Help Yourself Beat the Help Yourself Beat the Clock:Clock:

How to Write an Effective Thesis How to Write an Effective Thesis Statement Statement

Created by C. Wishart, Literacy CoachBased on work by Joy Wingersky, Jan Boehner, and Diana Holguin-Balogh

Types of Thesis Statements:Types of Thesis Statements:

Thesis statement Thesis statement that states that states direction:direction: A general A general

statementstatement Good for a Good for a

longer paper – longer paper – 5 to 10 pages5 to 10 pages

Example: Example: Students with Students with learning learning disabilities may disabilities may encounter encounter many many academic academic problems.problems.

Thesis statement that Thesis statement that states direction and states direction and previews main points:previews main points: Lists what each paragraph Lists what each paragraph

will be aboutwill be about Keeps the paper on topicKeeps the paper on topic Example: Students with Example: Students with

learning disabilities may learning disabilities may encounter academic, encounter academic, social, and personal social, and personal problems. problems.

Each point listed in the thesis Each point listed in the thesis statement will be covered in one statement will be covered in one paragraph in the 5 paragraph essay:paragraph in the 5 paragraph essay:

Students with learning disabilities may Students with learning disabilities may encounter academic, social, and personal encounter academic, social, and personal problems. problems.

Paragraph 1 in the essay will be the Paragraph 1 in the essay will be the introduction with the thesis statement.introduction with the thesis statement.

Paragraph 2 will cover academic problems.Paragraph 2 will cover academic problems. Paragraph 3 will cover social problems.Paragraph 3 will cover social problems. Paragraph 4 will cover personal problems.Paragraph 4 will cover personal problems. Paragraph 5 will be the conclusion.Paragraph 5 will be the conclusion.

Important Points About Thesis Important Points About Thesis Statements:Statements: Ideas in the thesis statement must be Ideas in the thesis statement must be

coordinate and not subordinate.coordinate and not subordinate. Ideas in thesis statement must be broad Ideas in thesis statement must be broad

enough to write a paragraph about, but not enough to write a paragraph about, but not so broad that they can’t be addressed in so broad that they can’t be addressed in detaildetail

Ideas in thesis statement must not overlapIdeas in thesis statement must not overlap Ideas in thesis statement must be parallelIdeas in thesis statement must be parallel Ideas in thesis statement must be Ideas in thesis statement must be

presented in a logical orderpresented in a logical order

Ideas in the thesis statement must be Ideas in the thesis statement must be coordinate and not subordinate.coordinate and not subordinate.

Coordinate means of Coordinate means of equal value.equal value. Example: Car Example: Car

maintenance involves maintenance involves checking the oil, checking the oil, checking the coolant, checking the coolant, and checking the air and checking the air – all are coordinate– all are coordinate

Subordinate means of Subordinate means of lesser value.lesser value. Example: Car Example: Car

maintenance involves maintenance involves tuning the engine, tuning the engine, servicing the tires, servicing the tires, and checking the air and checking the air – checking the air is – checking the air is subordinate to subordinate to servicing the tires. servicing the tires.

“I’m more important than

you are!!!”

Ideas in thesis statement must be broad Ideas in thesis statement must be broad enough to write a paragraph about, but not so enough to write a paragraph about, but not so broad that they can’t be addressed in detail.broad that they can’t be addressed in detail.

Simple facts cannot sustain an entire Simple facts cannot sustain an entire paragraph; they are too small.paragraph; they are too small.

Goldilocks went into the house.Goldilocks went into the house. Broad ideas cannot be contained in a single Broad ideas cannot be contained in a single

paragraph; they are too big.paragraph; they are too big. Fairy tales have many different types of themes.Fairy tales have many different types of themes.

Points in the thesis need to be just right.Points in the thesis need to be just right. Goldilocks learned to respect others’ property.Goldilocks learned to respect others’ property.

Think about Think about Goldilocks and the Three Goldilocks and the Three Bears:Bears:

Ideas in a thesis statement must Ideas in a thesis statement must not overlap.not overlap.

When fighting a fire, the firefighter must pre-plan, strategize, and evaluate.

When fighting a fire, the firefighter must pre-plan, initiate, and evaluate.

Why am I reading the same point

twice?

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Ideas in thesis statement must be Ideas in thesis statement must be parallel:parallel:

Each point must be balanced.Each point must be balanced. Choose a grammatical structure.Choose a grammatical structure. Use nouns, verbs, phrases, or Use nouns, verbs, phrases, or

clauses to organize your thesis clauses to organize your thesis statement.statement.

