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Thesis Statement
Guidelines for the Thesis
Challenged
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The Map
A thesis statement (TS) is a
guide map to your entire paper.
It provides a mini-summary of the
paper’s content.
It allows the reader to know in
advance how the paper is
organized.
It lets the reader know why he/she
should care. (The “So What?”)
Express Yourself
The thesis statement expresses the
main ideas of your paper and
previews the answer to the question
or questions posed by your paper.
What Can A TS Do For You?
Helps you start drafting.
Helps keep you focused.
Topic Explanation
Assertion
Part 1 Part 2
To Do List
Make a concise assertion about your
topic.
Limit the statement to only one idea.
Analytical
Expository (Explanatory)
Argumentative
Three Specific Types of Thesis
Statements
Analytical
Compare/Contrast essays
Analysis Essay
In an analytical paper, you are
breaking down an issue or an idea
into its component parts, evaluating
the issue or idea, and presenting this
breakdown and evaluation to your
reader.
Analysis Essay
An analytical thesis statement will
explain:
What you are analyzing.
The parts of your analysis.
Cause/Effect essays
Argumentation Essay
In an argumentative paper, you are
making a claim about a topic and
justifying this claim with reasons and
evidence.
Argumentation Essay
This claim could be an opinion, a
policy proposal, an evaluation, a
cause-and-effect statement, or an
interpretation.
Argumentation Essay
This claim must be one that someone
could possibly disagree with because
the goal of the paper is to convince
the reader that your claim is true
based on your presentation of your
reasons and evidence.
Argumentation Questions
What is my claim or assertion?
What are the reasons I have to
support my claim or assertion?
In what order should I present my
reasons?
Argumentation—Example
Barn owls’ nests should not be
eliminated from barns because barn
owls help farmers by eliminating
insect and rodent pests.
Argumentation—Example
A reader could expect that the paper
will present an argument and
evidence that farmers should not get
rid of barn owls when they find them
nesting in their barns.
Review Checklist
Checklist Questions
Does the statement make a concise
assertion about your topic?
Is the assertion limited to only one
idea?
Is the assertion specific and
significant?
Checklist Questions
Does the statement at least imply
your purpose?
Is the statement unified so that the
parts relate to each other?