02.02.2011THE THESIS SENTENCE

English II CP | Mr. Smith

Warm-up: STUDY

Look over your notes on the writing process and essay terms. The quiz will begin promptly after the bell.

The Thesis Sentence

What’s a thesis?

The subject of your essay + your opinion about it “A single sentence that formulates both your topic

(subject) and your point of view (opinion)” “Your answer to the central question or problem

you have raised” Explains the purpose of your paper Answers the question “What’s your point?”

From The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed, by Joseph Gibaldi.

A strong thesis should…

…be a complete sentence. …be debatable. …be specific. …be a strong statement that takes a stand. …communicate your opinion or idea about a topic.

Adapted from “Thesis Statements” (available online at http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml).

good thesis…or not?

World hunger has many causes and effects.

• This thesis is too general to be useful.

NOT

good thesis…or not?

Hunger is a problem in African countries because jobs are scarce and farming is rarely

profitable.

• This thesis takes a stand—hunger is a problem—and gives specific reasons for that problem.

GOOD

good thesis…or not?

There are positive and negative aspects to Banana Herb Tea supplement.

• This thesis does not take a stand—is Banana Herb Tea good or bad?

NOT

good thesis…or not?

Because Banana Herb Tea supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of

muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

• This thesis takes a stand—Banana Herb Tea is dangerous—and gives specific reasons for that stand.

GOOD

good thesis…or not?

Welding is a good career choice.

• While this thesis does focus on one idea, it’s not yet specific enough to be helpful.

NOT

good thesis…or not?

Kanye West is a talented rapper, but Jay-Z is good, too.

• This thesis has more than one idea—it’s not clear whether the paper is going to be about Kanye or Jay-Z.

NOT

good thesis…or not?

Barack Obama is the current President of the United States.

• This is a true statement, but there’s nothing about it that’s up for discussion.

NOT

good thesis…or not?

Blues guitar is a unique art form because of the opportunities for expression and self-reflection

it offers the musician.

• This thesis is a single, specific sentence that clearly explains what the paper will be about.

GOOD

More practice

Complete the worksheet on your own Compare with your neighbor Discuss with the class

Practice

Fishing is fun to do when I’m with my dad. English is my favorite class. It’s exciting going to a new school. Tacos are my favorite food. I like radio station Q106 the most.

African Proverbs

Reading tips

Some may contain difficult words – use a dictionary if necessary

Many involve metaphors – think about what types of people, events, or other things the characters in the proverb might represent

Poster project

Pick a proverb Illustrate it Explain its meaning Tell why you think it’s important Create an original proverb and repeat the process

Homework

For tonight:

Visual vocab