Unit 2: Thesis Statements and Outlining

Lesson 1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Contents
Engage 1
Introduction 1
Objectives 2

Explore 2

Explain and Elaborate 4

The Thesis Statement 4
How to Write a Thesis Statement 5
Writing Strong Thesis Statements 7

Extend 11
Activity 1 11
Activity 2 13

Evaluate 14

Wrap Up 16

Bibliography 17
Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Engage

Introduction

Fig. 1. Academic writing is often persuasive in nature, similar to delivering a speech.

Academic writing is often persuasive in nature. When we write an academic or research

paper, our goal is primarily to convince our readers to consider our stand. It could be to
prove that a certain scientific hypothesis is correct, to show the effects of global warming, to
back up a text’s political message, and more. Of course, to be able to convince someone of
our stand, we have to be able to define it concretely and completely first. To do this, we
need to write a clear thesis statement. Now, what is a thesis statement and how do we write
one? How do we make sure that it is a strong thesis statement?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Identify the characteristics of a thesis statement.
● Write a strong thesis statement.

DepEd Competency
State the thesis statement of an academic text. (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c-6)

Explore

15 minutes

With a partner, read the passage below. Then, answer the questions that follow. Be ready to
share your answers with the class.

Passage

In The Lord of the Rings novels, the most prominent races were the immortal elves, the
ambitious men, and the mighty dwarves. They were the ones who were given rings of
power and had vast kingdoms throughout Middle Earth. And yet, the one who would
destroy the evil Sauron’s ring of power did not come from the lands of the elves, men, or
dwarves. The hero of Middle Earth was a hobbit, a race of small and simple people. J.R.R.
Tolkien wanted to show that anyone, even the most unassuming among us, could
become heroes.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Guide Questions

1. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

2. How were you able to identify the main idea?

3. Was the paragraph able to support the main idea? Why or why not?

4. Could you still add something to the main idea to make it more concrete? If so, what
would you add?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Explain and Elaborate

The Thesis Statement

In most academic papers, you will usually write an introductory paragraph first. This
paragraph often starts with a brief discussion of your topic. Afterward, the next step is to
state your point of view on the topic you have chosen. This is usually done in one sentence.
This one sentence is called the thesis statement, your main idea that will dictate the
purpose and flow of your arguments in the rest of your paper.

Typically, the following are the characteristics of a thesis statement:

● It shows where you stand regarding the subject matter you are discussing.
● It tells the reader what they can expect from the rest of your paper.
● It directly answers a question posed to you.
● It makes a claim that can be disputed.
● It is a single sentence near the start of your paper that presents your argument to
the readers.

The rest of your paper then contains evidence that will help back up your thesis statement
in order to persuade others to take your stand.

When receiving assignments that require you to submit a paragraph, an essay, or a paper,
make sure to understand the instructions carefully to see if you will need to develop a thesis
statement. If you are asked to analyze, interpret, compare and contrast, show causes and
effects, or choose a side or stand on an issue, then more often than not you will need to
write a thesis statement for your assignment. The body of your paper should then support
and defend your thesis.

What should be considered when formulating a

working thesis statement?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

How to Write a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement cannot be written hastily. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you
do upon receiving an assignment or task. A thesis must be the result of a long process of
thinking and planning. Before you can develop any kind of thesis, you must first do your
research on the topic. Look for information, evidence, and details, then organize them
based on the points they make. Look for possible relationships between pieces of
information and try to analyze and find the significance of these relationships. Once you
have done this initial process, you will likely be able to come up with a “working thesis” that
has a basic main idea that you think or feel you could support with evidence. Do not worry if
your thesis and your arguments might need adjustments along the way. What matters is
that you can find substantial evidence to support a more concrete thesis, even if you had to
adjust from time to time.

Example 1
Suppose this is the given topic: Should the SOGIE Bill be passed in the Philippines?

A thesis statement will be required for this kind of question since it is asking you to take a
stand on a particular issue. A simple thesis statement would be to say, “I believe the SOGIE
Bill should be passed,” as it already shows a clear stand that you can defend with research
and data. To improve on this even further, you can add a primary reason for choosing the
side you did, which you will defend using the rest of your paper. For example, “I believe the
SOGIE Bill should be passed because it ensures that all basic human rights are available to
all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.”

Tip
Make your thesis statement as specific as possible by doing the
following:
● expressing just one major idea
● naming the topic and asserting something specific about it
● stating your position or opinion about the issue

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Example 2
If the instruction given to you for an assignment is to “report on the state of traffic in
Quezon City,” then it is highly likely that you will not need a thesis statement for the
assignment. Reporting on something is just a matter of presenting the facts and details
related to the topic, without necessarily defending a stand or side about it.

