Thesis Statement Basics
I. What is
the purpose of a thesis statement?
A thesis statement
informs the readers of the content, the argument, and often the
direction of a paper.
II. Do I
need to write a thesis statement?
Students should
always write thesis statements in their essays. Most instructors,
whether or not they state that they want a thesis statement in a paper,
do appreciate having one. English instructors require thesis statements.
Professional writers sometimes imply their thesis statements rather than
write them but always have one in mind as they write.
III. What is a
thesis statement?
A. A thesis
statement is a declarative sentence.
1. Thesis statements
are not titles or fragments.
Title: My
First Smoking Experience
Thesis:
Although all my friends thought cigarettes were stylish, I discovered
that smoking is actually a disgusting habit with many health
risks.
Title:
Finding a Solution to Campus Parking Problems
Thesis: To
solve the lack of parking space at Sierra College, administrators should
use lottery funds to build parking lots.
Fragment:
That we should become more aware of our environment
Thesis: We
should become more aware of our environment so that we can preserve our
wilderness, protect wildlife, and conserve our rapidly disappearing
resources.
2. Thesis statements
are not questions.
Question:
How could we still tolerate sexism in the military today?
Thesis: Even
though Americans claim to be enlightened about sexism, sexist language
and behaviors still prevail in the military.
Question:
Why are biofeedback techniques excellent methods of stress reduction?
Thesis:
Because of its simplicity, accuracy, and lack of toxicity, biofeedback
is often a successful technique for migraine
relief.
3. Thesis statements
are not commands.
Command:
Note the differences between cooks and chefs.
Thesis:
Although meals prepared by either cooks or chefs can be equally
delicious, chefs differ from cooks in education, professional
commitment, and artistry.
Command:
Observe what happened to me during my first white water rafting
experience.
Thesis: My
first white water rafting experience challenged my body, my mind, and my
spirit, transforming me into an adult.
B. A thesis
statement is an arguable idea.
1. Thesis statements
are not facts.
Fact: Cortez
conquered Mexico in 1509.
Thesis: The
colonial mentality which prompted Cortez's barbaric invasion of Mexico
brought about not an advance of native society but a destruction of
Aztec culture.
Fact: When I
was six, my parents took me on a trip to Alaska where I experienced my
first tragedy.
Thesis:
Witnessing the death of my brother in an Alaskan avalanche last winter
horrified me at the time but in retrospect taught me to appreciate the
small things in life, to value my relationships, and to trust in
God.
2. Thesis statements
are not announcements of the author's purpose or
assignment.
Announcement: In this paper I will discuss the causes and
effects of the French Revolution and then argue as to whether or not it
was successful.
Thesis:
Though the reasons for the French Revolution were noble— liberté,
fraternité, egalité—the effects were devastating,
ultimately leading to the unsuccessful reinstitution of the monarchy and
the restructuring of a classist society into a militaristic
one.
Announcement: This essay will explain my reasons for
supporting capital punishment for first-degree murderers.
Thesis:
First-degree murderers should receive capital punishment because there
are too many repeat offenders, because rehabilitation programs have
proved ineffective, and because murder is too heinous a crime to be
punished by anything less than death.
3. Thesis statements
are not obvious.
Obvious:
Litter creates pollution of the environment.
Thesis:
Recycling programs, though expensive at first, are ultimately an
efficient, cost effective, and environmentally sound means of reducing
waste in our environment.
Obvious: The
computer was an important technological advancement in the twentieth
century.
Thesis: Even
though computers have their idiosyncrasies, they have improved our lives
tremendously by simplifying word processing, streamlining data storage,
and promoting an international exchange of
information.
4. Thesis statements
are not unarguable personal opinions.
Opinion: I
like chocolate.
Thesis: Even
though chocolate tantalizes my taste buds and satiates my emotional need
to be loved, it causes weight gain, clogs arteries, and contains
caffeine.
Opinion: My
favorite color is green.
Thesis:
Colors do more than indicate personal preference: they reveal emotions,
indicate purpose, act symbolically, and influence subconscious
thoughts.
C. A thesis
statement is specific and narrowed.
1. Thesis statements
are not broad overgeneralizations.
Broad: All
feminists are militant.
Narrow:
Gloria Steinem has helped positively change society's perspective on
women's roles at home and in the workplace.
Broad: Men
are chauvinists.
Narrow: Men
who repress their true feelings leave themselves open to physical,
psychological, and relationship difficulties.
2. Thesis statements
cover only one topic.
