Writing a Thesis Statement

1. Writing a Thesis Statement

2. What to Do Before Writing • Before writing a thesis statement, the writer must be aware of his or her audience and purpose. • You must begin with a topic question. • You must form an opinion and state it clearly. Do not be wishy-washy. • Be sure you have approached your evidence fairly, without bias. • Consider both sides of a controversial issue. • Once you've established the topic question, a clear position, and objectivity, you're ready to write a thesis statement.

3. What Is a Thesis Statement? • You have heard the term thesis statement hundreds of times but do you really know what it is? A thesis statement: • Presents your opinions or thoughts on a subject or an issue. You cannot write an essay without one. • Must contain a subject + an opinion. • Answers the topic question (the one you created or the one presented to you by the instructor).

4. Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message. The argument(s) you make in your paper should reflect this main idea. The sentence that captures your position on this main idea is what we call a thesis statement.

5. TIP: A thesis statement should never contain the following: in my opinion, I think, I believe, etc. Tell them that the entire thesis represents what they believe. • However, it may be helpful to begin your thesis statement rough draft with in my opinion, I believe, or I think to make sure they are expressing their thoughts or opinion on a specific subject or issue. When writing the final draft, simply eliminate those phrases.

6. How long does it need to be? • A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. • Your thesis statement should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep your argument focused. (However, it is not an announcement. You never write: This essay is about….)

7. Writing a Good Thesis Statement • It is important to understand the difference between good and bad thesis statements. • A good thesis statement is short and simple: it should be no longer than one sentence, regardless of essay length. • Good Example: Success is a result of doing the right things consistently. • Bad Example:In a world full of success gurus and books about success, it becomes ever so more important to delineate the one trait that ultimately determines success: doing the right things consistently.

8. A good thesis statement is limited to one main idea. • Good example: The key to successful dieting is focusing on a specific goal. • Bad example: The key to successful dieting is focusing on a specific goal, which is also the key to successfully running a business and coaching a football team.

9. A good thesis statement is a declarative sentence with no qualifiers (might, maybe, perhaps, etc.): • Good example: Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound make him the league's most valuable player. • Bad example:Does Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound make him the league's most valuable player? • Bad Example:Lebron James' ability to score, pass, and rebound just might make him the league's most valuable player.

10. Evaluating the Work • When you have completed your thesis statement is valuable to evaluate your writing. Use the following questions to analyze your thesis statement: • Have you answered the question or merely restated it? The following examples are based on this question: Does Romeo's prior feelings for Rosaline diminish the credibility of his love for Juliet? • Good example: Romeo's prior feelings for Rosaline diminish the credibility of his love for Juliet. • Bad example:This essay examines whether or not Romeo's prior feelings for Rosaline diminishes his love for Juliet.

11. Have you tried to argue both sides of the case? It is important to acknowledge the other side and address the other position. That does not, however, excuse you from choosing a side. • Good example:Juliet was not the first woman to capture Romeo's fancy; she was, however, the one who affected him the most. • Bad example:Romeo loved Juliet with all his heart, but he loved Rosaline too; It could be argued they were both his favorite.

12. Have you prejudged the issue by using loaded language? Immature writers manipulate readers through emotionally-charged language. • Bad example:Immature, whiny, male-pig Romeo, a male harlot, ruined precious Juliet whom he loved no more than Rosaline.

13. Sample Thesis Statements • Not just empty stories for kids, fairy tales shed light on the psychology of young children. • Because our planet's health may depend upon biological diversity, we should save the whales. • If the government takes over industry in Kenya, the industry will become more efficient. • When you read the above statements, is it clear what the essay will show/prove/explain/persuade?

14. Bad - Good - Great • The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different. • While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions. • While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government.

15. Can you pick out the thesis statements in the following introductory paragraphs? • Hugh MacLennan once wrote that, “Happiness is the word which always comes to my mind when I think of the St. John River. The St. John is intimate and very beautiful.” Although MacLennan wrote this in 1961, the sentiment behind this quote is still very much connected to the St. John River, specifically regarding the happiness it continues to bring to those lucky enough to live by its banks and tourists who are wise enough to explore its beauty. This river is the hub of Fredericton and is why Fredericton is referred to as “Atlantic Canada’s Riverfront Capital”. As such, much of what Fredericton has to offer is connected to this picturesque waterway, and a vacation centered on the river is one the whole family is sure to enjoy.

16. I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in 2000 or who played the Ironman in The Avengers, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies. This is because I have decided that the idea of going to the movie theater to see a movie is overrated, so I have quit going. The problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some patrons are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on Netflix.

17. In “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner’s use of imagery sets a tone for the general theme of the story, death. A rose to most is seen as an object of beauty, with such a sweet smell. In this story, we see Emily much like the rose, an object of beauty and desire that soon begins to wither and die. Faulkner, through great use of imagery, paints a vivid picture of a dying rose, Miss Emily.

18. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, could spend one million dollars per day, every day, seven days a week and would not run out of money until he was 311 years old! Most would agree that he has reached a point of financial security. In fact, it would be almost impossible to figure out how one could spend one million dollars per day. For most Americans, finding an occupation that is satisfying, earning enough money to live comfortably, and figuring out a realistic blend between work and leisure are three essential factors in beginning one’s career.

19. Stephen King, creator of such stories as Carrie and Pet Cemetery, stated that the Edgar Allan Poe stories he read as a child gave him the inspiration and instruction he needed to become the writer that he is. Poe, as does Stephen King, fills the reader's imagination with the images that he wishes the reader to see, hear, and feel. His use of vivid, concrete visual imagery to present both static and dynamic settings and to describe people is part of his technique.Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a story about a young man who kills an old man who cares for him, dismembers the corpse, then goes mad when he thinks he hears the old man's heart beating beneath the floor boards under his feet as he sits and discusses the old man's absence with the police. In "The Tell-Tale Heart," a careful reader can observe Poe's skillful manipulation of the senses.

20. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Towers and the Pentagon, the debate surrounding racial profiling in airports intensified. Many people believed that profiling was the best way to identify possible terrorists, but many others worried about violations of civil liberties. While some airports began to target passengers based solely on their Middle Eastern origins, others instituted random searches instead neither of these techniques seems likely to eliminate terrorism. Now many experts in the government and in airport security are recommending the use of a national ID card or Safe Traveler Card. If every US citizen had such a card, airlines could screen for terrorists more effectively than they do now and avoid procedures that single out individuals solely on the basis of race.

21. When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.

22. Practice Writing a Thesis Statement • Home phones • Hockey • Justin Bieber

23. Our Thesis Statement Activity • Now that we’ve learned about Thesis Statements and practiced creating our own it is no time to prepare one for our persuasive essay on Fritz Haber. • Individually, you will write a thesis statement for the story. You will compare your statements to your groups and discuss what statement is best. Work on your groups statement and be prepared to share it with the class.

24. Now that you have a working thesis statement it is up to you to develop an introductory paragraph to start the essay about Fritz Haber. Along with the introductory paragraph you will be responsible for 3 paragraphs that will serve as the body of your essay. After the body paragraph you will also be responsible for a strong concluding statement.