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A good introduction should do the following:
1.) Identify your topic.
2.) Offer background information on your topic
(explain context of “they say”).
3.) Stress the importance of the topic.
4.) Anticipate the counterargument.
5.) State your main point (thesis).
Objectively explain both sides of the issue before
stating your claim.

2. An effective thesis statement should
1.) Make an argument
• Without an argument, you have no thesis.
• “Technology has made numerous advances since the Middle
Ages”
This is not an argument; who would disagree with you? (Some might
argue that the advances weren’t good for society, but they wouldn’t be
disagreeing with you.)
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• A better thesis would be, “The technological advances since
the Middle Ages, though helpful, have weakened our
society; now, nobody knows how to survive without the
help of a computer.”
Assuming you can back this up with evidence, you have made an
argument—many claim technological advances are helpful, and you
are claiming the opposite. You’ve even offered a reason!
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3. An effective thesis statement should
2.) Be specific.
• “Technological advances seem good but have actually made
society worse” isn’t specific.
•Avoid
vague terms like “seem” and “might.” Also, what advances?
What is worse?
• “Technological advances have improved life but removed
all privacy: cell phones now come standard with friend
locators, so a person can no longer hide; and computers
record personal data that can be retrieved online, leaving
everyone’s information subjected to any person with an
internet connection.”
You have now focused specifically on cell phone locators and identity
on the Internet.
• When constructing a thesis statement, consider the length of your
essay; don’t take on more than you have room to discuss. For a twopage paper, cell phones and computer records might be too much to
discuss in detail; for a ten-page paper, you might need more.
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4. An effective thesis statement should
3.) not ask a question (asking a question prevents you
from making an argument)
• “Drunk driving is a problem, and who is going to do
something about it?”
• “It is unclear if society should blame high schools or
colleges for the increasing number of college dropouts.”
• “Drunk driving is a problem, and the solution is in
the government’s hands: instead of making driving
drunk illegal, which keeps dangerous drivers on the
roads, bars should be forced to take keys and issue
breathalyzers before letting anyone exit to the
parking lot.”
•
This thesis offers a solution instead of merely calling for one.

5. An effective thesis statement should
4.) avoid first-person; not be self-aware
• “This essay will discuss the pros and cons of the new bill.”
• “I think that the new bill will improve the city.”
• “The new bill, which lowers residential taxes, will
not improve the city unless citizens are willing to
volunteer for city beautification projects, which is
unlikely.”
The rest of the essay for this thesis statement will prove why
citizens are unlikely to volunteer and why the bill will affect
beautification.
• Even if your thesis is an opinion (as it often is), state is as a
fact. (Your body paragraphs should offer enough support to
make it appear as a fact.)
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6. An effective thesis statement should
5.) anticipate the counterargument (best place for it in
intro)
•A counterargument offers the other side of the argument
and refutes it. Your thesis should anticipate this body
paragraph.
• A good way to do this is to word your thesis with an
“although” or “though” clause:
“Although the mayor claims the new bill, which lowers
residential taxes, will improve the city, the budget will be
shifted considerably and will leave no money for city
beautification projects.”
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7. An effective thesis statement should
6.) change and shift throughout your drafts
• Your first “working” thesis statement will rarely, if ever,
end up as the thesis statement you use in your final essay.
As you research, your own opinion about the topic might
change, or you might find information that leads you to
different support than you originally planned.
• Never be scared to change your thesis statement.
In fact, your thesis should be the final thing you
proofread/revise before turning in your essay. Remember, your
thesis is arguably the most important sentence in your entire
essay. Proofread/revise it regularly as you draft.
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