thesis building worksheet

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Building a Thesis...

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Building A Thesis...From The Ground Up

[Condensed by Angela Jeng, (Student Learning Center, UC Berkeley, 2008)

from the handout "Building a Thesis...From the Ground Up," developed by the UC Berkeley Department of English]

Relates 2nd story thesis to the bigger picture, explains its significance—why it is important—and sets it in a new context. Open out to a wider view. It is the answer you get when you ask of a 2-story thesis, “So what?” A person reading such a thesis thinks, “I see why this argument matters.” However, be careful not to make a bigger claim than you are able to substantiate.

Interprets; gives point of view on; and/or adds controversy to the facts of the first story. It takes a position on the facts which is not obvious, a position that a reasonable person could disagree with. (Arguable) A person reading such a thesis thinks, “That’s an interesting point of view. Now prove it to me.” This does not mean the thesis has to be absurd; rather, it means to take one position out of a number of possible positions.

Describes the topic; gives the facts; makes an observation. Observations are non-controversial, i.e., no reasonable person would disagree with them. A person reading such a thesis thinks, “Yes, this is true.” 

1st story : Conrad uses imagery of light and dark in Heart of Darkness.

2nd story : Conrad uses imagery of light and dark in Heart of Darkness to represent the contrast between civilization and savagery.

3rd story : Conrad uses imagery of light and dark in Heart of Darkness to represent the contrast between civilization and savagery, ultimately suggesting that civilization and savagery are less matters of the state of a culture than the state of an individual’s mind.

[Adapted by Angela Jeng, (Student Learning Center, UC Berkeley, 2008)

from the handout “Thesis Activity (Fairytale Thesis),” developed by Luisa Giulianetti,

Student Learning Center, UC Berkeley, 1998]

• Not a self-evident statement or well-known fact?
• Gives readers an idea of the general direction of my paper and the evidence I will provide?
• A complete sentence, not a fragment?
• Not worded as a question?
• Neither too broad nor too specific?
• Does not contain elements which are extraneous or irrelevant to my paper?
• Avoids phrases like I think and in my opinion, which weaken my argument?
• Gives me something to prove, back up, and develop?

© 2008 UC Regents

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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Thesis Statements Worksheets

Compare And Contrast

The First Paragraph

Statement Vs. Sentence

Brainstorming Process

Interesting Topics

Claim And Points

Breaking It Down

Follow The Steps

Craft The Key Part

Answer The Prompts

Build The Introductory

Step-By-Step Guide

Complete The Organizer

Your Interpretation

Give A Hint

All about these 15 worksheets.

This series of 15 worksheets offers an invaluable resource for students to master the art of creating compelling thesis statements. These meticulously designed worksheets provide step-by-step guidance to help students develop clear, focused, and persuasive thesis statements that form the backbone of their essays and arguments.

The varied writing prompts empower students to become proficient in articulating their main arguments concisely and effectively. Through a series of engaging exercises, students will learn the importance of a strong thesis statement in guiding their writing and influencing readers’ understanding and engagement. Through these worksheets, students will:

• Learn how a well-crafted thesis statement serves as a roadmap, guiding the organization and development of their essays;
• Learn the importance of clarity, specificity, and arguability in constructing effective thesis statements;
• Differentiate thesis statements from topic sentences;
• Refine their ability to express complex ideas in a clear and focused manner;
• And practice incorporating strong thesis statements into their essays, arguments, and persuasive pieces.

This series equips students with the skills necessary to craft compelling and influential thesis statements. By mastering the art of thesis statement writing, they enhance their critical thinking, persuasive writing, and organization skills, setting a strong foundation for their academic and professional endeavors.

Whether used in language arts classrooms, essay writing workshops, or as part of independent study, these Thesis Statements worksheets provide an invaluable resource for students to become proficient in developing clear, focused, and persuasive thesis statements.

How To Write A Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is very important for an essay. It summarizes your point or opinion on the subject in a single line. A thesis statement should be clear, concise, and strong, as all points in the essay will need to relate to it. Without a thesis statement, your essay will fall flat and lack information crucial to hook the reader. The thesis statement is also added at the end of the introduction and is a must-have if you want to persuade your reader.

Brainstorm Your Topic

The first step in writing a thesis statement is brainstorming. This step could vary depending on if the topic was already provided or not and the type of essay. Once the topic has been decided, ask questions, such as:

• Why are you choosing this topic?
• Is there relevant information available on the internet?
• Can you target the topic to a particular audience?

At this point, your topic is just a title and not a statement. The more questions you ask, the more specified and coherent your thesis statement will be.

Take Your Stance

After finalizing the topic, pick your stance on it. What’s your opinion about the topic? Do you oppose the idea or support it? You can provide a tentative answer over here and research to solidify your position on the subject.

Provide Supporting Ideas

Whether you support or oppose the subject, you need to research and mention key points here. Give your reasons with facts and figures about why you support/oppose this subject. It’s best to provide 3 to 4 supporting ideas to persuade the audience.

Include an Opposing Viewpoint

This is not a must-have in every thesis statement, but acknowledging the opposing point of view can significantly impact the statement. Adding counterarguments or issues that people might have with your statement will help both types of readers relate to the topic, thus, widening your reach.

