9/23/24, 5:51 PM CAIE AS LEVEL English General Paper 8021 Theory Revision Notes - ZNotes
CAIE AS LEVEL English General Paper 8021 Theory
Revision Notes
znotes.org/caie/as-level/english-general-paper-8021/theory/thesis-statement
Thesis Statement
Introduction
What is a Thesis Statement?
The main point or controlling idea of any essay is its thesis. It is an arguable
assertion—your opinion or position—on your topic and is, without question, the
most important sentence in an academic essay. A thesis is useful to both the writer
and the reader since it primarily organizes, predicts, controls, and defines the
entire paper.
Often, a thesis sentence will not only outline the essay’s main point but also predict
and control the direction the paper will take. The thesis thus serves as a contract
between the reader and the writer because it promises both the essay's central
purpose and the paper's structure. It gives the essay a sense of unity and helps
keep the writer focused while writing. Generally located at the end of the
introduction, the thesis is usually only one or two sentences (although in a longer
paper, the thesis may be in several sentences).
What is a Thesis Statement Good for?
A good thesis statement is more than a statement of fact and makes an arguable
assertion about a topic; it states the position a writer has reached about the topic
and is usually at the end of the introduction a complete sentence that expresses an
opinion or an idea about a topic that can be supported or more fully developed in
the body of the essay summarizes the whole essay in one sentence and promises
or reflects the essay’s primary purpose or “so what” provides the structure or
unifying framework for the scope, focus, and direction of the essay predicts,
controls, and obligates and serves as a contract between the reader and the writer
limits the topic to be narrow enough to make it manageable so it can be fully
supported but not too broad for the scope of an essay.
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How do I develop a Thesis Statement?
While the topic is what the paper is about, the thesis defines your opinion or
position on that particular topic. For this reason, developing a tentative or
working thesis statement early in composing your essay is important because it will
help guide your thoughts and possible research. When you have decided on your
essay topic, you can begin to develop your thesis by examining your topic, doing
some exploratory reading and writing, or by reflecting and pulling from class
discussions or conversations with classmates and friends.
A writer develops a thesis by asking questions about the topic and by focusing on a
primary point or question that the topic raises. The answer to such a question will be
your thesis: what you think about a specific topic. The topic is your question, and
the thesis is your answer to that question.
For this reason, as you write your paper, your thesis statement may change. A
thesis statement is usually rough in its initial stages and works only as a tentative
planning tool. Writing promotes thinking. You will discover precisely what you think
about the topic as you write, and your thesis will probably change. As you continue
writing, a more specific, complex, and final thesis will emerge as you narrow your
focus. Remember that writing is rewriting, a continual process that takes many
revisions. “As you write and do more research, you might even notice that you have
lost your original thesis as you find evidence that does not support your thesis. “
“This is normal since, as you write, you often reach deeper insights about your topic
and realize that your thesis statement has to be more complex to match the
supporting ideas and evidence you have provided.”
“Don’t be surprised if, in early drafts of an essay, your thesis statement ends up at
the end of a paper as you attempt to answer your questions about the topic.” Such
thesis statements can then be revised, polished, and moved since most thesis
statements usually appear at the end of the introductory paragraphs.
The Strategy of a Thesis Statement
A thesis is both a writer and a reader strategy:
→ For the Writer, the Thesis statement is a writer's strategy because it
Serves as a planning tool and a one-sentence summary of the writer’s opinions
about a topic
helps the writer determine the paper's real focus and lets the writer know if an essay
is wandering off in too many directions
becomes an organizational framework for the topic sentences
provides the writer with something to define, prove, and develop
→ For readers, the thesis statement is a reader strategy because it
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Serves as a contract with the writer, engaging and allowing readers to follow
through the paper
Keeps readers focused on the argument so they know what to expect in the essay.
allows readers to identify the main ideas and see exactly how each topic sentence
connects to the thesis
offers enough detail for readers to grasp the writer’s argument
1. “A thesis, thus, lets your reader know what to expect from your paper and allows
your reader to decide how well you’ve accomplished what you’ve set out to do.”
Some thesis statements might even give you an outline for your paper.
2. For example, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to organize an essay with the
following thesis statement:
Attending a community college like CSM (Certified Strategic Manage) makes sense
since the cost and instruction quality are low.
→ Exercise 1
For each of the following thesis statements, identify the topic, the opinion or arguable
assertion, and, if applicable, the supporting evidence or reasons.
“Example: Cell phone use while driving should be banned, for it creates an unsafe
environment not only for drivers using cell phones but also for other people in
nearby vehicles.”
1. Violent video games should be made illegal, for they might incite some people to
commit violent acts.
2. An after-school job can harm teenagers as working reduces opportunities for social
and recreational time and takes valuable time away from schoolwork.
3. Marijuana should be legalized since legalization would remove the black market for
that drug.
4. Welfare benefits for single mothers should not be crossed out, for the benefits are
needed to prevent hunger and poverty among our country’s most helpless citizens
—our children.
→ Exercise 2
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“Keeping in mind the above thesis development guidelines, analyze the following
statements and identify the reason(s) you think they do or do not work as good
thesis statements.” Example: Drug use is a serious problem in today’s world.
