1. Thesis Statements
Chapter 3

2. Objectives Identify Strong and Weak Thesis Statements
Support the thesis with specific evidence
In this lesson we will identify strong and weak thesis statements and learn to support the thesis with specific evidence. Have you ever had an instructor write “where is your thesis?” on your paper? Hopefully, by the end of this slideshow, you will feel more comfortable about constructing a perfect thesis statement to guide your paper.

3. The First and Second steps in Essay Writing
The first two steps:
Begin with a point, or thesis
Support the thesis with specific evidence
Let’s remember from your reading what the first and second steps in essay writing are:
First, begin with a point, or thesis and second, support the thesis with specific evidence.
The thesis is the most important part of your paper. Think of the thesis as a backbone. Nothing can function the way that it is supposed to when the backbone is missing or broken. It is the foundation of your paper.

4. Begin with a Point, or Thesis
Write your point in a single sentence
While a thesis statement can be longer than one sentence, you might find it helpful to ask yourself, “What am I trying to say?” in one succinct sentence.
First, let’s begin with a point, or thesis.
Write your point in a single sentence. While a thesis statement can be longer than one sentence, remember that we are learning ways to master the basics before we go on to more complex models. It might be helpful for you to ask yourself, “What am I trying to say” and to answer that in one sentence. Don’t worry just yet if it is a polished statement.

5. Rules for Thesis Writing
Rule 1: A thesis is not an announcement
Rule 2: A thesis is more than a general statement (broad)
Rule 3: A thesis is more than a specific detail (narrow)
Rule 4: A thesis develops only one idea
There are some rules of thesis writing.
We will go over each of these in more detail as the slideshow goes on. Here are the rules:
Rule 1: A thesis is not an announcement
Rule 2: A thesis is more than a general statement (broad)
Rule 3: A thesis is more than a specific detail (narrow)
Rule 4: A thesis develops only one idea

6. The sentence above merely tells the subject of the paper.
Announcements
Ex.: I want to talk about the crime wave in our country.
The sentence above merely tells the subject of the paper.
A thesis statement must advance a point about a limited subject.
Announcements. Here our example is “I want to talk about the crime wave in our country.” The sentence above merely tells the subject of the paper. A thesis statement must advance a point about a limited subject. A better thesis statement would assert some sort of judgment about the crime wave. For example, a better thesis statement would be, “The increase in crime in the last five years is due to the weakened economy.”

7. A Good Thesis JUST RIGHT
A good thesis is neither too broad nor too narrow:
too broad
Crime is a major concern of everyone in our country.
too narrow
My parents had only one child.
JUST RIGHT
A honeymoon is perhaps the worst way to begin a marriage.
A good thesis is neither too broad nor too narrow. Notice that “Crime is a major concern of everyone in our country” is too broad. Along with being a universal statement, as the thesis says “everyone”, crime is a very broad subject. There are all sorts of crimes, white collar, blue collar, theft, murder etc.
On the other hand, “My parents had only one child” is too narrow. Can you imagine writing more than a few lines about this subject? There is not enough there to substantiate an interesting paper.
“A honeymoon is perhaps the worst way to begin a marriage” is neither too broad nor too narrow, making it just right.

8. A Good Thesis
When deciphering whether or not a thesis is too broad or too narrow, consider the breadth of the assignment and whether or not you have enough material for the required length, or perhaps too much material.
When deciphering whether or not a thesis is too broad or too narrow, consider the breadth of the assignment and whether or not you have enough material for the required length, or perhaps too much material.

9. Too Many Ideas
My parents helped me grow in important ways, although in other respects I was limited.
In the statement above, the reader is asked to focus on two separate points, each of which more logically belongs in an essay of its own.
Sometimes a thesis statement will try to cover too many ideas.
“My parents helped me grow in important ways, although in other respects I was limited.”
In this statement, the reader is asked to focus on two separate points, each of which more logically belongs in an essay of its own.

