Thesis: The Overall Idea
Reece deep in reflection.
Thesis: Specific Topic + Attitude/Angle/Argument=Thesis OR What you plan to argue + How you plan to argue it = Thesis
What is a Thesis?
A thesis statement declares what you beleive and what you intend to prove. A good thesis statement can mean the difference between a thoughtful research project and a simple retelling of facts.
If you are doing research, come up with a tentative thesis, but after doing a lot of reading, go back and revise that statement. You can't possibly know exactly where you stand or what you want to prove without examining ALL of the evidence.
The thesis is usually located at the end of the introductory paragraph. I will be looking for your thesis; make it clear, strong, and easy to find. A paper that lacks a strong thesis will fall in the "C" range (or below).
A GOOD thesis should be:
* Contestable, proposing an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree. It is provocative; it takes a stand and justifies the discussion you will present.
* It revolves around a subject that fits the directions of the assignment and can be adequately discussed within the scope of the assignment.
* It is specific and focused; it proves a point without discussing "everything about" the topic. For example, if you start with "music", focus in on "The Grunge Movement", then focus in even more, "Kurt Cobain's impact on the Grunge Movement".
* It clearly asserts your own conclusion based on evidence. It is okay to change your thesis if your evidence takes you in a different direction than you originally planned.
* It provides the reader with a map to guide him/her through your work.
*It anticipates and refutes counter-arguments.
* It avoids vague language like "it seems".
* It avoids the first person ("I believe", "In my opinion"). This has NO place in any of the essays we will write in this class.
* It should pass the "So what? / Who cares?" test. Would you be able to hold a discussion with a friend on this topic? For example, a paper that seeks to show that "people should avoid drunk driving" would no evoke any opposition and would fail the test.
TEST YOUR THESIS: Ask yourself,
* Does the thesis inspire a reasonable reader to ask "How?" or "Why?" It should.
* Would a reasonable reader NOT respond with "Duh!" or "So what?", "No kidding," or "Who cares?" They shouldn't.
* Does the thesis avoid general phrasing and/or sweeping words such as "all", "none", or "every"? It shouldn't.
* Can the thesis be adequately developed in the required length of the project or paper?
Proficient Vs. Advanced:
A proficient theis inspires the reasonable reader to ask "How?" or "Why?", but the advanced thesis does that AND with a "Wow" factor! This thesis engages the student in challenging or provocative research or analysis and displays a level of thought that breaks new ground.
A thesis statement is one of the greatest unifying aspects of a paper. Think of it as mortar, holding together the various bricks of a paper, summarizing the main point of the paper "in a nutshell", and pointing toward the paper's development. In shorter papers, the thesis should be expressed in 1 sentence; in longer ones, 1-2 sentences is appropriate.
Mapping:
The thesis statement can help "map" a paper as it suggests an order or direction for the paper's development. A thesis statement, for example, might read:
Judy Syfer's essay, "I Want a Wife," exaggerates the marital expectations facing women in our society today.
The following sentence could continue:
Those expectations include managing a household, maintaining a career, and having a good relationship with a spouse.
In this example, the thesis statement suggests an obvious path for development in "marital expectations." The writer develops the paragraph by exploring the term "marital expectations." Three following paragraphs, for example, would logically discuss 1) household responsibilities, 2) careers, and 3) marital relationships.
The Weak "I will show" thesis:
Writers new to college prose often include such statements. Generally, faculty do not like them and they rarely appear in academic prose. This goes beyond avoiding the first person, a rule that is changing even in scientific writing. Nevertheless, a good thesis in a well structured introduction does not need to state "I hope to show why medieval teenagers lacked personal freedom." That point will be apparent to readers soon enough; see the example below for how to improve this type of statement.
How? Why?
A good thesis statement often answers these questions. You may encounter a thesis statement that reads:
The lifestyle of a teenager in the Middle Ages was very different from the lifestyle of most modern American teenagers.
