Thesis Statement, Main Idea,
Conclusion
What is a ‘thesis statement’?
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It is usually a single sentence somewhere in your
first paragraph that presents your argument to the
reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay,
gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade
the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
It must be a statement you can explain or defend –
not simply a fact that no one would deny.
It must be a sentence – not merely a topic.
Why should your essay contain a
thesis statement?
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To test your ideas by distilling them into a
sentence or two
To better organize and develop your
argument
To provide your reader with a “guide” to your
argument
A good thesis will usually…
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Express one main idea
Take on a subject upon which reasonable
people could disagree
Assert your conclusions about a subject
How do I know if my thesis is strong?
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Do I answer the question?
Have I taken a position that others might challenge
or oppose?
Is my thesis statement specific enough?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test?
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and
without wandering?
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test?
The Main Idea
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To understand the concept of a “main idea”,
it is useful to distinguish between the
following terms:
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Topic
Main idea
Topic sentence
Topic
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The topic of a text is the subject, or what the
text is about.
A topic can be expressed as a noun or a
noun phrase.
Some examples of topics include
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Recycling
Mammals
Trees of Ontario
Main Idea
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An idea is what you say about a topic.
Ideas are expressed as sentences.
Some examples of main ideas include:
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Recycling is expensive in the short term, but
yields long-term savings.
All mammals are the same in certain ways.
The trees of Ontario are the most beautiful in the
world.
Topic Sentence
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A topic sentence is the sentence in a
paragraph that contains the main idea.
Usually the topic sentence is the first
sentence in a paragraph.
Topic sentences are useful in determining
the relationship between main ideas and
supporting details.
Main Idea, Supporting Ideas
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The points supporting a thesis are not always
reasons. They may be:
Examples (to make your thesis clear)
– Steps (in a how-to paper)
– Descriptions (in a descriptive paper)
– Anecdotes (in a narrative paper)
Whatever they are, they should convince your
reader that your thesis is true for you.
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Main Idea, Supporting Ideas
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Graphic organizers (word web, spider map)
can be useful for showing a main idea and
the details, facts, arguments that support it.
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Can be used for analyzing a paragraph or a paper
Can be used to create / map your ideas
Organize each paragraph
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Organizing a paragraph is easy because it’s
organized just the way an entire paper is:
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Thesis stated in introductory paragraph
First supporting point
Second supporting point
Additional supporting points
Concluding paragraph
Organize each paragraph
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Here’s the way to organize a paragraph:
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Topic sentence
First supporting detail or example
Second supporting detail or example
Additional supporting details or examples
Concluding sentence if needed
Each paragraph should contain only ONE main idea.
Transition Expressions
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Words/expressions like:
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Also
Furthermore
In the first place
Therefore
make paragraphs read more smoothly.
Transition Expressions
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Transition expressions are also important in an
entire paper.
They help the reader move from one supporting
point to the next.
It’s a good idea to start each supporting paragraph in
a paper with a transition expression such as:
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The first reason Another example
Secondly
Equally important
Even more important
Also
Furthermore
Finally
A Conclusion should…
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Be the best part of your paper
Stress the importance of the thesis statement
Give the essay a sense of completeness
Leave a final impression on the reader
When writing your Conclusion…
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Answer the question “So what?”
Synthesize, don’t summarize
Redirect your readers
Create a new meaning
Echo the introduction
Challenge the reader
Look to the future
When writing your Conclusion,
AVOID…
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Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as “in
conclusion”, “in summary” or “in closing”
Stating the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion
Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion
Ending with a rephrased thesis statement without any
substantive changes
Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character
with the rest of an analytical paper
Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in
the body of the paper.
Thesis Statement, Main Idea,
Conclusion
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Re-read
Re-work
Revise
Re-do
Repeat.
References
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Conclusions. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2008, from
http://unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/conclusions.html
Establishing the Main Idea. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2008,
from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/skill-builder/readingcomprehension/48706.html
Strategies for Writing a Conclusion. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17,
2008, from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html
Thesis Statements. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2008, from
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml