Claire Conroy

Unit Head of English Writing Lab, Writing Lab, SLSC

Definition of a Thesis Statement

.A sentence in an essay, report, research paper, or speech that identifies the main idea and/or central purpose of the text.

What is the function/ purpose of a Thesis Statement?

The thesis statement serves as the organizing principle of the text and usually appears in the introductory paragraph, often at the end.

Key WordsO A Sentence

O Main idea

O End of first paragraph ( Intro) )

The Inverted PyramidWhat is that ?

General topic sentence

Begin focusing

TS

Learning to be a successful writer in college involves a lot of hard work. To become a successful writer, students should follow some important steps. Just attending classes and going to workshops are not enough. Students need to have a good background in grammar and vocabulary, organizational skills in writing essays, and knowledge of editing techniques.

Example of a Good Introduction

Learning to be a successful writer in college involves a lot of hard work. (Topic Sentence) To become a successful writer, students should follow some important steps. Just attending classes and going to workshops are not enough.( more info and opinion) Students need to have a good background in grammar and vocabulary, organizational skills in writing essays, and knowledge of editing techniques. (TS)

Example of a Good Introduction

1. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper.

2. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement.

Remember

1. Brainstorming2. Free writing 3. Listing 4. Clustering

How can you get ideas for your TS?

These days online learning has become very popular as an alternative to traditional university-based education. Some students prefer this type of learning while others do not.To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Sample Writing Prompt

Sample Thesis Statement

Online learning gives the opportunity to many students to avail of a university education offering a) flexible hours of courses, (BP1) b)affordable programs (BP2) and c) international recognition. ( BP3)

A Common MistakeRepetition in the thesis statement

Make sure your individual points in your TS do not overlap!

Example: Fast food restaurants offer many benefits to the consumer, such as tasty food, quick service and delicious desserts.

This TS only has two points as tasty food and delicious desserts should be dealt with in ONE body paragraph.

Careful!

Strong TS

Diwali is an important festival for Indians because they celebrate their religion, remember traditional legends, and enjoy time with their families.

Weak TS

Diwali is an Indian festival, which is held every year when Hindus celebrate for three days.

A) In the last two decades, many new diseases such as AIDS, West Nile Virus, and SARS have appeared on the scene.

B) Newly discovered diseases such as AIDS, West Nile Virus, and SARS are a serious threat to the health of millions of people the world over.

Choose the Strongest TS

1. It is not neutral 2. It offers a point of view

B is a stronger TS—Why?

A: Although living standards have increased worldwide, there is no doubt that such raised levels have definitely caused some negative impacts on mankind’s environment, health and social integration.

B: As hunting wild animals for food is no longer necessary in today’s world, it can be argued that hunting for sport is cruel, damaging to our environment and causing some wildlife species to become extinct.

Is there a point of view???

Revise your TS

IF you do not have enough information/ supporting ideas for your body paragraphs.

The Following Slide Successful TS?

Unsuccessful TS?

“In this essay I will try to prove that drugs such as Prozac and Paxil are unnecessary and probably dangerous.”

Why?

Avoid using ‘I” It reads more like an announcement rather

than a TS

Unsuccessful TS

Try and answer the questions 1-9 in 5 minutes.

Worksheet on Thesis Statements

Thesis Statement -- Worksheet Choose the best answer to the following.

1. What is a thesis statement? a) It is the first sentence at the beginning of the each paragraph. b) It makes a claim other people might not agree with. c) It is a question in response to a writing assignment. d) It is a simple statement of fact.

2. The first thing you should do after receiving your writing prompt is to write your thesis statement. a) True b) False

3. A good thesis statement is a broad generalization about your topic. a) True b) False

4. Why is a good thesis statement like a map? _____________________________________________________________________

5. Which thesis statement below is a good TS? a) Amigos is a great place to eat for several reasons. b) Amigos is a great place to visit because the staff are friendly, the food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. c) I love Amigos because it serves great food.

6. Write a good TS for the following prompt. “ Write a five paragraph essay about someone who inspires you. “

Fatima/ Jasim ___________________________________________________________

A good thesis statement should reflect the main ideas of the essay.

a) True b) False 7. List three ways you can generate ideas for a thesis statement.

a) ______________________ b) ____________________ c) __________________ 8. A good thesis statement …….

a) usually needs to be two or three sentences so that the main idea of your paper is clearly stated. b) is found at the beginning of each paragraph. c) is the first sentence of your conclusion. d) is found in the introduction.

9. Given the following thesis statement , what would you expect to read in this essay? “ As my best friend, Kelly is always there for me, shares my love of tennis and has a great sense of humour.”

1. 2. 3.

Try this online quiz on thesis statements.= http:/ / www.englishw.com/ TopicSentQuiz.php

Answer Key to Worksheet

1. B 2. False 3. False 4. It shows you the direction ( path ) the essay/paper is going to take. 5. B 6. Fatima/ Jasim is a wonderful person who loves challenges, does

volunteer work in her/his spare time and takes care of her/his large family.

7. True 8. a) brainstorming b) free writing c) clustering/ listing 9. D 10. 1. Examples of her reliability

2. When/where we play tennis 3. Her jokes and funny stories