Introduction to Language and Literature

 tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.  is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.  is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.  makes a claim that others might dispute.  is usually a single sentence in your introduction paragraph

1. Read your text(s) carefully 2. Annotate and look for patterns/themes 3. Collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. 4. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis,” a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.

 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?

 Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is “so what?” then you need to clarify/specify your argument—why is it important?  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 okay 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.

 You are taking a course on 19th-century America, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: Compare and contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War.  Your first attempt at a thesis: The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different. Too general

 What reasons? How were they similar/different? (Perhaps you first think, “The South believed slavery was right, and the North thought slavery was wrong”  Second working thesis: 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.

 Maybe you decide that both sides fought for moral reasons, and that they just focused on different moral issues. You end up revising the working thesis into a final thesis that really captures the argument in your paper  Final thesis: 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.

 An open thesis is one that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay. If you have six or seven points to cover, for instance, stringing them all out in the thesis will be awkward.  Plus, while a reader can remember two or three points, it’s confusing to keep track of a whole string of points made in the opening paragraph.

 Using an open thesis statement allows writers the freedom to create an essay that touches on many topics.  Provides a more organic paper that does not feel rigid.

 An open thesis statement can be more effective than a closed thesis because it allows for more complex ideas and overall structure.  Further, by not revealing your ideas in the introduction, your reader remains intrigued by the points you develop.

 Making sure an open thesis statement paper has a unifying theme is one of the most important aspects to keep in mind.

 An open thesis is more a generalization than an explicit detailing of the paper.  If writing on race in American television, an open thesis statement might read: “Despite improvements over the last decade, the portrayal of race in American television is still problematic because minorities are underrepresented in positive roles."

 A closed thesis is a statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make. (Similar to a 3-prong thesis statement in a 5 paragraph essay).  It is closed because it limits the number of points the writer will make.

 A closed thesis is a reliable way to focus a short essay, particularly one written under time constraints.  Explicitly stating the points you’ll make can help you organize your thoughts when you’re working against the clock.  It can be a way to address specific points that are required by the prompt or argument.

 Using a closed thesis provides a tight organizational structure.  Closed thesis statements work best with shorter papers, such as a 5 paragraph structure.  Closed thesis statements can sound rigid.

 A closed thesis statement is an explicit detailing of the paper  “Minority representation on American television is problematic because many minority actors are typecast in criminal roles, by percentage, there are fewer minority actors on television than there are minorities in the U.S. population, and minority actors often act in an exaggeratedly stereotypical way.”