Thesis Statements

•Definition of a Thesis Statement

•How to Construct a Strong Thesis Statement

•How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

What is a Thesis Statement?

What is a thesis statement? Most important sentence in your paper

The single sentence that __________, _________, and / or ________ the topic of your essay and your approach to the topic

Lets readers know your ____________

Answers: What am I trying to _________ through the research / points in my paper?

Four Characteristics of Strong Thesis Statements

1. A strong thesis statement ______________________________. A thesis must show your conclusions about a topic.

2. A strong thesis statement ________________________________. Your thesis should indicate the point of the

discussion.

(Quoted Source: Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University- current and following slide)

Four Characteristics of Strong Thesis Statements

3. A strong thesis statement _________________________________. Readers need to be able to see that your paper has

one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper.

4. A strong thesis statement _________. A thesis statement should show exactly what your

paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic.

Thesis Statements Should:

Be ______________ What does this mean??

Thesis statements should not contain pre-established _______________. Why?

Thesis statements should present information and your _____________________to the information.

Even though you don’t say, “_____________” or “________________,” your thesis is your ________________________ based on the _________________and __________________ you’ve made as you’ve _____________for your paper.

Thesis Statements Should:

Take your essay’s purpose and audience into account

Contain action verbs, strong adjectives, and specific, illustrative vocabulary Avoid- “________,” “______,” “________,” etc. Avoid- “___________” or other vague,

generalized statements

Ideas for Stronger Verbs…

Instead of “is / are” use _________________ Or _________________ __________________

Instead of “have” use ___________________ Or ________________ ___________________

Instead of “show” use___________________ Or ________________ ___________________

Constructing a Strong Thesis Statement

How do you write a good thesis statement?

Magic Formula:

________________+

___________________ +

________________________ = Strong Thesis Statement

Formula Example for Literature

Specific Topic + Active Verb + Point You are Proving (your approach) = Strong Thesis Statement

Even though it was written more than two thousand years ago, Homer’s epic The Odyssey + presents + a hero that today’s audiences can respect.= Strong Thesis Statement

Let’s Observe and Reflect…

Literature Example: Even though it was written more than two thousand years ago, Homer’s epic The Odyssey + presents + a hero that today’s audiences can respect.= Strong Thesis Statement

What do you notice about this thesis statement? How does it differ from past thesis construction

ideas you may have learned? Is anything missing?

Formula Example for Science

Specific Topic + Active Verb + Point You are Proving (your approach) = Strong Thesis Statement

Nuclear power + provides + the cleanest source of energy to meet the demands of the twenty-first century. =Strong Thesis Statement

Two Different Approaches

There are two ways to construct a strong thesis statement (and include your supporting details).

Using the same magic formula, you can construct: A ________ Pronged Thesis aka. “the fork”

A _______ Part Thesis aka. “the knife and

the fork”

A Three Pronged Thesis

This is the common ______ approach to writing thesis statements.

Your thesis includes your ___________, your ____________________, and the _________________________you will use to prove and discuss your topic in the body of your essay.

You may have more or less than 3 points

depending on the size of your essay.

A Three Pronged Thesis Example for Literature:

Literary contemporaries William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson exhibit similar styles of language, character development, and plot execution. = Strong Thesis!

Topic + active verb + 3 prongs / main points / the approach that you use to prove your topic = strong thesis

1

3

2

A Three Pronged Thesis Example for Science:

Because it emits no greenhouse gasses,

causes no atmospheric pollution, and

harms no water or aquatic life, Nuclear power + provides + the cleanest source of energy to meet the demands of the twenty-first century. =Strong Thesis Statement

3 prongs / main points + Topic + active verb + the approach that you use to prove your topic = strong thesis

1

2

3

Grammar Connection: A Note about Parallel Structure

The 3 points in your thesis must be written in parallel structure.

“Parallel structure means using the ______________________________ to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.

This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as ‘and’ or ‘or.’”

Examples: Parallel Words and Phrases

“With the -ing form (gerund) of words: Parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and

bicycling.

With infinitive phrases: Parallel: Mary likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a

bicycle.ORMary likes to hike, swim, and ride a bicycle.”

Keep Your Sentence Structure Parallel- “Don’t Mix Word Forms” “Example 1- Not Parallel:

Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle. Parallel Fix:

Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle. Example 2- Not Parallel:

The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner.

