Developing a

Thesis Statement

Setting a purpose for your writing

Purpose of a thesis:

When you write, your mission is to create a focused,

clear message, brimming with quality ideas.

In information/ expository writing, this focused

message can often be captured in a nutshell in your

thesis statement.

A thesis statement:

tells your reader exactly what you are writing about

keeps you, the writer, pointed in the right direction

What is a thesis?

It may help if you think of a thesis as an argument with which others

may agree or disagree.

A thesis statement is a declarative statement that states your

intentions (your argument/viewpoint) for your paper.

It guides the readers thinking – like a roadmap of what to expect.

It is your job to support this argument with clear, detailed evidence,

such as facts, quotations, and clarifying summaries or

interpretations.

Keep in mind that writing is exploration, so as you learn new things

about your topic, what you have learned may require you to revise

your original thesis.

I’ve got my assignment…but where do I get my thesis?

At this point, you should have a topic for your research that is narrowed to something, such as:

Cell Phone use in Schools

Your teacher wants you to find a specific idea about that topic – how do you feel about it? Are you for or against your debatable topic? In this essay, you are trying to prove your opinion.

You may not be an expert on the topic, and that‟s OK. That‟s where your research will help you!!

If you have questions about your issue, you can use them to create a thesis.

Developing a thesis from your questions

You might have questions like these:

Why is there a cell phone ban in schools?

What problems existed before the ban?

What would school be like if cell phones were permitted?

Is having cell phones in school really an issue?

To go from the questions to a thesis, you need to find one that interests you and then come up with a best guess or partial answer. That gives you a starting point.

Don‟t worry if you don‟t have enough information, or if you aren‟t sure if your information is correct. Good research can help you revise your thinking and fill in the holes later.

Developing a thesis from your questions

Here‟s an example of how to begin writing a thesis:

Question: Why is there a cell phone ban in schools?

Best Guess Answer: Cell phones cause major distractions for students and staff, and can be used for negative purposes, so the school board has banned the use of them on school grounds.

Your best guess answer has now become a tentative thesis statement. This statement can be adapted or changed after you have researched your topic – your views may have changed by then.

Thesis Checklist:

A good thesis statement should:

Be arguable (someone could disagree with your statement)

Identify a limited, specific topic (be narrowed)

Be focused on a particular feature or feeling about the subject (your standpoint/ viewpoint/ opinion)

Be stated in a clear, direct sentence

Be supported with convincing facts and details (that appear in your body paragraphs)

Meet the requirements of the assignment

Sample thesis statements:

dull, vague

Grass is important in the African Savanna.

precise, dynamic

Grass is the essential element in the African savanna‟s

system of nutrient recycling.

cannot be proven, unmanageable

Attitudes about love vary.

manageable, supportable

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley discusses Romantic attitudes

about the relationship between physical beauty and love.

Sample Thesis Statement

So what would be a good thesis statement for the

topic of cancer in teens?

“Radiation therapy for teenage cancer patients may

have adverse effects on the patients’ general health,

mood and appearance.”

Notice that it has a precise, limited topic:

radiation therapy for teenage cancer patients

Notice that it has a position:

adverse effects

Notice that it outlines the parts of the essay’s body:

general health, mood and appearance.

How do I know if I have a strong thesis? Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working

thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.

Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states

facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply

providing a summary, rather than making an argument.

Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not

have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you

could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something

"successful"?

Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you

need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.

Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the

body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It's o.k. to

change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing

your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.

Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is "how?" or

"why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you

can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Thesis Statement expectations:

Tomorrow, you must submit your tentative (working) thesis.

What I expect to see is a thesis that follows the criteria we

discussed, along with a re-stated thesis (the recap of your thesis

that will go in your conclusion.

You should submit a sheet with the following information:

Name: _______________________________________________

Topic: _______________________________________________

Thesis: _______________________________________________

Re-stated thesis:

_______________________________________________

Creating an Outline

Character Sketch Essay

Planning the Essay:

Introduction and Conclusion

Begin with an interesting anecdote, a quote, or statistic to get

your reader‟s interest. The last sentence of your introduction

should be the thesis of your paper: „Napoleon Dynamite is the

unique, eccentric, and unpredictable teen whose quirks are so

deeply ingrained that he may be one of pop culture‟s most

likeable protagonists.‟

Begin your conclusion with a re-stated thesis (not the same as

in the original, but similar). Briefly summarize the most

important attributes of your body paragraphs and end the essay

the way you began: with an anecdote, quote, or interesting

statistic: „After all, as Napoleon might say: „Sorry I‟m late, I just

got done taming a wild honeymoon stallion for you guys.‟

Introduction

Conclusion

Essay Planning:

Topic Sentences

Thesis: Napoleon Dynamite is the

unique, eccentric, and unpredictable

teen whose quirks are so deeply

ingrained that he may be one of pop

culture‟s most likeable protagonists.

