Transcript The Thesis Statement - Professor Nefer

The Thesis Statement
Notes
The thesis statement is a
sentence that clearly and
concisely indicates the subject
of your paper, the main points
you will cover, and the order in
which you will discuss them. It
is not the subject; it is an
interpretation of the subject.
Important Thesis Notes
A thesis statement is a declarative
statement. It is not a title, a fragment, or
a question.
Example:
Question: Why are biofeedback techniques
excellent methods of stress reduction?
Thesis: Because of its simplicity, accuracy,
and lack of toxicity, biofeedback is often a
successful technique for migraine relief.
A thesis statement is an arguable
idea, not a fact.
Fact: Cortez conquered Mexico in 1509.
Thesis: The colonial mentality which
prompted Cortez's barbaric invasion
of Mexico brought about not an
advance of native society but a
destruction of Aztec culture.
A thesis statement is not an announcement of
the author's purpose or assignment.
Announcement: In this paper I will discuss the
causes and effects of the French Revolution and
then argue as to whether or not it was
successful.
Thesis: Though the reasons for the French
Revolution were noble— liberty, fraternity,
equality—the effects were devastating, ultimately
leading to the unsuccessful reinstitution of the
monarchy and the restructuring of a classist
society into a militaristic one.
A thesis statement is not obvious.
Obvious: Litter creates pollution of the environment.
Thesis: Recycling programs, though expensive at
first, are ultimately an efficient, cost effective, and
environmentally sound means of reducing waste
in our environment.
Obvious: The computer was an important
technological advancement in the twentieth
century.
Thesis: Even though computers have their
idiosyncrasies, they have improved our lives
tremendously by simplifying word processing,
streamlining data storage, and promoting an
international exchange of information.
A thesis statement is specific and
narrowed and is not a broad
overgeneralization.
Broad: Men are chauvinists.
Narrow: Men who repress their true
feelings leave themselves open to
physical, psychological, and
relationship difficulties.
A thesis statement covers only
one topic.
Many topics: The theme, characters, setting,
irony, conflicts, viewpoint, and plot all
contribute to making Madame Bovary a
tragedy.
One topic: Flaubert's Emma Bovary is a
tragic character because, never seeing
reality, she misses some important clues that
her life has gone awry, and she falls from her
social "height" into prostitution.
A thesis statement focuses the
essay and guides its
direction.
Unfocused: Martin Luther King, Jr. is a role
model for everyone to follow.
Focused: Because of his determination, his
courage to follow his beliefs and his
unwavering sense of justice, Martin Luther
King, Jr. is a symbol of American freedom.
Your thesis needs three
components: (TAD)
Topic:
The narrowed, limited subject of your paper.
Attitude:
How you will treat and interpret the subject.
Development:
The proof/points you will cover in the paper.
If you were writing a paper to
convince your parents to let you
have your own car, your thesis
would not be something like:
It’s important for me to have a car.
Why?!
How about:
It’s important for me to have a car so I
can take road trips.
Why?
What about this?
Having my own car will give me
more freedom to explore life,
but it will also provide
discipline through the
expansion of my household
responsibilities.
Now, Consider These…
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a great American
novel.
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast
between life on the river and life on the shore.
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's
Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true
expression of American democratic ideals, one must
leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.
Where is the thesis?
Contrary to popular, parental, and
librarian opinion, 'quiet study time' does
not in fact enhance but instead impairs
students' productivity. Listening to music
while studying is in fact a beneficial
activity to add to a study regime for
better grades because of the way music
motivates students and keeps them
alert.
Listening to music while
studying is in fact a
beneficial activity to add to a
study regime for better
grades because of the way
music motivates students
and keeps them alert.
Your thesis must take a stand,
be specific, and engaging
enough to justify writing about.
A strong thesis often contains
words like:
Because
Since
So
Although
Unless
Through
However
Why?
They help
with
development!