If an “-ing” verb form is used, If an “-ing” verb form is used, all divisions must be “-ing.”all divisions must be “-ing.” For the elderly, having a pet means For the elderly, having a pet means

receiving companionship, getting receiving companionship, getting exercise, and having protection. – exercise, and having protection. – CorrectCorrect

For the elderly, having a pet means For the elderly, having a pet means companionship, getting exercise, and to companionship, getting exercise, and to have protection. – have protection. – Not parallelNot parallel

If the present tense of the verb is If the present tense of the verb is used, all divisions must be in the used, all divisions must be in the present tense.present tense. Elderly people with pets receive Elderly people with pets receive

companionship, get exercise, and companionship, get exercise, and have protection. – have protection. – CorrectCorrect

Elderly people with pets receive Elderly people with pets receive companionship, getting exercise, companionship, getting exercise, and could have protection. – and could have protection. – Not Not parallelparallel

If a noun is used, all divisions If a noun is used, all divisions must be nouns.must be nouns. Having a pet can provide Having a pet can provide

companionship, exercise, and companionship, exercise, and protection for the elderly. – protection for the elderly. – CorrectCorrect

Having a pet can provide Having a pet can provide companionship, exercise, and will companionship, exercise, and will give protection for the elderly. – give protection for the elderly. – Not Not parallelparallel

If “to” is used before verb, must If “to” is used before verb, must have “to” before each division.*have “to” before each division.*

Elderly people often own a pet to receive Elderly people often own a pet to receive companionship, to get exercise, and to have companionship, to get exercise, and to have protection. – protection. – CorrectCorrect

Elderly people often own a pet to receive Elderly people often own a pet to receive companionship, for exercise, and to have companionship, for exercise, and to have protection. – protection. – Not parallelNot parallel

**Once “to” is written before the first verb, it is not Once “to” is written before the first verb, it is not necessary to write each time. “necessary to write each time. “Elderly people often own a Elderly people often own a pet to receive companionship, get exercise, and have pet to receive companionship, get exercise, and have protection” protection” is also correct.is also correct.

If a prepositional phrase is used, If a prepositional phrase is used, all divisions must be prepositional all divisions must be prepositional phrases.*phrases.* Elderly people often own pets for companionship, Elderly people often own pets for companionship,

for exercise, and for protection.- for exercise, and for protection.- CorrectCorrect Elderly people often own pets for companionship, Elderly people often own pets for companionship,

to get exercise, and to have protection. – to get exercise, and to have protection. – Not Not parallelparallel

**If the same preposition is used, it can be used only If the same preposition is used, it can be used only once. once. “Elderly people often own pets for “Elderly people often own pets for companionship, exercise, and protection”companionship, exercise, and protection” is also is also correct.correct.

Ideas in thesis statement must be Ideas in thesis statement must be presented in a logical order.presented in a logical order.

Divisions can be presented:Divisions can be presented:

in increasing order of importance.in increasing order of importance.

In decreasing order of importance In decreasing order of importance

with the 2with the 2ndnd most important point first, the most important point first, the most important point last, and the weaker most important point last, and the weaker points in the middle.points in the middle.

in increasing interest.in increasing interest.

in chronological order.in chronological order.

in sequential progression.in sequential progression.

Divisions can be presented in Divisions can be presented in increasing order of importance.increasing order of importance.

Before buying a car, the buyer needs to Before buying a car, the buyer needs to consider the style, condition, and cost of consider the style, condition, and cost of the vehicle. the vehicle.

Choosing a family pet should be Choosing a family pet should be determined by the family’s availability, the determined by the family’s availability, the family’s interests, and the family’s family’s interests, and the family’s dedication to meeting the animal’s needs. dedication to meeting the animal’s needs.

Divisions can be presented in Divisions can be presented in decreasing order of importance.decreasing order of importance.

When considering human When considering human cloning, we must examine the cloning, we must examine the moral, physical, and economic moral, physical, and economic costs. costs.

Divisions can be presented with the Divisions can be presented with the 22ndnd most important point first, the most most important point first, the most important point last, and the weaker important point last, and the weaker points in the middle.points in the middle.

Cigarette smoking effects a Cigarette smoking effects a person socially, economically, person socially, economically, and physically.and physically.

Divisions can be presented in Divisions can be presented in increasing interest.increasing interest.

As I reflect on my life, I realize As I reflect on my life, I realize that it has been driven by my that it has been driven by my love of books, education, and love of books, education, and family.family.

Divisions can be presented in Divisions can be presented in chronological order.chronological order.

Harriet Tubman’s life can be Harriet Tubman’s life can be examined during her youth, examined during her youth, during the Civil War, and during during the Civil War, and during her senior years. her senior years.

Divisions can be presented in Divisions can be presented in sequential progression.sequential progression.

When cooking a cake, the baker When cooking a cake, the baker must assemble the ingredients, must assemble the ingredients, mix the ingredients in the proper mix the ingredients in the proper order, and bake the cake with order, and bake the cake with care. care.

Take one step

at a time.

Formulas Do Work When Formulas Do Work When Writing!Writing! Choose the topic.Choose the topic. Choose the divisions, or sub-topics.Choose the divisions, or sub-topics. Write a thesis statement in parallel form.Write a thesis statement in parallel form. Follow each division for each paragraph.Follow each division for each paragraph. Earn a higher grade!Earn a higher grade!

Give Credit Where Credit is Give Credit Where Credit is Due:Due: Wingersky, Joy, Jan Boehner and Diana Wingersky, Joy, Jan Boehner and Diana

Holguin-Balogh. Holguin-Balogh. Writing Paragraphs and Writing Paragraphs and Essays 2Essays 2ndnd Ed. Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 1995. Print. Publishing, 1995. Print.

Many of the ideas for this presentation are Many of the ideas for this presentation are based on pages 132 – 152 in the above based on pages 132 – 152 in the above text and the above text is often directly text and the above text is often directly quoted.quoted.