Argumentative Thesis Statements

1. Argumentative Thesis Statements For use with Stepping Stone Argumentative Research Project

2. What is it? How would you define an argumentative paper? Purdue OWL definition: • Write down your answer • An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

3. A Good Thesis Statement… • Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter • It is a road map for the paper (it tells the reader what to expect) • Directly answers the question asked of you. A Thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. • Offers an answer that others might dispute. • Is a single sentence at the end of your first paragraph.

4. Writing Your Thesis Statement • Construct your preliminary thesis statement on a sheet of paper. • You should already have a rough one in your head- remember that topic statement on the notecard? • This is a messy process. If you don’t like the first thesis you write, skip two lines and start over. • DO NOT scratch out or erase or wad up your paper or throw a fit. You may decide later that you like what you wrote earlier.

5. How Strong is Your Thesis? Answer these questions: Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument. Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something "successful"? Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue. Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It's o.k. to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary. Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is "how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

6. Ask for Feedback! • Pass your preliminary thesis to AT LEAST three people: • One at your table. • One from the table next to you. • One from the table farthest from yours. • When someone brings you their thesis statement…

7. Evaluate The Thesis • Write your name in the margin by your comments. • Does it address the ‘question’ directly? • Question = research topic • Has it taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? • If not, they need to skip two lines and be more specific this time!  • Does it pass the “So What?” test? It should clarify the author’s stance to connect it to a larger issue. • So What Test: Has the author explained WHY this is important, and why the reader should care? • Does it pass the “how or why” test? If not, offer suggestions for refining the thesis to give the reader a better take on the author’s position. • How or Why Test: Is the thesis a roadmap? What would you as a reader expect to see in the next paragraph based on the thesis? What about the final body paragraph? Authors, there should be three sets of notes: One person from your table, One person from the table next to you, and One person from across the room!