Thesis

Thesis Statements

What is a thesis?

* Like a good lawyer - a thesis makes a case for something important - it is an argument

* A statement of the main idea of the essay - the point the writer is trying to prove or argue

* A way to establish a controlling idea that gives an essay organizational focus

* Usually one to three sentences long

* A statement that generally appears at the end of the first paragraph (Introduction)

* Your own interpretation of a particular issue, question, or debate

A Good Thesis Makes Sense!

One way to approach your thesis statement is to craft a sentence that is:

1. Clear—your reader should know exactly what it is that you are arguing, and that this is the central statement that you are going to be support. The reader should be able to pick it out of the initial paragraph of the introductory paragraphs.

2. Concise—this is NOT the same as short; but the thesis statement should be as long as it needs to be and absolutely no longer. Unnecessary words should be eliminated. Terminate needless words in all of your sentences (for clearer, more powerful writing)!

3. Arguable--the thesis statement should need to be defended. It should not be so obvious that it is pointless. "Puppies are Adorable" is a clear and concise thesis, but its lousy as the beginning of a persuasive argument, because you don't really need six pages of essay to convince your reader that it is true. "The Nichomachean Ethics, read with an attention to sexual references, suggests that Aristotle was a serial rapist" is infinitely more interesting, and will probably need some defending. Right?

The Aristotle Thesis and Logical Arguments:

              All Men are Mortal. (premise)

              Aristotle is a Man.   (premise)

              Thus…..

              Aristotle is Mortal. (thesis)

All Men are Mortal. Aristotle is a man. Therefore, Aristotle is… wait for it… Mortal!! This may seem obvious, but many arguments come down to this very style of logic. The basic principles of the logical argument are an important resource for you to keep in mind as you are crafting the shape and direction of your essay (what you really want to say, and how you want to say it). The first two sentences are premises (premise 1 and 2), while the third is your thesis.

Why does your essay need a thesis?

Having a thesis statement gives you a way to organize your essay around a central theme, gives your essay momentum, and helps you to focus on a goal as you write your essay.

What Do Thesis Statements Do?

They sell cars.

Thesis statements are persuasive, and a bit like a handshake. “Welcome to my paper!” you are saying. As we all know, there are handshakes that are too firm, handshakes that are too limp, and handshakes that are just right and say “let me persuade you to buy a new car.”

In some ways, you are a salesperson, selling your argument by convincing the reader with your thesis statement that they really want to read your paper (similarly your conclusion is another handshake that reminds the reader that they want to do this again sometime). Thus you will want to establish the significance of your argument in your thesis statement.

They are also the map for driving your car.

Thesis statements are like a road map of your essay. They provide direction and give energy to your argument. While the body of your paper should be convincing and provide evidence to support your claims, it should not be a surprise! Just as you might give a friend directions by describing recognizable landmarks, (you'll turn left at the big red house on the corner, and then follow the street whose street sign just happens to be hidden by a tree... etc) you give cues in your thesis statement that suggest what is to come in your essay, and how you will answer the issues and problems raised in your Introduction.

Thesis Statments are complex and challenging:

* More than a summary or restatement of an author's idea

* A statement that goes beyond comparing and contrasting the authors’ viewpoints

* A statement that says more than whether you agree or disagree with an author

Where They Go:

In academic (particularly undergraduate) papers, your thesis statement is best placed at the end of the Introduction. Have you ever read an essay and been unable to explain the author’s point after reading it, or had no idea where the author was going with their point as you were reading? No fun. Right?

Since (in most cases) writing a paper is not a treasure hunt, the location and direction of the thesis should not be hidden, or a mystery. Placing your thesis statement at the end of the Introduction is a small kindness you are providing for your reader, but it also makes sense according to the function of the Introduction paragraph.

If a thesis is a road map, then reading an essay without a clear thesis in the beginning is a bit like being lost in the middle of nowhere, or on a long road trip with a crying baby, a broken radiator, a rattling muffler, no radio, and an unexplained smell floating about your overly packed clunker. It’s going to be a long journey, you don’t know where you’re going, and all you can think of is how to escape.

So, like, this is my argument?

A thesis is not a question. Your thesis is the answer to a question. As you formulate a thesis consider:

* Do you agree with the readings? If not, what do you disagree with and why?

* Do the authors seem to agree with each other? If not, in what way do they disagree or differ?

* Was there anything you found particularly interesting or surprising about the readings?

* Does your personal experience support the conclusions of the authors?

* Does what the authors say apply to everyone?

So What?

* A helpful test (and to prevent your own reader from having this reaction) is to ask yourself SO WHAT? after reading your thesis statement. Is it important? Who cares? Why should we care?

How NOT to Write a Thesis Statement

A statement with which no reasonable person could/would bother to disagree (The “Duh” factor ):

            Coffee has caffeine. (Variation: “I like coffee.”)

              Some people have children.

              People should try not to get gonorrhea.

A statement that cannot reasonably be discussed within the given assignment:

            Coffee is a symptom of the decline of our society.

              People should have children

              People were different in the past so they didn’t

              get gonorrhea.



A statement that expresses more than one main idea (or, possibly, no main ideas at all):

            Starbucks is bad and people should buy free-

              trade coffee.



              Having children is better for society and private

              school is better than public school.



              Gonorrhea doesn’t really exist and sex education

              is bad.

A statement that fails to come to any conclusions (is merely an observation):

            Many people drink coffee in the morning.

              People with children have less money than

              people without children.

              A lot of people get gonorrhea.

A statement that instantly irritates your reader:

             People who drink coffee are losers and they

              should just get more sleep.

              Not having children is selfish and wrong.

              Only stupid people contract gonorrhea.

A statement that inspires immediate questions in your reader (these can be fixed by attaching a reason):

            Everyone should drink coffee. (Why? And, also,

              stop ordering your reader around.)

              No one should have children. (Why? And, again,

              stop with the commanding.)

              Gonorrhea can be prevented easily. (How?)

Better versions:

             If everyone drank coffee in the mornings, there

              would be fewer divorces, because coffee makes

              people friendlier.

              While many people believe that children are a

              wonderful gift, it is not a good idea to

              encourage everyone to have as many children as

              possible.



              Gonorrhea is on the rise in the United States due

                  to the increase of abstinence-only sex

              education in schools.

Own it! No weaseling, waffling, or refusing to own your statements:

             I believe that… (You better believe it; it’s your

              thesis.)

              It seems as though…(This is your thesis. Don’t tell

              your reader how it seems, tell them how it is.)

              I feel that… (People feel cold. They feel tired.

              They do not feel a thesis statement.)

              In my opinion… (Of course it’s your opinion. It’s

              your essay.)

              Some might say…(Perhaps true, but what are you

              saying?)

              It has been said…(By whom? Uncle Bob?)

              It is written…(Where? The Lost Scroll of the

              Vanquished King of Xquitmmmmiete?)

In Short

            Thesis statements and the 5 C's:

              Thesis statements are CLEAR

              Thesis statements are CONCISE

              Thesis statements are COMPLEX

              Thesis statements are CHALLENGING

              Thesis statements are a CRAFT

Make an argument, make it important and challenging, make it clear, get to the point, put it at the end of your Introduction, make sure its a statement rather than a question, and be on your way.