Evaluating Thesis Statements

Thesis Statement

Multiple Choice

Is this a thesis statement? "College is more difficult than high school."

• No
• Yes

Multiple Choice

Why is this statement not a thesis sentence? "College is more difficult than high school."

• It is stating a false opinion/claim.

• It lacks reasons for the claim.

• It does not have a focus topic.

What is a thesis statement?

​A thesis statement is the main idea sentence of your essay. It summarizes what you will cover in your essay.

A thesis is an acorn.

​ It is the "acorn" of your essay (oak tree). Your details, elaboration, and evidence are the soil, air, and water that makes the acorn develop into a tree. This is why we say you develop ideas in your writing.

THESIS STATEMENT FORMULA

Thesis Statement =

Opinion/Claim on a Topic + Reasons

Example: THESIS STATEMENT

Halloween is the best holiday (claim) +

because there is lots of candy and you get to

dress up in costumes ( 2reasons).

Open Ended

What is the topic of the following thesis statement?:

College is more difficult than high school because there is more homework and the material is more complex.

What is a claim?

​The claim in a thesis sentence is your idea or your opinion on a topic.

Open Ended

What is the claim of the following thesis statement: College is more difficult than high school because there is more homework and the material is more complex.

REASONS: EVIDENCE/FACTS

there is more homework and the assignments

are more complex

Open Ended

What are the reasons given in the following thesis statement for the author's opinion:

College is more difficult than high school because there is more homework and the material is more complex.

Open Ended

Let's practice. Write a thesis statement using the following prompt:

___________________ is the best holiday because (reason 1) and (reason 2).

Let’s Practice

___________________ is the best holiday because (reason 1) and (reason 2).

Multiple Select

Should students in high school be allowed to bring their cell phones into the classroom?

• Yes, students in high school should be allowed to bring their cell phones into the classroom.
• No, students in high school should not be allowed to bring their cell phones into the classroom.