ESL - How to write a good THESIS STATEMENT

Summary

In this educational video, Mr. P teaches how to craft a compelling thesis statement for essays. He distinguishes between a topic and a thesis, emphasizing the need for specificity. Mr. P outlines the components of a thesis—topic, controlling idea, and subtopics—and illustrates with examples. He advises on avoiding common pitfalls like general statements, multiple ideas, and non-debatable claims. The video concludes with practice exercises and templates for strong argumentative theses, encouraging viewers to apply these lessons to enhance their writing skills.

Takeaways

• 📝 A thesis statement is a sentence that tells the reader the topic, the writer's opinion on it, and how it will be proved.
• 🎯 The difference between a topic and a thesis statement is that a topic is a general subject, while a thesis statement is specific and includes the writer's viewpoint.
• 🤔 A thesis statement should answer the question posed in the paper and can be broken down into topic, controlling idea, and subtopics.
• 🚫 Avoid starting a thesis statement with phrases like 'I am going to talk about' or 'This essay will focus on'.
• 📉 Avoid making thesis statements too general, as they should be specific and supportable.
• 🚫 Do not include multiple ideas in a single thesis statement; a good essay should focus on one main idea.
• 💡 A strong argumentative thesis should be debatable, not a fact or a belief that cannot be supported with evidence.
• 📚 Use a clear template for a strong argumentative thesis, such as 'Avoiding X is good because it leads to Y' or 'It is true that X, thus Y'.
• 📈 Practice creating thesis statements by choosing the correct one based on given prompts and comparing them to examples provided.
• 👋 Engage with the content by asking questions, subscribing to the channel, liking the video, and sharing the lesson.

Q & A

What is a thesis statement according to the video?

A thesis statement is a sentence that tells the reader the topic of your essay, what you think about it, and possibly how you're going to prove it.

How is a topic different from a thesis statement?

A topic is a general subject of your essay that should be narrow and specific, while a thesis statement is one to two sentences that tell the reader the topic and what you will say about it.

What are the three parts of a thesis statement?

The three parts of a thesis statement are the general topic, the controlling idea, and the subtopics. These are the areas you will focus on to support your idea.

Can you provide an example of a thesis statement from the video?

An example from the video is: 'Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more generously by local municipalities since they provide immigrants with helpful information about and opportunities to connect with their new community.'

What is the difference between a direct and an indirect thesis statement?

A direct thesis statement outlines the main idea and the organization of the essay for the reader, while an indirect thesis statement introduces the topic but does not outline the supporting ideas, requiring the reader to read the essay to learn about these points.

What mistakes should be avoided when writing a thesis statement?

Mistakes to avoid include announcing the subject of the essay, using general statements that cannot be fully supported, including too many ideas, and using non-debatable or outrageous claims.

Why should you avoid using expressions like 'I am going to talk about' in your thesis statement?

Using expressions like 'I am going to talk about' makes the thesis statement less direct and less informative for the reader, as it does not clearly state the main argument or position of the essay.

What is an argumentative thesis and why is it important?

An argumentative thesis is a debatable claim that the writer will argue and support with evidence. It is important because it provides a clear position that the essay will defend, allowing for a focused and persuasive argument.

What is the suggested template for a strong argumentative thesis according to the video?

The video suggests using a template that includes a clear claim followed by the reason or evidence supporting it, such as 'Avoiding fast food is good because it leads to preventable and expensive health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.'

How can you practice creating thesis statements as suggested in the video?

The video suggests practicing by choosing the correct thesis statement based on given prompts, such as 'It is time for higher education to use gaming to appeal to students and make learning more engaging' or 'Animal abuse laws in most states are so lenient that offenders face almost no punishment, so stronger stricter laws are necessary to protect animals.'

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Thesis Statements

In this segment, Mr. P introduces the concept of a thesis statement, which is a sentence that conveys the topic, the writer's perspective, and a hint of the argument to be presented. He differentiates between a topic, which is a specific subject of the essay, and a thesis statement, which is a more detailed assertion about that topic. Mr. P provides an example to illustrate the point, suggesting that a thesis statement not only states the topic but also includes a controlling idea and potential subtopics that support the main argument. The segment concludes with a discussion on the structure of a thesis statement and how it can be crafted from a question, emphasizing the importance of a clear and focused statement.

05:02

🚫 Avoiding Common Thesis Statement Mistakes

The second paragraph delves into common pitfalls to avoid when crafting a thesis statement. Mr. P advises against announcing the essay's subject, using overly general statements, and including multiple ideas in a single thesis. He also warns against making non-debatable claims, such as facts or beliefs that cannot be supported with evidence. The paragraph provides a template for a strong argumentative thesis and offers examples of both single-point and multi-point thesis statements. Mr. P then guides viewers through a practice exercise, presenting prompts and asking viewers to select the most appropriate thesis statement from given options, which are then discussed and evaluated.

