The Thesis Statement - What is it?

• The Thesis statement is the central, controlling idea of a paper.

• It is a statement that someone wants to discuss or prove.

• It commits a writer to:

– stay within the bounds of his main idea

– support it with either concrete evidence or sound logic

– follow a predicated order and emphasis in organizing his essay

For example, if a writer’s thesis statement is…

The typical Hemingway hero is a wounded man, both physically and emotionally.

…he has committed himself to show through factual support how Hemingway’s hero is wounded. • Should not discuss Hemingway’s

writing style, his portrayal of minor characters, or any other subjects unless they directly help him to better discuss the wounded hero.

The second part of his thesis (“both physically and emotionally”) further

guides discussion of the writer’s main idea:

1. First he must show how the hero is wounded physically and

• he must show it through specific examples taken from Hemingway’s work, not just tell about it in general, abstract statements.

Second…

2. …he must show how the hero is emotionally wounded

• again using specific evidence from Hemingway’s writings.

All this is necessary to fulfill what his thesis promised.

Summary: Thesis provides outline

• Because the thesis statement is the whole essay summed up in one sentence, it must be very carefully thought out and structured.

• A carefully constructed thesis will provide an outline for the writer to follow as he writes his essay and for the reader as he later reads it.

II. How do you Write One?

The following are some guidelines for writing a good thesis statement:

1. A thesis statement must first be restricted enough to allow for adequate development within the limited space of the essay. It must be FOCUSED by NARROWING the topic.

For example:

The Brigham Young University campus has many interesting features for a visitor to study. • This thesis statement is much TOO BROAD or TOO

GENERAL. • “interesting features” could cover hundreds of pages to

describing the landscape, architecture, exhibits, etc.• In trying to cover all these ideas in one short paper he

would only describe a few features of the campus in a general way.

But, consider this:

The Brigham Young University Law School is an interesting building, both in its architectural design and its technological features.

• This thesis statement is more RESTRICTED and focused.

• focuses on one building on the campus and • restricts itself to 2 main features of that building. • Do-able in some detail, even in a short paper.

2) A thesis statement must be an assertion or statement that requires factual or otherwise

acceptable support as evidenceFor example: Marnie Ellison, a second semester freshman, wore a long plaid skirt to the debate meet.

• This statement is a simple, specific fact.

• It requires no support and thus has no need for further development.

• Statements like this are “dead-end statements.” They require no further development or support.

But, consider this instead:Experience has led members of the debate team to believe that their dress at meets not only affects their performance but the way that others perceive them. • This thesis statement is an assertion or

opinion. • Factual support is necessary to answer

such questions as, “Why?”, “What makes them think so?”, or “What are some examples?”

• The reader must be given enough information to convince him that there are some valid reasons to believe this.

3) A thesis statement should be unified – that is, it should express a SINGLE, strong central idea

on which the paper will focusFor Example: One of the major presidential campaign issues this year is the national economy and many of the candidates are criticizing foreign policy in order to weaken the current president.

• This thesis statement commits the writer to discuss two completely different aspects of the presidential campaign.

• If he does this, the essay will be disunified, since it will discuss two different topics rather than one main point.

But, consider this instead: One of the major presidential campaign issues this year is the national economy – both on the federal level and on the individual family level.

• This thesis statement is unified. • It focuses solely on the issue of the national

economy, even though there are two parts to the discussion – the federal and family levels.

• If the thesis contains other ideas besides the central one, they must always be secondary or subordinate.

Also consider the following:Although the teacher structures a course and directs learning, a student must listen, question, and apply what he has learned before any real learning will take place. • This thesis statement contains two important

ideas – the responsibilities of the teacher and the responsibilities of the student in the learning process. However, both of these ideas will not be discussed equally in the essay.

• The structure of the thesis signals to the reader that the first idea is subordinate to the second;

• that is, it is only there to provide a background for the central idea of the essay, the responsibility of the student to learn.

A thesis statement should, if possible, indicate the structure or organization of

the essay.Consider the following thesis: Although some might not believe it, there are advantages to living in my hometown in British Columbia. • This thesis statement does not give the reader a

clear idea of what will be discussed in the essay, or how it will be presented.

• He only knows that the essay will first briefly discuss why some people might not believe that there are advantages (a rather abstract, foggy topic), then focus on the advantages of living in that town. We don’t even know the name of the town!

The overall essay outline would probably look something like this:

I. Reasons for disbeliefII. Advantages

…. Not much of an essay, eh?

