Skills Lesson- Creating and Writing Thesis Statements

A thesis statement is not __________.
I. a fact
II. a topic
III. a question
A. I only
B. II and III
C. I and III
D. I, II, and III

D. I,II, and III

A thesis statement has all of the following purposes except __________.

A. to create a longer conclusion to the essay
B. to guide the writer’s planning, research, and writing
C. to identify an essay’s main point and purpose
D. to provide a roadmap of an essay to aid the reader

A. to create a longer conclusion to the essay

A thesis statement is all of the following except __________.

A. an essay’s scope, purpose, and direction
B. a direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary
C. a conclusion the writer has reached about a topic
D. a snapshot of the contents of an essay

B. A direct quotation, paraphrase, or summery

If you already have a research question identified, what should you do to create a thesis statement?

A. use it verbatim
B. turn it into an assertion
C. create a formula using keywords
D. rewrite it to fit an academic tone

B. Turn into an assertion

How can the reader use the thesis statement?

A. to aid in the comprehension of the main ideas in the essay
B. as a guide for planning, researching, and writing the paper
C. as a snapshot of the writer’s personal background and beliefs
D. to adapt an alphanumeric outline into decimal notation

A. To aid in the comprehension of the main ideas in the essay

What should a writer do prior to drafting a thesis statement?

A. completely finish researching
B. write at least three pages of the essay
C. examine the evidence to find the main point
D. refine and polish the statement using a checklist

C. Examine the evidence to find the main point

Why is elementary school success an indicator of graduation rates?

Why is this sentence not a thesis statement?

A. It is not a debatable topic.
B. It is a question.
C. It is an opinion.
D. It is not a fact.

B. It is a question

Which of the following is an appropriate thesis statement using the "limited subject + precise opinion" formula?

A. Men are people.
B. Pets are cool.
C. Group skydiving is surprisingly safe.
D. Libraries are full of books and other reading material.

C. Group skydiving is surprisingly safe.

Drug use is bad for society.

How can this thesis statement be improved?

A. Medicinal drug use is bad for society because it leads to drug addiction.
B. Drug use is detrimental for society.
C. Drug use is good and bad for society, depending on what type.
D. Illegal drug use is bad for society.

A. Medicinal drug use is bad for society because it leads to addiction.

Which of the following describe a "working thesis statement"?

I. a changeable focus for your research

II. a statement that makes a final conclusion about the topic

III. a statement used during the research process

A. I only
B. II and III
C. I and III
D. I, II, and III

C. I and III.

Students should be educated.

What is wrong with this thesis statement?

A. Not all students should be educated.
B. It is not a research question.
C. It is not long enough for a thesis.
D. It is neither debatable nor specific.

D. It is neither debatable nor specific

How does the thesis statement aid the writer?

A. It provides an unchanging snapshot of the contents of the essay.
B. It guides the planning, research, and writing of the essay.
C. It promises the scope, purpose, and direction of the essay.
D. It provides a debatable assertion that helps the writer form opinions.

B. It guides the planning, research, and writing of the essay.

Which of the following is not one of the steps to developing a working thesis statement?

A. Write an essay.
B. Do preliminary reading.
C. Draft a statement.
D. Change or refine the statement.

A write an essay

A well-worded thesis statement is both __________ and __________.

A. generally acceptable . . . broad
B. agreeable . . . limited
C. significant . . . limited
D. significant . . . broad

C. significant…limited