Analysis: Not a good thesis. Expresses a point that everyone would probably agree
with; it does not state an assertion that anyone would want to argue. The statement
is also too broad, and it contains the vague phrase “in today’s world.” Avoid using
such vague or fuzzy phrases. Example: This has been the worst summer in the
world for bad weather—droughts, floods, and huge fires have besieged the planet
all at the same time. Analysis: Not a good thesis. It is merely a statement of fact,
leaving the writer with nothing to argue or support.
1. Television has had a serious impact on today’s society.
2. During a recent episode of Law and Order, two people were killed; three were
stabbed, and four were badly beaten.
3. Evaluating the Benefits of Prozac
4. This essay will discuss potential problems if the administration restructures the
Social Security program.
5. Have you ever considered why people are rude when driving, especially at rush
hour?
6. Christopher Reeves’ physical disability has not prevented him from becoming an
advocate for research on spinal cord injury, and his story should be made into a
book.
7. How to grow beautiful orchids.
8. I think it is interesting how many people enjoy horror movies.
9. If you don’t care about spending a little more money, you’ll agree that dinner is a
much more satisfying experience at The House of Prime Rib than at Sizzler.
10. This paper attempts to tell you how I felt viewing the devastation at Ground Zero in
New York.
→ Exercise 3
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Considering the above thesis development guidelines, analyze the following
troublesome statements, but this time suggest a revision for each. Example:
Scarlett O’Hara is a proud, headstrong woman in Gone with the Wind. Analysis: Not
a good thesis. Simply a statement of fact. Better: Scarlett’s headstrong nature is
why Rhett Butler loves and leaves her. Example: Romeo and Juliet die because
each one thinks the other is dead. Analysis: Not a good thesis. This is another
statement of fact that no one would disagree with; it does not state an assertion that
needs to be argued. Better: Shakespeare uses Romeo and Juliet’s needless deaths
as metaphors to show the pettiness of feuding families and countries. Example: The
thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our economic problems. Analysis: Not
a good thesis. This is simply an announcement of the subject or topic of the essay,
not a thesis. Better: Solving our country’s economic problems is much more difficult
than most people believe.
1. Advertisers like to use beautiful models in their ads to sell their products.
2. This paper will consider the reasons detective fiction is worth reading.
3. The federal government should give more money to breast cancer research.
4. Not much has been done to save the condor from extinction.
5. Writing an essay can be a fairly easy process.
Thesis Development Guidelines
How do I know if a problem is a problem when I see one?
1. Suppose it is merely a statement of fact. Some writers might confuse factual
introductions to an essay with the thesis. Example: Henri Matisse was considered,
along with Picasso, one of the two great artists of the twentieth century. Better:
Henri Matisse is superior to Picasso because of Matisse’s brilliant ability to shift
between realism, abstraction, Fauvism, and classicism.
2. A troublesome thesis can be too broad or too general. If the writer is trying to write
an essay and not a book, it may be too large an issue for a writer to develop
thoroughly in a short essay. Example: Homelessness in San Francisco is a serious
problem today. Better: The problems with homelessness in San Francisco could be
resolved if the Board of Supervisors would agree on some of the proposed
solutions. Example: Crime is too prevalent in our society. Better: Our judicial system
should give tougher sentences to criminals who are repeat offenders.
3. A troublesome thesis can be too specific. You will have too little to write about if your
thesis is too specific. It may be only on one aspect of an issue, one part of a topic,
or the first main point. Examine all your main points for a more significant umbrella
sentence. Example: Getting into Disneyland on Saturday during Labor Day
weekend can be difficult. Better: Depending on the time of year, getting into
Disneyland can be difficult.
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4. A troublesome thesis expresses more than one main idea. If your thesis makes
multiple points, your paper may confuse your reader. A thesis that clearly expresses
one main idea will focus your paper. Example: The proposed transit system is worth
examining, but it has several weaknesses, so it should be run only on an
experimental basis for a few years. Better: The proposed transit system should be
run on an experimental basis for a limited period of a couple of years.
5. A troublesome thesis is a fragment; a good thesis statement is expressed in a
complete sentence. Example: How life is in New York after September 11th. Better:
After September 11th, the city of New York tends to have more cases of post-
traumatic disorder than other areas of the United States, and rightfully so.
6. A troublesome thesis is in the form of a question instead of a sentence or arguable
assertion. It does not take a position. Example: Should an eighteen-year-old have
the right to drink? Better: Anyone old enough to fight a war should be old enough to
drink.
7. A troublesome thesis contains phrases such as “I think,” “I believe,” or “in my
opinion,” which weakens the statement. Example: GOP candidate Bill Simon and
Governor Gray Davis may appear to be different, but they are very similar. Better:
To the unsuspecting voter, GOP candidate Bill Simon and Governor Gray Davis
might seem to offer a choice in the gubernatorial race; however, in fact, they take
very similar stands on specific issues.
8. A troublesome thesis is expressed in vague language. Try to avoid vague terms
such as “things,” “neat,” interesting,” “nice,” “good,” and “great.” Example: Negative
things have resulted from religion being taught in our schools. Better: Religion as
part of the school curriculum should be avoided because a person’s religious beliefs
are highly personal and require individual commitment.
Reflecting on your learning progress will help you study more effectively.
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