Fieldwork Day 2: Thesis Statements

The students in my fieldwork class are currently composing research essays, and the various topics they could choose to write about stem from Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations.   Writing is an art, and well-crafted papers don't happen in a day.  Thesis statements are the foundation of scholarly papers, and Mr. B's lesson was centered on what makes a good thesis statement.

What a Thesis Statement Should Be

Most people from junior high and up probably have a general idea of what a thesis statement entails.  Here is a list of all that a good thesis should be.

1. It should appear at the end of the introductory paragraph in a paper.

2. The thesis statement should be one sentence in length.

3. It should summarize the claim of the paper.

4. The claim should be debatable.

5. The writer should be able to back up their thesis with evidence.

What a Thesis Statement Should Not Be

1. The thesis shouldn't be located anywhere else in a paper besides the introduction.

2. The thesis should not be over one sentence.

3. The thesis should not have too much detail about what will be covered in the paper.

4. A thesis statement should not be a statement of fact, it is the writer's opinion.

5. The writer should be able to use other's ideas to support their thesis.