Writing a Thesis Writing a Thesis StatementStatement

This project incorporates portions of copyrighted works. These items are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and have been prepared according to the educational fair use guidelines. They are restricted from further use.

A thesis statement is a sentence which

summarizes the main ideasummarizes the main idea of your paper and

clearly expresses what it is you clearly expresses what it is you are going to sayare going to say about your topic.

http://www.csn.edu/PDFFiles/Library/thesis3.pdf

““Formula” for Thesis StatementsFormula” for Thesis Statements

Topic + your Topic + your opinion + reasons opinion + reasons

= THESIS!= THESIS!

Let’s see an example…

THICK question:THICK question: Why is a healthy diet important?Why is a healthy diet important?

A healthy diet is important because it increases energy, prevents illness and promotes well-being in all people.

Topic opinion

Reason #1

Reason #2

Reason #3

Let’s Write a Thesis Let’s Write a Thesis Together!Together!

Why was it important for Why was it important for NASA to go to the moon NASA to go to the moon during the late 1960’s?during the late 1960’s?

Talk it out…What are the sub topics?

What are your reasons What are your reasons (or sub-topics)?(or sub-topics)?

• Space race with the Russians• Human exploration of space• Help realize President JFK’s vision for the United States

What might your thesis What might your thesis sentence look like?sentence look like?

In the 1960s it was important for NASA to go to the moon In the 1960s it was important for NASA to go to the moon because of the need for human exploration of space, the because of the need for human exploration of space, the continuing “Space Race” with the Russians, and to continuing “Space Race” with the Russians, and to realize President Kennedy’s vision for the United States.realize President Kennedy’s vision for the United States.

And another one…And another one…

How did television influence America in the 1960s?

Talk it out…Talk it out…

What are the reasons?

Family life

Politics

Advances in technology

ThesisThesis

Television in the 1960’s impacted Television in the 1960’s impacted American family life, American American family life, American politics, and contributions to the politics, and contributions to the advancement of technology.advancement of technology.

It should act as It should act as mortar, holding mortar, holding

together the various together the various bricks of a paper, bricks of a paper, summarizing the summarizing the main point of the main point of the

paper "in a nutshell," paper "in a nutshell," and pointing toward and pointing toward

the paper's the paper's development.development.

http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/thesis.html