The Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement?

• A question or prompt
• A 1-2 sentence claim
• A piece of evidence
• A conclusion
• A topic for an essay

Answer explanation

Jupiter is a gas giant made primarily of hydrogen and helium. Unlike terrestrial planets that have solid surfaces, gas giants like Jupiter don't have a well-defined solid surface, allowing them to accumulate more mass in a gaseous form. This composition has allowed Jupiter to grow significantly larger than planets with solid surfaces.

What does a thesis statement do?

• Previews the key evidence to be discussed
• States your central argument or position
• Answers a question or prompt
• All of the above
• None of the above

What is the first step to write a strong thesis?

• Analyze the prompt and determine your position
• Write the conclusion
• Gather evidence
• Write the introduction
• None of the above

Where should you put the thesis/claim in your essay?

• At the start of your intro paragraph
• At the end of your intro paragraph
• In the middle of your essay
• At the end of your essay
• None of the above

What does a distinguished thesis statement do?

• Clearly and concisely states a claim/position on the topic
• Directly addresses all parts of the prompt
• Makes a sophisticated, nuanced central argument
• All of the above
• None of the above

What does a basic thesis statement do?

• Attempts to make an argument or claim but it is vague
• Does not fully address all parts of the prompt
• Claim lacks focus or is too broad to support
• All of the above
• None of the above

What does an unsatisfactory thesis statement do?

• Does not make a clear argument or claim
• Does not properly address the prompt
• No clear focus or supporting evidence
• All of the above
• None of the above

What is a common feature of exemplary thesis statements?

• They make nuanced claims
• They use clear focused language
• They take a sophisticated interpretive stance grounded in textual evidence
• All of the above
• None of the above

What is a common feature of basic thesis statements?

• They attempt analysis but lack depth
• They reduce complex themes to a basic dichotomy
• They lack use of evidence
• All of the above
• None of the above

What is a common feature of unsatisfactory thesis statements?

• They do not make any clear argument
• They vaguely reference the topic without establishing a coherent position
• They lack focus or direction
• All of the above
• None of the above