1. Your Thesis Statement:
The Only Sentence Worth More
Than A Thousand Words
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2. Setting the Tone- Your Introduction Paragraph
Think of your introduction paragraph like a funnel.
First, grab you readers attention with a general statement about your topic .
Then, give your reader a brief explanation (2-5 sentences) of what you will be explaining about your topic.
End your introduction with a strong statement/claim that tells your reader what you intend to prove to them about your topic.
Attention Grabbing Opening
Today’s Focus-Your THESIS
Brief Explanation of topic
Thesis
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3. Thesis Statements Are Not As Hard As You May Think…
First, let’s look at
what a Thesis Statement
is NOT!
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4. What a Thesis Statement is Not:
Your Thesis Statement is NOT Your Topic!
Your topic tells your reader what you are talking about. For Example:
I will compare marijuana usage over the last 5 years.
This is not a thesis, it is only A Topic.
Your thesis tells your reader your position on your topic. For Example:
Marijuana usage has decreased over the past five years due to the successful “War on Drugs.”
This is a Successful Thesis Statement
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5. What a Thesis Statement is Not:
You Thesis Statement is NOT A Fact About Your Topic!
Surprisingly, your thesis should be an arguable OPINION - NOT A FACT!
WHY?
Because that is what makes your paper interesting to your reader!
Your thesis should always be a statement that demands PROOF!
If not, what will you do for the next 2-10 pages???
You spend the rest of your paper CONVINCING your reader of why YOUR OPINION is TRUE!
Your thesis prepares your reader for the facts that will prove your opinion about your topic to be true-it can not be a fact itself.
Your Thesis
Should Take A
STAND!
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6. What a Thesis Statement is Not:
You Thesis Statement is NOT A Fact About Your Topic!
Because of the eagle's keen vision
and ability to soar high above all other birds,
it is the ideal symbol for America.
Eagles have very keen eye sight
in order to see their prey from high altitudes.
Let’s Look At An Example
Now, that is a strong thesis!
That is a fact, not a strong thesis!
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7. What a Thesis Statement is…
What on Earth
Is Your Point?
It is the sentence that answers your readers biggest question:
By telling your reader your point in the first paragraph, you set the tone and make sure they are not frustrated and confused for the rest of your essay.
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8. What a Thesis Statement is…So
Which of the following is TRUE about your THESIS STATEMENT?
It Tells your Reader Your Topic
It Tells the Reader a Fact About Your Topic
It Tells the reader your Point
Now That You Know What A Thesis Statement Is,
Let’s Look At What Makes A Strong Thesis Statement…
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9. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
There Are Three (3) Requirements For A Strong Thesis Statement.
Let’s look at each of these requirements a bit closer…
It should not be TOO BROAD!
It should not be TOO NARROW!
It should not be TOO VAGUE!
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10. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Broad!
If your point is too wide or
too deep for you...
You may find
yourself
drowning in
information,
unable to prove
your point!
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11. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Broad!
The death penalty in Alabama has been ineffective in deterring crime and should be replaced with more efforts to reform criminals and not murder them.
The death penalty should be
banned
in the United States.
Let’s Look At An Example
That would definitely leave you drowning:
TOO BROAD!
Much Better!
That definitely is an opinion narrow enough to be proven in your essay!
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12. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Narrow Either!
If your thesis is too specific for you...
You may find
yourself
Trying to stretch the
small amount of
information that you
find to fit your
essay!
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13. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Narrow!
In Lord of the Rings, the author carefully chose a weapon for each character that was symbolic, and revealed something about them to the reader.
In Lord of The Rings, the sword given to Frodo by his uncle represents the passing down of a legacy.
Though this may be interesting, it would take some tugging to stretch it into an entire essay!
Let’s Look At An Example
That looks like a thesis statement we wouldn’t have to stretch for!
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14. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Vague!
If your claim is not specific or clear enough
You may find
your
reader
Dazed and
Confused!
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15. Requirements For a Strong Thesis:
A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Vague
Getting rid
of welfare
in the
United
States is a
horrible
idea.
To Fix It
Define the term “horrible idea” for your reader. Outlining the major points of your essay would also help.
Let’s Look At An Example
The word HORRIBLE is hard to define! It makes this thesis
Too VAGUE!
If the United States were to get rid of welfare, it would aggravate an already severe homeless problem, cause a rise in crime, and remove the only safety net that our country has in place.
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16. Start Off With Your Topic!
Where To Start
Start Off With Your Topic!
Usually, your instructor will provide your topic:
It may be a general topic such as family.
Or something more specific like
The role that biological age played in Romeo and Juliet or
Comparing and contrasting the philosophies of Descartes and Plato.
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17. Where To Start
Before trying to decide on a thesis, gather all of the information available on your topic!
Why?
How can you have an educated opinion about something that you know little about?
The more that you know about your topic, the easier it will be to form a provable opinion (thesis) about it.
It is easier to write a thesis statement that explains what you have found in your research, than to find research that explains what you have written in your thesis!
You want the opinion that your thesis states to be provable by facts that you have gathered. If you gather the facts first, you KNOW that it can be proven!
REMEMBER: Your Thesis and Your Topic are NOT the same.
You must choose your topic before beginning your research.
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18. Where To Start Types of Research... Your Family
Depending on your topic, the research that you do will be different.
Use your own memories & those of family members. **Be sure to write the memories down to organize your research. **
Use notes from class and your text book. Then, use the Internet or texts from the library to discover what experts have said on the topic.
Use notes from class as well as you course text book. Then, find other pieces of writing from each person and expert commentaries on them.
Your Family
The role that biological age played in Romeo and Juliet
Comparing and contrasting the philosophies of Descartes and Plato.
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19. Once you have gathered your information, Ask Yourself a Few Questions:
Where To Start
Once you have gathered your information, Ask Yourself a Few Questions:
What would my reader want to know about my topic?
What will be the point of my paper?
What is the most important thought that I have about my topic?
What has my research shown me about my topic?
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20. Before You Write Your Thesis…
STOP!
First Write
A WORKING
THESIS
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A Working Thesis
A Working Thesis is Made Up of Two Parts:
AND
Your Provable
Opinion
Your
Topic
For Example:
Family
may mean different things to different people, but it is an important part of every culture.
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22. Refining Your Working Thesis
To turn your Working Thesis into a Final
Thesis Statement, compare it to the
requirements for a strong thesis statement:
Is it TOO BROAD?
Is it TOO NARROW?
Is it TOO VAGUE?
This Working Thesis needs to be made more specific.
It is too BROAD!
Family may mean different things to different people, but it is an important part of every culture.
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23. Refining Your Working Thesis
Family may mean different things to different people, but it is an important part of every culture.
Possible Revisions To Make The Broad Statement More Specific:
As in many countries, family has a huge impact on American culture.
This is more narrow because we have reduced it to one specific culture.
The strength of the family unit impacts each individual regardless of their society.
This is more narrow because family is reduced to the family’s strength and society is reduced to the individual. This can be more easily proven in a collegiate essay.
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24. So…How Do You Write A Thesis Statement?
Start off with your TOPIC!
Before trying to decide on a thesis, gather all of the information available on your topic!
Once you have gathered your information, Ask Yourself a Few Questions:
What is the most important thought that I have about my topic?
What has my research shown me about my topic?
What would my reader want to know about my topic?
What will be the POINT of my paper?
Use your answers to write a Working Thesis.
Turn your Working Thesis into a Final Thesis Statement by comparing it to the requirements for a strong thesis statement:
Is it too broad? Is it too narrow? Is it too vague?
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