1、大 学 英 语 高 级 I ： 大 学 学 术 英 语College English Advanced Level I: English for General Academic PurposesLecture 6.3:From Paragraph to Essay Writing Thesis Statement I. Thesis Statement01. Thesis statement(or controlling idea) is the heart of the essay. It identifies the main idea or central purpose of the
2、 text and serves as the organizing principle of the text. 02.The thesis statement is an idea, a claim, or an interpretation that others may dispute. How to Write Thesis Statement? 0102 e.g. It should be brief and informative, no more than a sentence or two. A. Identify the topic, the claim, and the
3、major points. It should present a clear argument with your opinion on the issue or a side of the issue youll support. e.g. Stress in the fast-food workplace has led to serious physical, psychological, and emotional problems for employees.l Topic: stress in the fast-food workplacel Claim: led to seri
4、ous problemsl Major points: physical problems, psychological problems, emotional problemsYou can also list the subtopic in the thesis statement to show the different points you are going to explain in the body part. B. List the Subtopic in the Thesis Statement. Native Americans have made many valuab
5、le contributions to modern U.S. culture, particularly in the areas of language, art, food and government. e.g. Topic: native AmericansTopic: have made many contributions Topic: language， art， food， governmentC. Indicate the pattern of organization.chronological orderlogical division of ideascomparis
6、on and contrastYou can also indicate the pattern of organization the essay will follow in the thesis statement. It can be in a chronological order, logical division of ideas, or comparison and contrast. e.g. l Beginning in World War II and continuing through the period of economic boom, the status o
7、f women in Xanadu has changed remarkably.(chronological order)l Although the status of women on the island has improved remarkably in recent years, it is still very low when compared with women in industrialized countries. They still have little says in the society, particularly in the workplace.(co
8、mparison and contrast)How to Make a Strong Thesis Statement e.g. 1. A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand and is specific.A: There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.（ weak）B: Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that result
9、s in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers. (strong)How to Make a Strong Thesis Statement2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.A: My family is an extended family. (weak)B: While most American families would view marriage as a threat to the nuclea
10、r family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family. (strong) e.g. e.g. A: Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support. (weak) B:
11、Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support. (strong) How to Make a Strong Thesis Statement3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.4. A strong thesis state
12、ment is specific.A: World hunger has many causes and effects. (weak)B: Hunger persists in this country because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable. (strong)How to Make a Strong Thesis Statement e.g. 0102Content Review 01 02 Always be specific and focus on one point in the thesis.When writing a thesis statement, you can: identify the topic, the claim, and the major points list the subtopic in the thesis statement indicate the organizing pattern of the essay谢 谢 观 看Thanks
