Turning Thoughts Into Questions

What interesting things did you notice?

Louise keeps going on about being “free.”

How do we turn these into questions?

Why is it such a big deal that Louise Mallard feels “free”?

Purpose: Why Is a Thesis Statement So Important?

The thesis statement is typically that one sentence that asserts the main point, and controls and structures the essay.  Without a strong, thoughtful thesis, your paper might seem unfocused, weak, and not worth the reader’s time.  

Thesis Statement that explains main argument of your essay – not a quality review

Last sentence of your introduction

How Do I Write a Good Thesis Statement?

A good thesis statement will make a claim.

A good thesis statement will inspire (rather than quiet) other points of view on a topic.

A good thesis will control the entire paper.

A good thesis will provide structure for your paper

Thesis Statement Checklist Does my thesis sentence attempt to answer

(or at least explore) a challenging intellectual question?

Does the thesis statement address the topic given to you?  Will it allow you to fully explore and discuss all aspects of the essay prompt?

Is the point I’m making one that would generate discussion, or is it one that would leave people asking, “So what?”

Is my thesis too narrow?  Is it a “dead-end” statement?

Is my thesis too vague?  Too general? Too broad?  Should I focus on some more specific aspect of my topic?

Does my thesis indicate a direction and structure for my paper?  

Is the language in my thesis vivid and clear?  Is it formulaic, or is it engaging and interesting?

Turning Questions into Thesis Statements

Question

Why is it such a big deal that Louise Mallard feels “free”?

Thesis

Example #1: In “The Story of An Hour,” Louise Mallard’s husband dies and she is finally free from feeling oppressed.

Example #2: Chopin critiques the oppression of women in marriage at the turn of the century through the wide range of Louise Mallard’s emotions from her initial pangs of grief, to her bewildering sense of joy, and finally to her exhilarated awareness of sudden freedom.

Turning Thoughts Into Questions

What interesting things did you notice?

The description of the black box used for the lottery seems important.

How do we turn these into questions?

What’s the deal with the black box? Why is it black? What’s its purpose?

Purpose

Sample Question: What’s the significance of the black box in “The Lottery”? What’s its function in the story?

Possible thesis: The black box helps create a sense of foreshadowing, emphasizes the tense atmosphere of the story, and reflects society’s reluctance to change traditions.

Your Turn

Question

Thesis