What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement presents your opinions and thoughts on a subject, and you cannot write an essay without one. A thesis must contain a subject, an opinion/assertion, and a qualifying clause. It is a response to a question or prompt. A good thesis is only one sentence in length. It may be a looooong sentence, but it’s still just a sentence

Prompt: Analyze the depiction of nature in the first passages of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In the first passages of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, nature is portrayed favorably until mankind appears, which demonstrates man’s tendency to interfere with the natural world. What is the subject? What is the opinion/assertion? What is the qualifying clause that tells us more about the opinion and/or assertion of this writer?

What is this qualifying statement of which I speak? Why do I need it, and what does it do? The qualifying clause clarifies the writer’s opinion/assertion on the subject. Qualifying clauses start with one of the following words: because, since, therefore, when, unless, even, so that, whether, if Once you’ve got your thesis, it’s time to support it. How? You select the strongest text evidence to prove your assertion.

Concrete Detail/Supporting Evidence (CD) Review your thesis, what you’re trying to prove. Re-read the passages, noting evidence that supports your thesis. Select those sentences that most strongly prove your point. Embed these quotes: Use your words AND the author’s words in a sentence.

Commentary Sentence (CD) The next step requires you to comment about the significance (strength) of your quote. In this sentence, you are explaining your thinking. This sentence often starts with the phrase “This shows that”, but sophisticated writers do not use it. We want you to be sophisticated writers, so will help you with this step