For Example…
Because half of all crack babies are
likely to grow up in homes lacking good
mental and emotional stimulation, the
federal government should finance
programs to supplement parental care for
crack addicted infants and children.
Let’s break this one down…
Because half of all
crack babies are likely
to grow up in homes
lacking good mental
and emotional
stimulation, the federal
government should
finance programs to
supplement parental
care for crack addicted
infants and children.
Topic:
Federal Government
Attitude:
Should Finance Programs
Development:
1) Crack addicted babies are
less likely to grow up in
homes lacking good
mental stimulation
2) Crack addicted babies are
less likely to grow up in
homes lacking good
emotional stimulation
Let’s Try Another…
Because the
internet is filled
with tremendous
marketing
potential,
companies should
take advantage by
using web pages
that offer both
advertising and
customer support.
Topic:
Companies
Attitude:
Should use web
pages that use
advertising and
customer support
Development:
The tremendous
marketing potential
of the internet
One more…
Hunger
persists in
Appalachia
because jobs
are scarce
and farming in
the infertile
soil is rarely
profitable.
Topic:
Hunger in Appalachia
Attitude:
Persists
Development:
1)Jobs are scarce
2)Farming in infertile soil
is rarely profitable
Your topic needs to be:
Single:
Narrow-don’t try to take on so much!
Significant:
Why write about it if it’s not important?
Supportable:
Is there enough evidence to support
and defend your thesis statement?
Basic Steps for Writing a Thesis
Statement
1. After you have decided your topic, you
need to narrow it down.
Broad: British Poetry
Narrow: Gender Characteristics in Two Poems
More Narrow: John Donne’s “Death Be Not Proud”
contrasted with Elizabeth Barret
Browning’s “Sonnet 43”
2. Put your topic into a sentence.
Elizabeth Barret Browning’s
“Sonnet 43”is different
from John Donne's "Death
Be Not Proud."
3. Add your argument, viewpoint, or
opinion to your topic to make
your thesis persuasive.
Elizabeth Barret Browning’s “Sonnet
43”is essentially a more feminine
poem, while John Donne's "Death
Be Not Proud" is more masculine.
4. Elaborate on your thesis so that it
addresses all parts of your
assignment.
Although Elizabeth Barret
Browning and John Donne both
personify death in their poems,
the tone, language, and images
are clearly feminine in “Sonnet 43”
and masculine in "Death Be Not
Proud."
5. Organize your thesis to guide the
direction of your paper.
Although Elizabeth Barret
Browning and John Donne both
personify death in their poems the
tone, images, and language are
clearly more feminine in “Sonnet
43” than in "Death Be Not Proud."
6. Edit your thesis for content, word
choice, precision, and
mechanics.
Although Elizabeth Barret Browning
and John Donne both personify
death in their poems, the images,
language, and tone clearly reveal a
woman's perspective in "Sonnet
43," and a man's perspective in
"Holy Sonnet 10."
Poetry Analysis Thesis Notes:
After completing your poetry analysis, you should
be able to state, in your own words, the theme of
the poem.
Next, decide what poetic elements and techniques
evident in the poem are specifically responsible
for conveying that theme.
Now, narrow down, from the above list, the
elements and devices that you feel you can write
the most intelligently and compellingly about.
Finally, formulate
a rough thesis
statement.
Remember: it must
contain TAD, and your
topic must be SSS!
** If you can, indicate in the thesis the areas
or features of the poem important to your
argument (a pattern of imagery, for instance,
or a series of crucial lines). Remember, your
thesis statement must argue a point; instead
of simply saying that a poet uses certain
poetic devices, you must give some
indication in your thesis as to how those
devices work and what they do to the poem's
meaning. You do not need to go into
elaborate detail in your thesis, but do show
the relationship between the poem and your
argument.
Final Words…
If you are struggling, here is an almost
template to use-it is very elementary, but it
works….
Through his (or her) use of______________,
___________, and ___________, Poet’s
Name conveys the theme
_________________ in his (or her) “Poem
Title.”