Thesis Development

What is the purpose of a thesis statement?

• To list all the sources used in the research paper

• To present the main idea or argument of an essay or research paper.

• To introduce a completely unrelated topic

• To provide a summary of the entire essay

What are the two central parts of a thesis statement, according to our College Writing OER textbook?

• Topic and Angle

• Viewpoints and Background

• Summary and Angle

• Background and Topic

Why is it important to support the thesis with evidence?

• To confuse the reader

• To add credibility and persuasiveness to the argument.

• To make the argument weaker

• To hide the main point of the thesis

Where are thesis statements typically located in essays?

• At the beginning of body paragraphs

• In the conclusion paragraph to help summarize your main argument

• In the introduction paragraph, typically at the end of the introduction

• At the very beginning of the essay, as the first sentence readers see

What is the difference between a weak and a strong thesis statement?

• A strong thesis statement is always supported by evidence, while a weak thesis statement is not

• A strong thesis statement is written in a different language than a weak thesis statement

• A strong thesis statement is longer than a weak thesis statement

• A strong thesis statement presents a clear, specific, and arguable claim, while a weak thesis statement is vague, general, and lacks a clear argument.

According to College Writing, what are qualities of a strong thesis?

• Clear, concise, and entertaining

• Obvious, arguable, well specified, supportable, contains implications

• Nonobvious, arguable, well specified, supportable, contains implications

• Obvious, well specified, supportable, contains implications

What are some common mistakes to avoid when developing a thesis statement?

• Being too argumentative

• Being too broad, being too narrow, being too vague, and not being arguable

• Being too concise

• Being too specific

How can a student ensure that the evidence used to support the thesis is credible and reliable?

• Use only personal opinions as evidence

• Verify the sources and check for bias

• Rely on information from unreliable websites

• Choose sources that align with personal beliefs

What role does the thesis statement play in the overall structure of an academic paper?

• It has no impact on the overall structure of the paper

• It guides the overall structure and content of the paper.

• It only provides a brief summary of the paper

• It is only necessary for creative writing, not academic papers

Your Text Based (Summary Response) Essay Must Contain Which of the Following?

• Introduction with Thesis

• Thesis

• Body Paragraphs with Research Based Evidence

• Personal Narratives