The thesis statement concisely expresses your main idea to your audience and is supported by the body of the essay. Your thesis statement should do more than state a fact; rather, it should make an assertion based on your own ideas.  Bad: iPods are devices that transport and play music. Good: iPods are the best source for transporting and playing music not only because they are compact and user-friendly but also because they store large amounts of music.

Example: The writers of Family Guy use irreverent humor to satirize pop culture, comment on the stereotypical American family, and explore controversial themes. Example: The irreverent humor used in Family Guy is not used simply to shock, but to comment on deeper societal issues.

Think deeper! After writing a thesis statement, ask yourself, “So what?” Example: Family Guy is a humorous television show. (So what?) Revision: Family Guy is entertaining because of its controversial humor. (So what?) Revision: The irreverent humor used in Family Guy is not used simply to shock, but to comment on deeper societal issues.

Say why Say why your audience should care Say how Make specific comparisons Make an evaluation Consider the consequences

Just as the thesis statement tells the main argument of your essay, topic sentences state the main idea of individual body paragraphs and directly relate to your thesis. Topic sentences provide support for your argument and direction for your reader.

Consider the following analogies to help understand the importance of strong topic sentences.

Just as the sun is the center of the solar system and orbited by the planets, topic sentences revolve around your thesis statement, the center of your argument. Sun Topic Sentence

The thesis statement covers the overall argument/primary point of the paper and is supported by the topic sentences, which give the main points and evidence of the paper. Thesis Statement Topic Sentence

To survive at Camp Green Lake the campers in Tent D must take several precautions. There are several advantages to being the leader of Camp D. The Texas desert contains many types of dangerous creatures.

The following slides have 2 sentences on each. Determine which is the best topic sentence.

__________ Texas has 267,000 square miles. __________ Texas is so big that you can find many things to do. Topic Sentence

__________ A bully is a boy or girl who acts mean or hurtful to others. __________ Bullies sometimes hit, kick, or push to hurt people. Topic Sentence

__________ Heavy downpours on Earth's deserts can drastically change the landscape of these regions. __________ Ground-hugging shrubs and short woody trees survive better in the desert than evergreen trees. Topic Sentence