Forming a Thesis Statement



Forming a Thesis Statement

Adapted from Writers INC: Write for College (Sebranek, Kemper and Meyer, 1997)

The central thought, or thesis, in a piece of writing usually takes a stand, expresses a feeling, or highlights a feature of a subject. Sometimes a thesis statement develops early and easily; sometimes it takes several stages of prewriting. At other times, the true center of your writing emerges only after you finish your first draft.

Try to state your thesis in a sentence that expresses what you believe and want to explore.

Use the following formula:

The same formula works for a thesis in a formal essay about a work of literature. For example:

Remember!  A strong thesis is:

* clear and narrow (easy to understand; able to be fully covered in the space available)

* supportable (can be proven with evidence from the text)

* argumentative (expresses an opinion; provokes a discussion)

* insightful (offers an interesting perspective; able to answer the "So what?" question)

THESE ARE THE THESIS CRITERIA WE WILL BE USING ALL YEAR. TAKE THEM TO HEART!

Your Turn:

1. Brainstorming and Drafting Thesis Statements

Write potential thesis statements in the space below or on a separate sheet. Use your reflection assignment as a jumping-off point.

2. Interrogating Your Thesis Statement(s)

Ask yourself: Does your thesis –

□ address the assigned essay topic?

□ make sense? (look for wordy, awkward, or confusing constructions)

□ make a definite and limited assertion?

□ make an assertion that can be supported by the evidence available?

□ show the emphasis or focus of your argument?

□ show awareness of difficulties or disagreements, if any?

□ provoke thought or discussion beyond the scope of the essay?

Answer these questions honestly, and you’ll end up with a strong start for a thesis.

3. Narrowing the Focus of Your Thesis

Let’s return to the sample thesis statement from the previous page:

You’ll notice that this thesis statement—interesting as it may sound— is awfully broad for a student who wishes to focus in-depth on the topic within four pages of writing. In order to go into the necessary depth, you may need to further limit the scope of your thesis. How? Write down some “narrowing the focus” strategies in the space below.

Then, apply those “narrowing” strategies to your own thesis. How can you get your thesis tightly focused enough for a four-page paper?

4. Finalizing the Thesis, Finding Evidence and Drafting Your Outline

Once you have developed a strong thesis statement, you should immediately begin searching for textual evidence to support it. Look through the play, your class notes and your homework for relevant passages. Remember to properly label all passages with line references.

You should also draft a basic outline that includes all of the major points you will need to prove your essay’s thesis.

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A manageable or limited subject (multicultural education)

+ a specific stand, feeling, or feature (is vital to a society made up of many

different peoples)

= an effective thesis statement.

THESIS STATEMENT: Multicultural education is vital to a society made up of many

different peoples.

A manageable or limited subject (Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale)

+ a specific stand, feeling, or feature (offers a feminist reinterpretation of the medieval romance genre)

= an effective thesis statement.

THESIS STATEMENT: Chaucer’s Wife of Bath offers a feminist reinterpretation of the

medieval romance genre in her tale.

THESIS STATEMENT: Chaucer’s Wife of Bath offers a feminist reinterpretation of the

medieval romance genre in her tale.

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