Writing

Arguments

Thesis Statements
What is a thesis statement?
The word thesis comes from the Greek noun meaning setting
down or a placing or a position. The purpose of the thesis
statement is to set down the argument of the paper.
How can my thesis statement do this?
This can be done most clearly if you think of the thesis
statement as having three parts: a context, a subject, and a
claim.
Example
In America today, the documented increase in childhood
emotional
CONTEXT

SUBJECT

disorders reflects changes in institutional practices rather than

a
CLAIM

Thesis Statements
The context places the reader in the general area of
discussion (In America today).
The subject directs the readers attention to the
focus of the paper (documented increase in
childhood emotional disorders).
The claim tells the reader what argument regarding
the subject the paper will make (reflects changes in
institutional practices rather than a deterioration of
family values).

Thesis Statements
Purpose: After reading the thesis statement, the
reader should have a clear understanding of the
goals of the paper and be able to continue reading
to see how compellingly the case is made.

Including context, subject, and claim in the thesis

helps
the writer to order thoughts and organize
information gathered in service to the papers
goals.
the readers clearly understand the papers
purpose at the outset.
the reader and writer by providing important

Visualizing the C-S-C Thesis

Sentence Label

Visualizing the C-S-C Thesis

Graduated Triangle

Visualizing the C-S-C Thesis

Graduated Triangle

Visualizing the C-S-C Thesis

Graduated Triangle

Visualizing the C-S-C Thesis

List Format:
Context: today (that is, contemporary American society)
Subject: animal rights
Claim: The most flagrant abuse ironically takes place in U.S.
laboratories
Context: film version of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein
Subject: the monster
Claim: depicts the detrimental effects of isolation and
alienation on the human subject

Label these Thesis Statements

a. In America today, the documented increase in

childhood emotional disorders reflects changes
in institutional practices rather than a
deterioration of family values.
b. The poor food served on the campuses of most
universities across the nation represents campus
administrators privileging of profit over student
health.

Three Problems / Fixes

Subject is too broad.
Subject is too narrow.
Subject is too vague.

Three Problems / Fixes

Subject is too broad.
If the subject of the paper is too broad, the paper may be superficial
or inconclusive. For example, taking all of World War II as the subject
for a thesis statement is too general and unwieldy.

Solution: Shift left.

Instead, ask yourself what about World

War II you can explore. A better paper might orient the reader to
World War II in the introduction and from there direct the readers
focus to a particular battle in that war, such as the bombing of Pearl
Harbor.

Three Problems / Fixes

Subject is too narrow.
If the subject is too narrow, the support for the claim may be
exhausted too quickly to offer a satisfactory argument.
EXAMPLE: The hummingbird necklace in Frieda Kahlos SelfPortrait with Thorn and Hummingbird illustrates her personal
feelings of fragility.
Context: Self-Portrait with Thorn and Hummingbird / Subject:
the necklace / Claim: illustrates the artists personal feelings of
fragility

Solution: Expand the subject.

The nature imagery in Frieda Kahlos Self-Portrait with Thorn
and Hummingbird illustrates her personal feelings of fragility.
Context: Self-Portrait with Thorn and Hummingbird / Subject:
the nature imagery/ Claim: illustrates the artists personal
feelings of fragility

Three Problems / Fixes

Subject is vague.
The way Kahlo paints Self-Portrait with Thorn and
Hummingbird illustrates a devotion to feminist principles.
Context: Self-Portrait with Thorn and Hummingbird / Subject:
the way Kahlo paints/ Claim: illustrates devotion to feminist
principles

Solution: Clarify the subject.

