1. Thesis Statements From the McGraw-Hill Handbook

2. The thesis is the central idea of your paper. The thesis statement is the sentence or sentences that assert the central idea of your paper.

3. A thesis is not the same thing as the topic of your paper. Simply put, a topic is what your paper is about; the thesis is what you have to say about the topic.

4. Characteristics of a strong thesis It fits the purpose of the assignment. It makes a specific point about the topic and gives readers a sense of the direction of your paper. It asserts something significant that could change what the reader knows, understands or believes about the topic.

5. Fitting the purpose of the assignment All theses are arguments in the sense that they make an assertion about a topic. But there are different kinds of assertions or theses.

6. Fitting the purpose of the assignment A thesis for an informative paper usually previews the paper’s content. An interpretive thesis expresses the writer’s insight on the topic. A thesis for an argument takes a position on a debatable issue or recommends an action.

7. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Thesis to inform In recent years, the National Football League has become increasingly concerned with the long term effects of brain injury caused by repeated violent collisions on the field of play.

8. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Based on that thesis statement, what might be the direction the paper takes?

9. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Thesis to interpret NFL owners continue to pay lip-service to the idea of player safety, but their demand on the Players’ Association to increase the season to eighteen games shows they are far more interested in profits than safety.

10. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Based on that thesis statement, what might be the direction the paper takes?

11. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Thesis to argue By taking a hard line stance against the owners’ demands now--even at the risk of angering the fans--the NFL Players’ Association will protect its members’ interests, and the league itself, in the long run.

12. Fitting the purpose of the assignment Based on that thesis statement, what might be the direction the paper takes?

13. Making sure your thesis is specific Avoid thesis statements that – simply announce the topic – state an obvious fact – offer a general observation

14. Making sure your thesis is specific Examples of weak thesis statements Announcement I will discuss the NFL’s labor problems. Statement of fact The owners and players cannot agree. General Observation The owners are more prepared for a work stoppage than the players.

15. Making sure your thesis is specific Example of a strong and specific thesis Because the owners have deeper pockets, better leadership and the majority of NFL fans on their side, they are better prepared for a work stoppage, so have a better chance to prevail in the negotiations.

16. Testing your thesis If the assignment asks for an analysis of the possible outcomes of the current labor negotiations between the NFL owners and the Players’ Association, does the preceding thesis meet the criteria for a strong thesis statement?

17. Testing your thesis Does it fit the purpose of the assignment? Does it make a specific point about the topic and give readers a sense of the direction of the paper? Does it assert something that could change what the reader knows, understands or believes about the topic?

18. Testing your thesis Does it fit the purpose of the assignment? Does it make a specific point about the topic and give readers a sense of the direction of the paper? Does it assert something that could change what the reader knows, understands or believes about the topic?

19. Testing your thesis Does it fit the purpose of the assignment? Does it make a specific point about the topic and give readers a sense of the direction of the paper? Does it assert something that could change what the reader knows, understands or believes about the topic?

20. Testing your thesis Does it fit the purpose of the assignment? Does it make a specific point about the topic and give readers a sense of the direction of the paper? Does it assert something that could change what the reader knows, understands or believes about the topic?

21. Questions? MHH Exercise 3.3: Evaluating thesis statements p. 44