English 11 CP Research Project
Writing Strategies 1.3
ESLR: Resourceful Learner
Name: ________________________
Period ____________
Crafting An Effective Thesis Statement
Writing An Effective Thesis Statement
An effective thesis statement fulfills the following criteria. It should be:
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Substantial - Your thesis should be a claim for which it is easy to answer every reader's question: "So what?"
Supportable - A thesis must be a claim that you can prove with the evidence at hand (e.g., evidence from your
texts or from your research). Your claim should not be outlandish, nor should it be mere personal opinion or
preference (e.g., "Frederick Douglass is my favorite historical figure.")
Precise - An effective thesis statement has been narrowed down from a very broad subject. Your claim should not
be something on which whole books could be written.
Arguable - A thesis statement should not be a statement of fact or an assertion with which every reader is likely
to immediately agree. (Otherwise, why try to convince your readers with an argument?)
Relevant - If you are responding to an assignment, the thesis should answer the question your teacher has posed.
In order to stay focused, pay attention to the task words in the assignment: summarize, argue, compare/contrast,
etc.
What's Wrong With These Thesis Statements?
1. Frederick Douglass made a speech in which he wondered why slaves should celebrate the Fourth of July.
This sentence is a statement of fact. There is nothing to be argued here.
2. Of all examples of persuasive speaking in American history, Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave Is the Fourth
of July" is far and away the most effective.
This sentence offers only the writer's opinion. The writer does not offer arguable criteria for why this speech is
effective.
3. Douglass' speech is completely ineffective, since he admits early in his speech that the anti-slavery position is
self-evidently just and does not require argument. To be persuasive, speakers must always take positions which
they and their speakers consider arguable.
This thesis makes a claim that the writer can probably not support with the assigned text.
4. Throughout American history, brave leaders have stood up against oppression of all kinds.
This sentence is much too broad. A more effective thesis would narrow the topic down to a particular leader.
I. Preparation
Read (or re-read) your assignment and underline the "task" words, which are directions like analyze, describe, define,
and compare. Be sure that you read the whole assignment: teachers often use more than one task word, and you'll want
to be sure that address them all. To help figure out all you are supposed to do, you should break apart using a T-Chart.
EXAMPLE
People are always looking for ways to improve schools, and some of the best ideas come from students. Think of ONE
change you could propose that would make your school better. Write an essay that would CONVINCE other students and
teachers in your school to agree with you.
Adapted from Temple University Writing Center
English 11 CP Research Project
Do
Think
Write
Convince
Writing Strategies 1.3
ESLR: Resourceful Learner
This
of ONE change to make school
better
An essay
Other students and teachers to agree
with you
Now do one for your research project.
II. Pre-Writing
A. Imagine that your topic is the subject of a conversation among several people: you, the author(s) of your text(s), and an
average, intelligent person. What do each of these participants say or assume about this topic? Whose analyses,
descriptions, or opinions are similar to yours, and whose are different? Try using this sample sentence to articulate your
answers:
Most people think/assume ____________ about [my subject] because _____________.
However, I think ______________ because _______________.
Now do one for your research project. Remember, that in your actual paper, you should avoid using “I” statements.
B. Explain what is important or significant about your particular contribution to this conversation. Why is it important for
your reader to consider what you have to say? What would happen if your position was widely read and accepted? What
would happen if it wasn't?
III. Writing a Thesis Statement
A. In one or two sentences, summarize the main thing that you want to say in your paper. Try using this sentences to get
started. The part of the sentence that is underlined is the kernel of your thesis.
I want to persuade my readers that __________________________________________________ .
Example:
I want to persuade my readers that children should not be allowed to vote.
Adapted from Temple University Writing Center
English 11 CP Research Project
Writing Strategies 1.3
ESLR: Resourceful Learner
B. A good thesis statement says something that you believe, but that others might disagree with. Therefore, a thesis cannot
be a sentence which simply states a fact.
Examples:
In today's society, children are not allowed to vote.
(States a fact; not a thesis)
Children should not be allowed to vote.
(States a position; thesis)
Check what you wrote above. Is it a statement of fact, or a thesis? Look at the part of the sentence that is underlined and
ask yourself if someone else could potentially disagree with it.
C. Write your thesis statement so that it explains why you believe what you believe. Take the kernel of your thesis (the
part that is underlined above) and add a clause beginning with "because." In drafting your thesis, you may find it helpful
to construct a phrase that includes the word because . Whether or not this phrase appears in your final version of your
thesis, writing such a phrase will encourage you to summarize your reasoning while you are working on your essay.
Examples:
Thesis: Children should not be allowed to vote.
Better Thesis: Children should not be allowed to vote because they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of
voting.
Now do one for your research project.
D. Review what you wrote in exercise IIB. Then, try to write your thesis so that it shows how your thesis agrees or
disagrees with other people's opinions on this topic.
Examples:
Better Thesis: Children should not be allowed to vote because they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of
voting.
Best Thesis: Although Vita Wallace argues forcefully for children's rights, I do not believe that children should be allowed
to vote because they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of voting.
Try one for your research project.
In the process of narrowing down your topic from broad subject to specific thesis, you may need to narrow your subject more
than once; for instance, "capital punishment" is a narrower topic than "social justice," but still broad enough to fill volumes. Try
to figure out which aspect of your problem you're interested in. Once you've done that, try to fill in the blanks below.
Subject
e.g., Social Justice or Enlightenment Thinkers
Adapted from Temple University Writing Center
English 11 CP Research Project
Writing Strategies 1.3
ESLR: Resourceful Learner
Narrower Subject
What about this topic interests you?
Still Narrower Subject
What specific part of the topic do you want to focus on in this paper?
Topic Question:
What problem, gap, or misunderstanding do you want to try to resolve?
Thesis Statement:
What is your proposed answer to the topic question?
Follow this formula to help compose your thesis:
Clearly Stated Opinion + Specific Supporting Arguments = Thesis
My English 11 Research Project Thesis: __________________________________________
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Adapted from Temple University Writing Center