I. What is the purpose of a thesis statement?
A thesis statement informs the readers of the content, the argument, and often the direction of a paper. II. Do I need to write a thesis statement?
Students should always write thesis statements in their essays. Most instructors, whether or not they state that they want a thesis statement in a paper, do appreciate having one. English instructors require thesis statements. Professional writers sometimes imply their thesis statements rather than write them but always have one in mind as they write.
III. What is a thesis statement?
A. A thesis statement is a declarative sentence.
1. Thesis statements are not titles or fragments.
Title: My First Smoking Experience
Thesis: …show more content…
Unfocused: Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club is a candid portrayal of Chinese
American mother-daughter relationships.
Focused: In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan skillfully illustrates how cultural, generational, and internal conflicts between Chinese American mothers and daughters all add to the difficulty and character of the immigrant experience.
D. Thesis statements are worthy of development in an academic paper and interest an adult audience. 1. Thesis statements are not simplistic.
Simplistic: Cats and dogs look different and act differently.
More interesting: Though seemingly adorable and tame, mountain lion cubs are actually wild, dangerous predators.
2. Thesis statements are not immature or tasteless.
Tasteless: Passing gas in an elevator was an extremely embarrassing moment for me because I learned that I had a problem and that others are more observant than
I had thought.
Suitable: Though the product of slick advertising, psyllium does not effectively deal with flatulence, diverticulosis, or colon cancer. (The topic is now more academic.) OR
Suitable: After fainting in an elevator, I experienced acute embarrassment but learned that I cannot always be self-reliant and that caring for others is