Keywords

💡thesis statement

A thesis statement is a critical element in academic writing, serving as a one or two-sentence summary of the main argument or point of an essay. It tells the reader not only the topic but also what the writer thinks about that topic and how they plan to support their viewpoint. In the context of the video, the thesis statement is likened to a roadmap for the essay, guiding both the writer and the reader through the argument. For instance, the script contrasts a topic, which is a general subject, with a thesis statement, which is more specific and assertive, as seen in the example 'libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more generously by local municipalities'.

💡topic

A topic in essay writing refers to the general subject or theme that the essay will address. The video emphasizes that a good topic should be narrow and specific to provide a clear focus for the essay. The script uses 'libraries are essential resources for communities' as an example of a well-defined topic that can lead to a strong thesis statement.

💡controlling idea

The controlling idea in a thesis statement represents the writer's opinion, belief, or viewpoint on the topic. It is what the writer intends to argue or prove in the essay. The video script illustrates this with the statement 'libraries should be funded more generously by local municipalities,' which is the writer's stance on the importance of libraries.

💡subtopics

Subtopics are the specific areas or points that support the controlling idea in a thesis statement. They break down the main argument into manageable parts that can be developed in the body of the essay. The script mentions 'libraries provide immigrants with helpful information about and opportunities to connect with their new communities' as a subtopic that supports the thesis statement.

💡direct thesis statement

A direct thesis statement explicitly states the main idea and the organization of the essay, providing a clear outline for the reader. The video script contrasts this with an indirect thesis statement, suggesting that a direct approach helps the reader understand the essay's structure and purpose from the outset.

💡indirect thesis statement

An indirect thesis statement introduces the topic of the essay without clearly outlining the supporting ideas. This approach requires the reader to engage with the essay to discover the full scope of the argument. The video script implies that while this can be effective, it may not be as immediately clear or compelling as a direct thesis statement.

💡argumentative thesis

An argumentative thesis is a type of thesis statement that presents a debatable claim or立场, which the writer aims to support with evidence and reasoning. The video script emphasizes that a strong argumentative thesis should be logical, possible to prove, and not based on personal beliefs or opinions that cannot be substantiated.

💡formula

In the context of the video, a formula refers to a template or structure that can be used to create a strong thesis statement. The script provides examples such as 'avoiding fast food is good because...' and 'it is true that teen celebrities often engage in inappropriate activities and thus should not be considered role models for children,' which are formulas that guide the writer in constructing a clear and effective thesis.

💡mistakes

The video script discusses common mistakes to avoid when writing a thesis statement, such as announcing the subject of the essay in a vague way, making overly general statements, including too many ideas, or making claims that are not debatable or supportable with evidence. These mistakes can weaken the thesis and reduce the essay's effectiveness.

💡practice

Practice is highlighted in the video as an essential part of learning to write effective thesis statements. The script encourages viewers to choose the correct thesis statement from given prompts, applying the concepts and strategies discussed in the video to real examples. This active engagement helps solidify understanding and improve writing skills.

Highlights

Definition of a thesis statement: a sentence that tells the reader the topic, the writer's opinion, and how it will be proven.

Difference between a topic and a thesis statement: a topic is a general subject, while a thesis statement is specific and includes the writer's viewpoint.

Creating a thesis statement from a question: the thesis should answer the main question of the paper.

Components of a thesis statement: topic, controlling idea, and subtopics.

Example of a complete thesis statement with topic, controlling idea, and subtopic.

Direct vs. indirect thesis statement: direct outlines the main idea and organization, while indirect only introduces the topic.

Avoiding common mistakes in thesis statements: not announcing the subject, using general statements, including too many ideas, and making non-debatable claims.

Template for a strong argumentative thesis statement.

Example of a thesis statement using the template: avoiding fast food is good because it leads to health issues.

Example of a thesis statement with one point: teen celebrities should not be role models for children.

Practical exercise: choosing the correct thesis statement for a given prompt about gaming education.

Practical exercise: choosing the correct thesis statement for a prompt about animal rights laws.

Practical exercise: choosing the correct thesis statement for a prompt about supporting organic farmers.

Practical exercise: choosing the correct thesis statement for a prompt about supporting small businesses.

Encouragement for viewers to ask questions, subscribe, like, and share the video.

