Unit 2: Thesis Statements and Outlining

Lesson 1
What Is a Thesis Statement?

English for Academic and Professional Purposes

Senior High School Applied - Academic
For our papers
to be
convincing, we
must first
define our
stand
concretely.
How do we
write a strong
thesis
statement?
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Learning
Objectives ● Identify the characteristics of a
thesis statement.
At the end of the
lesson, you should be ● Write a strong thesis statement.
able to do the
following:

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 1. What should be considered
when formulating a working
Essential
thesis statement?
Questions
2. Why must a thesis statement
be open to debate?

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 The Thesis Statement
● In the introductory paragraph of your paper,
you should state your stand on an issue or
question in one sentence.
● This sentence is called a thesis statement.
● Your main idea will dictate the flow of the
rest of your paper.

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The Thesis Statement

Characteristics of a thesis statement:

● It shows your stand on an issue.
● It answers a question.
● It makes a claim that can be disputed.
● It is a single sentence at the start of your
paper that presents your argument to the
readers.
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The Thesis Statement

Keywords that signal a need for a thesis

statement:
● analyze
● interpret
● compare and contrast
● show causes and effects
● choose a side or stand on an issue
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 How to Write a Thesis Statement
● Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you
do upon receiving an assignment or task.
● A thesis must be the result of a long process
of thinking and planning.
● Before you can develop any kind of thesis,
you must first do your research on the topic.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

● Look for information and evidence, then

organize them based on the points they
make.
● Look for possible relationships between
pieces of information.
● Analyze and find the significance of these
relationships.
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How to Write a Thesis Statement

● Afterward, you will most likely be able to

come up with a “working thesis” that has a
basic main idea.
● It’s okay if your thesis and your arguments
might need adjustments along the way.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

● What matters is that you can find substantial

evidence to support a more concrete thesis,
even if you had to adjust from time to time.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

Example 1
Given the following question: Should the SOGIE Bill be
passed in the Philippines?
● Simple thesis statement: “I believe the SOGIE Bill should
be passed.”
● Improved thesis statement: “I believe the SOGIE Bill
should be passed because it ensures that all basic human
rights are available to all people, regardless of sexual
orientation or gender expression.”
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Tips

Make your thesis statement as specific

as possible by doing the following:
● expressing just one major idea
● naming the topic and asserting
something specific about it
● stating your position or opinion
about the issue
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How to Write a Thesis Statement

Example 2
Given the assignment: Analyze the state of traffic in Quezon
City and propose a possible solution for it.
● Do initial research and observations on the road
conditions.
● Possible thesis statement: A possible solution to the traffic
situation in Quezon City is to set up carpooling systems in
the most densely populated communities and outside large
company buildings.
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Remember

Make use of the thesis statement

to take a stance on an issue that
you can support with facts and
reasons.

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 Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● It is always a good idea to consult with your

instructor regarding your thesis statements
in order to get some feedback.
● It is also possible to do your own evaluation
so that you yourself can fine-tune the thesis
statement you have written.

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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Am I answering the question? Review the

question prompt and your thesis statement.
● Have I taken a position that can possibly
be disputed by others? Your thesis has to
be persuasive and yet open to opposition. It
must not simply be stating facts.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Is my thesis statement specific enough? Avoid using

vague words such as “good” or “successful” and try
being more specific.
● Does my thesis statement pass the “So what?” test?
If a reader looks at your thesis statement and asks, “So
what?” then you might need to make some clarifications,
provide a deeper relationship, or connect to a more
relevant issue.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Does the rest of my essay specifically and

concretely support my thesis statement?
You may sometimes have to modify your
thesis statement during the process of
writing in order to reflect any newfound
knowledge.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Does my thesis statement pass the “How

and why?” test? If your thesis statement is
still too open-ended, add a supporting
statement that will clarify your position and
strengthen your stance.

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Remember

A good thesis statement is

supported with facts and achieved
through hours of research. Creating
an initial statement and developing
it to be more specific is an excellent
way to start your research.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

Example 1
● Given the following question: Are the use of metal
straws instead of plastic straws helpful in saving the
environment?
● If you write a thesis statement based on stock
knowledge and without initial research, you might be
inclined to write:
● Using metal straws instead of plastic straws is an effective
way to reduce the amount of waste in the country.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● It is a thesis statement with a clear stand,

however remember to avoid vague words
such as “effective.”
● Be more concrete in your stance.
● Research why it is effective and add it to your
thesis statement.

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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Then, during your research, you could find evidence that

shows your initial working thesis should be modified.
● You can still change your thesis to be more concrete
and also more supported by the evidence you have
found.
● Metal straws are a band-aid solution to the problem of
global warming because in mass-producing metal straws
for people to use, large companies continue to emit
dangerous amounts of CO2 into the environment.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● In your research, you have found a more

significant issue to connect to the use of metal
straws and have found convincing evidence on
it, so you have shifted the direction of your
thesis statement.
● You have also made your thesis statement
more specific, and you have made your stance
clearer in the process.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements
Example 2
● It is important to take note that you should
avoid using jargon or language that is too
specific to the topic or discipline, as this will
make it unclear for your readers.
● For example: Quarantine and social distancing
are effective in fighting COVID-19 because they
flatten the curve.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● While the thesis statement makes a clear stand,

its reasoning could be unclear to readers who
are not familiar with the term “flattening the
curve.”
● A better thesis statement would be: Quarantine
and social distancing are effective in fighting
COVID-19 because they slow down the rate at
which people get infected with the virus.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● The jargon used earlier is replaced with a

much clearer statement that can be backed
up by data and also disputed.

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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● Technical language and jargon can be used

in the different parts of the paper, as long as
they are relevant and explained to the
readers.
● Avoid using them in thesis statements
because they will confuse the readers as to
what your main idea is.
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Writing Strong Thesis Statements

● It can also make the thesis statement too

lengthy and therefore harder to understand.

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 Wrap Up

The thesis statement is a single

sentence usually found in the
introductory paragraph of a paper
that states the main idea and
position of the writer.

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 Wrap Up

The thesis statement is a product of a

long thinking and researching
process.
Consultation and self-evaluation
are important in order to develop a
stronger thesis statement.
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“Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips.” Purdue Writing Lab.
Bibliography
Accessed February 21, 2020.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_stat
ement_tips.html
.

Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. Accessed February 21, 2020.

https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/.

Vos, Lesley. “How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement for Your Essay.”
Bid4papers, October 31, 2019.
https://bid4papers.com/blog/thesis-statement/.

“Writing a Thesis Statement.” Ashford Writing Center. Accessed February 21,

2020. https://writingcenter.ashford.edu/writing-a-thesis.

“Writing Tips: Thesis Statements.” Center for Writing Studies. Accessed

February 21, 2020.
http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis/.

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