Thesis Statements
Guided Notes
What is a thesis statement?
 Author’s argument and thesis statement are
closely related, if not totally synonymous.
 The term thesis is derived from the
Latin/Greek term tithenai, which means to
put or to lay down.
 A thesis statement puts forth or lays down
your position and reasoning about a
particular topic.
 A thesis statement is typically one strongly
worded sentence.
What is a thesis statement?
 All thesis statements follow the same
basic formula:
TOPIC + OPINION +
REASONING =
THESIS STATEMENT
Why are thesis statements
important?
 A thesis statement serves as the guiding
force of analytical, persuasive, and
expository essays.
 The body paragraphs of an essay and the
evidence incorporated within the body
paragraphs of an essay must develop aspects
of the thesis.
 No information should be included in an essay
that does not relate to the thesis.
Where can I find an author’s
thesis statement?
 In academic writing (writing for school), the
thesis statement is included as the last
sentence of the introduction paragraph.
 In newspaper, magazine, academic journal,
and other nonfiction writing, the thesis is
usually located in the beginning 1/3 of the
text, though sometimes for effect, the thesis
might be located toward the end of the text
or in the conclusion.
Where can I find an author’s
thesis statement?
 In academic writing, the thesis will always be
explicit, which means the author specifically
states his position about a specific topic.
 In other types of writing, the thesis is
sometimes implicit, which means the author
merely implies, or suggests, his or her position
through the use of examples and supporting
points. When a thesis statement is implicit,
it’s up to the reader to decide the author’s
position on the topic—it will not be stated
within the text.
Can you show me a few
examples of thesis
statements?
Because Banana Herb Tea
Supplement promotes rapid
weight loss that results in the loss of
muscle and lean body mass, it
poses a potential danger to
customers.
Can you show me a few
examples of thesis
statements?
Because the Internet is filled with
tremendous marketing potential,
companies should exploit this
potential by using Web pages that
offer both advertising and
customer support.
Can you show me a few
examples of thesis
statements?
Hunger persists in Zimbabwe
because jobs are scarce and
farming in the infertile soil is rarely
profitable.
Food for Thought
What observations can you make
about the above thesis
statements? Do you notice any
patterns? Do you notice anything
about the voice of the verbs
(active or passive)?