However, if the assignment is instead to “analyze the state of traffic in Quezon City and
propose a possible solution for it,” then a thesis statement is necessary. In this assignment,
not only should you provide your analysis of the traffic in Quezon City, but you should also
propose a solution and defend its effectiveness. You can also research the situation on the
road and the reasons as to why the situation is like that. For example, how many cars are on
the road daily? How many of these cars are only carrying one or two people? Where are they
coming from? What time is traffic usually the worst? These are just examples of some
additional questions you might ask while analyzing the situation. Through this, you will be
able to formulate a thesis statement, such as the following:

A possible solution to the traffic situation in Quezon City is to set up carpooling systems in the
most densely populated communities and outside large company buildings.

It proposes a concrete solution to the problem that may or may not prove effective and can
be disputed by others. The rest of the paper should then present evidence from research on
how this could be effective.

Remember
Make use of the thesis statement to take a stance on an issue that
you can support with facts and reasons.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Example 3
Take a look at the following example of an introductory paragraph:

Tobacco use, or smoking, kills nearly six million people every year. In the Philippines alone,
around 87,600 people die yearly because of smoking-related diseases. That is 240 deaths every
day, or 10 deaths every hour. Most of these deaths come from families in the lower classes, who
can afford to buy cheap cigarettes but cannot afford to be treated in most hospitals. As long as
cigarettes continue to be available even to the most vulnerable in Philippine society, the number
of smoking-related deaths will only continue to rise. So, a heavier tax must be implemented on all
cigarette products so that they are not accessible to the poorer communities in the Philippines.

Explanation
The paragraph introduces the problem through a quick discussion of statistics on
smoking-related deaths. It then makes the connection between low cigarette prices and
smoking-related deaths in poorer communities in the Philippines. The thesis statement,
found at the end of the paragraph, then introduces the paper’s stand: cigarette products
should be made more expensive so that less fortunate families will have less access to
them.

How do we make sure that our thesis statements

are effective?

Writing Strong Thesis Statements

It is always a good idea to consult with your instructor regarding your thesis statement in
order to get useful or relevant feedback. However, it is also possible to do your own
evaluation so that you can fine-tune the thesis statement you have written yourself.

When reviewing your first draft and thesis statement, you can ask yourself the following
questions for evaluation:

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

● Am I answering the question? Go back to the question prompt, if there is one, after
developing your working thesis. Review any arguments or the thesis statement itself
and see if they work toward answering the question.
● Have I taken a position that can possibly be disputed by others? Your thesis has
to be persuasive and yet open to opposition. If it is simply stating a fact or facts that
people cannot disagree with or argue against, then it is likely that you are only
writing a summary and not an argument.
● Is my thesis statement specific enough? If your thesis statement is too general, it
will not have a strong argument. Avoid using vague words such as good or successful
and try being more specific. What makes the work “good”? What specifically proves
that something is “successful”?
● Does my thesis statement pass the “So what?” test? If a reader looks at your
thesis statement and asks, “So what?” then you need to make some clarifications,
provide a deeper relationship, or connect to a more relevant issue.
● Does the rest of my essay specifically and concretely support my thesis
statement? There are instances when the body of your paper and your thesis
statement might not mesh well. When this happens, you have to change one of
them. Remember, it is normal for your thesis statement to be modified during the
process of writing your paper. Sometimes, in your research, you uncover things that
will change your own perspective or widen your perspective on a certain topic, and it
is perfectly acceptable to modify your thesis statement to reflect your newfound
knowledge.
● Does my thesis statement pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader sees your
thesis and first asks “How?” or “Why?” then it’s possible that your thesis statement is
still too open-ended. Add a supporting statement that will clarify your position and
strengthen your stance right from the start.

Remember
A good thesis statement is supported with facts and achieved through
hours of research. Creating an initial statement and developing it to
be more specific is an excellent way to start your research.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Example 1
Suppose in history class, you were asked by your teacher to write a paper answering the
question, “Should the five-peso coin have retained Emilio Aguinaldo in its design? Was the
government right in replacing him with Andres Bonifacio?” After your history lessons about
them, you were inclined to say:

It is right that the five-peso coin now depicts Andres Bonifacio instead of Emilio Aguinaldo.

The thesis statement shows a clear stand, and it answers the question. However, it is still
rather general and does not give your paper a clear direction to take in explaining your
reason for taking Andres Bonifacio’s side. You can recall your lessons in history and do some
of your own research to refine your thesis statement and also collect evidence for your
essay. For example:

Emilio Aguinaldo’s actions in history showed that he prioritized personal gain and ambition over
true patriotism and love for one’s country, so he should not be honored in the five-peso coin.

Your new thesis statement is now more apparent. Your stand is still clear that it should be
Bonifacio and not Aguinaldo through your condemnation of the latter. You have also stated
your direct reasons for choosing Bonifacio over Aguinaldo and have shown to the readers
the direction the rest of your essay is going to take.

