Different Ways to Approach Writing a Thesis Statement

1. Different Ways to Approach Writing a Thesis Statement Kristen Rood and Katie Anderson

2. 1st Method • Turning Statements of Purpose into Thesis Statements • A sentence that states what you want to learn about for your research project • Ex: I want to know how coffee affects the body.

3. 5 tips on writing a thesis statement • Be specific • Take a firm position • Be relevant • Be contestable • Invite analysis

4. Thesis statement example 1 • Thesis statement: Coffee has many beneficial antioxidants and can act as a stimulant but too much can leave you jittery and upset your digestive system. • Next: Set out to prove these statements with facts: Why does too much coffee make you jittery? How are antioxidants important for the body? Etc.

5. Thesis statement example 2 • A good thesis statements answers questions. It does not just make a statement but tells the reader how and why. • This encourages the reader to continue reading • Example of a statement that can be improved with questions: The lifestyle of a teenager in the middle ages was very different from the lifestyles of modern American teenagers. • How was it different and why? • Thesis should answer these questions.

6. Try on your own! • 2 minutes: come up with a statement of purpose • 5 minutes: write a thesis statement