1. How to Write a Thesis Statement

2. What is a Thesis? An arguable statement about a topic; the main idea of your essay

3. How to Create a Thesis Statement Step 1: Identify a Concept/Theme One idea the story is about Examples: power, love, propaganda

4. Step 2: Form a Theme Statement The story’s message about that concept Examples: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

5. Step 3: Explain How the Text Shows the Theme Explain how evidence from the text shows the theme Example: By comparing characters

6. Step 4: Add Linking Verbs and the Name of Your Text Animal Farm shows…

7. So – It’s a Formula! Theme statement +Evidence = Thesis Statement By + -ing verb + evidence from text, Title+ -s verb+ theme

8. EXAMPLE By + -ing verb + something specific that the text illustrates, name of text + active verb + what you are trying to prove. By emphasizing a speaker’s reflection on a path he did not choose, “The Road Not Taken” mirrors an individual’s psychological conflict with the inability to change the past.