1

Practical Skills: Thesis Statements

Sarah Prince, PhD

Writing Center Instructor

22

Objectives

33

A thesis statement: What is it and why does it matter?

44

When do I need a thesis?

• Almost all assignments, no matter how brief (1-2 pages) or long (a research paper) will require some sort of thesis.

• Thesis statements are necessary for brief responses, discussion posts, short essays, long essays, research papers, dissertations, etc.

• Instructors may not always explicitly state that a thesis is required; however, the assumption is that you will include a thesis to guide readers through your writing.

55

How do I get ideas for my thesis?

• A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment.

66

What should my thesis include?The WHAT, HOW, WHY, TEST

77

What, How, and WhyWhy Thesis Success

• The FCC has the right to limit the content that appears on The Real World in cases where the show depicts overtly sexist images of men and women. A failure to address such issues would suggest that U.S. society approves of such views.

The FCC has the right to limit the content that appears on The Real World in cases where the show depicts overtly sexist images of men and women. A failure to A failure to address such issues would address such issues would suggest that U.S. society suggest that U.S. society approves of such views.approves of such views.

Original Thesis Statement Answers: the What, How, and Why

88

Thesis Statement: Practice Exercises

99

Thesis Statement Practice

• Although they might find cheaper prices at large chain stores outside of town, residents who shop at smaller neighborhood stores support their local communities in important ways.

•Is the thesis concise (at most 1-2 sentences)?•Is the thesis specific, providing narrow and focused details?•Is the thesis arguable, meaning could someone disagree?•Does the thesis answer the WHAT question by providing a specific claim?•Does the thesis answer the HOW question by providing specific ways the author will prove the thesis?•Does the thesis answer the WHY question by explaining why this topic is important?

1010

Thesis Statement Practice

• Although they might find cheaper prices at large chain stores outside of town, residents who shop at smaller neighborhood stores support their support their local communitieslocal communities in important ways in important ways.

•Is the thesis concise (at most 1-2 sentences)? Yes•Is the thesis specific, providing narrow and focused details? Sort of•Is the thesis arguable, meaning could someone disagree? Yes•Does the thesis answer the WHAT question by providing a specific claim? Yes•Does the thesis answer the HOW question by providing specific ways the author will prove the thesis? No•Does the thesis answer the WHY question by explaining why this topic is important? Sort of

1111

Thesis Statement Practice: Revised Thesis• Although they might find cheaper prices at large

chain stores outside of town, residents who shop at smaller neighborhood stores can support their local communities in economic, political, and cultural ways.

•Despite cheaper prices at large chain stores outside of town, residents who shop at smaller neighborhood stores not only build a better sense build a better sense of communityof community but also but also provide lasting economic provide lasting economic benefits to their townsbenefits to their towns.

1212

Thesis Statement Practice

• I will show that by drawing on an ethical framework informed by a variety of reliable sources, the nurse in the case study is able to evaluate a confusing ethical situation and determine a course of action to avoid potential negative outcomes.

•Is the thesis concise (at most 1-2 sentences)?•Is the thesis specific, providing narrow and focused details?•Is the thesis arguable, meaning could someone disagree?•Does the thesis answer the WHAT question by providing a specific claim?•Does the thesis answer the HOW question by providing specific ways the author will prove the thesis?•Does the thesis answer the WHY question by explaining why this topic is important?

1313

Thesis Statement Practice

• I will show that by drawing on an ethical framework informed by a variety of reliable sources, the nurse in the case study is able to evaluate a confusing ethical situation and determine a course of action to avoid avoid potential negative outcomes.potential negative outcomes.

•Is the thesis concise (at most 1-2 sentences)? No•Is the thesis specific, providing narrow and focused details? Yes•Is the thesis arguable, meaning could someone disagree? Yes•Does the thesis answer the WHAT question by providing a specific claim? Yes•Does the thesis answer the HOW question by providing specific ways the author will prove the thesis? Yes•Does the thesis answer the WHY question by explaining why this topic is important? Yes

1414

Thesis Statement Practice: Revised Thesis

• By drawing on an ethical framework, the nurse in the case study successfully evaluates a confusing ethical situation and acts to avoid avoid potential negative outcomes .potential negative outcomes .

•By drawing on an ethical framework informed by ANA guidelines, the nurse in the case study evaluates a confusing ethical situation and acts to avoid potential avoid potential medication errors or patient fatalitiesmedication errors or patient fatalities.

1515

Thesis Statement Practice

• In this paper, I will examine the topic of water management and its importance in U.S. desert states.

Imagine you have written this thesis as part of the first draft of a course paper. Your instructor has provided comments on your draft. In his comments, he has asked you to revise your thesis (a) to delete “I will examine” and (b) to provide more specific information about your main argument. Your main argument concerns ways that governors of California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are working together to manage limited water resources so that each state can have access to a share. Incorporate some of those details into a revised thesis statement. Write your revised thesis on a piece of paper.

Remember: ***Your thesis should pass the WHAT, HOW, WHY test.***Your thesis should be concise, specific, and arguable

1616

Revised Thesis Statement Examples

• In the desert states of California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, governors are working together to manage limited water resources so that each state has access to sufficient water supplies.

•To ensure their citizens have access to sufficient water supplies, the governors of California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are collaborating to share responsibilities of water management.

1717

Advertisement Analysis

Assignment

For this assignment, write a 2-3 page essay detailing the strategy this ad uses to connect to a specific audience. What specific audience is the ad appealing to? What stereotypes about power, race, class, gender, respect, or authority are included in this ad?

1818

Thesis Statement Practice: Examples

• Using stereotypes of class and race, this advertisement targets upper class white women who do not work.

• Highlighting stereotypical women’s roles, this advertisement sends the message that women cannot relax until the house is clean.

1919

For additional help with your thesis…

• http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/405.htm

• http://waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com/2012/09/argue-is-not-dirty-word-taking-stand-in.html