The Thesis Statement,A Road Map for Your Essay,What is a thesis statement?,A thesis statement is the main idea of an essay. It is often a point you want to argue or support in an essay. SO The thesis statement explains to a reader the main idea of the essay, and the writers opinion on that idea.,A thesis statement is usually one sentence. It is often placed in the introductory paragraph of an essay. A thesis statement is a claim that could be argued. The essay will contain evidence and opinions that support the argument.,Thesis statements avoid the following:,the first person (I believe, In my opinion, etc.) unclear language (It seems, etc.) attempting two topics at once (even if they seem related). Pick one and stick with it. just stating a fact - A thesis is something you plan to make an argument about.,A thesis statement should,contain a topic (main idea of what you are writing about) contain an opinion about the topic (what your attitude is toward the topic),A thesis statement should not be too broad.,Too Broad The world is a magnificent place to live. Better Good teachers make Southwestern Randolph High School a fantastic school.,Which sentence is too broad to be a good thesis statement?,The wide range of places to hunt makes Asheboro a great place to live. Asheboro is a great place to live.,Too Broad,Asheboro is a great place to live.,A thesis statement should not be too wordy.,Wordy Some problems with Southwestern Randolph High School is that it needs a larger stadium, an air conditioned gym, a larger theater, more classroom space, more access to technology, and a number of other physical changes to the building. Better Southwestern Randolph High School needs several changes to its facility to make it a better school.,A thesis statement should not be too general.,Too general Southwestern Randolph High School is a good school. Better Daily writing practice has led to improved writing skills for the students at Southwestern Randolph High School.,Which sentence is too general to be a good thesis statement?,A. Music makes people happy. B. Music therapy is useful in relieving stress and other conditions.,Too general,Music makes people happy.,A thesis statement should not be a title.,A title Cost of Living Better The cost of living in Asheboro is lower than in most other cities in the United States.,Which sentence would not be a good thesis statement because it is a title?,A. Good teaching has led to an increase in AP scores at Southwestern Randolph High School. B. Rising AP Scores at Southwestern Randolph High School,A Title,Rising AP Scores at Southwestern Randolph High School,A thesis statement should not be a a fact.,A fact The average temperature for Asheboro in winter is 34 and in summer is 75 degrees. Better The climate in Asheboro is ideal for outdoor sports.,Which sentence would not be a good thesis statement because it is a fact?,A. The recycling of one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours. B. Recycling is one of the most important jobs a person can do to protect our environment.,A Fact,The recycling of one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours.,More Practice,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,Although most people believe otherwise, bats are harmless and highly beneficial.,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,In this essay I will discuss the crime rate in Asheboro.,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,Energetic exercise is a good way to help relieve stress.,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,Asheboro and Boone differ in many ways.,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,This paper will consider the advantages and disadvantages of students having nightly homework.,Directions: 1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement. 2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.,Hate speech should be eliminated for many reasons.,Take out a piece of notebook paper and number from 1 to 10. In each of the following slides tell whether the sentence is a good or bad thesis statement.,Good or Bad,Many people do not like to watch violent horror movies. Todays movies do not have the emotional impact of the classic horror movies of the 1940s.,Good or Bad,Rap music is the best music ever. Although many people find rap music offensive, it has had a po