WRITING A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT

A STRONG THESIS IS ARGUABLE

Remember: Your thesis needs to take a stand on something and argue a certain point.Example: You are asked to write a paper about Cancun, Mexico as a vacation spot.

1. Cancun is a popular vacation spot in Mexico.2. Cancun is one of the best vacation spots in Mexico because of its comfortable climate and proximity to some well-known archeological sites.

IT IS SPECIFIC

Examples: 1. While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of

slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions.

2. World hunger has many causes and effects.

3. Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

Hint: 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"?

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IS A ROAD MAP FOR THE PAPER In other words, it tells the reader

what to expect from the rest of the paper.

Example: Maya Angelou’s written works often include strong themes such as perseverance through trials, love for family, and passionate optimism.

How should the body of this paper be organized? Consider each body paragraph:

1) ____________________________________ 2) ____________________________________ 3) ____________________________________

ESSAYIntroduction

Thesis Statement

Body Paragraph #3

Body Paragraph #2

Body Paragraph #1

A FINAL EXAMPLE:

Weak: Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

Better: In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

Best: Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.

YOUR THESIS STATEMENT: You will formulate a thesis statement that will serve

as the overall guiding idea of your paper. Your thesis should state your selected character, and what traits make up their strengths or weaknesses, OR it should state whether or not your character learns a lesson (and how this does or does not happen.)

Think about the following:1. Is the character someone you can understand and relate to on

some level?2. Does the character represent some universal quality

(archetype) applicable to all people?3. What do other characters say about the character? How do

they act toward the character?4. Does the character grow and/or develop over the course of the

novel? Do they learn a life lesson?5. What is the character’s motivation behind what they do?

virtual.yosemite.cc.ca.us/lumanr2/english_25/thesis.ppt