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Writing a Thesis Statement
By
Robyn Allaby
Writing a Thesis
“Have you something to do tomorrow, do it today”
Ben Franklin
Start with your thesis
statement. It can be hard to
write, but once it is complete,
the rest of the essay is quite
easy to write.
Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is like a road sign. It tells the reader what
the essay is about and where you are going with your topic.

It is a map of your essay.
Thesis Facts




It must be the last sentence in the first paragraph.
It is the most important sentence in your entire
essay.
In one sentence, you must include your position
and reasons.
(but most importantly, it is the first thing that your
reader will look for in your essay. If you have a
good thesis, you will no doubt, make a favorable
impression on your reader.
Let’s look at a thesis statement:

I strongly believe that
smoking should be
banned in public places
because smoke pollutes
the environment,
contaminates our lungs,
and smells terrible.
Note: The thesis is one sentence composed of two parts.
Let’s look at a poor thesis statement:

I believe teenagers should get paid minimum wage
because they do the same amount of work, equal
labor rights, and they need the money.

In this thesis statement the reasons are not
parallel, which means they are not in the same
grammatical form. Do your best to improve
this sentence, then take a look at the next slide.
Improved version:

I believe teenagers should get paid
minimum wage because teenage workers
do the same amount of work, enjoy equal
labor rights, and need the money.

There is parallel structure with the verbs
do, enjoy and need.
Another example:

Maya Angelou is an accomplished African-American
author. While growing up, she suffered tremendous
hardship. Some of her most difficult life experiences are
portrayed in novels and poems such as I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings and Still I Rise. Her written works often
include strong themes such as perseverance through trials,
love for family, and passionate optimism.

The thesis statement comes at the end of the introductory paragraph.
The sentence tells the reader that he/she can expect to read more
about how Maya Angelou expresses these themes in her writing.
Don’t State the Obvious

In this essay, I am going to discuss the
effects of long term drug use.

Long term drug use can have disastrous
effects on one’s marriage, career, and health.
Don’t State the Obvious
Another example

This essay will discuss some ways teachers
can fight teenage drug abuse.

Teachers can fight teenage drug abuse by
educating young people on its dangers and
by being good role models.
Good example:

The problem of pollution in major cities can
be alleviated by limiting the number of cars
allowed to drive on city streets and creating
more efficient public transportation systems.
3 possible thesis statements for
Gattaca

I judge the world of Gattaca as __________
because of ________, ________, and
________.

The world of Gattaca is ____________ because
of ________, ________ and ________.

________, ________, and ________ contribute
to the __________ of Gattaca.