Transcripts

hello everyone this is mr p

on today's lesson we're going to learn

how to write a good visa statement

so let's start first with a question

what is a thesis statement well it is a

sentence that tells your reader your

topic what do you think about it and

possibly how you're going to prove it

right

so now let's take a look at the

difference between a topic and a thesis

statement

well a topic is a general subject of

your essay it should be narrow in other

words specific

for example

libraries are essential resources for

communities

then a thesis statement is a one to two

sentences that tells the reader your

topic and what you will say about it

for example

libraries are essential resources for

communities and should be funded more

generously by local municipalities

now let's create a thesis statement from

a question

a thesis statement should be your answer

to the question asked in your paper such

as this one

why do we need libraries in our

communities

so let's break it down to three points

topic controlling idea and subtopics

okay so we have the topic we said the

general subject of the essay

and we said libraries are essential

resources for communities

then we need a controlling idea this is

your opinion belief view feeling about

the topic

libraries should be funded more

generously by local

municipalities

okay right there we have a thesis

if we wanted to add more we can add

subtopics

these are the areas you will focus on to

support your idea

example

libraries provide immigrants with

helpful information about and

opportunities to connect with their new

communities

so here we have

the three

parts of the thesis statement the first

one is the general topic libraries are

essential resources for communities we

said the second is the controlling idea

should be funded more generously by

local municipalities

and the third is a sub-topic they

provide immigrants with helpful

information about and opportunities to

connect with

their new community

so if we join them together it would

look something like

this

libraries are essential resources for

communities and should be funded more

generously by local municipalities since

or because they provide immigrants with

helpful information about and

opportunities to connect with their new

community

so

let's take a look at direct versus

indirect visa statement

a direct

thesis statement outlines the main idea

and the organization

of the

essay

for the reader

right

instead the indirect thesis statement

introduces the topic but does not

outline the supporting ideas

so the reader

must read the essay to learn about these

points

so let's uh check on how to avoid making

mistakes

first avoid announcing the subject of

the essay using expressions such as i am

going to talk about this essay will

focus on the subject of this essay is i

think this essay will talk about etc etc

avoid using general statements since

they cannot be fully supported for

example men and women are different this

is very general

the school system is similar everywhere

okay this is very very general so avoid

doing this

next

avoid including too many ideas a good

essay should talk about only one idea

so studying in groups has many

advantages but there are also

disadvantages is too broad so avoid

writing like this

avoid using thesis statements that

cannot be debatable

they should be argued and supported by

the rider

canadian winters are longer and colder

than italian winters well you know what

this is a fact this is actually true

so it cannot be debatable

some claims such as morals or religious

beliefs cannot be supported with

evidence and therefore are not

argumentative theses

who are convicted of murder will go to

hell when they die well you this is

religious belief you it cannot be

supported with evidence

claims that are outrageous or impossible

are not argumentative theses

they must

make a claim that is logical and

possible

politicians are corrupted and should be

thrown in jail

well this is illogical and is impossible

so the formula for a strong

argumentative thesis

it is good to have a clear template the

following template creates a good

starting point

so this is just an example

avoiding fast food is good because or

you can use since fast food diet leads

to preventable and expensive health

issues such as diabetes obesity and

heart disease

or the formula for a thesis with

only one point might follow the this

template it is true that

teen celebrities often engage in

inappropriate activities and thus should

not be considered role models for

children

these are two examples so you can use

them as

a template

now let's practice

choose the correct thesis statement

based on the prompt given

in this paper i will explore the topic

of gaming education ok

so choose among the three

pause the video

now that you have your answer let's

check it

okay c

as a new generation of student centers

college

it is time for higher education to use

gaming to appeal to students and make or

make learning more engaging

so let's try number two

most states have animal right laws that

are too lenient

so choose among a b and c

now that you have your answer

let's check

that's c

animal abuse laws in most states are so

lenient that offenders face almost no

punishment so stronger stricter laws are

necessary to protect animals

let's try another one our country needs

to support organic farmers better

pause the video

and choose among a b or c

okay let's check does b in order to

provide consumer with healthier food

options our government needs to provide

the same kind of subsidies to small

organic farmers that it offers to large

factory farms

let's try another one

it is about time that we support small

businesses better in this country

a b or c

you may pause your video

the answer is

because small businesses can make such

an important difference

in a struggling economy right now our

governments needs to offer better

financial support for individuals

seeking to start a business

okay i hope you enjoyed the lesson if

you have questions please type them

under the video

if you haven't subscribed to my channel

please do

if you liked the lesson click on the

like button

and you may share the lesson if you

liked it

until next time bye bye