Essay writing 2 - Thesis Statement

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Essay writing 2 - Thesis Statement

Please take out your notebook and a pen

New years resolutions

Essay writing 1 recap

What does the structure of a good paragraph look like again.

1.

2.

3.

4.

• Topic sentence
  
• Supporting sentences
  
• Examples (if necessary)
• Concluding sentence

Remember?

1. Topic sentence

2. Supporting sentences

3. Examples (if necessary)

4. Concluding sentence

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and Science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

What is a thesis statement?

A "theses statement" (TS) is a claim (about a work of literature) that needs to be supported by evidence and arguments. The thesis statement is the heart of the (literary) essay and most of your essay will be spent trying to prove this claim. 

Write your own thesis statement

Topic:

1. Homework
2. Reading
3. Weed
4. School uniforms

A good thesis statement is: 

• Arguable. “The tell tale heart is a tragic story about the murder of an old man”  is not a thesis—it’s a fact.
  
• Provable through  evidence from the book:  “The Cask of Amontillado is a dark but ultimately very well-written story” is a weak thesis because it offers the writer’s personal opinion about the story. Yes, it’s arguable, but it’s not a claim that can be proven or supported with examples taken from the story itself. 

Compare

You can write a comparative essay in which you compare elements of all/some stories

"The murders in both stories are a sign of the narrator's insanity"

Contrast

You can write a contrasting essay in which you highlight contrast in the stories/poem. 

"As opposed to the stories, the murder in the poem was not commited by the narrator"

TS writing rules

1. Must be an arguable statement about which readers of the story could disagree.
2. Must be a clear statement of your entire argument, not just a part of it.
   
3. Should NOT include the first or second person (I, we, us, you, etc.)
4. Should NOT contain evidence, quotations, or specific examples. 
5. Should be 1-2 sentences long, and should appear at the end or near the end of the introduction.
   

More thesis statement writing

Write 2 thesis statements. Make up your own topic.

Homework time

Spend the rest of today's lesson on finishing your weektask.

Memorize and practice your speech