Exercise on Thesis Statements

Expectations

[Before I visited Goodbody Mortuary] “I thought it would be more like Forest Lawn, serene with lush green lawns and meticulously groomed gardens, a place set apart from the hustle of day-to-day life” (Cable 123).

Using the formula below, draft at least three sentences, being as specific and concrete as possible.  If you can think of more than one thing you expected, that’s great.  Write about all of your expectations.  Don’t limit yourself at this point.

Before I began to research (insert chosen topic), I expected___________________________________________________________..

Reality

“Here instead was an odd pink structure set in the middle of a business district.  On top of the Goodbody Mortuaries sign was a large electric clock” (Cable 123).

Using the formula below, draft at least 3 sentence of concrete detail that reveal how the reality of your topic differed from your expectations.

When I actually read about (insert chosen topic, I found the following:_____________________________________________________________

Thesis Based on Expectations vs. Reality

Already you could have a lead for a thesis.  For example, in writing about homeless people, you might come up with a draft thesis such as the following:

“At Jack’s Corner soup kitchen, I expected to see unmotivated drunks freeloading from society, but instead I saw a group of men engaged in a lively conversation about successful job search strategies; most were neatly dressed and seemed ready and eager to meet life’s challenges.”

______________________________________________________________________

Negation

“His desk was bone clean, no pencils or paper, nothing—just a telephone” (Cable 124)

“The mortician is no longer regarded as a minister of death” (Cable 126).

Try filling in one or more of the following formulas:

In my area of (insert chosen topic) there are no_______________________________

My (insert specific name) topic is not______________________but instead it’s____________________

The people affected by (insert chosen topic) are not_____________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Thesis Based on Negation

You might develop a thesis that focuses on negation, such as:

“The Eastville Public Library is not a place for hushed whispers, musty books, and unfriendly librarians.”

Thesis Based on Contrasts

You could have another possible thesis here.  Perhaps something like the following:

“The Eaton Public Defender’s Office combines wacky unpredictability and lockstep routine.”

Remember that a good thesis statement will address multiple aspects of your topic and will give readers something new/interesting/useful.  But writing a good thesis right off the bat is really hard.  It’s all right to write some bad ones as you move your way to some good ones.

Cable, Brian.  “The Last Stop.”  Reading Critically Writing Well.  Rise B. Axelrod, Charles R. Cooper, and Alison M. Warriner. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins’, 2008.

          123-126. Print.

Exercise adapted from

Engbers, Susanna Kelly. “‘What’s My Angle Here?’  An Exercise in Invention.” TETYC Sept 2010: 63-67. Print.