What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is:

• a poetic element often used by authors.

• an opinionated statement about a topic based on research.

• a statement of fact about a topic.

• never used in an argumentative essay.

Based on a topic choice of teacher pay, which thesis would be the strongest?

• Teachers rock! They are underpaid and need to feed their families.

• Teachers have the important job of educating our children and should be paid higher wages to reflect the importance of this task.

• This paper will explore reasons why teachers across the country should be paid higher wages.

• I think teachers are hard workers and they make less money than most people think.

Based on a topic choice of vegetarian diets, which thesis would be the strongest?

• It is not right for so many people to eat so much meat.

• A well-balanced, vegetarian diet provides significant health benefits, and Americans could benefit from becoming vegetarians.

• Vegetarians live longer lives.

• This essay is about the reasons why you should consider a healthier, vegetarian diet.

Based on the topic of childhood obesity, which thesis statement would be the strongest?

• With the number of children with obesity on the rise in the U.S., parents need to be better educated about the causes of childhood obesity.

• I know a lot of parents who are really struggling with the issue of childhood obesity.

• The percentage of children in the United States who are obese increased from seven percent in 1980 to nearly 20 percent in 2008 (CDC, 2012).

• There are many solutions to the problem of childhood obesity.

Based on the topic of minimum wage in the United States, which thesis would be the strongest?

• Polls show that most Americans would like to see the minimum wage in the United States raised.

• This paper will explore many issues related to the minimum wage in the United States, such as the way an increased minimum wage will impact individuals, businesses, and the overall economy.

• The minimum wage in the United States should be raised to a living wage, as doing so will benefit individuals, businesses, and the overall economy.

• After much research, I have concluded that the minimum wage in the United States must be raised.

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.

• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.

• directly answers the question created by you, or asked of you.

• All of these are related to the thesis statement.

Check the two ways to come up with a thesis.

• Ask your instructor.

• Research a topic.

• Look at a pre-generated list of thesis statements.

• Ask questions about a researched topic.

What is an opinion?

• A statement of fact

• It is when the judgment is not yet final or certain but is founded on some facts.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

What are examples of opinionated words? Click ALL that apply.

• the best

• cruel

• shocking

• popular

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

To deepen a thesis you should ask the following questions:

(Click the three that apply)

• How do I cite citations for my bibliography?

• What can be learned from this?

• How is this important?

• Why should we be concerned?