Homework 10

Moving from Subject to Thesis Statement
Terminology
 Subject area: A large category where your topic is located

 Ex. Subject = Civil liberties
 Topic: The definitive issue the paper deals with
 Ex. Topic = 1960’s Civil Rights Movement
 Thesis: An assertion of the topic
 Ex. Without Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s would
have been unsuccessful.
Subject to Topic
 ♠ Avoid broad topics
 Topic too large for specific thesis statement
 Subject = Women, Topic = Women in history
 Avoid topics that are not arguable
 Subject = Toni Morrison, Topic = Biography
 Avoid topics that are too complex for your background
 Subject = Linguistics, Topic = OE Northumbrian dialects
 Side Note About Topics: Most students find they lack paper/word length because they have failed to
focus their research. Most students find it easy to become the “expert” when they narrow a topic so it is
manageable
What is a thesis statement?

 It is the central message of the essay
 It’s the essay’s main idea
 States the essay’s topic
 It prepares the readers
 States the essay’s purpose
 Indicates the focus
A good thesis statement includes:

 Subject that two people would disagree
 Corresponds clearly with the assignment
 Expresses one main idea
 Asserts your conclusions about the subject
Formulating a thesis statement:

 Step 1: What do you notice?
 Step 2: What 3 details are the most interesting?
 Step 3: Why are they the 3 most interesting details?
Having Trouble?
 Turn your topic into a question (or multiple questions).
 The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.
 Ex. Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?”
 A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . . .”
OR
 A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . . “
Test Your Question

 Determine as many questions as possible
 No question is too broad or narrow in the early stages
 Treat each question as a “possibility”
 Test each question with these others:
 Is the question or answer plausible enough to be made convincing?
 Is the question sufficiently challenging?
 Is the question within your reach, given the limitations on time, your access to pertinent
information, and the length of the assignment?
 Do not forget Who, What, When, Where, and Why if you are stuck
An example: Start to Finish Subject and Topics

 Subject: College Education
 Topics: upward mobility, first-generation, consumerism, price of books, tuition costs, overall college
costs, availability of financial aid, technology, preparedness
 Choose preparedness
Questions and Answers
 Does high school adequately prepare students for college?
 Answer: No, high school does not adequately prepare students for college.
 What do students need to be prepared for college?
 Answer: High school students need to be made aware of the demands required to receive a college
education.
 What consequences result from under prepared students?
 Answer: Under prepared college students usually do not succeed in college, some even fail out.
Thesis statements:
 High schools fail to prepare students for entrance into college, therefore, colleges should offer
more remedial courses.
 The lack of prepared freshman entering American universities indicates a need for high school
teachers and counselors to reiterate the rigors of college curricula.
 High schools fail to prepare students for entrance into college, therefore, many students fail to
finish.
All together now....
 Q: Does high school adequately prepare students for college?
 A: No, high school does not adequately prepare students for college.
 T: High schools fail to prepare students for entrance into college; therefore, colleges should offer
more remedial courses.
 Q: What do students need to be prepared for college?
 A: High school students need to be made aware of the demands required to receive a college
education.
 T: The lack of prepared freshman entering American universities indicates a need for high
school teachers and counselors to reiterate the rigors of college curricula.
 Q: What consequences result from under prepared students?
 A: Under prepared college students usually do not succeed in college, some even fail out.
 T: High schools fail to prepare students for entrance into college, therefore, many students fail to
finish.
 A strong thesis takes some sort of stand.
 A strong thesis justifies discussion.
 A strong thesis expresses one main idea.
 A strong thesis is specific.
 Ex. Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is
rarely profitable.
Now you try it:
Subject: Resilience
Topic: Resilient benefits of resilience
Question #1: What are the benefits of developing a resilient mindset?
Answer #1: Resilience helps individuals have a positive perspective of life.
Thesis #1: Resilience benefits individuals by viewing life through a positive aspect regardless of adversities
they might be phasing.
Question #2: How can people develop a resilient lifestyle?
Answer #2: People can develop a resilient lifestyle by learning from their mistakes.
Thesis #2: People can develop a resilient lifestyle through the learning of their mistakes, or failures, and
avoiding committing these same mistakes throughout their lives.
Question #3: Why are some people resilient and others are not?
Answer #3: Some people can develop a resilient lifestyle through genes, and others can develop resilience on
their own. Other people inherit genes to those opposed to resilience, which are the people who like to play the
‘victim’ role.
Thesis #3: While some people receive a portion of their resiliency through genes, or by developing that resilient
lifestyle on their own, others are born with a more vulnerable personality which affects their resiliency levels.
Question #4: Can every person become resilient?
Answer #4: Yes, every person can become resilient, although it may be more difficult for some than others.
Thesis #4 Although it can be difficult to develop a resilient lifestyle, every individual can achieve this healthy
mindset through deep perspective and with practice of awareness.
Which thesis statement is the one that you will use for this essay?
Although I am not sure yet, from these options I would more likely choose the statement of how people can
develop a resilient lifestyle.
Now, identify the five reasons you have for making the thesis statement. Remember above when it asked you to
find the three most interesting details?? That should lead you to the focus for each paragraph and to your topic
sentences. Take the five reasons you have for making the thesis statement that you did and turn them into topic
sentences.
Topic sentence #1: Through deep perspective and realization of previous mistakes, individuals can become
resilient by avoiding committing the same mistakes.
Topic sentence #2: People learn through their mistakes and their life’s failures and that is what makes them
grow as a person.
Topic sentence #3: Failure is necessary to reach success and progress in life, from low moments in one’s life, to
those moments that are filled with delight.
Topic sentence #4: People who do not learn from their mistakes are the ones more likely to fail again and
become vulnerable of life’s challenges.
Topic sentence #5: When people fail, they know which steps do take differently and which steps to avoid.

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Moving from Subject to Thesis Statement

 Subject area: A large category where your topic is located

What is a thesis statement?

A good thesis statement includes:

Formulating a thesis statement:

Test Your Question

An example: Start to Finish Subject and Topics

Topic: Resilient benefits of resilience

Question #1: What are the benefits of developing a resilient mindset?

Answer #1: Resilience helps individuals have a positive perspective of life.

Question #2: How can people develop a resilient lifestyle?

Question #4: Can every person become resilient?

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