Link here for the Google Slide version that is often updated: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lfwqsbgxQ-6TDkiheTGGExNbOetYKg5MbmHuufXflpE/edit?usp=sharing
This is an updated version of my former thesis statement slideshow. It shows students how to begin developing a thesis statement and what to consider along the way.
2. Role
The purpose and role of the thesis statement is to inform the
reader of the content that you will be presenting in your paper.
The thesis statement encompasses every concept but does not
go into any detail. The detail will begin to be drawn out in the
outline and even further in the paper. Each step is an expansion
of the other.
Where the thesis statement is general, the outline and paper
become more specific. Where the thesis statement is abstract,
the outline and paper become more concrete.
You get the idea, but with zero elaboration.
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4. Jotting Down Keywords
×Take a piece of scrap paper and jot down
everything that is exciting (or interesting) about
your topic.
×You may also choose to “draw your topic”. This
imagery can help you to develop connections.
5. Don’t just write items that you think that you should
write about, write items that interest you.
By tapping into that passion, you will ultimately write a
more interesting paper (for yourself and for others).
Did you know that, when you write a paper, you do not
have to write everything there is to know about your
topic?
Ask others what they find interesting…
Think about what might be controversial…
The more specific/detailed you can be, the more help
you are giving yourself in narrowing your topic.
Jot it all down.
I don’t
worry
about
spelling
correctly at
this point
6. Keep your word jot
You will use it
later when
constructing your
outline!
Keep your word jot
You will use it
later when
constructing your
outline!
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7. Now Categorize
You will take your words (or pictures) and place
them into categories.
Eliminate any you may want to cut
As you work, provide each category a
name/heading
8. I take each word and
place them together if
I feel that they fit
together.
If I feel that they
don’t, they go into a
new category.
I, then, label the
categories with
appropriate headings.
9. Are you seeing a
category you
love?
× Maybe one category is really built up
× Maybe one category speaks more to you
If so, consider whether you want to make
the category your entire focus and eliminate
your other categories.
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10. Next, I combine (or
consolidate) categories
that I feel fit together.
I may eliminate a weak
category (or one that I
find least interesting).
Ideally, I want three
categories.
11. Big concept
These headings will likely become your
main points of the paper.
The elements below the headings will
likely become the sub-points within your
outline. This is why you will want to keep
your work to refer to later.
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12. It’s time to start
drafting
You now choose whether you are writing an enumerative thesis
statement or an umbrella thesis statement.
You may want to start with an enumerative (formulaic) for your first
draft and try umbrella for some later drafts
The following slides will help you develop either type.
13. Build Thesis Statement (enumerative style)
Try to string your categories into a formula for an
enumerative thesis statement.
(Insert statement) because of Point A, Point B, and Point C
14. Enumerative: Arrangement
• The arrangement within the enumerative thesis statement will be your
roadmap to your paper. You are committing to talk about point A first, B
second, and C last. Be sure this is the order that you want to replicate in
your paper.
• Consider that as you place your main supports into an order. It’s often
smart to open strong and end powerfully. However, you may find that
there is a natural sequence that is already apparent to you.
15. Consider your
requirements
Counterclaim
You may be
required to add a
counterclaim
into your thesis
statement.
Audience
You may need to
appeal to an
audience in your
thesis statement.
Reference to a
literary work
If you must
compare your
topic to a literary
work, you may
need to mention
that work within
your thesis
statement.
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16. 16
Consider your
purpose
Persuasive
Will you be
persuading your
audience to agree
with your
viewpoint?
Analytical
Do you want your
audience to deeply
consider a
concept?
Informative
Is your purpose
solely to inform?
Also known as
expository or
explanatory
Narrative
Is this less
research and more
a personal essay?
17. 1.
Sentence
1.
Sentence
The “one sentence rule” can
usually be solved with a
semicolon
Your thesis
statement
must be one
sentence in
length.
If you already
wrote a
paragraph,
don’t trash it.
Save it for
your
introduction
18. Add an
assertion
You must directly state
something within a thesis
statement, don’t just string
together your main points
without making a main claim.
You may want to start by
making a claim first as you
draft.
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19. Enumerative Example
…first (and not best) draft
Artistic forms of protest have been present throughout history;
they have come in various forms, they have been infused with
literary devices, and served the purpose to create change.
20. Build Thesis Statement
(umbrella style)
• While not as formulaic as the enumerative, the umbrella style can display that you have
developed into a more sophisticated writer.
• Umbrella thesis statements still must capture the concepts for your entire paper into one or
two sentences but it does not serve as a roadmap for the paper/commit to the arrangement of
information, as an enumerative would.
• Have no fear! A good outline will still serve to help you to arrange your paper into a well
organized piece of writing. While your outline must be long enough to yield the size paper that
you will write, the coverage of each topic within the outline does not have to be exactly equal.
On the flip side, there must be enough supportive material within each main topic in the
outline to have “weight.”
21. Umbrella Example
…first (and not best) draft
Protests have been fueled and ignited as a result of many forms of
expression which have often been infused with symbolism and
other devices with the intent to serve as a catalyst for change.
