LESSON 4

GOAL:

• State the thesis statement of an academic

text
•Effective reading and writing involve
critical analysis and a deeper
understanding of the topic.

•It is very crucial to know various

techniques and styles in developing
reading and writing.
Here are the terms you will come
across as you go through this lesson:
•Thesis statement is a single sentence,
preferably a simple declarative sentence, that
expresses the basic idea around which the
paper will develop. (Webster University It
states the purpose and main idea of your essay
to your audience. The thesis statement
declares the main purpose of the entire paper.
Here are the terms you will come
across as you go through this lesson:
• Claim is an assertion that supports a thesis.
• Counterclaims are simply the arguments opponents
make to refute your claims
• Evidence is the information that supports a claim and
persuades others to believe you.
• Supporting details are pieces of information necessary
to better understand the main idea. They can be facts,
reasons, testimonies, statistics, and experiments that
support the topic sentence.
Here are the terms you will come
across as you go through this lesson:
•Major Details directly support the topic
sentence
•Minor Details directly support the major
details
What is a Thesis Statement?
• A controlling idea about the topic that the writer is attempting
to prove. It is usually found at the beginning of the text or at
the end of it.

• The central idea of a multiple-paragraph composition. A one-

sentence summary that guides, controls, and unifies ideas
when writing a paper. In simple terms, all other ideas present
in a text revolve around the thesis statement.

• The thesis statement may be expressed or implied.

Why do we have to write a thesis
statement?
We must write thesis statement:

• to test your ideas by narrowing them into a sentence or

two
• to better organize and develop argument
• to provide the reader with “guide” to the argument
What are the characteristics of a
good thesis statement?

• A good thesis statement takes a stand on the prompt.

• A good thesis statement is specific.
• A good thesis statement is unified and expresses one
main idea.
• A good thesis statement does not simply state a fact but
sets the stage for analysis of a topic.
 A thesis statement, unlike a usual topic or titles, uses a
complete sentence. Consider the following statements.
“Necessity of a college This is more of a title than a
education” thesis statement

“College education is important” Although is a sentence, this

statement is broad

“Getting a college degree is This is an example of an

important
because it will equip a student to
become a
professional in his/her chosen
field and it will
widen his/her perspective of the
accurately written
thesis statement; it has one
subject and at
least two arguments.
Generating a thesis statement can be done through
various methods. Consider the following:
Topic: Jogging
Question: Why jogging is beneficial?
Thesis Statement: Jogging is beneficial because it positively
affects physical well-being and mental fitness.

As shown above, one strategy that you can use in writing a

thesis statement is through asking a question. After identifying
the topic, ask questions that would answer multiple details. The
answer to this question is most likely your thesis statement.
Consider another example.
Topic: Tagaytay City
Question: (1) Is Tagaytay City an enthralling city of the South?
(2) Why is Tagaytay City considered an enthralling city of the
South?
Thesis Statement:
(1) Tagaytay City is an enthralling city of the South.
(2) Tagaytay City is an enthralling city of the South because of
its beautiful landscape, amazing people and sumptuous food.
The topic in the example above is “Tagaytay City.”
The first question which was generated may be
answered by a thesis statement with implied or abstract
details.
The second question, on the other hand, may be
answered by a thesis statement with explicit and
concrete details.
Note that both versions of the thesis statement are
acceptable.
 DON’T
Many events in the history of the Philippines
contributed to the changes in the country
People Power I involved many Filipinos who
wanted freedom from martial law.
Rewrite the following:
Men and women are different.
In golden times, men were the hunters, while women were gatherers.
DO
In the history of the Philippines, People Power I
was one major events which changed our
country, especially the culture, structure, and
politics of the Philippines.
People Power I can be compared to the
revolution during the Spanish period, as it
spring from our countrymen’s conscious need
for freedom against tyranny.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE THESIS
STATEMENT?
1. It should be written in a complete sentence with clearly
stated subject.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE THESIS
STATEMENT?
2. It should not be too narrow nor too broad, and it should
contain at least two details. If the details you generate are
already definite examples, then your thesis statement is too
specific. If you can only write general statements because there
are too many details, then it should be broad.

You can also try to list ideas to check the scope of your topic. If
you cannot list at least two details, it is too narrow; if you list too
many information to be able to discuss it well, your topic is too
broad.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE THESIS
STATEMENT?
3. Avoid an awkward thesis statement which states the obvious.
These statements usually start with the phrase “I will tell you...”
or “I will talk about...”
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE THESIS
STATEMENT?
4. Enumerated details should have the same level of
significance. If one of the details can be classified under another
detail, you omit.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE THESIS
STATEMENT?
5. It should not state an absolute fact, because it will not present
any central idea that can developed further. It should have a
point.
 TIPS IN WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TOPIC
SENTENCE
1. It should follow the basics already discussed in the thesis
statement.

A. It must be written in a complete sentence and with a clear

subject.

B. It should not be phrased awkwardly, and it should not state

the obvious. An awkward topic sentence is characterized by
sentences that start with “I will tell you...”
 TIPS IN WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TOPIC
SENTENCE
2. It should contain one detail which is related to one of the
details in the thesis statement.
Sample Thesis Statement:
Rizal Park, which is in Manila, is a reminder of our nationalism and
revolution.
 TIPS IN WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TOPIC
SENTENCE
3. It should vary structure across paragraphs. If the topic
sentences are uniform throughout your essay, they might
seem monotonous to read. Varying the structure will also
enable you to stress important parts.
 TIPS IN WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TOPIC
SENTENCE
4. If the composition is just one paragraph, the topic sentence should be
straightforward.
SUPPORTING DETAILS
• These details are pieces of information necessary to better
understand the main idea.
• They can be facts, reasons, testimonies, statistics, and
experiments that support the topic sentence.

Major Details directly support the topic sentence

Minor Details directly support the major details
Sample Paragraph
Tagaytay is an enthralling city of the South because of its
stunning landscape, hospitable people, and delicious foods. The
city has a magnificent scenery that never fails to capture the
awe of its visitors. One major tourist spot that exudes the
beauty of Tagaytay is Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the
world. The lake which surrounds it is another attraction that
cannot be missed. The city is also characterized by the warmth
of its people, the Caviteños. They bring them their smiles as they
welcome both local and foreign visitors. Aside from these,
Tagaytay is also known for its sumptuous native foods. Tourists
who drop by the city make it a point to try Tagaytay’s famous
bulalo and other delicacies.
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