Parallel Fix: The production manager was asked to write his report

quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.”

A Two Part Thesis

As you grow as a writer, you should expand into the two part thesis approach.

Here, you state your thesis and approach to topic in one sentence. This is actually the true definition of a thesis

statement… one sentence with topic and approach.

Following your “thesis sentence” you must then write a “____________________” statement. You will put forth the main points of your

paper (3 aspects / topics) in the

“ __________________” statement.

A Two Part Thesis Example for Social Studies

THESIS- When compared, the United States and the Philippines exhibit similar governing characteristics.

DETAILS STATEMENT- Their federal branches, formal legal systems, and rules of cultural decorum correspond. Examine how the same formula is used. The thesis is clear, so

are the 3 points that will help prove the thesis.

A Two Part Thesis Example for Science

THESIS- Nuclear power provides the cleanest source of energy to meet the demands of the twenty-first century.

DETAILS STATEMENT- It emits no greenhouse gasses, causes no atmospheric pollution, and harms no water or aquatic life. Examine how the same formula is used. The thesis is clear, so

are the 3 points that will help prove the thesis.

A Two Part Thesis Example for Literature

THESIS- Literary contemporaries William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson possess similar writing styles.

DETAILS STATEMENT- They exhibit comparable word usage, character development, and plot execution.

Thesis Statement Construction in Terms of Grammar

The __________ of your paper should be the __________ of your sentence.

Your ______________ (approach to topic) should come in the predicate part of your sentence.

Your __________ __________ _________ or make the assertion about the subject (topic).

Let’s Practice #1- Literature Example

Here is a weak thesis example: Authors, James Hurst and Ray Bradbury, use

symbolism in many ways.

What’s wrong? What’s missing? How can we make this thesis better? You can create either a two part or a three

pronged approach.

Practice Answers #1…Literature Example

The thesis is ______________. “In many ways” tells the reader nothing.

The Fix- ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s Practice #2…Science Example

Here is a weak thesis example: My paper is about earthquakes. In this paper I

will explain that earthquakes are caused by the movement of the Earth. What’s wrong? What’s missing? How can we make this thesis better? You can create either a two part or a three pronged

approach.

Practice Answers #2…Science Example

Problem- _____________________________.

Remember, ____________________________ ________________________. A strong thesis will stand on its own.

The “statement of details” or “forecast” statement is a ________________________.

Practice Answers #2…Science Example

Possible Fixes: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What did we change? Why?

Work Cited

Four Characteristics of Strong Thesis Statements (Quotations) Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University,

Bloomington, IN

Parallel Structure Quotations and Examples The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The

Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. 26 Aug. 2005. Web. 18 Aug. 2009.

Independent Thesis Practice

Directions: Please identify the errors and correct the following thesis statements using the information provided and the notes you took in class. You are allowed to add your own information. Make sure to be specific. Write your answers directly on this handout in the

spaces provided.

Remember to look out for: Vague, weak verbs- use action verbs Vague, weak, or generalized language Missing points (3 aspects the paper will cover) Incorrect format- Use of “I” or “This essay is about…” Lack of parallel structure / Inconsistent ordering within the 3-

prong list (keep your nouns, adjectives, etc. in similar form)

Facts- remember a thesis needs to be provable, not an already proven fact (facts go in the body of your essay)

Disorganized approaches to the topic remember to stay focused and organized

#1: Correct this thesis statement using the 3 Pronged approach.

Shakespeare influenced his culture in many ways. (*Create your own 3 points)

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#2: Correct this thesis statement using the 3 Pronged approach.

I think that public safety education represents the best way to save lives during an earthquake.

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#3: Correct this thesis statement using the 3 Pronged approach.

In high school, teachers assign homework.

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#4: Correct this thesis statement using the 3 Pronged approach.

Irony is shown in the following three stories, “The Most Dangerous Game,” “The Interlopers,” and “The Necklace” through character development. What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#5. Correct this thesis statement using the two part thesis approach.

Chocolate cake are easy to bake in three steps. First you add eggs to the batter.

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#6. Correct this thesis statement using the two part thesis approach.

This essay is about China’s economy. China has many important natural resources.

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#7. Correct this thesis statement using the two part thesis approach.

Wind energy is an alternative to fossil fuels.

What’s Wrong? _______________________ Your Revised Thesis: ______________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________