Guidelines for Paper Presentation English V PPB

Chapter 3: Thesis Statements

REVIEW
What is a definition of T!PIC" #
Decide on a class definition that all agree on eg
A topic is the main idea that is to be researched and written about
BUT it is not as simple as that because choosing a topic is not easy.
Students should understand the following pointers to choosing a topic.
A topic should be:
of interest to the student, or they will find it difficult to search out information
and write about it.
of interest to a reader it should be something new and stimulating, not the
common things that are written and talked about far too much.
able to be researched and adeuately written about in the time a!ailable.
Students should not choose a topic for which they will ha!e difficulty finding
information.
"he criteria shown in the #uidelines $pp % and &' are worth ha!ing another
look at.

(nless students ha!e a completely new or different way of looking at hackneyed

topics such as teenage problems, drugs, pollution, the effects of ") on children,
*u!enile delinuency they should not attempt them.
Student $%ti&it' (
#roups of three
+ach talks about the topic they ha!e chosen since completing ,hapter -, and the way
they intend to research and write about it.
IS )!*R T!PIC P!SSIB+E#
.ot too big to research/
.ot too recent or too locali0ed/
Sources of information easily a!ailable/
,an be completed in the timeline/
1hat is the research uestion you are going to answer in your paper/
2f .3" choose a different topic, or a smaller area of the broader topic to reduce
the scope of the research. Dont set out to write an encyclopedia444
+e%turer"s ,ote:
3ne of the first problems students usually face is reducing the research proposal to a
scope and si0e that is manageable. "hey should consider a number of possibilities and
discuss them with friends and the lecturer before making a final decision.
"he second big problem is 563,6AS"2.A"23. $continually not starting work'
students think they ha!e plenty of time to complete the paper because it isnt due until
late in the semester. 5rogress reports should be considered compulsory. "hese can
take the form of a weekly written paragraph or oral report to the lecturer.
T-ESIS ST$TE.E,T
What is it?
2t is a single sentence that tells the reader what the research and writing will focus on.
Why have one?
Deciding on a thesis statement makes you focus on what you are actually going
to do, and how much work you will need to do to complete it.
2t forces you to re!iew the idea and reduce it to something that can be managed
in the time a!ailable.
2t focuses the readers attention on what you are going to write about.
How do you write one?
"he easiest way of writing one is to look at the topic and turn it into a uestion.
7or e8ample: 9our topic is #o!ernment and the way 5arliament operates. A
uestion could be :1hat is the process 5arliament goes through in making laws
to go!ern the country/; "hat might lead you to consider the suitability of the
peoples representati!es in 5arliament who ha!e to make such important
decisions and that may lead you to uestion what ualifications do these
peoples representati!es ha!e. 9our research uestion might now become,
:1hat are the minimum ualifications reuired before a person may be elected to
a seat in the .ational 5arliament/; "his is then made into a thesis statement of a
point of !iew that can be researched and defended.
Where do you write it?
2t is included in the introduction to your research paper where you e8plain /hat
you ha!e researched and ho/ you went about it.
2t is usually the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. 2t sums up in one
senten%e what your main idea is. 2n effect, it summari0es the argument you are
presenting to con!ince your reader of your point of !iew.
Do you have to write it before you start your research?
9+S < because you then ha!e an idea of what you are actually planning to do. 2t
gets your brain into planning mode.
=(" > you can re<write the thesis statement whene!er and as often as you choose
so that you can refine it to reflect e8actly what you are writing about.
2t freuently happens that research re!eals ideas that were not e8pected, so the
thesis statement has to be modified to suit the line of argument.
What is an example of a thesis statement?
A BAD one: Dri!er training is necessary before people are entitled to a dri!ers license.
1hy is it bad/ 2t is *ust a statement of a personal opinion. 2t is !ague and unclear about
what e8actly is to be in!estigated. 2t does not define the research focus.
A BETTER one: Dri!ers who ha!e completed a practical dri!er training course are better
ualified to recei!e a dri!ers license.
1hy is it better/ 2t makes a !ery definite statement that can be in!estigated through
research, and probably be pro!en. 2t limits the writer to researching aspects of dri!er
training and how the skills learned may make the learner dri!er more worthy of being
granted a license.
A reasonable "hesis Statement for the #o!ernment topic mentioned
in paragraph How do you write one? might be > So that the .ational
#o!ernment will make *ust laws and regulations, the peoples
representati!es should ha!e certain minimum ualifications.
"he researcher would then probably in!estigate four aspects:
?. 1hat e8actly is a *ust law@regulation/
-. 1hat rules are there already about the ualifications of
representati!es/
A. 1hat ualifications do the current representati!es ha!e/
B. 1hat does a sample of the population think should be the minimum
ualifications before a person may be elected to 5arliament/
Student $%ti&it' 0
2nstruct students to discuss and impro!e a thesis statement > small groups.
Logging the worlds rainforests leads to environmental disasters
1hy is this bad/
$too broadC looking at all the worlds rainforests > should be restricted in geographic
senseC the term en!ironmental disasters is !ague > it needs to be clarified'
1hat would be an impro!ement/
The removal of mu!h of "alimantans forest reserves over the last
#$ years has !aused severe soil erosion
1hy is it better/
$it has limited the geographic area to a more specific placeC the en!ironmental
aspect will only in!estigate soil erosionC the topic can be more easily researched
and !erified'
1ollo/2up $%ti&it'
Discuss students deliberations
1hite<board the !arious better suggestions.
Dake a class decision on which is most suitable in terms of possible research.
Student $%ti&it' 3
- groups
group ?< the dri!er training thesis statement
group -< the logging of trees thesis statement
#roups %rainstorm and list what information needs to be found to support the
thesis statement they ha!e been gi!en, and where this information can be found.
6eport back to whole class.
5ossible sources of information: Eibrary books
Eibrary database of *ournal articles
#o!ernment reports
.ewspaper articles
"empo
2nter!iews with people who ha!e such knowledge
Impro&ing the Thesis Statement
2t is considered more academic if a thesis statement has an e8tra dimension. 2t indicates
that the writer has gi!en some earlier thought to the topic. 2n particular, recognising that
there may be alternati!e points of !iew shows that the writer has considered all angles on
the topic.
?. 6eason: Be%ause dri!er training leads to better dri!ing ability, it should be
considered essential before new dri!ers are issued with a license.
If dri!ers had to undergo a course in dri!er training, they would be
more ualified to recei!e a dri!ers license.
-. Acknowledge alternati!e points of !iew:
$lthough people may disagree with the decision, no dri!ers licenses
should be issued until all new dri!ers ha!e ualified from a dri!er training
program.
While it may be an unpopular inno!ation, all new dri!ers must pass a
dri!er training program before they are issued with a dri!ers license.