However, consider the following thesis:

Although some would find the extreme weather unbearable, I enjoy the rural setting, outdoor leisure activities, and friendly people of my B.C. hometown of Prince George.

• This thesis statement not only gives the overall focus (some attention to a specific disadvantage, with the main emphasis on three specific advantages), but it structures the essay into three main points of development for a 5-6 paragraph essay.

The reader can expect this essay to be structured something like this:

I. (Although) unbearable weathera. Example

(Three enjoyable points):II. Rural setting

II. SupportIII. Outdoor Leisure Activities

II. Support IV. Friendly people

II. Support

This information can either go in its own paragraph or be incorporated throughout the essay to assert the reasons why the town is enjoyable. For instance, it could be used in a topic sentence like this: “Although some people dislike the intense cold and snow, they provide the opportunity for leisure activities like snowmobiling, skiing, and skating on frozen ponds.”

To re-cap: the four characteristics of thesis statements:

Non-thesis statement: This essay is about the TV show ER (topic).Non-thesis statement: The TV show ER is set in a Chicago, in an urban hospital (fact).Non-thesis statement: The TV show ER is about emergency room medicine (fact).

Thesis statement: The TV show ER depicts the world of emergency medicine realistically and intensely.• This is a thesis statement because the words

realistically and intensely are value words that show opinions or judgments.

• The author is making an argument that someone who has served in a real ER might strongly disagree with.

BUT EVEN BETTER…Extended thesis statement (BEST):

The TV show ER depicts emergency medicine realistically and intensely by showing actual trauma scenes, injured patients, medical

procedures, and the stressful effects of the job on doctors and nurses.

• This is an extended thesis statement that is a great organizational tool because it not only tells the author’s view of the topic, but also it provides an overview of the entire essay’s contents.

• It is focused and unified in that it focuses on one main idea – that ER depicts emergency medicine realistically and intensely – and provides four points for development, which would make a 5-6 paragraph essay.

One more time…Non-thesis statement: I am going to write about the Beatles (topic).Non-thesis statement: The Beatles were

a musical group of the 1960’s (fact).Non-thesis statement: The Beatles wrote

their own music and played instruments (fact). Thesis statement: The Beatles were the most influential musical group ever. • This is a thesis statement because of

the value judgment most influential and ever. Again, someone may disagree with this argument.

Here’s what you’re aiming for…Extended Thesis statement (BEST): The

Beatles were the most influential musical group ever because of their lyrics, musical arrangements, influence on popular fashion, and influence on politics.

• Again, notice how we get not only the

author’s opinion about the influence of the Beatles but also an overview of the rest of the essay’s contents. It provides 4 points for development, unity, and focus for a thorough 5-6 paragraph essay.

III. Where is the Thesis Found?• near the end of the introduction of the essay, preferably as the last

sentence, as in the following example:In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen uses letters to allow characters who are far away to communicate with one another. In that respect, letters offer a view of everyday life in the nineteenth century England. Even more important, however, is the letters’ literary purpose. Austen relates some of the most important information of the narrative through letters and, by doing so, concisely presents key information about plot. At the same time, because the action is told through the letter writer’s point of view, she conveys characters’ attitudes toward events. Finally, the reactions the letters evoke from their readers give information about the attitude of the people who read them. The letters Elizabeth receives contain crucial information that leads to profound changes in her character—changes that make it possible for her to acknowledge her love for Darcy and that lead to her marriage.

A note on Introductions…• Remember that Introductions

provide important background information, including the context for your argument or assertion (thesis), so that your reader will understand better why you are making the assertion (thesis).

• Without that context, your thesis will seem to appear out of nowhere and have less strength or impact.

Another example…Claims that the American environmental movement undermines traditional democratic values are wrong. In fact, the movement emphasizes a commitment to compromise and a concern for the greater good that characterize the American democratic tradition. Critics argue that supporters of the environmental movement threaten fundamental constitutional rights, such as people’s ability to use their property as they see fit. Critics also question environmentalists’ use of lobbying to achieve goals, arguing that these tactics result in disproportionate attention given to environmental concerns. While it is true that environmentalists often advocate the adoption of policies that may restrict individual behavior, they do so within legally sanctioned bounds, recognizing that they are but one player in the formulation of public policy. By vigorously advocating for more stringent environmental standards, supporters of the environmental movement seek to persuade the American population to look beyond individual desires and to consider the broader impact of individual decisions. In so doing, environmentalists exhibit values consistent with the American tradition of civic mindedness, in which collective interests, rather than individual desires, represent the highest priority.

In closing… please remember…

Do it for Grumpy Cat!