Thesis Statements & IQE

What is a thesis statement?

• How would you define it?• What makes a good thesis statement?

Thesis

• A one-sentence statement • Usually occurs at end of introductory

paragraph (last sentence or close to it)• Lets your audience know what you are trying

to prove/analyze/answer in your essay

No thesis = no argument = bad essay

Characteristics of a Great Thesis - SCAP• Specific

– Not vague or overly general– Addresses the prompt so your audience knows what prompt you were working with/essential

question you’re trying to answer

• Creative– The sky is blue…the grass is green…the snow is cold…blah– If it’s too obvious, if it’s too cliché, or if it’s too boring (as in you wouldn’t want to have to read

your own writing you’re so bored with it), then it needs to be revised

• Argumentative/controversial– If everyone agrees with your point, then what’s the point of arguing it/proving it/explaining it?– The more controversial, the more important your analysis becomes since you really are

defending your point!

• Provable– Do you have specific examples/facts/ideas to support your thesis?– Does the topic lend itself to discussion or is it so far fetched that your analysis is irrelevant? – Can you prove the statement (or at least provide reasons why it is true?)?

How do you turn a question into a thesis statement?

• Identify at the most important words in the question

• Try to mirror those words in your response so that your statement addresses the prompt– If your audience had never seen the prompt, they

should still be able to tell, through your thesis, what you’re trying to prove and what the prompt may have been

There are 2 Types of Thesis Statements: Prompt: Are Disney Princess films beneficial or harmful to young audiences?

• Tiered – a list of 3 topics you will address that helps organize your essay.

Example: Disney princesses can be considered more harmful than educational as role models for young girls because the characters are too concerned with improving their looks, relying on male characters, and fulfilling their own agendas.

• Open Ended – Is more general instead of listing 3 specific topics. Allows for more freedom within the essay and isn’t so cookie cutter

Example: Disney princesses are potentially hazardous role models for young girls because they promote reliance on others as opposed to reliance on ones self.

*We’re going to focus on using the open ended format**

Parallelism The very best thesis statements use parallelism.

Disney princesses are potentially hazardous role models for young girls because they promote reliance on others as opposed to reliance on ones self.

Rate the Thesis

I’m going to show you a series of thesis statements. You should rate them on a scale of 1 to 3 for effectiveness.

1 – Awesome! Meets all of the SCAP requirements!2 – Good! Meets most of the SCAP requirements. Could use some work, but nothing major! 3– Nice attempt! I can see the attempt at SCAP requirements, but it needs a good amount of revising!

Rate the Thesis: 1

• I’m going to write about Shakespeare in this paper.

Rate the Thesis: 2

• Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

Rate the Thesis: 3

• Individualism is a good thing.

Rate the Thesis: 4

• Issuing grades to students should be eliminated at the high school level because of the unnecessary pressure that students feel as a result.

Rate the Thesis: 6

• There are some positive things and some negative things about wearing uniforms to school.

Thesis Process

Let’s take a look at the “Creating a Thesis Statement” sheet and create a thesis using a

specific prompt

Prompt:The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires all school libraries receiving certain federal funds to install and use blocking software to prevent students from viewing material considered “harmful to minors.” However, some studies conclude that blocking software in schools damages educational opportunities for students, both by blocking access to Web pages that are directly related to the state-mandated curriculums and by restricting broader inquiries of both students and teachers. In your view, should the schools block access to certain Internet web sites?

Be clear in the side that you’re choosing! Remember to follow the steps in the process!

Now that you have a thesis…

Let’s create the intro paragraph!

Three elements in a good persuasive introduction:1. Attention Getter2. Background/addressing both sides of

argument3. Thesis

Introductory Paragraph

1st Sentence: Motivator/Attention Getter

You want an attention getter that actually does grab the attention of your teacher without making her wince in pain. Do not begin with a rhetorical question. This technique is better left in the hands of the pros. Here are some ideas:

Ideas for Attention Getters• Quotation• Fact• Description (paint a picture with the senses)• Anecdote

Whatever it is, make sure it – 1. Is not a fragment! Students like to list words – not effective!2. Relates to your thesis!

Background – The Middle of Your Intro

Once you have the attention getter, you need to tell us a bit about your topic in general and give some background information.

1. What are the two sides of the argument?2. Why is this topic being debated? How does it

affect people locally, nation wide, world wide?

It is always a gamble when a Google search is performed. The results may not be what one expected to appear. Just because a person’s intentions are respectable does not mean that the internet will yield the same types of upright results. Since the internet can provide access to inappropriate and harmful material, even inadvertently, there is a debate about whether or not schools should limit the access of certain sites, even if it prohibits students and staff from accessing academic information. Schools should block all students and staff from certain web sites to maintain a safe, comfortable school environment for everyone present.

Now for the body paragraphs…

• The 2 reasons that you’ve come up with at the bottom of your thesis sheet are going to become your topic sentences!