Now that you know how to write a thesis statement, let’s look at the qualities of a good thesis statement and some examples.

Qualities of a Good Thesis Statement

Strong Stance

A good thesis statement includes a strong stance. You need to decide your position on the matter and stick to it throughout the essay. Also, try to be specific with your position and target a particular audience.

Encourages Discussion

Your thesis statement needs to encourage discussions. It can’t be a simple fact everyone knows and can’t disagree with. It should have to support opposing views so readers can change their minds.

One Main Idea

Your thesis statement should be clear and coherent. It needs to display one main idea. Even though there will be many supporting points and reasons throughout the essay, they should all link back to the main statement.

Examples of Good Thesis Statements

“Because many children are unable to vaccinate as a result of illness, all healthy and able children should be vaccinated to start the development of herd immunity.”

Libraries serve as essential resources for various communities. As such, they should have better funding from local municipalities.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

About this worksheet:.

Practice developing thesis statements with this writing introduction worksheet! Students will learn how to improve their writing with a strong, attention grabbing thesis statement. This activity helps build writing skills by asking students to create a statement for the topics provided, such as: “What was the greatest challenge in your life?”.

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Thesis Statement Worksheets

Related ela standard: w.9-10.1.

The thesis statement of a paper is the line that expresses the main objective of the work. They are difficult to nail down for most writers. For a thesis statement to be considered strong, it must be detailed and cover all the aspects of the argument to be made. Writers need to explore the good, the bad, and everything in between. These worksheets will help you become a better thesis statement writer. Just work your way through this awesome collection of writing worksheets to get the most out of it.

Thesis Statement Worksheets:

The Thesis Sentence - Vaccinations, which are critical to the control and eradication of deadly infections diseases, should be mandatory, without exception, for every student in the U.S. who wants to attend school.

Writing Arguments: Blending Fact and Opinion - Choose one of your opinion sentences above to develop into an argumentative essay. This is the key to posing a well developed thesis statement.

Writing Leads. - In order to increase academic performance and curtail disruptive behavior, all U.S. school should require students to wear uniforms.

Let's Get Legal - Research the issues surrounding existing or proposed laws about the topic broadly enough to identify several conflicting viewpoints.

Supporting a Claim - If you are writing to try to convince or persuade others to believe a certain thing or to take some particular action, then you are writing a argumentative or persuasive paragraph.

Writing about Social Issues - If there's one thing you can be certain of, there is never only one side to a social issue. Learn how to propose a thesis in uncertain conditions.

Take a Moral Stand - Research the issues surrounding existing the topic broadly enough to identify several conflicting viewpoints. Think about what you have learned, and then take a position on the topic.

Introducing a Claim - Choose one of the topic areas below. Research the issues surrounding existing the topic broadly enough to identify several conflicting viewpoints.

Writing Arguments that Support Claims - What are you trying to convince the reader of? This provides you with space to walk through this in your mind.

Elective Classes - What elective classes does your school offer? Do you feel your school offers a diverse enough choice of electives?

Position Statements - Should high school students be allowed to date? What age is the best age to begin dating? Why?

Writing Thesis Sentences - A thesis sentence is the main topic sentence of an essay. It states the argument in a piece of persuasive writing, and often gives an indication what the main sections of the essay will be, and how the argument will unfold.

Supporting Claims: The Media - People are constantly debating the current state of the media, which has changed dramatically in the last several decades.

The Editorial - Editorial essays express the author's feelings about a subject. The thesis sentence should be supported with reasons and evidence.

Family Issues: Make a Claim - Many controversial issues are specific to the family. Do you have a strong opinion about any of them?

Using Evidence In Your Thesis Statements

Evidence is a fact, a source or any other data used to support a claim. It can be the data extracted from an experiment or by a research project. Writing an argument that offer a sense of support to your undeniable information is very important. Arguments must be written in a style that helps convince or persuade the reader to accept the writer's statement of facts or point of view rather than making them feel guilty to have an opposite point of view.

Given below are some tips that will help one to write arguments to support evidence:

Posing It Correctly

If we question someone about some topic and their answer addresses a completely different topic, it is natural for us to get irritated. Similarly, arguing about unrelated facts or data will annoy the reader. Before writing the arguments, understand the evidence and be sure to position the way it is presented correctly.

Supporting Your Argument with Valid Reasons

An invalid argument will be of no use therefore, you must support your evidence with the help of proven statics, charts, or other facts and figures along with their references. This will help to make your argument strong and the reader will be convinced to accept your evidence.

Write arguments clearly but concisely. A long section of arguments will irritate the readers and they will decide not to read it at all. Make sure only to add useful information in arguments. Write your arguments to support evidence in easy and simple language and keep your arguments as brief as possible.

Use Expert Opinion

Expert opinions are the factual interpretations of some data or information. Ask for some expert opinion about your evidence and quote it in the arguments section to convince the reader to agree with your evidence.

Imagine Yourself as The Reader

While reading your evidence and arguments, imagine yourself as the reader. Try not to accept your presentation of the facts and disagree with your arguments. Then write the arguments so validly that will convince you as a reader to accept the evidence you have given.

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Building a Powerful Thesis

Rebecca A Hill

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