo gains discipline, maturity, and a changed self-concept.
Determine the topic, question , claim, and reasons

7. Pick out the thesis statement.
(1) In the United States, nearly 2 million people are artists by profession. (2) According to the National Endowment for the Arts, that is “only slightly smaller than the total number of active-duty and reserve personnel in the U.S. military (2.2 million).” (3)Art education is vital to the American education system because it not only trains students to fill millions of jobs, but is also improved students scores on standardized test and sharpens problem solving skills.
Determine the topic, question , claim, and reasons

8. Pick out the thesis statement.
(1) Most people believe that stress has a negative effect on their lives. (2) Under severe stress, most cannot function effectively – or at all. (3) Pressured by tight deadlines, heavy workloads, or competitive situations, they may suffer from such problems as anxiety, sleeplessness, or ulcers. (4) Yet stress in not necessarily bad. (5) Contrary to popular opinion, people can lean to turn stress into a valuable asset in the classroom and in the workplace.
Determine the topic, question , claim, and reasons

9. Write

10. Now you write your thesis!
Fill in your paper with the following information.
Topic: What is the one word that is the topic of what you will argue?
Question: What question will you answer in your argument?
Claim: What is the opinion that will be stated as fact?
Reasons: What are the three reasons you will use to support your claim?
From this list, create a sentence that is your thesis! Make sure that is meets the requirements of a killer thesis statement!

11. Sample Topic: Standardized Testing
Question: Is the level and weight of standardized testing appropriate?
Claim: The level and weight of standardized testing is inappropriate.
Reasons: 1. Not developmentally appropriate 2. Faulty tests 3. Makes education less effective at preparing students for future
Thesis: The level and weight of standardized testing is inappropriate for the developmental stages of school-aged children, the tests are flawed in their assessments, and they causes instruction to be less effective at preparing students for the future.