So what? Why should a reader continue? In what ways are the lifestyles of the youngsters different? Better versions of this statement might be:
Because of the relative freedom enjoyed by young people today, the lifestyle of modern American teenagers is very different from the lifestyle of teens in the Middle Ages. (this at least says why the difference exists)
A young person in the Middle Ages had very different expectations about marriage, family, and personal freedom than do young adults today. (this version of the statement emphasizes the Medieval, not modern, teenager, but it still does not present an argument to be defended)
This revision of the statement above does present a point "worth making," a point one could contest or support with data:
A young person in the Middle Ages had fewer options for marriage, family, and personal privacy and freedom than do young adults today. (the essay could go on to support what the "options" were and why they were limited)
An even more detailed version of this thesis could "map" the paper for a reader:
Young people in the Middle Ages, who were considered young but responsible adults by the age of sixteen, had fewer social choices when compared to modern American teenagers. Unless they followed a religious calling, medieval teenagers had to contend with an arranged marriage and bearing children while living without what we would consider personal privacy or freedom.
Note how this statement takes more than a single sentence to make its point. Both of the thesis statements above are improvements because they do not simply state the obvious: they give a reason why or how we can accept the thesis statement.
Using the thesis while writing:
This type of thesis serves another useful purpose: the writer can check the body of the paper against it, since it promises a reader what will follow. If the body contains other information, such as other major reasons for the difference sited, then the thesis may need to be revised to include it.
Thesis Statement Exercise (print and use this later!)
Write out the main idea from your paper (the point you want the reader to get) in 25 or fewer words:
Now answer these questions:
What question is my assignment asking? How can I answer that question AND focus on a small area of investigation?
Can I sum up the main idea of my paper in a nutshell? See if you can reduce to a sentence or two the main idea that you wrote just now.
What "code words" (such as "relative freedom" or "lifestyles") does the draft of my thesis statement contain? Are these words adequately explained?
As I read my paper, have I supported the thesis, or digressed? Where? How?
Now print this page out and use it to help you with your thesis statement
Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the topic sentence must be the unifying force in the paragraph. Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the paragraph, which follows, must expand, describe, or prove it in some way. Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to support it.
Consider the last paragraph about topic sentences, beginning with the topic sentence itself:
Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements.
This is my claim, or the point I will prove in the following paragraph. All the sentences that follow this topic sentence must relate to it in some way.
Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the topic sentence must be the unifying force in the paragraph.
These two sentences show how the reader can compare thesis statements and topic sentences: they both make a claim and they both provide a focus for the writing, which follows.
Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the paragraph, which follows, must expand, describe, or prove it in some way.
Using the transitional word "further" to relate this sentence to those preceding it, I expand on my topic sentence by suggesting ways a topic sentence is related to the sentences that follow it.
Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to support it.
Finally, I wrap up the paragraph by stating exactly how topic sentences act rather like tiny thesis statements.
Examples of BAD Thesis Statements:
I'm going to tell you about Edgar Allan Poe and how he wrote Gothic Horror. [Don't mention "I", or what "you" will do. Leave yourself out of the paper entirely. Also, this thesis says nothing about the direction or focus fo the paper.]
* There are a lot of things that were unusual about magic realist writers. [This is filled with vague ideas. The only content here is the term "magic realist".]
* The rhyme scheme in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan". [Okay, this one isn't even a sentence. What about the rhyme scheme with the writer focus on?]
* Tom Robins is a contemporary author that is very popular among fans of wacky philosophical fiction. [These kinds of random statements about the author of a work do NOT belong in student essays. This is merely a vague statement about the writer's popularity and doesn't say anything particular to the theme or style of the writing.]
* Mary Shelley was the most famous female writer of the British Romantic Period. [I can't tell you how many times I see statements like this open up an essay. It lacks any depth of content whatsoever.]
Examples of ACCEPTABLE Thesis Statements:
* Edgar Allan Poe's strategic use of light and darkness in "The Raven" symbolizes teh emotional extremes of the narrator's intellect and soul.
* The French Decadent writeres of the late 19th century denounced nature as the originator of art and promoted "the artificial" as supreme artistic inspiration.
