thesis statement practice

Writing Wr iting Thesis Statements Stat ements  An Interactive Activity to Develop Effective Writing Skills

Learning Objective Given the efinition an components of a thesis statement! along "ith a sample "riting prompt "ith pre#"ritten thesis statements! st$ents "ill be able to isting$ish the better of three thesis statements by correctly ientifying it%

Ask yo$rself the follo"ing  &$estions

(   e s  t o  e  o y    ! r e  o $ r  a   se  s    l  f   f   ) 

When yo$ rea a passage! ho" m$ch of it o yo$ have to rea to $nerstan the topic or p$rpose' What is the p$rpose of "riting an essay'

Thesis Statements*

( o  o$     " i  $ il  l l  l  s e  e e  e  t h  hi   is     o n  s n a  t e  e s  st   t n e  e +  +t  t   " e  e e  e k  k )  ) 

Give irection to the a$thor of a paper  Give reaers an iea as to "hat the paper "ill be abo$t

Where am I going?

ESSAY

 An essay "itho$t "itho$t a thesis statement is like a car "itho$t a river 

What is a thesis statement' A thesis statement is a sentence used in an essay that serves as the guide for the essay and directly answers the question or task T   asked of you. h i s  s "  A thesis statement express exp ress the main idea of your paper.

o n  i l  l l b  t h  e  h e  l  t e  e   s  t o  oo    )  t !

What is a thesis NOT' NOT'  A fact$al statement statement  A topic sentence

(ep! yo$ g$esse it3on the test%

TO,I- SE.TE.-E* /ig Spring Sp ring is a small small to"n in West Te Te+as% 0This is fact$al! topic sentence1 therefore! it is not a thesis statement%2

-haracteristics of a Thesis Statement  Aresses the prompt prompt clearly 4akes a claim! or  ,resents an arg$ment Is arg$able 0an opinion2 In first paragraph of essay

(o$ sho$l be great at this)

It5s time to spot a thesis) On each of the follo"ing slies! rea the rea  the "riting prompt an the t"o sample statements% -lick on the one that is the best choice for a thesis%

6% Early on in life! people evelop an amiration for heroes% In a "ell#evelope essay! essay! isc$ss a person yo$ amire an "hy yo$ chose this person%

Option A One person I admire is Babe Ruth, who played baseball from 1914 until 1935. Option One person I admire is B Babe Ruth, the greatest gre atest baseball player of all a ll time.

Incorrect Option A One person I admire is Babe Ruth, who played baseball from 1914 until 1935.  Altho$gh this this oes aress aress the "riting "riting prompt! this is a fact$al statement%  A thesis statement statement sho$l be something yo$ can arg$e for or against%

Correct! Great Job! Option B One person I admire is Babe Ruth, the greatest gre atest baseball player of all al l time. This statement aresses the prompt! an presents an opinion that can be arg$e%

7% 8Disc$ss the social! political an economic effects of Worl War II on the 9nite States%

Option A orld ar II was a !ostly war that had a ma"or impa!t on the e!onomy of the #nited $tates Option B orld ar II not only a%e!ted the e!onomy of the #nited $tates, but also altered the role of the &meri!an go'ernment and the &meri!an people fore'er.

Incorrect Option A orld ar II was a !ostly !ostly war  war that had a ma"or impa!t on the e!onomy of e!onomy  of the #nited $tates

 Altho$gh this is meets all the criteria for a thesis statement! it only aresses part of the "riting prompt% :emember!! the statement tells the reaer "hat to :emember e+pect% With this as a thesis! one "o$l only e+pect e+pect to rea abo$t the economic economic effects%

Correct Again!! Again!!!! Again!!!!!! Option B orld ar II not only a%e!ted a%e!ted the  the e!onomy e!onomy of  of the #nited $tates, but also altered the role of the &meri!an go'ernment go'ernment and  and the &meri!an people fore'er. This is correct beca$se it aresses the social! economic an political effects effects as state in the prompt% .otice that the "ors people 0social2 an government 0political2 "ere $se in this statement% This makes the sentence more more original an sho"s the r eaer eaer that yo$ kno" "hat ;social< an ;political< refer to %

=% 8 Describe three physical feat$res of Latin America an their importance to the region%

Option  (he &ndes )ountains, )ountains,Athe &ma*on Ri'er Ri'er and  +u!atan  + u!atan eninsula eninsula are are the three three most signi-!ant physi!al features in atin &meri!a. Option B found in atin &meri!a  (hree physi!al features features are the &ndes )ountains, the &ma*on Ri'er and the t he +u!atan +u!atan eninsula.

