THESIS STATEMENTS: SO WHAT'S YOUR POINT?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES IT DO?
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WRITING
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LAB
A thesis states the central idea of your essay, provides a focus, and gives the essay
direction. You may have heard it called by different names: main idea, controlling idea or
statement, main claim. It narrows your topic to the most important idea you want your
reader to gain from your writing.
There is no formula, no one way to write a thesis statement, no olle way a thesis statement should look: it
depends on the purpose of the piece of writing and on your intended readers (audience) . If you are writing an
essay for a class assignment, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the kind of thesis statement your
instructor expects.
There are some generalizations, however, that we can make about thesis statements:/ '"-- "-' ., ,
1111. A thesis has two
components:
CD It names your
topic, and
@ it makes a
comment or an
assertion about
this topic that
represents your
purpose for
writing.
'II'. It expresses one main, overarching idea.
II'" It is likely to be interesting to readers.
III"
It is specific and clear. "," Its scope is appropriate; it doesn't promise to
prove too much or too little in the essay.
1111.
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Do I HAVE TO HAVE ONE?
Some kinds of writing, including fiction, do not usually include thesis statements. Many published essays
have an implied thesis. Most academic writing, however, includes a clear thesis statement-as does writing
in the business world. Especially in argumentative writing, readers appreciate the guidance of a thesis
statement that appears early in the essay and acts as a focal point.
Without a thesis, you run the risk of writing an unfocused essay andlor confusing your readers; such an essay
is often a sign that the writer hasn't yet figured out what she is trying to say. Writing instructors sometimes
compare writing an academic essay without a clear thesis statement to walking a tightrope without a net: it's
dangerous, especially if you're not yet an expert.
How DO I WRITE ONE?
'III.
1111. 1111. Review the materials you have that relate to your topic: readings, notes, etc. If you have not yet done any
pre-writing or brainstorming, get down Isome ideas about what you think about your topic .
To get started on your thesis, look for a central idea or opinion that emerges from your materials: perhaps
there is some part of your topic that you have a strong reaction to, whether positive or negative. If your
assignment asks you a question, your answer (or a modified version of your answer) is a good place to
start.
Develop a tentative thesis, a working thesis statement-and expect that it will change . It does not need to
be worded just right; if it expresses your main idea, it will help provide focus and guide your drafting.
Try writing this on a note card or at the top of the page you are writing on-and keep double-checking it.
,III. Be j7exibk As you work on your essay and develop the points that support your thesis, you will have an
opportunity to test your working thesis statement. Expect your thesis to change and evolve- sometimes
drastically! As you become more sure about your ideas and organization, you can revise your thesis for
wording as well as content.
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(over lor more)
THESIS STATEMENTS:
TROUBLESHOOTING FOR COMMON PROBLEMS
& WEAKNESSES
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A thesis statement should do more than simply state a topic: it needs the second component, an assertion.
A statement of fact or an observation is not the same as an assertion .
Fact:Governor Schwarzenegger wants community college students to pay
$26 per unit in enrollment fees.
Assertion: Governor Schwarzenegger' s proposal to raise community
college enrollment fees to $26 is among the worst ways to help
balance the state's budget .
Assertion: Governor Schwarzenegger' s proposal to raise community
college enrollment f~es shows his firm grasp of our state's
educational priorities.
@ The unified thesis versus the forecast thesis : Some thesis statements provide a preview or fore cast of how
the supporting points of an essay will be arranged:
Dogs are destructive,
noisy,
and inconvenient.
More often, however, instructors will ask you to create a unified thesis statement, an overarching statement
that covers what you'll say without breaking down too many points . A unified thesis ar oids listing the points
you will make in your paragraphs, instead providing a single point that ties your paragraphs togeth er based
on an idea.
Dogs are a nuisance.
@) In an argumentative essay, the thesis statement asserts your thinking about your topic, so there is no
reason to remind us of this with phrases such as "I think," or "in my opinion."
o A thesis statement should be specific enough to make a point that will be interesting to your readers.
Examples of overly broad statements: X is a big deal/made a difference i X is nice
(or bad, or beautiful) ; orX is some of this but also some of that (good
and bad, true and false).
@ A thesis statement should take readers into account: you want it to be interesting to them, and you want
them to keep reading . Sometimes it is smart to qualify a statement to make it sound more reasonable to
readers and so that they'll keep reading. (One way to do this is to include a word like "may" or "many.")
@ Throughout your drafting process-and especially as you make any changes to your working thesis
statement- be sure to double-check your assignment, keeping purpose and audience in mind: Am 1 still on
track?
FOR PRACTICE /
ASSESSMENT
Will these make strong thesis statements?
Explain.
TEST AND STRENGTHEN YOUR THESIS
STATEMENT:
Fast food has ruined American
diets and has become a
replacement for family time and
wholesome meals.
~ Does it CD name the topic and @ make a
comment or assertion about that topic?
Teaching gorillas sign language
is an excellent use of government
funds.
The Internet is destroying the
literary universe and people's
ability to manipUlate language.
~ Does it express one major idea ?
~ Is this likely to be interesting to my readers?
(Try asking "so what?")
~ Am I specific and clear?
~ Is this too much to accomplish in this essay?
Too little?