Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

• It is a one-sentence explanation of the entire piece of writing, which gives focus to the essay.

• It is a two-sentence explanation of the entire piece of writing, which gives focus to the first and last paragraphs only.

• It is a one-sentence explanation of the entire piece of writing, but only gives focus to the conclusion paragraph.

• It is the entire opening paragraph of the essay, including the grabber, details and last sentence.

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.2

CCSS.W.9-10.2

What three items make up a thesis statement?

• identification of topic, claim (what you believe), and direction (reasons)
• topic sentence, introduction, and conclusion
• introduction, body, and conclusion
• reason 1, reason 2, and reason 3

Tags

CCSS.W.8.1A

CCSS.W.8.1B

True or False: There is a difference between the thesis statement and the topic 

• True
• False

Tags

CCSS.W.11-12.1

CCSS.W.11-12.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2

The best thesis statements are formed into a question

• True
• False

A thesis statement is a complete sentence. A thesis statement is not a question.
Which of these is a thesis statement?

• A. Knowing a foreign language.
• B. Why should people know a foreign language?
• C. Knowing a foreign language is a very useful skill.  It can help one advance in a career, relate better to others, and open one's mind to the ideas of another culture.

A thesis statement should not directly announce your topic by using phrases such as, "This essay will talk about ........"
Which of the following makes the best thesis statement?

• A. Even though marriage is a strong and respected institution in Russia, more and more people are choosing to live together before marriage, despite the cultural pressures.
• B. I am going to explain why many couples in Russia are choosing to live together rather than getting married.
• C. Marriage in Russia.

An ineffective way to begin your paper is to announce your topic.

• True
• False

Tags

CCSS.W.11-12.1A

CCSS.W.11-12.2A

CCSS.W.11-12.4

Which example  is an announcement instead of a thesis statement?

• Music Videos
• As I will argue in this paper, music videos are an important part of our culture.
• It may be true that music videos present stale images in place of listeners’ original interpretations, but the shared images these videos show us play an important role in establishing a common culture.

The thesis statement should express a main idea that links to supporting points

• True
• False

Tags

CCSS.W.11-12.1

CCSS.W.11-12.1A

CCSS.W.11-12.2A

Which CLAIM is the strongest for the following thesis statements?

• Violent video games are harmful for young people to play.
• Violent video games are harmful to young people, and it should be stopped.
• Violent video games are harmful for young people to play because  children can become desensitized to death.
• Violent video games are harmful for young people because they should be reading a book.

Tags

CCSS.W.11-12.1

CCSS.W.11-12.1A

CCSS.W.11-12.1B