Correct! You are getting this! Option A the &ma*on Ri'er  (he &ndes )ountains, )ountains, Ri'er and  +u!atan  + u!atan eninsula eninsula are are the three most signi-!ant physi!al signi-!ant  physi!al features in atin &meri!a. This statement gives an arg$ment! it presents the three physical feat$res aske for in the prompt! an makes reference to the importance 0significance2 0significance2

Almost! But not quite. Option B found in atin  (hree  (hr ee physi!al features features atin &meri!a are the &ndes )ountains, the &ma*on Ri'er and the +u!atan eninsula, eninsula , whi!h are all 'ital to the This is aregion. topic sentence% The reason it is not a goo thesis is beca$se it oes not present an arg$ment or aress the "hole "hole prompt% It is a fact$al fact$al statement% To make it a strong thesis! t hesis! yo$ m$st yo$ m$st a to it%

>% Disc$ss the effect of climate an the vegetation on S$b#Saharan  Africa% /e s$re to isc$ss the factors factors contrib$ting to climate! climate! an the impact h$man activity has on the vegetation%

Option A 2uman a!ti'ity is altering the the 'egetation of $ub0$aharan &fri!a and !ausing deserti-!ation, whi!h will ha'e de'astating e%e!ts on the people of the region.

Option /'en though the !limateBand 'egetation of $ub0 $aharan &fri!a 'aries as a result of latitude and human a!ti'ity, they are still the two most important fa!tors in determining the uality of life.

This one is tric! Option A the the 'egetation of 2uman a!ti'ity is altering $ub0$aharan &fri!a and !ausing deserti-!ation, whi!h will ha'e de'astating e%e!ts on the people of the This oneregion. "o$l be perfect for a thesis! there is only

one thing "rong "ith it% It oes not not aress all of the the "riting prompt% prompt% It only aresses the vegetation! vegetation! b$t not the climate or the factors for climate%

Correct! You are on a roll! Option B /'en though the !limate !limate and  and 'egetation 'egetation of  of $ub0 $aharan &fri!a 'aries as a result of latitude and human a!ti'ity, a!ti'ity, they are still the two most important fa!tors important  fa!tors in determining the uality of life. life .

This statement gives an arg$ment! an aress all aspects of the "riting prompt 0topic! effect! factors2% .otice ho" yo$ o not have to go into etail! j$st give the reaer a hint of "hat yo$ "ill "rite abo$t%

?% In So$th Asia! globali@ation has playe a big role in the eveloping economies economies of the region% Disc$ss the positive an negative effects of globali@ation in one So$th Asian co$ntry% co$ntry%

Option A lobali*ation in India has o%ere o%ered d solutions to po'erty for some and !reated more se'ere po'erty for others. Option B meant new "obs for In India, globali*ation has Indias emerging middle !lass.

 You are rea" to #rite!  Yo Option A lobali*ation in India has o%ered solutions to solutions  to po'erty for some and !reated more se'ere po'erty for po'erty  for others. There is an opinion 0it has offere sol$tions! it has create more severe severe poverty2% poverty2% It aresses aresses the the positive 0sol$tions2 an negative 0poverty2 effects%

$ractice. You #ill get there. $ractice. Option B In India, globali*ation has meant new "obs for Indias emerging middle !lass.  Again! this this "o$l be a perfect thesis thesis statement! if the prompt only aske for the effects of globali@ation% The prompt! ho"ever! specifies positive an negative effects% This is only positive%

(o$r T$rn)) (o$ "ill no" apply "hat yo$ learne by "riting yo$r o"n thesis statements to a fe" "riting prompts% When reaing back yo$r thesis statements 0to yo$rself2! yo$rself2 ! ask yo$rself a fe" &$estions%

Di I aress all parts of the prompt'

or  no yes

Di I aress all parts of the prompt'

or 

-an I arg$e against this statement'

or 

Will I aress all this in my essay'

or 

Is it grammatically correct'

or 

Is it clear an $nerstanable'

or  (o$ kno" "hat to o if yo$5ve ans"ere .O to any of these &$estions% IB TCE4) 

 Assignment

(es! this is $e complete at the en of class%

:ea the top half of yo$r ;Thesis Statement ,ractice< hano$t% .ote the fo$r 0>2 re&$irements for each of the topic &$estions provie% Look closely closely at  at the e+ample complete for yo$% :efer back back to  to this e+ample "hen yo$ complete the remainer of the assignment%

(o$ (o $ can it)

o

Celp is available8 #  After yo$5ve complete the first first &$estion on yo$r assignment! yo$ may check to see if yo$r ans"er is similar to one that the comp$ter generates for yo$% #  Access the link link entitle ;ThesisO$tline ;ThesisO$tline /$iler< on 4rs% (arbar5s Wikispaces page* myarbar%"ikispaces%com:esearch%

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inal Tho$ghts* (o$ "ill $se "hat yo$ learne toay to "rite the thesis statement for yo$r research project ne+t "eek% The ability to "rite thesis statements "ill assist yo$ as yo$ contin$e yo$r e$cation%

4ake me pro$)

See yo$ 4onay)

Tick% Tock% Give this assignm assignment ent yo$r f$ll attention so yo$ on5t have home"ork% It is $e at the en of class  complete% Once yo$ reach this slie! sl ie! close yo$r comp$ter $ntil yo$ are reay to check yo$r thesis statements against the thesis statement b$iler% One more thing3all brains in the air)

Work -ite

Even I $se easybib%com

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