Definition of thesis statement: A thesis statement for a research paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. Where does it go? The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

Example: An analysis of the college admission process reveals two principal problems facing counselors: accepting students with high test scores or students with strong extracurricular backgrounds. The paper that follows should: explain the analysis of the college admission process explain the two problems facing admissions counselors

With a shoulder partner write a thesis statement for the court case we read yesterday: Brown v. Board of Education

What to do… Listen/read your court case: You can find it ….. Once you have listened/read your case once through write a summary of case without looking at case on fact sheet. Get sheet initialed by teacher. Once you have teachers initials listen/ready your case again and write a thesis statement for your case. Turn thesis statement into teacher to initial. Once your thesis statement is initialed listen/read your case again looking for citations and facts to support your thesis statement. Write facts/citations on sheet.