Thesis Statements

A Thesis Statement IS NOT The subject

Mortality in Jamie Weisman’s As I Live and Breathe: Notes of a Patient-Doctor

In Pursuit of Happiness

A Thesis Statement IS NOT Too broad

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman faces a life-long battle with an unknown disease.

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman chooses to live a full life.

A Thesis Statement IS NOT An assertion, statement of fact or an

observation

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman is uncertain about bringing a child into the world.

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman admires Dr. Gussack who is the ultimate doctor.

A Thesis Statement Takes a stance rather than announces subject.

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman’s battle with a life-long rare disease prepares her for her

battle with disease as a doctor, physically, mentally and emotionally.

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman has two mentors, one who is expert in the arts and one who

is expert in medicine. The two mentors prepare her to become a specially adept doctor.

A Thesis Statement Must be narrow, rather than broad, in order to

sufficiently argue your thesis. Must be specific rather than vague or general

Jamie Weisman is not sure what she wants.

Jamie Weisman portrays her life as a journey through a land of wizardry and art. As a doctor she is able to meld the two into a higher standard of medicine.

x

Consists of two parts1. Your topic

2. The analysis, explanation, or assertions you are making about the topic. (The So What of your argument)

Jamie Weisman portrays her life as a journey through a land of wizardry and art. As a doctor she is able to meld the two into a higher standard of medicine.

1

2

A Thesis Statement Is a map or

guide both for yourself and your audience.

A Thesis Statement Has one main point

rather than several main points.

The Main Point Is supported by

reasoning or evidence from the text

The Evidence Is organized into

paragraphs with one topic per paragraph

Remember Your thesis is a

working thesis. If you find yourself straying from your original argument, one alternative is to rewrite your thesis statement.

Remember Your thesis is making a claim

That your must sufficiently prove with reasons and evidence.

That could be an opinion, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation.

With which people could possibly disagree.

Remember Your thesis is not an

expression of what you think or feel.

Do not summarize the plot. Analyze the plot.

Focus on how your argument develops or changes in the story.

Checklist Must be in introduction Must be specific and

narrow Must be arguable Must answer “So what?”