Tip
You can write a good thesis statement if you avoid the following
words:
● one of
● some
● thing
● very
Remember, be specific when writing your thesis statement.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Example 2
For example, your teacher asked you to write an analysis of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. Of
course, being familiar with the impact that the novel has on Philippine history, your initial
response might be:

Noli Me Tangere is an important novel in Philippine history.

This thesis statement is weak because it does not state a clear argument. While it is not
incorrect to state that the novel is important, the thesis still leaves much to be desired. How
is it important? What makes it important? Find a more concrete reason as to why the novel
is important. What does it say about the Philippines during the Spanish colonization? What
does it tell us about the themes it tackles, like education, colonization, religion, revolution,
and more? Focus on an aspect you would like to discuss and use it to strengthen your thesis
statement. For example:

Through the growth that the protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra undertakes in the novel, Jose Rizal’s
Noli Me Tangere suggests that direct action and revolution must be taken in order to enact real
change in society.

This final thesis statement now gives an interpretation of the literary work based on a
careful analysis of its themes and content. The next step, of course, would be to present
concrete evidence from the novel that will persuade your readers to agree with your
interpretation.

Example 3
What if you were given an assignment to critique a method of helping the environment? For
example, is the use of metal straws instead of plastic straws helpful in saving the
environment? If you write a thesis statement based on stock knowledge and without initial
research, you might be inclined to write:

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Using metal straws instead of plastic straws is an effective way to reduce the amount of waste in
the country.

It is a thesis statement with a clear stand; however, remember to avoid vague words like
effective. Be more concrete in your stance. Research why it is effective and add it to your
thesis statement.

Then, what if during your research, you find evidence that your initial working thesis should
be modified? You can still change your thesis to something that is both concrete and
supported by the evidence you have gathered. For example:

Metal straws are a band-aid solution to the problem of global warming because in
mass-producing metal straws for people to use, large companies continue to emit dangerous
amounts of carbon dioxide into the environment.

In your research, you have found a more significant issue to connect to the use of metal
straws and have found convincing evidence on it, so you have shifted the direction of your
thesis statement. You have also made your thesis statement more specific and made your
stance clearer in the process. Again, it is up to the rest of your paper to defend the thesis
statement you have developed.

Extend

Activity 1
Find an academic paper or text that you have previously discussed in a different class, or
find one that you have read before. Then, answer the following questions.

1. What is the paper’s thesis statement? Is it a strong one? Why do you say so?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

2. How does the rest of the paper support its thesis statement?

3. How can the paper be improved with regard to its thesis statement and supporting
evidence?

Guide
● Remember that the thesis statement can usually be found in the introductory
paragraph of the paper. If you cannot seem to find it there, then it is a hint at a
weakness the paper might have.
● Use the questions on self-evaluating your thesis statement as a guide to analyzing
other texts to see if they are able to develop a strong thesis and support it with
convincing evidence and information.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Activity 2
Read the thesis statement below. Based on the topic it discussed, revise and strengthen the
thesis statement. Then, write an introductory paragraph based on your research.

Plastic waste thrown in large bodies of water is bad for the environment.

Guide
The thesis statement should clearly state the author’s stand. The introductory
paragraph should then introduce the basic premise or argument that supports or
leads to the thesis statement. Strengthen the thesis statement with research then use
some quick but relevant facts or evidence to add to the introductory paragraph.

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Evaluate

A. Answer the following questions in complete sentences

using your own words.

1. What is a thesis statement?

2. Where can the thesis statement usually be found?

3. What should the rest of your paper do for your thesis statement?

4. What should be your first step in writing a thesis statement?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

5. How would you know if you should develop a thesis statement for your assignment?

B. Read the instructions for the following items carefully.

Write your answers and explain them comprehensively on
the space provided.

1. Why is academic writing persuasive in nature?

2. What can you do to strengthen your thesis statement?

3. Why is research necessary before developing a working thesis?

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

4. Is it possible for your thesis statement to change while in the process of writing? Why or
why not?

5. How can you evaluate if your thesis statement is disputable or if it is merely stating
facts?

Wrap Up
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● The thesis statement is a single sentence usually found in the introductory

paragraph of a paper that states the main idea and position of the writer.
● The thesis statement is a product of a long thinking and researching process.
● Consultation and self-evaluation are important in order to develop a stronger
thesis statement.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2.1: What Is a Thesis Statement?

Bibliography

“Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips.” Purdue Writing Lab. Accessed
February 21, 2020.
[Link]
[Link].

Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. Accessed February 21, 2020.

[Link]

Vos, Lesley. “How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement for Your Essay.” Bid4papers,
October 31, 2019. [Link]

“Writing a Thesis Statement.” Ashford Writing Center. Accessed February 21, 2020.
[Link]

“Writing Tips: Thesis Statements.” Center for Writing Studies. Accessed February 21, 2020.
[Link]

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