Your Thesis Statement:

1
Your Thesis Statement The Only Sentence Worth
More Than A Thousand Words 
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Setting the Tone- Your Introduction Paragraph 

• Think of your introduction paragraph as a funnel
• First, grab you readers attention with a general
  statement about your topic . 

3

• End your introduction with a strong statement/
  claim that tells your reader what you intend to
  prove to the m about your topic. 

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• Then, give your reader a brief explanation (2 -
  5 sentences) of what you will be explaining
  about your topic. 
• Todays Focus - Your THESIS 

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• First, lets look at
• what a Thesis Statement
• is N O T !

6

• " A boat is not a hull, sails, masts and
  rigging.That is what a boat NEEDS. What a boat
  is......is FREEDOM!!
• Captain Jack Sparrow

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Si m ilarly,

• A T H ESIS is N OT your T O P I C.

T O P I C
8

• Your topic tells your reader what you are talking
  about.
• For E x ample
• I will compare marijua n a usage over the last
  5 years.
• This is not a thesis, it is only A Topic.
•  
• Your Thesis Statement is NOT Your Topic! 

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• Your thesis tells your reader your position on
  your topic.
• For Example
• Marijuana usage has decreased over the past five
  years due to the successful War on Drugs.
• This is a Successful  Thesis Statement 

10

• Surprisingly, your thesis should be an arguable
  OPINION - NOT A FACT!
• WHY?
• Because that is what makes your paper interesting
  to your reader!
• Your thesis should always be a statement that
  demands PROOF! 
• If not, what will you do for the ne x t 2 - 1
  0 pages???

11

• Your Thesis Statement is NOT A Fact About Your
  Topic! 
• You spend the rest of your paper CONVINCING your
  reader of why YO U R OPINION is TRUE !

12

• Your thesis prepares your reader for the facts
  that will prove your opinion about your topic to
  be true - it can not be a fact itself.

13

• Your Thesis
• Should Take A
• STAND! 

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I DO N T WA N T YO U R FACTS!!(YET)

• Your Thesis Statement is NOT A Fact About Your
  Topic! 
• Eagles have very keen eye sight in order to see
  their prey from high altitudes.  

So what?
No facts!
NOT a fact!!!!
Dont state a fact!
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• Because of the eagle's keen vision  
• and ability to soar high above all other birds,  
• it is the ideal symbol for America.
• Now, that is a strong thesis! 

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• What a Thesis Statement is  

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• It is the sentence that answers your readers
  biggest question 

18

• What on Earth 
• Is Your Point?  

19

• By telling your reader your point in the first
  paragraph, you set the tone and make sure they
  are not frustrated and confused  for the rest of
  your essay.

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• Now That You Know What A Thesis Statement Is,
• Lets Look At What Makes A Strong Thesis
  Statement 

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Which of the following is TRUE about your THESIS
STATEMENT? 

• 1. It Tells your Reader Your Topic      
• 2. It Tells the Reader a Fact About Your Topic 
• 3. It Tells the Reader your Point  

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• Requirements For a Strong Thesis 
• It should not be TOO BROAD!
• It should not be TOO NARROW!
• It should not be TOO VAGUE!

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• A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Broad! 
• You may find yourself drowning in information,
  unable to prove your point! 

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• Lets Look At An Example 
• The death penalty should be banned
• in the United States. 
• That would definitely leave you drowning
• TOO BROAD! 

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• The death penalty in Virginia has been
  ineffective in deterring crime and should be
  replaced with more efforts to reform criminals
  and not murder them.
• Much Better!
• That definitely is an opinion narrow enough to be
  proven in a college essay!  

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• A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Too Narrow Either! 
• You may find
• Yourself trying to stretch the small amount of
  information that you find to fit your essay! 
• If your thesis is too specific for you...

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Example

• In Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Mans Chest,
  the sword designed by Will for the Commodore
  represents the passing down of a legacy.
• Though this may be interesting, it would take
  some tugging to stretch it into an entire essay! 

28

• In Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Mans Chest,
  the sword designed by Will for the Commodore
  foreshadows the conflicts the movie will reveal
  about their relationship with each other and with
  the Governor's daughter.
• That looks like a thesis statement you wouldnt
  have to stretch for! 

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A Strong Thesis Should Not Be Vague! 

• You may find your
• reader
• Dazed and Confused
• if your claim is not specific or clear enough.

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• Getting rid of welfare in the United States is a
  horrible idea. 
• The word HORRIB L E  is hard to define! It
• m akes this thesis Too  V A G U E! 

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• If the United States were to get rid of welfare,
  it would aggravate an already severe homeless
  problem, cause a rise in crime, and remove the
  only safety net that our country has in place.  
• To Fi x It
• Define the term horrible idea for your
  reader.

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• It is easier to write a thesis statement that
  explains what you have found in your research,
  than to find research that explains what you have
  written in your thesis!
• You want the opinion that your thesis states to
  be provable by facts that you have gathered.  If
  you gather the facts first, you
• K N OW that it can be proven!

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• What would my reader want to know about my
  topic? 
• What is the most important thought that I have
  about my topic? 
• What will be the point of my paper?