Crafting Thesis Statement

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Crafting a Thesis Statement A thesis is not an announcement. Example 1: I am going to tell you the importance of ABC. A thesis is not introduced by an opinion phrase such as I think, I feel, I believe. Example 2: I feel that good hygiene begins with the basics of effective hand washing. A thesis is not a statement of fact. Example 3: George Will writes about economic equality in the United States. A thesis is not a question. Example 4: What makes a photograph so significant? A thesis is not a quote. Example 5: George Will writes, “Economic equality is good for the United States.” A strong thesis: * Is a claim (not a fact) that can be supported by a reason or reasons; * Directly answers the question of the assignment;…show more content…
Most effective thesis statements often answer these three questions: •What is the essay’s subject? •What is the main idea that will be discussed about the topic? •What is the evidence or support that will be used to support the main idea? Assignment: Write an essay about playing sports. Playing sports is really good for people. This is a good start because it does express my position without announcing it, unfortunately, it is vague and general and therefore ineffective. It is not all that exciting for my reader, and it leaves my audience too many unanswered questions. WHY is playing sports good for people? (develops better cooperation skills) HOW does playing sports benefit people? (develops better coordination, and better overall health) WHICH people benefit from playing sports? (for children) Asking questions about the topic is a great way to find more specific information, since it narrows the topic. Playing sports is beneficial for children because it helps them develop better cooperation skills, better coordination, and better overall health. * Notice that I have beefed up my vocabulary a bit by changing “really good” to…show more content…
2) A topic does not directly allude to the source work, while a thesis alerts the reader as to where the references are coming from. Example: Write an analysis paper of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" Topic: The most frightening type of madness is one seemingly based in logic. Thesis: Although the narrator of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell- Tale Heart" is undoubtedly insane, the true horror comes from the sense of uneasiness and familiarity the reader feels as a result of his (narrator) ability to reason his audience into almost trusting his madness. 3) A strong topic should garner interest; nobody wants to read a paper about something boring. A strong thesis serves both a preview and guide for things to come in your paper. Example: Your teacher asks you to write a narrative essay about the best day of your life! Topic: The best day of my life was the day I almost
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