AAE - Thesis Statements (Lesson)

Thesis Statements.

Both essays require thesis statements which should do the following:

Address the prompt. Someone who has never seen the prompt should be able to read your thesis statement and infer what the prompt was.  When you are formulating your thesis statement, be sure to use different words than were used in the prompt—don't just simply restate the prompt.   Make an argument. Someone should be able to make a logical argument against your thesis statement. Preview the body paragraphs in order. Give an overview of what your body paragraphs will cover.  This typically means you CANNOT write your thesis statement until you have determined what you are going to write about and is often why students will put their thesis in the conclusion of the essay. This, however, is also the hallmark of a REALLY good thesis statement.

 

Writing a Thesis.

Once you know how to break down a question and determine the total number of parts, crafting a thesis will be a far easier task. View the information below to find out more about gaining this point.

Your thesis must refer to all parts of the question without restating the question which means you have to do more than simply turn the question into a statement. You will also need to incorporate specific examples or references in order to achieve this point. Often, in order to include all the required elements, a thesis may be more than one sentence. Consider making a thesis paragraph. You should also note that your thesis may appear anywhere in the essay, so it is perfectly acceptable to write it as your conclusion, once you've had time to fully determine what you want to say.

Let's put these ideas into practice. First read the question prompt:

Analyze changing conceptions of French national identity and culture in the period since 1960.

 

Now view the following examples. In each case determine if the student would gain the thesis point.

 

Click here to download and review additional tips on how to create a thesis statement. Links to an external site.

 

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