2. Writing Thesis Statements
Clear, Specific, Debatable
What do we already know about thesis statements? What are they? How do we write them?
Think of it as the TRAILER to a movie

3. Explore a topic
Ask someone who works in a field that you’re interested in about what challenges they face or what issues are controversial in their field
Browse through magazines, journals, blogs, or other writing in a field that interests you to see what topics are popular right now
Consider starting by asking a question. Your thesis statement should answer this question
This can be

4. TYPES OF CLAIMS YOU CAN MAKE
Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact.
What some people refer to as global warming is actually nothing more than normal, long-term cycles of climate change.
Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur.
The popularity of SUV's in America has caused pollution to increase.
Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something.
Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.
Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem.
Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should be focusing on ways to reduce oil consumption, such as researching renewable energy sources.

5. TOPIC/SUBJECT + POSITION/CLAIM + REASONS/SUPPORT
Writing it out clearly
TOPIC/SUBJECT + POSITION/CLAIM + REASONS/SUPPORT
Take a strong, definitive tone
Make an argument: other people should disagree with you
Be specific: use the “so what?” test
Avoid first person pronouns
Try using parallel structure to make your words flow
You SHOULD struggle with this; you should write it, change it, revise it, scrap the idea and start over, lots and lots of times before you come up with one you really like that you think you can work with for four weeks!

6. EXAMPLE My topic: grades in schools
My question: Do grades improve student learning?
My position: Grades hinder student learning
WHY?
Students focus on grades rather than mastery of content
Grades are subjective; all teachers grade differently
“Grade inflation” makes students think they’re doing better than they actually are
Teachers get bogged down by the amount they have to grade, decreasing their effectiveness
Grades foster unhealthy competition among the highest achieving students
Grades are demoralizing to lower achieving students, unfairly labeling them

7. TOPIC/SUBJECT + POSITION/CLAIM + REASONS/SUPPORT
EXAMPLE
TOPIC/SUBJECT + POSITION/CLAIM + REASONS/SUPPORT
You SHOULD struggle with this; you should write it, change it, revise it, scrap the idea and start over, lots and lots of times before you come up with one you really like that you think you can work with for four weeks!

8. Did they do a good job?
For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat.
Illegal drug use is detrimental because it encourages gang violence.
The Hunger Games is a science fiction adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins.
Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.
There is no question that cell phones have changed our lives in a very big way.
The United Nations is incapable of preventing war.

9. Select one of these topics:
Cheating/plagiarism in schools
Student athletes
Hip-hop music
Minimum wage
Cyber school
Celebrities as role models
Rising costs of college
Cyber bullying
Social media
Pro sports and crime
LGBTQ discrimination
High school security
Required graduation projects
Video games
Gender stereotypes
Reality television
Airport security
Arts in schools
Write a clear, specific, debatable thesis statement for a research paper on that topic
Swap with the person sitting next to you, and revise the thesis statement he or she has written
EXTRA CHALLENGE: On the back of your paper, write a thesis statement on a topic of your choice