22. While not in enumerative formula, you can usually dissect an umbrella thesis statement into categories
representing the main ideas. It is just not as evident as the enumerative thesis statement makes it.
Remember: place the subtopics in the order that you want to arrange them in your paper.
Check whether you can identify three unique thesis points. If you have two subtopics that are too
similar, you will become frustrated while you are writing because it won’t be clear in which section to
place and discuss information. Your audience may feel that they are hearing redundant information.
Point B (symbolism and devices)
Point C (catalyst for change)
Point A (many forms of expression)
23. Each subtopic must be researchable.
Ask yourself, “Will I easily locate
information on each of these subtopics?”
Each subtopic should utilize the
sophisticated language that is most
often used in books or published articles.
Be watchful of subtopics that are likely to produce lists! In your
paper, you should not discuss every artistic form; your teacher does
not want to read a list. For any section that could easily turn into a
list, pick about three compelling examples to write about to illustrate
your point instead of turning this portion of your research paper into
a list.
24. 1.To ensure that
they are
“researchable”
You don’t want a
main point that you
cannot find
information to
support.
Search those
keywords!
2.To improve your resources that you
have gathered.
You are likely to find resources that
specifically address your topic
through more specific keyword
searches.
Save those resources where you have
saved the others that you have found.
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25. Now, take each word and write down some
feelings, beliefs, or assumptions connected to
the words.
I wanted you to get your ideas organized with
the first draft of your thesis statement, but this
exercise will now help you infuse feeling into
your writing. Use some of these words to
connect to your reader.
• Why do people care about each topic?
• How might people have felt?
• What emotions are stirred as a result of this
topic?
• Is there a specific group of people whose
lives are impacted by this topic?
26. Finally, consider whether you would like to make a statement on the progress of your
topic.
• Has great progression occurred?
• Has limited progress taken place?
• Has a serious setback occurred?
• What do you forecast for this topic?
You may want to determine if you want to include an indication of progress within
your thesis statement. This may serve as a nice start or finish for your thesis
statement.
27. Draft Process
Now it’s time to create a few drafts.
• You might want to compare and decide what you like about
each draft and what you dislike. Attempt to pull the best of
each together!
• As I added feeling and emotion into my writing, I lost the
conciseness of my first draft. This is common, try to make it
concise again without losing emotion.
31. First draft:
Artistic forms of protest have been present throughout history; they have come in various forms, they
have been infused with literary devices, and served the purpose to create change.
Second draft:
Artistic forms of protest have often been companions to oppression; the mediums have included art,
music, and literature, each form has been infused with symbolism and other devices, and all products
have served the intent to force change.
Third (and possibly not final) draft:
As companions to oppression, artistic forms of protest have been present throughout history; whether
art, music, or literature, each medium has been infused with symbolism and other devices, serving the
creator’s intent to empower others and inspire change.
33. First draft:
Protests have been fueled and ignited as a result of many forms of expression which have often been
infused with symbolism and other devices with the intent to serve as a catalyst for change.
Second draft:
Throughout history, brave people have responded to human oppression by creating various forms of
expression that they have infused with soulful, stirring elements which ultimately served as catalysts to
empower others and fuel protest.
Third draft:
Throughout history, brave people have fueled protests through artistic mediums; infused with soulful
and stirring elements, these works have been created with the intent to empower others, force change,
and end oppression.
34. Here is an example about how you can STILL edit your drafts:
Play around with different wording and then compare, again!
Get feedback from others on your favorite drafts to help you select your final draft.
Your drafted thesis statements should get better and better the more you work and analyze them.
Option #1
Throughout history, brave people have fueled protests through artistic mediums; infused with soulful and
stirring elements, these works have been created with the intent to empower others, force change, and end
oppression.
Option #2
During times when humans have suffered oppression and have been stripped of basic human rights, there
have also been witnesses to this suffering who have bravely harnessed and created various expressive
mediums, ultimately using them to empower others to force societal change.
35. Save two!
Favorite
Goes into the end
of your
introduction. It
may need to be
underlined for your
instructor (check
if they have that
requirement)
Second Favorite
Goes into your
conclusion as your
reworded thesis
statement. It may
also need to be
underlined.
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A rule with thesis statements is that they can change and evolve as your research
progresses. If you change one, remember to change the other!!!
Do they
both
address
the
same
main
points?
Make
sure
they do!
36. 36
Good luck!
As with any writing, you may not have (or want to take) the
time to develop your thesis statement into something really
strong, but if you do, it will greatly pay off.
You may even surprise yourself at how well you can write as
you go through a few edits. You may not have ever known
that you had the capacity to become a sophisticated writer
(…but you DO!)
Your thesis statement can change as you conduct your
research. That is typically fine with your instructor (as long
as you communicate well with them).
38. Umbrella
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Many writers think of a thesis statement as an umbrella:
Everything that you carry along in your essay has to fit
under this umbrella, and if you try to take on packages
that don't fit, you will either have to get a bigger
umbrella or something's going to get wet.
From: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/thesis.htm
42. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made
and released these awesome resources for
free:
× Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
× Photographs by Unsplash and The
Gender Spectrum Collection
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