10. Supporting with Specific Evidence
Write down a brief version of your thesis and then jot down the three points that will support it.
Develop your supporting points with specific details.
WHY?
Because
details excite the reader’s interest.
details serve to explain a writer’s point.
After you have written a thesis statement, it is very important to support it with specific evidence. Write down a brief version of your thesis and then jot down the three points that will support it.
Develop your supporting points with specific details.
WHY should we do this?
Because
details excite the reader’s interest.
And details serve to explain a writer’s point

11. The Importance of Adequate Details
Provide enough specific details to fully support the point in a body paragraph.
In the organization of an essay, the thesis should flow through the:
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
If a paragraph doesn’t support the thesis, it shouldn’t be there!
You should strive to place adequate details in your paper. Provide enough specific details to fully support the point in a body paragraph.
In the organization of an essay, the thesis should flow through the:
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
If a paragraph doesn’t support the thesis, it shouldn’t be there!

12. Generating a Working Thesis
A working thesis is a tentative statement made about your topic early in the writing process.
Directs your thinking early
This thesis is likely to change or to be abandoned altogether as you move through the writing process, so it is best not to become too attached to it.
A working thesis is a tentative statement made about your topic early in the writing process.
The benefit of developing a working thesis is that it directs your thinking early.
This thesis is likely to change or to be abandoned altogether as you move through the writing process, so it is best not to become too attached to it.

13. Components of Thesis Statements
There are three components of a thesis statement:
Topic
Attitude
Controlling Idea
A fourth, optional, component is a blueprint
Now let’s talk about the basic components of a thesis statement. There are three components of a thesis statement:
A Topic
An Attitude
And a Controlling Idea
A fourth, optional, component is a blueprint

14. Topic
The topic of the thesis statement is what you are going to be talking about.
Ex.:“Media Violence is harmful to society.”
In the above example, Media Violence is the topic.
The topic of the thesis statement is what you are going to be talking about.
Look at the example:“ Media Violence is harmful to society.”
In the above example, Media Violence is the topic.
A reader could correctly assume that the paper is going to be about media violence.

15. Attitude Ex.:“Media Violence is harmful to society.”
The attitude is the one or two words in the thesis that reflect judgment on the controlling idea:
Ex.:“Media Violence is harmful to society.”
Here, “is” is the attitude
Other attitude words:
Should/should not
Will/will not
Can/cannot
The attitude is the one or two words in the thesis that reflect judgment on the controlling idea:
In our example: “Media Violence is harmful to society.” “is” is the attitude.
Other attitude words include:
Should/should not
Will/will not
Can/cannot

16. Controlling Idea
The controlling idea (CI) is the main idea that controls the topic within your paper.
In our example, “harmful to society.” is the controlling idea.
The controlling idea (or CI) is the main idea that controls the topic within your paper.
In our example, “harmful to society.” is the controlling idea. We can assume that the paper is going to be about media violence and how it is harmful to society.

17. Blueprint
You can also choose to add a blueprint or essay map to your thesis statements.
The blueprint includes the main topics of your body paragraphs within your paper.
You can also choose to add a blueprint or essay map to your thesis statements.
The blueprint includes the main topics of your body paragraphs within your paper.

18. Identifying strong and weak thesis statements
Media Violence is harmful to society.
What is meant by Media?
What is meant by violence?
What is harmful?
What society is the writer referring to?
Video games, such as first-person shooters, are psychologically harmful to children and teens under eighteen because they increase social isolation, cause confusion between fantasy and reality, and increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
It is important for you to distinguish between strong and weak thesis statements.
On the left, we see the weak thesis statement. Media violence is harmful to society. Why is it weak? Well, What is meant by Media?
What is meant by violence? What is harmful? What society is the writer referring to?
On the right, I have written a stronger thesis statement that is not an announcement, only advances one idea, is neither too broad nor too narrow and provides the reader with a blueprint.
Weak Thesis Statement
Strong Thesis Statement

19. Identifying strong and weak thesis statements
Topic CI
Video games, including first-person shooters, are psychologically harmful to children and teens under eighteen because they increase social isolation, cause confusion between fantasy and reality, and increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
attitude
Here is a breakdown of the strong thesis statement.
Video games, including first-person shooters, are psychologically harmful to children and teens under eighteen because they increase social isolation, cause confusion between fantasy and reality, and increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Video games is the topic
Are is the attitude
psychologically harmful to children and teens under eighteen is the controlling idea and
because they increase social isolation, cause confusion between fantasy and reality, and increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is the blueprint.
Do you feel better about thesis statements? Don’t worry, we’ll get more practice with our next assignment.
Blueprint