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CREATING A WINNING
THESIS STATEMENT
Or the Road to a “5” Thesis
Statement
A NOTE ABOUT THESIS
STATEMENTS
 Any
time that you create a thesis
statement, you are building an argument
that must be proven!
 What you prove MUST NOT be completely
obvious. (Ex. “In Things Fall Apart,
Okonkwo is the central character.)
 What you prove MUST NOT be
exclusively literal. You MUST reveal a
deeper understanding and make
abstractions.
PARTS OF THE THESIS
STATEMENT
 TOPIC
 CLAIM
(VERB)
 DIRECTION
 QUALIFIER
 UNIVERSAL IDEA
TOPIC


1.
2.
The TOPIC reveals the context of the
thesis—the text(s) analyzed.
Examples
John Smith’s autobiographical
account . . .
Considering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
“I Have a Dream” speech . . .
CLAIM (VERB)




1.
2.
The CLAIM tells what the text is doing to
arrive at the universal idea.
Review the list of verbs for academic
discourse.
For practice, “uses” is a good place to
start.
Examples:
John Smith’s autobiographical account
uses . . .
Considering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
“I Have a Dream” speech, King uses . . .
DIRECTION



1.
2.
The DIRECTION tells how the text
arrives at the universal idea.
DIRECTION = rhetorical devices
Examples:
John Smith’s autobiographical account
uses imagery, diction, and point of
view . . .
Considering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
“I Have a Dream” speech, King uses
analogy, repetition, and emotional
appeal . . .
QUALIFIER



1.
2.
The QUALIFIER links the direction to the
universal idea.
“to prove that” (there are more constructions
possible)
Examples:
John Smith’s autobiographical account uses
metaphor, diction, and point of view to prove
that . . .
Considering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I
Have a Dream’ speech, King uses analogy,
repetition, and emotional appeal to prove
that . . .
UNIVERSAL IDEA



1.
2.
The UNIVERSAL IDEA is the larger idea or
purpose at work in the text.
The UNIVERSAL IDEA part should reveal
meaning about the abstract noun.
Examples:
John Smith’s autobiographical account uses
metaphor, diction, and point of view to prove
that success is measured by one’s ability to
conquer.
Considering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I
Have a Dream’ speech, King uses analogy,
repetition, and emotional appeal to prove
that equality is the foundation of a truly
democratic society.
Adding “The Funk”
Or Adding Variety and Complexity
to a Thesis Statement
STEP 1: MODIFIED DIRECTIONS
 For
each direction, add an adjective that
best describes the text’s use of that
direction.
 Ex. John Smith’s autobiographical account
uses adventurous imagery, calculated
diction, and a self-important point of view
...
STEP 2: ADD THE
SHIFT/CONTRAST
 Reveal
the shift/contrast that occurs within
the text (especially the shift/contrast in the
universal idea.
 Ex. John Smith’s autobiographical account
uses adventurous imagery, calculated
diction, and an self-important point of view
to prove that success is measured by
one’s ability to conquer, not in one’s ability
to make peace.
STEP 3: ADDING TEXT
PHRASES FOR INTEREST

Choose a few words or phrases from the text
that allude to the universal idea.
 Add these words/phrases to the thesis statement
for effect.
 Ex. John Smith’s autobiographical account, a
testimony of “his own example, good words, and
fair promises,” uses adventurous imagery,
calculated diction, and a self-important point of
view to prove that success is measured by one’s
ability to conquer, not in one’s ability to make
peace.
STEP 4: RE-ARRANGE THE
PIECES!
 Take
all the thesis statement parts, and rearrange them to create sentence variety.
 Ex. To prove that success is measured by
one’s ability to conquer, not in one’s ability
to make peace, adventurous imagery,
calculated diction, and a self-important
point of view are used in John Smith’s
autobiographical account—a testimony of
“his own example, good words, and fair
promises.”
“The Jacket Prompt”
In a well-developed essay, discuss
how Gary Soto uses rhetorical
devices to reveal his relationship
with his jacket and its impact on
his youth. Consider such devices
as: symbolism, imagery, diction,
contrast, and repetition.