250 words 3 hrs fill the form

Argumentative Writing © Cult of Pedagogy

M I N I - L E S S O N

WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT

A thesis statement is a sentence in which you state your main argument and a brief description of how you will prove it. There are many ways to structure a thesis statement, but we will work with one specific model: concession- thesis-reasons. Here’s an example:

Although surveillance cameras may be expensive, schools should install

them because they increase safety, reduce vandalism, and keep both

teachers and students accountable for their actions.

The first part of the statement is the concession, where you recognize the opposing side’s most important counter-argument:

Although surveillance cameras may be expensive,

Next comes the thesis, a simple statement of your main argument:

schools should install them

Last comes a preview of the reasons that support your argument:

because they increase safety, reduce vandalism, and keep both teachers

and students accountable for their actions.

Here are a few other examples of thesis statements written in the concession- thesis-reasons format:

While it’s true that the person you are inside is what’s most important, you

should take care of your appearance because it will increase your confidence,

it shows respect to others, and it will give you opportunities you might not

otherwise have.

26

BACK TO CONTENTS

Argumentative Writing © Cult of Pedagogy WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT —

Despite the fact that buying locally grown food can be inconvenient, we

should make every effort to “eat local” because it’s better for our health, it

supports our local community, and it benefits the environment.

Even though serious behavior problems need serious consequences, schools

should not suspend students. This practice creates academic problems, it

leads to further disciplinary issues, and to some students, it can feel more

like a reward than a punishment.

Notice the last example is actually two sentences. Instead of using the word

because to link your thesis to your reasons, you can simply start a new sentence.

27

What to Do Now

Using the concession-thesis-reasons style, write the full thesis statement for your essay.

Now move to your Essay Planner and transfer your thesis statement and

three points to that chart. To see an example of this for another essay, look

at Essay 1, Draft 1, and the Essay Planner for that draft. Notice that the three

points aren’t previewed in the thesis statement box on the planner, but

they are included in the first paragraph of the essay.

BACK TO CONTENTS