Topic Sentence #1: Napoleon‟s style

is unapologetically unique.

Topic Sentence #2: His eccentricity

shines when he decides on a course

of action, no matter the situation.

Topic Sentence #3: Unpredictability is

Napoleon‟s forte.

Your body paragraphs and thesis

statement should be closely related.

Possible Outline: Napoleon Dynamite Character Sketch

IntroductionThesis Statement: Napoleon Dynamite is the unique, eccentric, and unpredictable teen whose quirks are so deeply ingrained that he may be one of pop culture’s most

likeable protagonists.Body Paragraph #1

Topic Sentence: Napoleon’s style is unapologetically unique

Proof 1/Page #: hairstyleProof 2/Page #: fashion senseProof 3/Page #: dance moves

Body Paragraph #2Topic Sentence: His eccentricity shines when he decides on a course of action, no matter the situation.

Proof 1/Page #: his drawingsProof 2/Page #: response to bullyingProof 3/Page #: courting techniques

Body Paragraph #3Topic Sentence: Unpredictability is Napoleon’s forte.

Proof 1/Page #: sudden bursts of anger Proof 2/Page #: unimaginable storiesProof 3/Page #: willingness to dance in front of his entire school

ConclusionRestated Thesis: Napoleon is truly a one-of-a-kind adolescent who, no matter the zaniness of his antics, has found a place in his audience’s hearts.

Dance Break

Essay Planning:

Providing Proof

Thesis: Napoleon Dynamite is the unique, eccentric,

and unpredictable teen whose quirks are so deeply

ingrained that he may be one of pop culture‟s most

likeable protagonists.

Topic Sentence #1: Napoleon‟s style is

unapologetically unique.

Proof #1: He has long, permed hair.

Proof #2: He wears ridiculous t-shirts tucked into

high-waisted jeans that are again tucked into

moon boots.

Proof #3: He performs “D-quan‟s dance moves”

routine perfectly.

Writing with Parallelism:(a balance of two or more similar words, phrases or clauses)

He has… long, permed hair.

He wears… t-shirts, high-waisted

jeans, and moon boots.

He performs… D-quan‟s dance

moves.

Writing with the PPE Method

This is a method of development that will work for

almost any response you go to write, for any course.

It is a foolproof way to make a clear, well-supported,

valid point.

P – Point (make a point/statement)

P – Proof (provide proof of the statement,

usually through examples from the text being

discussed)

E – Explanation (explain how your proof

supports your point – make the connection clear

for the reader)

PPE Method: Sample Paragraph

Napoleon‟s style is unapologetically unique. His hairstyle, a

long and permed, is uncommon for high-school aged boys,

and creates the most recognizable silhouette in the film. He

wears ridiculous t-shirts with graphics on the front, which he

tucks into high-waisted jeans. He then tucks his denims into

his signature moon boots. His inherent uniqueness is

apparent when he performs “D-quan‟s dance moves” routine

after hours of practice in his bedroom. He is unabashedly

different from his peers. He fears no bullies, needs no friends

with whom to play tetherball, and presents no airs of

sophistication. The hair, moon boots, “Vote for Pedro” t-

shirts, and dance steps provide the clearest visual, for the

audience, of Napoleon‟s individualistic approach to style and

taste.

Napoleon Break

Pre-Writing Practice

Thesis

Restated Thesis

Outline

Identify the problem with the following

thesis statements. (too vague, unmanageable, irrelevant, unappealing, etc.)

Napoleon Dynamite is a classic character.

Napoleon Dynamite is a character in the film

titled Napoleon Dynamite.

Napoleon feels love like any other human.

Napoleon fights often with his uncle Rico,

helps on a chicken farm, and lives in Idaho.

Rewrite the following theses to create

the restated thesis for each:

Napoleon Dynamite is the unique, eccentric,

and unpredictable teen whose quirks are so

deeply ingrained that he may be one of pop

culture‟s most likeable protagonists.

Deb, though quiet and insecure, finds her

voice and self-confidence when she teams up

with Napoleon and Pedro.

Kip and Napoleon are antagonistic to each

other, but their relationship transforms into

one of respect and understanding as the

brothers come-of-age.

Create an essay outline using this

template:

Thesis:

Topic Sentence 1:

Proof 1:

Proof 2:

Proof 3:

Topic Sentence 2:

Topic Sentence 3:

Choose a topic for your outline

(character sketch style):

Favourite cartoon character

Character from a novel other than your class

novel

Character from a favourite movie

Favourite tv character

Character from Julius Caesar

Next Up:

Due at the end of class today: thesis and

restated thesis

Due Monday, April 16th: Character Sketch

outline

Due Thursday, April 19th: rough copy of

character sketch (we‟ll be peer-editing this

day)

Due Monday, April 23rd: Character Sketch

final copy (through turnitin.com) AND

Essential Steps handout (completed)