The Thesis Statement

Goal The goal of this presentation is to help students understand the purpose and form of the thesis statement, especially as the thesis pertains to our first essay for the course, the informative essay.

Question: What is a thesis statement? The thesis statement appears as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph, the first paragraph of the essay. The thesis sentence expresses the central idea of the essay and gives the specific points upon which the body paragraphs will be based. These points are called key points and give specific direction to your general topic. Topic + Key Points = Thesis sentence

Step 1: Understand many ways to describe a thesis statement. It is your “So what?” It is what you want your readers to know. It is the main idea you are trying to get across. It is your message.

Step 3: Think more about the purposes of the thesis statement. It indicates that you are going to explain in your essay all the reasons why you feel this information is important. It leads the reader into the essay. It indicates that you are going to persuade or inform people about your opinion or comments about the topic. Our first essay will inform, not try to persuade.

Step 4: Practice the basics of the thesis statement. A thesis statement Is generally stated in a single sentence Limits or narrows the focus of the topic Indicates the kind of support to follow Helps to organize the supporting material Is precisely worded. Does not announce by saying “I am going to tell you about…” or “My essay will explain…” Sample Thesis: Learning about French culture, cuisine, and art made my year in Paris enlightening. This thesis is informative.

Step 5: Understand how the thesis will be connected to the body paragraphs. Sample Thesis: Learning about French culture, cuisine, and art made my year in Paris enlightening. Body paragraph 1 will discuss how learning about French culture made this year in Paris enlightening. Body paragraph 2 will discuss how learning about French cuisine made this year in Paris enlightening. Body paragraph 3 will discuss how learning about French art made this year in Paris enlightening.

Step 6: Remember thesis placement. The thesis statement occurs at the opening of the essay as the last sentence in the introduction paragraph, providing a strong, clear beginning for the essay.

Step 7: Understand our type of thesis. For the first essay, we will seek to inform. We may persuade because of our obvious brilliance, but we are not trying to persuade. We are revealing information to our readers; we are teaching them. Sample informative thesis: School uniforms are unpopular with many students because they may squelch individual personality, but many people believe that uniforms also level the social playing field and allow young people to focus on more important personality traits than are expressed through fashion choices. Key points above appear in bold font. The topic is school uniforms. Remember, topic + key points = thesis.

Step 8: Distinguish between informative and persuasive thesis statements. Informative: School uniforms are unpopular with many students because they may squelch individual personality, but many people believe that uniforms also level the social playing field and allow young people to focus on more important personality traits than are expressed through fashion choices. Persuasive: School uniforms are unpopular with many students because they may squelch individual personality, but students should focus on authentic personality traits such as kindness and talent and should not fixate on fashion choices. The key words to inform and the key words to persuade appear in bold above. We will first seek to inform, but we will later write an essay to persuade. Persuasion calls to action and makes “should” and/or “should not” statements. Informing simply gives information.

Step 9: Ask for help! I will be happy to review an ed thesis statement. We will discuss thesis statements throughout the course. The Kaplan Writing Center can help. Our learning community will help you as we discuss thesis sentences.

Part of the process... The thesis statement is part of the organizing of the writing process. The thesis’ key points organize the body paragraphs. The thesis is the reader’s roadmap for the essay!