Kahlos self-depiction in Self-Portrait with Thorn and
Hummingbird illustrates a devotion to feminist principles.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 1: A claim is something that can be
objectively supported
A thesis claim must be based on objective evidence;
it is essentially an opinion or hypothesis, but it is a
type of opinion that can be supported by carefully
selected and interpreted evidence from a text or
other source. This is easier to explain through an
illustration.
Here is a claim that cannot be objectively supported:
The architectural design of the new library is ugly.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 1: A claim is something that can be
objectively supported
A thesis claim must be based on objective evidence;
it is essentially an opinion or hypothesis, but it is a
type of opinion that can be supported by carefully
selected and interpreted evidence from a text or
other source. This is easier to explain through an
illustration.
Here is a claim that cannot be objectively supported:
The architectural design of the new library is ugly.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 1: A claim is something that can be
objectively supported
Revise by asking so what?
The architectural design of the new library is
repetitive, impractical, and inefficient, so the
building should not be funded.
OR
The architectural design of the new library is
seriously flawed, so the building should not be built.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 2: A claim should be debatable
Valid alternative viewpoints should be
possible. A good thesis claim should elicit debate in
the sense that it should suggest valid alternative
viewpoints; that is, not everyone will already agree
with it. Said differently, counterpositions or
counterarguments should exist.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 2: A claim should be debatable
Example: Although viewed by many as a worksaving addition to modern life, computers have,
ironically, increased rather than decreased the
amount of time people spend at work.
From among the possible ways to account for the impact of
computers on modern society, this thesis chooses one: that
computers have increased rather than decreased the amount
of time we spend at work. However, there are a number of
ways to counter this argument. One could argue, for instance,
that computers have decreased the time required for work
because people can now use e-mail as a substitute for some
conferences and electronic attachments instead of delivering
some documents in person.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 2: A claim should be debatable
Example: Although viewed by many as a worksaving addition to modern life, computers have,
ironically, increased rather than decreased the
amount of time people spend at work.
From among the possible ways to account for the impact of
computers on modern society, this thesis chooses one: that
computers have increased rather than decreased the amount
of time we spend at work. However, there are a number of
ways to counter this argument. One could argue, for instance,
that computers have decreased the time required for work
because people can now use e-mail as a substitute for some
conferences and electronic attachments instead of delivering
some documents in person.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 2: A claim should be debatable
Alternative thesis #1 (positive view on computers):
Although it is widely believed that we spend more time at work
than ever before, in fact, because of the wide use of computers
in the workplace, the American worker today both
accomplishes more and has more free time.
Alternative thesis #2 (positive view on computers):
Computers have led the way to a new sense of professionalism
for the American worker.
Alternative thesis #3 (neutral view on computers):
In spite of the expectation that computers would bring greater
efficiency and more free time to the American worker,
computers have had very little impact on either of these.

Three essentials of a
claim
Essential 3: A claim should reveal a perceptive
point.
In developing a claim, a perceptive point is not necessarily a
right point
(as opposed to a wrong point) as much as it is an imaginative
or provocative view on a subject. It should be interesting, have
resonance, and be phrased in such a way that it provokes
interest.
Meh: In Dombey and Son, Dickens uses the fi gure of the
triangle in every scene.
Better: Throughout Dombey and Son, the triangle emerges as
a symbol of the family, which is privileged as the ideal unit of
society.

Burdens of Proof
The thesis statement provides a prescription for
the paper; it contains the burdens of proof of the
argument.

Burdens of proof are the arguments or points

that must be made in a paper to fully prove the
thesis statement, or convince the reader of the
thesis statements validity.
They are requirements that logically flow from
any thesis statement.
If each burden of proof is not adequately
discussed, the claim will be less credible.

Burdens of Proof
Example 1:
The use of steroids in college sports should
be more tightly regulated.
Burdens of Proof :
show the reasons for, and dangers of,
steroid use
establish how steroid use is currently
being monitored
show why steroid use in college should be
more tightly regulated

Burdens of Proof
Example 2:
Steroid use is acceptable for professional
baseball players who are entertainers as
much as athletes.
Burdens of Proof :
show how professional baseball players
are entertainers
show how professional baseball players
are entertainers as much as they are
athletes
show how steroid use is acceptable for
baseball players when they are viewed as