THESIS STATEMENTS

Dolly Ramos Gallego

A THESIS MUST

(a) take a position(b) be supportable with research readily available(c) be expressed in one sentence

LIMIT YOUR THESIS BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS

(a) time(b) space(c) causes(d) effects(e) comparison(f) examples(g) problem/analysis/solution

A GOOD THESIS IS NOT GENERAL.

Crime must be stopped

Dickens writes good novels

The courts need to hand out stiffer sentences.

Dickens uses the setting of his novels to emphasize the themes.

General Thesis Statement Specific Thesis Statement

UNDERSTANDING THESIS STATEMENTS Subject

Rain forests Topic

The importance of rain forests Thesis statement

Rain forests provide the human race with many resources.

ORRain forests are complex living systems that contribute to the balance of life on this

planet. Research question

What is the importance of rain forests?

SAMPLE Write a belief statement about your topic.

(I believe that the SAT tests should be eliminated.)

Next add a fact to the belief statement. (I believe that the SAT tests should be

eliminated because they cannot predict success in college.)

Last, take yourself out by eliminating “I believe” and you are left with a thesis

statement.(SAT tests should be eliminated because

they cannot predict success in college.)

EXAMPLESA GOOD THESIS IS NOT TOO BROAD.

Hemingway’s war stories are very good.

The world is in a terrible mess

People are too foolish

Hemingway’s war stories helped create a new prose style.

Trade barriers contribute to the international tension

Human Selfishness is seen at its worst during rush our

POOR Thesis Statement

BETTER Thesis Statement

A THESIS STATEMENT IS NOT A TITLE.WILL ALWAYS BE A COMPLEX SENTENCE

The Decline of Baseball

Home and Schools.

In recent years, baseball has experienced a decline in popularity.

Parents need to participate more in the education of their children

TitlesNot Titles

A THESIS STATEMENT IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT.IT EXPRESS AN ATTITUDE. TAKES A STAND

I want to share some thoughts with you about the space program

The thesis of this paper is difficulty of Solving America’s environmentalprogram

The space program is a waste of money

solving America’s environmental problems is more difficult than many environmentalists believe.

Announcement Not an Announcement

EXAMPLESA THESIS STATEMENT IS NOT A STATEMENT OF ABSOLUTE FACT. (MAKES A JUDGMENT OR INTERPRETATION)

Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.

The capital of California is Sacramento.

President Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theater

(This statement cannot be argued, not a good thesis)

(This cannot be argued, not a good thesis)

(This cannot be argued, not a good thesis)

LET’S WORK ON

YOUR PROJECT

METHODOLOGY

Reader is contextualized from wider to more specific perspectives. Therefore, relevant information about description of the site: location, type of school, grades, No. of teachers, No. of students, economical status, resources are presented.

context

METHODOLOGY

Setting clearly describes the conditions and related information to the study such as: No. of English teachers, grades that take English courses, No. of hours per week students are exposed to the language, Curriculum or standards followed, and teachers’ academic background.

Setting