IQE Paragraph Format - Any Body Paragraph of Any Essay

• Follow the IQE structure for effective body paragraphs:

• Topic Sentence – States reason your thesis is true• I- Introduces Quotation• Q – Provides the Quotation (or fact/example if no

quotations are available)• E – Explains the Quotation (or fact/example)

Topic Sentence• States a reason why your argument/thesis is true• First sentence of each paragraph• Each topic sentence of each paragraph should address a new reason (avoid

repetition)

Prompt: The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires all school libraries receiving certain federal funds to install and use blocking software to prevent students from viewing material considered “harmful to minors.” However, some studies conclude that blocking software in schools damages educational opportunities for students, both by blocking access to Web pages that are directly related to the state-mandated curriculums and by restricting broader inquiries of both students and teachers. In your view, should the schools block access to certain Internet web sites?Thesis Statement: Schools should block all students and staff from inappropriate web sites to maintain a safe, comfortable school environment for everyone present.

First Topic Sentence: In the first place, blocking certain websites could diminish the possibility of cyber bulling and social anxiety amongst students.

I – Introduce the Quote–Provide the context surrounding the story at

the place where the quote begins– In this instance, give some real world/common

sense contextThesis Statement: Schools should block all students and staff from certain web sites to maintain a safe, comfortable school environment for everyone present.

First Topic Sentence: In the first place, blocking certain websites could diminish the possibility of cyber bulling and social anxiety amongst students.

Introduce: It is a known fact that since the advent of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, that cyber bulling and social/emotional issues amongst students has risen.

Q - Quotation• Quotations are:

– Any piece of information directly cited from the text (word for word)– Any piece of text you have paraphrased and was not your original

words/ideas– Common Sense/example/real life connection/known news story**Be sure to include a proper MLA in-text citation when quoting from a

book**Thesis Statement: Schools should block all students and staff from certain web sites to maintain a safe, comfortable school environment for everyone present.

First Topic Sentence: In the first place, blocking certain websites could diminish the possibility of cyber bulling and social anxiety amongst students.

Introduce: It is a known fact that since the advent of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, that cyber bulling and social/emotional issues amongst students has risen.

Quotation: For instance, just this past year, a 14-year old Florida girl was charged with stalking and harassing a 12 year old online. The continued verbal abuse led to the 12 year old committing suicide.

E - Explanation• The explanation is:

– Sentences that follow the quotation– Usually 2-3 sentences– Why is this quotation/fact/example significant? What does it show?

• DON’T PARAPHRASE/SUMMARIZE!– Information that clearly explains how the quote you’ve chosen helps to

prove your thesis and topic sentence. Link back! • Don’t assume your audience will make the connection!

Example: In order to prevent this type of harassment from occurring at school, certain websites, including social media, should not be allowed using district computers. By taking a firm stance on this issue, schools can do their part to protect students from engaging in this type of conduct and protect the integrity of the school environment. Certain websites have no place in school, especially when they can lead to the harm of students.

It is always a gamble when a Google search is performed. The results may not be what one expected to appear. Just because a person’s intentions are respectable does not mean that the internet will yield the same types of upright results. Since the internet can provide access to inappropriate and harmful material, even inadvertently, there is a debate about whether or not schools should limit the access of certain sites, even if it prohibits students and staff from accessing academic information. Schools should block all students and staff from certain web sites to maintain a safe, comfortable school environment for everyone present.

In the first place, blocking certain websites could diminish the possibility of cyber bulling and social anxiety amongst students. It is a known fact that since the advent of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, that cyber bulling and social/emotional issues amongst students has risen. For instance, just this past year, a 14-year old Florida girl was charged with stalking and harassing a 12 year old online. The continued verbal abuse led to the 12 year old committing suicide. In order to prevent this type of harassment from occurring at school, certain websites, including social media, should not be allowed using district computers. By taking a firm stance on this issue, schools can do their part to protect students from engaging in this type of conduct and protect the integrity of the school environment. Certain websites have no place in school, especially when they can lead to the harm of students.

Using the “Creating a Thesis Statement” sheet

• Complete the form using the same prompt• Only complete the Intro/IQE portion for

tomorrow

Normally you would have numerous IQE paragraphs…

• This is practice to work on the format• So what do you do once you’ve proven your

point? – It’s not ethical until you’ve addressed the other

side!

After the IQE Paragraphs - Rebuttal• Rebuttal – What is the opposite of your argument? Why might some people

disagree with your argument? What might they say to defend themselves and their point and provide examples/reasons.

• Answer the Opposition – Why are they wrong? Why are you right? Defend your argument by using examples to prove them wrong and to show that your argument is correct. Explain how/why this example proves they are wrong.

• Ex. You say censorship is bad in your thesis. In the rebuttal, describe why some people might say censorship is good (protects people, keeps bad material away from people, keeps a certain level of morals/class, etc.). Now, to answer the opposition, explain why this is wrong. How is censorship not protecting people, but instead actually harming them (by keeping them brainless, by allowing history to repeat, etc.). Find an example to prove this.

Final Step - ConclusionRestate your thesis using different words/word order

-Needs to convey the same idea as the thesis in the introduction

Consider the larger implications of your ideas. – Think about the “so what” factor. – Why should the reader care? – What can we learn from this? – How does this relate to our society?

Clincher Statement (should relate to motivator)-Wraps up the paper in an interesting way

• Shocking fact, anecdote, quotation, opinion, prediction, etc.• DO NOT use your re-stated thesis for your clincher

General Rules in Writing

• No “I” or “you”• No contractions• Avoid vague words – things, stuff, good, bad, a lot• Avoid weak verbs – “to be” verbs, got– Ex. “She got her diploma from NIU.”

“She received her diploma from NIU.”• Use MLA Format (follow template)