1
Build a Thesis Statement 1 & 2
A Thesis is
 Develop Your Thesis Statement
1) identify your Topic
2) ask a Question
3) Answer the question
- your answer to
the question that
your paper is
exploring
Topics are broad, general
categories. You are either given
a topic by your instructor, or you
need to find a topic of your own.
Your paper should explore a more specific,
controversial issue within the general topic.
Identify your specific issue, then ask a
question about it.
Your answer to the issue question is your
thesis.
Your answer should be controversial
(reasonable people might disagree with you).
- a clear, specific
position on a
specific issue
Examples:
Examples:
Examples:
Influential Person
Who in your life has influenced you the
most?
What are the effects of on-line social
networking?
Why do teenagers get tattoos?
- the main point
you are trying to
make or argue
Teenagers and Tattoos
Alternative Energy
- your opinion
about a specific
issue or question
Is windpower a viable energy source for
the Pacific Northwest?
My high school basketball coach was
the most influential person in my life.
On-line social networking has several
negative effects.
Teenagers get tattoos for several
important reasons.
Windpower is not a viable energy
source for the Pacific Northwest.
What is your topic?
What question are you investigating?
What is your answer to the question?
On-line Social Networking
The Writing Center at YVCC
Glenn-Anthon 125, 574-4829
www.yvcc.edu/owl
2
Build a Thesis Statement 1 & 2
Thesis
Statement
with
Forecast
 Develop Your Forecast
Thesis
Reasons
is a thesis statement
with reasons
attached to it.
Examples:
Examples:
Use because (or a similar word) to attach your reasons
to your answer/thesis.
Examples:
A
Reasons
are
more specific claims
that support your
thesis. Readers want
to know why they
should accept your
answer to the issue
question. You need to
give them at least a
few good reasons for
your answer.
When you attach your
reasons to your
thesis, you create
a forecast or
roadmap that tells your
reader what they can
expect to see in your
argument.
The Writing Center at YVCC
1) identify your Reasons
2) attach your Reasons to your Thesis
My basketball coach
was the most influential
person in my life…
because
a) a good friend
b) motivated me
c) made me work hard
My basketball coach was the most influential person
because she was a good friend, she motivated me, and
she made me work hard.
Teenagers get tattoos
for several important
reasons…
including
a) express individuality
b) something permanent
Teenagers get tattoos for several important reasons,
including expressing their individuality and creating
something permanent in a rapidly changing world.
Windpower is not a
viable energy source
for the Pacific
Northwest…
because
a) unreliable
b) design problems
c) environmental impact
Windpower is not a viable energy source for the Pacific
Northwest because it is unreliable, there are design
problems, and the environmental impact would be
tremendous.
What are your reasons?
Write your thesis statement with forecast.
What is your thesis?
because
Glenn-Anthon 125, 574-4829
www.yvcc.edu/owl