You Need a Thesis
What is a
thesis?
A
Thesis is:
- The most important part of your essay.
- A statement that expresses the main argument or opinion of your essay.
- A direct answer to the question being asked of you.
- It tells the reader what to expect of your paper.
- It's a blueprint for your entire essay.
- It's your topic, plus your opinion (customization).
Basically it's a fancy word for
"What do you really want to say about your topic?"
How do you get one?
You take your topic (the arrow),
And customize it to be a
thesis:
Your customized arrow (
thesis) needs to be aimed just right.
At the target of the prompt (the writing task):
Some examples:
Lets say your prompt (or target) is this:
Writing Task (target): Throughout your years in school, you have studied about many different people. Think about one of these people you have studied during your time at school. What makes this person special enough to study? Write an essay in which you discuss a person you have studied in school. Explain what it is about this person that is special. Use details and examples to support your ideas.
Do you understand what the writing task prompt is asking you to write about? You must aim your customized arrow (
thesis) to hit that target!
Read it again to make sure.
Basic Formula for a Thesis Statement
To turn your topic into a thesis, combine your topic with your opinion (customization).
Topic + Opinion (customization) = Thesis
Topic: Abe Lincoln
+ Opinion: is a special person to study.
= Thesis: Abe Lincoln is a special person to study.
Here's some more
thesis examples, remember you only need one for an essay!
- Abe Lincoln is a special person to study.
- Abe Lincoln is my favorite person to study.
- Abe Lincoln the most important person for anyone to study in school.
- Abe Lincoln is the most important person I've studied in school.
- My favorite person to study is Barack Obama.
- Christopher Columbus is the most important person to study.
Here's some
bad thesis statement examples:
- He is an important person to study. (Opinion, but no topic).
- There is an important person to study. (Opinion but no topic).
- Abe Lincoln freed the slaves. (Topic, but no opinion).
- Abe Lincoln is the 16th president of the United states. (Topic, but no opinion)
- Abe Lincoln is my favorite person to study because he was the 16th president of the United states. (Too specific. Do you really want to only talk about how Abe is the 16th president?)
Have you already written yours?
Further Examples for Thesis Generation
Topic + Opinion (customization) = Thesis
Topic: Falling off the cliff during my morning walk
+ Opinion: was the scariest moment of my life.
=
Thesis: Falling off the cliff during my morning walk was the scariest moment of my life.
Topic: The personality and emotions of Jeff
+ Opinion: can be seen in his actions and dialog in "The Hiking Trip."
=
Thesis: The personality and emotions of Jeff can be seen in his actions and dialog in "The Hiking Trip."
Topic: World War 2
+ Opinion: was the most important moment of history.
=
Thesis: World War 2 was the most important moment of history.
Topic: My time in the Navy
+ Opinion: was awful, but it turned out good.
=
Thesis: My time in the Navy was awful, but it turned out good.
Do you have your
thesis (arrow) aimed just right? Does it answer the writing task perfectly?
If so, congratulations. Proceed to
step 3 to grow your tree map, or else go back to the
5-paragraph essay overview.
What is a [b]thesis[/b]?
A [b]Thesis[/b] is:
- The most important part of your essay.
- A statement that expresses the main argument or opinion of your essay.
- A direct answer to the question being asked of you.
- It tells the reader what to expect of your paper.
- It's a blueprint for your entire essay.
- It's your topic, plus your opinion (customization).
Basically it's a fancy word for [b]"What do you really want to say about your topic?"[/b]
How do you get one?
You take your topic (the arrow),
{http://s3.amazonaws.com/engrade-myfiles/4036499743404274/arrow.jpg}
And customize it to be a [b]thesis[/b]:
{http://s3.amazonaws.com/engrade-myfiles/4018785367913531/customizedarrow.jpg}
Your customized arrow ([b]thesis[/b]) needs to be aimed just right.
{http://s3.amazonaws.com/engrade-myfiles/4038653264406771/arrow_aimed.jpg}
At the target of the prompt (the writing task):
{http://s3.amazonaws.com/engrade-myfiles/4078585407205431/target.jpg}
Some examples:
Lets say your prompt (or target) is this:
[b]Writing Task (target): Throughout your years in school, you have studied about many different people. Think about one of these people you have studied during your time at school. [u]What makes this person special enough to study?[/u] Write an essay in which you [u]discuss[/u] a person you have studied in school. [u]Explain[/u] what it is about this person that is special. [u]Use details and examples[/u] to support your ideas.[/b]
Do you understand what the writing task prompt is asking you to write about? You must aim your customized arrow ([b]thesis[/b]) to hit that target! [u]Read it again to make sure.[/u]
[h1]Basic Formula for a [b]Thesis[/b] Statement[/h1]
[b]To turn your topic into a [b]thesis[/b], combine your topic with your opinion (customization).[/b]
[em]Topic + Opinion (customization) = [b]Thesis[/b][/em]
[em]Topic:[/em][i] Abe Lincoln[/i]
[em]+ Opinion:[/em][b] is a special person to study.[/b]
[em]= [b]Thesis[/b]:[/em] [b]Abe Lincoln[/b] [i] is a special person to study.[/i]
Here's some more [b]thesis examples[/b], remember you only need one for an essay!
[b] - Abe Lincoln [/b][i] is a special person to study.[/i]
[b] - Abe Lincoln [/b][i] is my favorite person to study.[/i]
[b] - Abe Lincoln [/b][i] the most important person for anyone to study in school.[/i]
[b] - Abe Lincoln [/b][i] is the most important person I've studied in school.[/i]
[i] - My favorite person to study is[/i] [b]Barack Obama. [/b]
[b] - Christopher Columbus[/b][i] is the most important person to study. [/i]
Here's some [b]bad thesis statement examples:[/b]
- He is an important person to study. (Opinion, but no topic).
- There is an important person to study. (Opinion but no topic).
- Abe Lincoln freed the slaves. (Topic, but no opinion).
- Abe Lincoln is the 16th president of the United states. (Topic, but no opinion)
- Abe Lincoln is my favorite person to study because he was the 16th president of the United states. (Too specific. Do you really want to only talk about how Abe is the 16th president?)
Have you already written yours?
[h1]Further Examples for [b]Thesis[/b] Generation[/h1]
[em]Topic + Opinion (customization) = [b]Thesis[/b][/em]
Topic: Falling off the cliff during my morning walk
+ Opinion: was the scariest moment of my life.
= [b]Thesis[/b]: Falling off the cliff during my morning walk was the scariest moment of my life.
Topic: The personality and emotions of Jeff
+ Opinion: can be seen in his actions and dialog in "The Hiking Trip."
= [b]Thesis[/b]: The personality and emotions of Jeff can be seen in his actions and dialog in "The Hiking Trip."
Topic: World War 2
+ Opinion: was the most important moment of history.
= [b]Thesis[/b]: World War 2 was the most important moment of history.
Topic: My time in the Navy
+ Opinion: was awful, but it turned out good.
= [b]Thesis[/b]: My time in the Navy was awful, but it turned out good.
{http://s3.amazonaws.com/engrade-myfiles/4022050147140474/arrow_hit_target.jpg}
Do you have your [b]thesis[/b] (arrow) aimed just right? Does it answer the writing task perfectly?
If so, congratulations. Proceed to [http://lessons.engrade.com/essaytreemap step 3 to grow your tree map], or else go back to the [http://lessons.engrade.com/fiveparagraphessay 5-paragraph essay overview].
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