* Many of the beat generation writers, most notably Jack Kerouac, wrote about the rebellious Jazz movement, a musical parallel to their literary rebellion of post-war suburban hypocrisy.
What is a Thesis?
A thesis statement declares what you beleive and what you intend to prove. A good thesis statement can mean the difference between a thoughtful research project and a simple retelling of facts.
If you are doing research, come up with a tentative thesis, but after doing a lot of reading, go back and revise that statement. You can't possibly know exactly where you stand or what you want to prove without examining ALL of the evidence.
The thesis is usually located at the end of the introductory paragraph. I will be looking for your thesis; make it clear, strong, and easy to find. A paper that lacks a strong thesis will fall in the "C" range (or below).
A GOOD thesis should be:
* Contestable, proposing an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree. It is provocative; it takes a stand and justifies the discussion you will present.
* It revolves around a subject that fits the directions of the assignment and can be adequately discussed within the scope of the assignment.
* It is specific and focused; it proves a point without discussing "everything about" the topic. For example, if you start with "music", focus in on "The Grunge Movement", then focus in even more, "Kurt Cobain's impact on the Grunge Movement".
* It clearly asserts your own conclusion based on evidence. It is okay to change your thesis if your evidence takes you in a different direction than you originally planned.
* It provides the reader with a map to guide him/her through your work.
*It anticipates and refutes counter-arguments.
* It avoids vague language like "it seems".
* It avoids the first person ("I believe", "In my opinion"). This has NO place in any of the essays we will write in this class.
* It should pass the "So what? / Who cares?" test. Would you be able to hold a discussion with a friend on this topic? For example, a paper that seeks to show that "people should avoid drunk driving" would no evoke any opposition and would fail the test.
TEST YOUR THESIS: Ask yourself,
* Does the thesis inspire a reasonable reader to ask "How?" or "Why?" It should.
* Would a reasonable reader NOT respond with "Duh!" or "So what?", "No kidding," or "Who cares?" They shouldn't.
* Does the thesis avoid general phrasing and/or sweeping words such as "all", "none", or "every"? It shouldn't.
* Can the thesis be adequately developed in the required length of the project or paper?
Proficient Vs. Advanced:
A proficient theis inspires the reasonable reader to ask "How?" or "Why?", but the advanced thesis does that AND with a "Wow" factor! This thesis engages the student in challenging or provocative research or analysis and displays a level of thought that breaks new ground.
A thesis statement is one of the greatest unifying aspects of a paper. Think of it as mortar, holding together the various bricks of a paper, summarizing the main point of the paper "in a nutshell", and pointing toward the paper's development. In shorter papers, the thesis should be expressed in 1 sentence; in longer ones, 1-2 sentences is appropriate.
Mapping:
The thesis statement can help "map" a paper as it suggests an order or direction for the paper's development. A thesis statement, for example, might read:
Judy Syfer's essay, "I Want a Wife," exaggerates the marital expectations facing women in our society today.
The following sentence could continue:
Those expectations include managing a household, maintaining a career, and having a good relationship with a spouse.
In this example, the thesis statement suggests an obvious path for development in "marital expectations." The writer develops the paragraph by exploring the term "marital expectations." Three following paragraphs, for example, would logically discuss 1) household responsibilities, 2) careers, and 3) marital relationships.
The Weak "I will show" thesis:
Writers new to college prose often include such statements. Generally, faculty do not like them and they rarely appear in academic prose. This goes beyond avoiding the first person, a rule that is changing even in scientific writing. Nevertheless, a good thesis in a well structured introduction does not need to state "I hope to show why medieval teenagers lacked personal freedom." That point will be apparent to readers soon enough; see the example below for how to improve this type of statement.
How? Why?
A good thesis statement often answers these questions. You may encounter a thesis statement that reads:
The lifestyle of a teenager in the Middle Ages was very different from the lifestyle of most modern American teenagers.
