What’s all this “Thesis” stuff?

it is the key, everything from writing an interesting essay to getting a good score flows from the thesis statement

What is a thesis?

• First, last and forever, First, last and forever,

• … … a thesis answers the question! It a thesis answers the question! It responds to the prompt.responds to the prompt.

Again, it must answer the question Again, it must answer the question (prompt), all parts of the question. If (prompt), all parts of the question. If there are three parts to the prompt, there are three parts to the prompt, there must be three corresponding there must be three corresponding parts to the thesis. parts to the thesis.

What is a thesis?

Is an argument, a position that you are Is an argument, a position that you are taking. taking.

It must be explicit, obvious and in your It must be explicit, obvious and in your reader’s face. reader’s face.

This is no place for subtlety!This is no place for subtlety!

What is a thesis?

It must be focused on the evidence, It must be focused on the evidence,

either the prior knowledge you are either the prior knowledge you are bringing to the essay bringing to the essay

or the documents offered, if any or the documents offered, if any

or both.or both.

What is a thesis?

Must be persuasive and positive.Must be persuasive and positive.

Be able to stand alone without the Be able to stand alone without the reader having seen the promptreader having seen the prompt

What is a thesis?

Is a statement with which your Is a statement with which your reader reader mightmight disagree disagree or agreeor agree..

Rampolla, Mary Lynn

What is a thesis?

• If…If…

• Your thesis statement does no more Your thesis statement does no more than restate the prompt, then…than restate the prompt, then…

• It is NOT a thesis .It is NOT a thesis .

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• Sucky Thesis:– The lives of the Plains Indians in the second

half of the nineteenth century were affected by the technological developments and government actions.

Duh!!

Rampolla, Mary Lynn

What is a thesis?

• If…If…

• Your thesis statement poses a Your thesis statement poses a question without proposing an question without proposing an answer, then…answer, then…

• It is NOT a thesis .It is NOT a thesis .

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• Sucky Thesis:– If it weren’t for technological developments

and government actions in the late nineteenth century, the results would have been completely different.

So what?!?

Rampolla, Mary Lynn

What is a thesis?

• If…If…

• Your thesis statement merely Your thesis statement merely articulates a fact or a series of facts, articulates a fact or a series of facts, then…then…

• It is NOT a thesis .It is NOT a thesis .

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• Sucky Thesis:– Plains Indians had a rough time after the

1875 Battle of Little Big Horn when they lost to General Custer, who was also a general in the Civil War.

Sucks!

Rampolla, Mary Lynn

What is a thesis?

• If…If…

• Your thesis statement simply reflects Your thesis statement simply reflects a personal belief or preference, a personal belief or preference, then…then…

• It is NOT a thesis .It is NOT a thesis .

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• Sucky Thesis:– Plains Indians got screwed by a racist,

American government that still implements policies that hurt people like my family.

TMI!

Rompolla, Mary Lynn

What is a thesis?

• If…If…

• Your thesis statement proposes Your thesis statement proposes an an answer to a questionanswer to a question you have you have posed as a result of your reading AND posed as a result of your reading AND asserts a conclusionasserts a conclusion with which a with which a reader might disagree, and which can reader might disagree, and which can be supported by evidence, then…be supported by evidence, then…

• It is a effective thesis. YAY!It is a effective thesis. YAY!

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• Amazing Thesis:– Although their demise may have been

inevitable, the Plains Indians, from the Civil War forward, suffered a significant decline in population because of technology, such as the Gatling Gun, and governmental actions, such as the Reservation System.

Bravo!

–Although their demise may have been inevitable, the Plains Indians, from the Civil War forward, suffered a significant decline in population because of technology, such as the Gatling Gun, and governmental actions, such as the Reservation System.

• Prompt: How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions

• More general attack…

–Although their demise may have been inevitable, the Plains Indians, from the Civil War forward, suffered a significant decline in population because of technology, such as the improvement of firearms, and the governmental actions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

So now you have a prompt…

• What’s first?–Read the Question

• What’s second?–Read the Question

• So what comes after that?–Read the Question

Now, what next?

• Ask, do I understand the prompt?–If I do…I write it down!! And go to the

next step.

–If I don’t, what parts of the question do I understand.

And then…

• CIRCLE/ HIGHLIGHT THE VERB!!!–Decode that verb

–What is it asking me to do?

–What should my essay look like?

Uhu…and now?

• Find the important key words and terms–For example:

• What strategy would you use to track the consequences of certain historical events?

• What is the key words???–CONSEQUENCES!!!

• What is the right answer?–Cause and Effect

OK, so lets do a quick thesis…• Get out a blank sheet of paper and write your

name at the top…

• Don’t talk or moan when you read the prompt…

• HSPVA utilizes a “happening” program for its students. Discuss this program and its impact on PVA students.

• Use the Brainstorming/ Word Vomit technique to prewrite for five minutes. Go!

OK, let’s do another thesis…

• Currently, Texas residents must be 16 years of age to drive legally. Analyze this policy.

• Use the Looping technique to prewrite for five minutes. Go!

Alright….ONE more…

• The Houston ISD School Board has established that male students are not allowed to wear earrings during the school day. Argue a position regarding this policy.

• Use the Webbing technique to prewrite for five minutes. Go!

• The Houston Independent School District has a policy against electronic devices, including MP3 players and iPods on school property. Evaluate this policy from the perspective of students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

• The banning of electronic devices is a ludicrous idea which should be changed because it aggravates students and parents and wastes the time of teachers and administrators who should be focused on children’s learning not the enforcement of irrelevant policies.

• The Houiston ISD policy prohibiting electronic devices on campus is an educated and necessary decision on behalf of the parents, teachers, and administrators because it keeps the students from being distracted.

• The use of electronic devices can be helpful in a student’s education in that listening to music can help some students focus, despite the somewhat biased opinions of parents, teachers, and administrators.

• Houston ISD’s policy states that no electronic devices should be brought on campus because parents, teachers, and administrators believe these cause distractions.

• From a student’s stand point, these items allow students to concentrate in classes and this policy takes away from their learning.

• While parents, teachers, and administrators believe electronic devices cause distractions, from a student’s stand point, these items allow students to concentrate in classes and this policy takes away from their learning.

• Houston ISD’s policy on electronic devices is good (effective, appropriate, beneficial, understandable) because it keeps students from being distracted, and it relieves parents, teachers, and administrators from unrelated school problems.