WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW A POWERPOINT BY MR. COST The Thesis Statement

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT? Please answer the following question:

A THESIS IS A STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT A WRITER IS GOING TO PUT FORTH IN HIS OR HER PAPER. A Thesis Statement

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT? Please answer the following question:

Element One: A strong thesis takes a stand. A strong thesis takes a stand.

Example: There are some negative and positive aspects to the banana herb tea supplement. Is this thesis statement a strong one or a weak one?

Example Because Banana Herb Tea supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers. Is this thesis statement a strong one or a weak one?

Element Two: A strong thesis statement justifies discussion

Example: The Beatles were a rock group, and are still popular today. Is this a strong thesis statement or a weak one?

Example: Because of their ability to craft lasting melodies, to push the boundaries of pop music, and to improve with each record, The Beatles are the most important band in the history of popular music. Is this thesis statement strong or weak?

Element Three: A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.

Example: Because of their ability to craft lasting melodies, to push the boundaries of pop music, and to improve with each record, The Beatles are the most important band in the history of popular music, and two of the members are still alive. Is this thesis statement strong or weak?

Element Four: A strong thesis statement is specific

Example: World hunger has many causes and effects. Is thesis statement a strong one or a weak one?

Example: Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable. Is thesis statement a strong one or a weak one?

Element Five: A thesis statement will preview the topic sentences.

Format In a traditional multi-paragraph essay, the thesis is the final sentence of the introductory paragraph. By looking at the thesis, a reader should be able to judge how many paragraphs the essay will contain.

THROUGH HIS USE OF THE THEMATIC OPPOSITIONS OF DAY VERSUS NIGHT AND PUBLIC LIFE VERSUS PRIVATE LIFE, NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE CONVEYS THE IDEA THAT PURITAN SOCIETY IS CORRUPT. Example

BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO CRAFT LASTING MELODIES, TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF POP MUSIC, AND TO IMPROVE WITH EACH RECORD, THE BEATLES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC. Example

HUNGER PERSISTS IN APPALACHIA BECAUSE JOBS ARE SCARCE AND FARMING IN THE INFERTILE SOIL IS RARELY PROFITABLE Example

Example: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned.

Question 1: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Does this thesis statement take a stand? Yes or no?

Question 2: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. What is the stand? That video games should be banned.

Question 3 Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Does this thesis statement express one main idea? Yes or no?

Question 4: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. What is the main idea? The main idea is the banning of video games.

Question 5: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Does this thesis statement justify discussion? Yes or no?

Question 6: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Is the thesis statement specific? Yes or no?

Question 7: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Does this thesis statement preview the topic sentences? Yes or no?

Question 7: Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. A well-written essay that uses this thesis will be how many paragraphs in length?

Question 8 Because of their ability to disrupt children’s attention spans, and their promotion of violence, video games should be banned. Video games are violent and thus promote violence to our youth. Video games have been shown to negatively affect the attention spans of children.

The Thesis Formulas Fiction: Through x(, and) y(, and z), the author + stand = thesis Non-fiction: Because x(, and) y(, and z), the topic + stand = thesis

Question 9: Please write a thesis statement on ONE of the following topics: 1) The legal drinking age. 2) The legal voting age. 3) School dress code policy.