So what? Why should a reader continue? In what ways are the lifestyles of the youngsters different? Better versions of this statement might be:
Because of the relative freedom enjoyed by young people today, the lifestyle of modern American teenagers is very different from the lifestyle of teens in the Middle Ages. (this at least says why the difference exists)
A young person in the Middle Ages had very different expectations about marriage, family, and personal freedom than do young adults today. (this version of the statement emphasizes the Medieval, not modern, teenager, but it still does not present an argument to be defended)
This revision of the statement above does present a point "worth making," a point one could contest or support with data:
A young person in the Middle Ages had fewer options for marriage, family, and personal privacy and freedom than do young adults today. (the essay could go on to support what the "options" were and why they were limited)
An even more detailed version of this thesis could "map" the paper for a reader:
Young people in the Middle Ages, who were considered young but responsible adults by the age of sixteen, had fewer social choices when compared to modern American teenagers. Unless they followed a religious calling, medieval teenagers had to contend with an arranged marriage and bearing children while living without what we would consider personal privacy or freedom.
Note how this statement takes more than a single sentence to make its point. Both of the thesis statements above are improvements because they do not simply state the obvious: they give a reason why or how we can accept the thesis statement.
Using the thesis while writing:
This type of thesis serves another useful purpose: the writer can check the body of the paper against it, since it promises a reader what will follow. If the body contains other information, such as other major reasons for the difference sited, then the thesis may need to be revised to include it.
Thesis Statement Exercise (print and use this later!)
Write out the main idea from your paper (the point you want the reader to get) in 25 or fewer words:
Now answer these questions:
What question is my assignment asking? How can I answer that question AND focus on a small area of investigation?
Can I sum up the main idea of my paper in a nutshell? See if you can reduce to a sentence or two the main idea that you wrote just now.
What "code words" (such as "relative freedom" or "lifestyles") does the draft of my thesis statement contain? Are these words adequately explained?
As I read my paper, have I supported the thesis, or digressed? Where? How?
Now print this page out and use it to help you with your thesis statement
Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the topic sentence must be the unifying force in the paragraph. Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the paragraph, which follows, must expand, describe, or prove it in some way. Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to support it.
Consider the last paragraph about topic sentences, beginning with the topic sentence itself:
Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements.
This is my claim, or the point I will prove in the following paragraph. All the sentences that follow this topic sentence must relate to it in some way.
Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the topic sentence must be the unifying force in the paragraph.
These two sentences show how the reader can compare thesis statements and topic sentences: they both make a claim and they both provide a focus for the writing, which follows.
Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the paragraph, which follows, must expand, describe, or prove it in some way.
Using the transitional word "further" to relate this sentence to those preceding it, I expand on my topic sentence by suggesting ways a topic sentence is related to the sentences that follow it.
Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to support it.
Finally, I wrap up the paragraph by stating exactly how topic sentences act rather like tiny thesis statements.
Examples of BAD Thesis Statements:
I'm going to tell you about Edgar Allan Poe and how he wrote Gothic Horror. [Don't mention "I", or what "you" will do. Leave yourself out of the paper entirely. Also, this thesis says nothing about the direction or focus fo the paper.]
* There are a lot of things that were unusual about magic realist writers. [This is filled with vague ideas. The only content here is the term "magic realist".]
* The rhyme scheme in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan". [Okay, this one isn't even a sentence. What about the rhyme scheme with the writer focus on?]
* Tom Robins is a contemporary author that is very popular among fans of wacky philosophical fiction. [These kinds of random statements about the author of a work do NOT belong in student essays. This is merely a vague statement about the writer's popularity and doesn't say anything particular to the theme or style of the writing.]
* Mary Shelley was the most famous female writer of the British Romantic Period. [I can't tell you how many times I see statements like this open up an essay. It lacks any depth of content whatsoever.]
Examples of ACCEPTABLE Thesis Statements:
* Edgar Allan Poe's strategic use of light and darkness in "The Raven" symbolizes teh emotional extremes of the narrator's intellect and soul.
* The French Decadent writeres of the late 19th century denounced nature as the originator of art and promoted "the artificial" as supreme artistic inspiration.
* Many of the beat generation writers, most notably Jack Kerouac, wrote about the rebellious Jazz movement, a musical parallel to their literary rebellion of post-war suburban hypocrisy.
