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Mr. Zibel - Freshmen Research Paper Periods 3-4, 6-7: Thesis

Check for understanding

My thesis statement...

__ is strong and defined

__ is debatable

__ contains an action verb

What is a Thesis Statement?

Once you have finished taking notes and organizing them, you are ready to finalize your thesis statement.  A thesis statement is a sentence or two that summarizes your main ideas, and will direct the entire paper.  The thesis should be the last sentence in your introductory paragraph.  All of your writing should relate back to your thesis.   

Make sure it is strong and defined.  Don't choose a topic that is so obvious that everyone knows it's true already like: "Shakespeare is a famous writer." 

Example: "The political experience of Shakespeare's father, his life in both the lower and upper classes, and the lack of a formal college education influenced Shakespeare's writing."

How Do I Write a Thesis Statement?

Your thesis statement is your answer to your essential question.  Turn your question into a sentence!  Try using “action” verbs such as altered, produced, shaped, transformed, affected, influenced, created, or changed. Or try thinking of your topic with these phrases: “is important because,” “is different from.”

Example:
How did Shakespeare's childhood influence his writing?

Example: "The political experience of Shakespeare's father, his life in both the lower and upper classes, and the lack of a formal college education influenced Shakespeare's writing."

Subject - Verb

One way to think of the thesis statement is to think of your topic as the subject, and then your opinion as the verb.

This site may provide you with more help if you're stuck.