Exercise 4. Evaluating Thesis Statements

Examine the sentences below. Using the preceding set of characteris­tics, explain why they may or may not be suitable as thesis sentences for short essays. Suggest how any of the unsuitable sentences could be improved.

1. I am going to tell you why I chose to move to the United States.

2. Unemployment rose 5 percent last year.

3. The importance of physical education classes in school.

4. American cars compared to European cars.

5. To produce a good picture, a photographer must pay attention to composition, color, and lighting.

6. Why should children in school have daily homework?

7. A nutritious diet is important.

8. Some people like to live in cities because of the social activities that are available, while others live there because there is more opportunity for employment.

The kind of thesis statement that is most effective will depend on your purpose. If it is to express your opinion and convince a reader of its validity, the thesis statement will reflect your opinion. If your purpose is to show how to do something or explain a process, the thesis will introduce that process.

If you examine the work of professional writers, you may have difficulty finding one sentence that expresses the thesis statement. Experienced writers often put their thesis idea in two or more sentences. Sometimes, in fact, they merely imply the controlling idea without expressing it in one particular sentence. As a beginning essay writer, however, you should always include a thesis statement in your introductory paragraph. This statement helps you to give a focus and unity to your essay.

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