Many topics:
Marijuana and television pornography should not be legalized because
they negatively influence young children.
One topic:
Medicinal marijuana use should not be legalized because it creates
problems for peace officers, physicians, and parents.
Many topics:
The theme, characters, setting, irony, conflicts, viewpoint, and plot
all contribute to making Madame Bovary a tragedy.
One topic:
Flaubert's Emma Bovary is a tragic character because, never seeing
reality, she misses some important clues that her life has gone awry,
and she falls from her social "height" into
prostitution.
3. Thesis statements
often focus the essay and guide its direction.
Unfocused:
Martin Luther King, Jr. is a role model for everyone to
follow.
Focused:
Because of his determination, his courage to follow his beliefs, and his
unwavering sense of justice, Martin Luther King, Jr. is a symbol of
American freedom.
Unfocused:
Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club is a candid portrayal of Chinese
American mother-daughter relationships.
Focused: In
The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan skillfully illustrates how cultural,
generational, and internal conflicts between Chinese American mothers
and daughters all add to the difficulty and character of the immigrant
experience.
D. Thesis
statements are worthy of development in an academic paper and interest an
adult audience.
1. Thesis statements
are not simplistic.
Simplistic:
Cats and dogs look different and act differently.
More
interesting: Though seemingly adorable and tame, mountain lion cubs
are actually wild, dangerous predators.
2. Thesis statements
are not immature or tasteless.
Tasteless:
Passing gas in an elevator was an extremely embarrassing moment for me
because I learned that I had a problem and that others are more
observant than I had thought.
Suitable:
Though the product of slick advertising, psyllium does not effectively
deal with flatulence, diverticulosis, or colon cancer. (The topic is now
more academic.)
OR
Suitable:
After fainting in an elevator, I experienced acute embarrassment but
learned that I cannot always be self-reliant and that caring for others
is important. (The new topic is an appropriate one for a college
audience.)
Note: Always
check with your instructor if you are unsure about the suitability of
your thesis for your audience.
E. Thesis
statements are concise.
Wordy:
Censorship should be banned by everyone in all circumstances and all
states in the nation because it destroys the rights of free speech
guaranteed to us by the Constitution of the United States since the
Constitution was written by John Hancock and all of the other
statesmen.
Concise:
Censorship should be banned in the United States because it destroys the
constitutionally guaranteed right of free speech.
Wordy: In my
opinion it is evident that requiring vehicles purchased before a certain
date to go through two smog checks and drivers to pay extra money for
the whole procedure is a bureaucratic ploy to elect certain officials to
high offices and to raise funds for state transportation departments in
dire need of additional resources to waste on more bureaucratic folderol
by creating more unfinished projects.
Concise:
Requiring vehicles purchased before 1981 to receive two smog checks is a
wasteful political ploy for election and funding.
IV.
How do I write a thesis statement?
A. Decide on your
topic.
poetry in my
English textbook
B. Narrow your
topic.
Contrast gender
characteristics in two poems
Emily Dickinson's
"Because I could not stop for Death" contrasted with John Donne's "Death
Be Not Proud"
C. Put your topic
in a sentence.
Emily Dickinson's
"Because I could not stop for Death" is different from
John Donne's "Death Be Not Proud."
D. Add your
argument, viewpoint, or opinion to your topic to make your thesis
persuasive.
Emily Dickinson's
"Because I could not stop for Death" is essentially a more feminine
poem, while John Donne's "Death Be Not Proud" is more
masculine.
E. Elaborate on
your thesis so that it addresses all parts of your
assignment.
Although Emily
Dickinson and John Donne both personify death in their poems, the tone,
language, and images are clearly feminine in "Because I could not
stop for Death," and masculine in "Death Be Not
Proud."
F. Organize your
thesis to guide the direction of your paper.
Although Emily
Dickinson and John Donne both personify death in their poems the
tone, images, and language are clearly more feminine in "Because I
could not stop for Death," than in "Death Be Not
Proud."
G. Check your
thesis against the criteria on this handout, part I: A through E. Repeat
steps A through G in the "How Do I Write a Thesis Statement" section if
necessary.
H. Edit your
thesis for content, word choice, precision, and mechanics.
Although Emily
Dickinson and John Donne both personify death in their poems, the
images, language, and tone clearly reveal a woman's perspective
in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," and a man's perspective
in "Holy Sonnet 10."
V. Where
should I put my thesis statement?
The most common,
and often required, spot for a thesis statement is at the end of the
introductory paragraph or paragraphs.
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