1. Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

2. Tip #1Determine what kind of paper you are writing

3. An analytical paper: • Breaks down an issue or an idea into parts • Evaluates the issue or idea • Presents the breakdown and evaluation to the audience

4. An expository paper: • Explains something to the audience

5. An argumentative paper: • Makes a claim about a topic • Justifies this claim with specific evidence • Claim could be an opinion, a proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation • Convinces audience that the claim is true based on evidence provided

6. Tip #2Your thesis statement mustbe specific

7. In your thesis statement, cover only what you will discuss in your paper

8. Support your thesis with specific evidence

9. Tip #3The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraphof the paper

10. Tip #4Your topic may change as you write so you may need to revise your thesis to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your paper

11. Sample analytical thesis statement: • An analysis of the university admission process reveals one challenge facing counsellors: accepting students with high test scores or students with strong extracurricular backgrounds • This paper should: • Analyze university admission process • Explain challenge facing admissions counsellors

12. Sample expository thesis statement: • The life of the typical university student is characterized by time spent studying, attending class and socializing with peers. • This paper should: • Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class and socializing with peers

13. Sample argumentative thesis statement: • High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering university in order to increase their maturity, focus and global awareness. • This paper should: • Present an argument and • Give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering university

14. FORMULA FOR THESIS STATEMENTS: S (subject) LINK 1,2,3...(main points) (a link can be word(s) or phrase that join the subject to the main ideas being presented) • High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projectsbefore entering university in order to increase their maturity, focus and global awareness.

15. REVIEW Tip #1: Determine what kind of paper you are writing Tip #2: Your thesis statement should be specific

16. REVIEW Tip #3: Thesis appears at the end of the first paragraph of your paper Tip #4: Your topic may change; revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you discuss in your paper