1. Thesis: how and where to find them
Throwback Thursday
Thesis: how and where to find them

2. Throwback Thursday
Thesis is something you have been hearing about for a very long time
Anytime you write or read you are asked to identify the thesis.
When writing, it is easy to have a thesis because you are simply writing a sentence telling what your paper is about
The trouble comes when you have to identify a thesis in a text.
Today, we will review and learn some new things about thesis and thesis statements.

3. What is thesis is not A thesis is NOT:
Always the first sentence of a text
The topic of a paper
The theme of a paper
The last sentence of an introduction
AND….
It doesn’t start with “Today I will be talking about…”

4. SO, what is a thesis anyways?
A thesis is the point a paper is trying to prove.
And now an analogy:
PAPER is to BODY as THESIS is to SPINE
Without the spine your body could not stand,
Without the thesis, your paper cannot be complete.

5. What is a thesis? A thesis or claim is: The main argument of an essay
Defines your paper’s goals or direction
Must be argumentative
A good claim is specific.

6. Some helpful facts about a thesis
A thesis is also known as a claim or an argument: CLAIM AND THESIS ARE THE EXACT SAME THING!
Every part of your paper must connect back to the thesis. If it doesn’t, it must be eliminated OR revised in order to connect back to your thesis.
A thesis is NOT the same as a thesis statement!

7. Thesis statement
The thesis is the overall concept of what your paper is about WHEREAS…
The thesis statement is a sentence or two that is telling what your thesis is
In other words, the thesis is a thread that runs throughout the entire paper or piece of literature; the thesis statement is one spot that puts the thesis into words.

8. What is a thesis A thesis is or can be:
Expressed as a statement or assertion (The sky is blue) <NOTE: IT IS NOT A QUESTION!>
Arguable: Something you have to give reasons for (textual evidence and support) because it is worth proving!

9. Identifying a thesis statement
1.) Think about the thesis
What is overall argument the paper is touching upon
There might be a lot of things the paper is arguing, but there should be one that is scattered throughout the entire paper
2.) Find the sentence or two that puts this thesis into the most specific words
Look for the one or two sentences that is the most descriptive and specific about the thesis
THE SENETENCE OR SENTENCES THAT ARE THE MOST SPECIFIC AND DESCRIPTIVE ABOUT THE THESIS (ARGUMENT/POINT) OF THE PAPER IS YOUR THESIS STATEMENT.
THE REST OF THE PAPER IS JUST SUPPORT FOR THIS ARGUMENT.

10. LET’S PRACTICE!

11. Decide which is the best thesis and why
1. (a) The Hunger Games is a science fiction adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. (b) The Hunger Games is a morality tale about the dangers of a political system that is dominated by the wealthy. 
WHY:
2. (a) There is no question that cell phones have changed our lives in a very big way. (b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time. 

12. 3. a) Finding a job is never easy, but it can be especially hard when the economy is still feeling the effects of a recession and employers are reluctant to hire new workers. (b) College students looking for part-time work should begin their search by taking advantage of job-finding resources on campus. 
WHY:
(a) For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat. (b) Cooking oil is plant, animal, or synthetic fat that is used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. 

13. 5. (a) There have been over 200 movies about Count Dracula, most of them only very loosely based on the novel published by Bram Stoker in (b) Despite its title, Bram Stoker's Dracula, a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes considerable liberties with Stoker's novel. 
WHY:
6. (a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic integrity and curtail cheating in their classes. (b) There is an epidemic of cheating in America's schools and colleges, and there are no easy solutions to this problem. 

14. 7. (a) J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who directed the building of the first atomic bombs during World War II, had technical, moral, and political reasons for opposing the development of the hydrogen bomb. (b) J. Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as "the father of the atomic bomb," was born in New York City in 1904. 
WHY:
8. (a) The iPad has revolutionized the mobile-computing landscape and created a huge profit stream for Apple. (b) The iPad, with its relatively large high-definition screen, has helped to revitalize the comic book industry. 

15. 9. (a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in personal relationships. (b) Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem in the world today, and many people suffer from it. 
WHY:
10. (a) When I was a child I used to visit my grandmother in Moline every Sunday. (b) Every Sunday we visited my grandmother, who lived in a tiny house that was undeniably haunted.
WHY: 

16. Review THESIS IS THE POINT A PAPER IS TRYING TO PROVE
THESIS STATEMENT IS A SENTENCE OR TWO THAT PUTS THE THESIS INTO SPECIFIC WORDING
CLAIM STATEMENT IS THE SAME AS THESIS STATEMENT
IDENTIFY THE THESIS STATEMENT BY DECIDING THE MAIN POINT OF THE PAPER (THESIS) AND FINDING THE SENTENCE OR TWO SENTENCES THAT PUT THIS POINT INTO THE MOST SPECIFIC WORDING.