Thesis Statements, Piece by Piece - PowerPoint Presentation

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Thesis Statements, Piece by Piece

By Brandon SimpsonSlide2

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is a single sentence that conveys the main idea of an essay. It typically comes near the beginning of an essay, quite often but not always as the final sentence of the first paragraph.

It is specific, succinct, and suggestive of the organization of the rest of your essay.Slide3

Parts of a Thesis Statement

Topic & Claim (necessary for minimal thesis statements)

Directions (necessary for adequate thesis statements)

Qualifier (strongly recommended when making an argument – better thesis statements will have these)

Universal idea (strongly recommended – better thesis statements have these)Slide4

Sample Minimal Thesis Statement

Increasing the number of field trips for Barbourville High School is money well spent.

This thesis statement contains merely a topic and a claim. The writer clearly wants to increase the number of field trips for BHS (topic) and says it is “money well spent” (claim.) Slide5

Example of an Adequate Thesis Statement

Increasing the number of field trips for Barbourville High School is money well spent, as it would provide students with

cultural exposure

,

hands-on learning opportunities

, and innovative methods for learning required content.

This thesis statement adds three directions, which are underlined above. Directions serve as support for the claim. In other words, the directions prove that this would be “money well spent.”Slide6

Improving a Thesis Statement By Adding a Qualifier

While schools certainly face difficult economic times

, increasing the number of field trips for Barbourville High School is money well spent, as it would provide students with cultural exposure, hands-on learning opportunities, and innovative methods for learning required content.

The qualifier (underlined above) concedes that there are some difficulties and some alternative points-of-view; however, it is your job to successfully show that your claim is worth whatever the costs may be.Slide7

Qualifiers (continued)

Using a qualifier allows you to introduce counterargument. It is crucial to introduce and discuss opposing viewpoints in argument papers.

Qualifiers may not be necessary in analytical writings unless your analysis contains points which are controversial or argumentative in nature (i.e., arguing against some longstanding traditional interpretation of a literary work, etc.)Slide8

The Universal Idea

While schools certainly face difficult economic times, increasing the number of field trips for Barbourville High School is money well spent, as it would provide students with cultural exposure, hands-on learning opportunities, and innovative methods for learning required content,

factors which combine to enhance the school environment

.Slide9

Universal Idea (continued)

Connecting your ideas to one universal, large-scale idea can help provide unity to your essay as long as you make sure to reference the idea throughout the work.

If your thesis statement is poorly constructed or getting too wordy, leaving out the qualifier is preferable to leaving out the universal idea.Slide10

Find the Parts

While some people may find the prospect of corporate sponsorship disheartening, it is, perhaps, a necessary evil that generates much-needed funding for school sports, field trips, and other extracurricular activities that serve to enhance the school environment.Slide11

Thesis Statement Parts

Topic: Corporate sponsorship in schools

Claim: it is a “necessary evil” that generates money

Directions: school sports, field trips, other extracurricular activities

Qualifier: some people may find corporate sponsorship “disheartening”

Universal idea: enhancement of the school environment