Thesis Statements

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Thesis Statements
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A Thesis Statement IS NOT

• The subject

Mortality in Jamie Weismans As I Live and
Breathe Notes of a Patient-Doctor
In Pursuit of Happiness
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A Thesis Statement IS NOT

• Too broad

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman faces a
life-long battle with an unknown disease.
In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman chooses
to live a full life.
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A Thesis Statement IS NOT

• An assertion, statement of fact or an observation

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman is
uncertain about bringing a child into the world.
In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman admires
Dr. Gussack who is the ultimate doctor.
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A Thesis Statement

• Takes a stance rather than announces subject.

In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weismans battle
with a life-long rare disease prepares her for
her battle with disease as a doctor, physically,
mentally and emotionally.
In As I Live and Breathe, Jamie Weisman has two
mentors, one who is expert in the arts and one
who is expert in medicine. The two mentors
prepare her to become a specially adept doctor.
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A Thesis Statement

• Must be narrow, rather than broad, in order to
  sufficiently argue your thesis.
• Must be specific rather than vague or general

x
Jamie Weisman is not sure what she wants.
Jamie Weisman portrays her life as a journey
through a land of wizardry and art. As a doctor
she is able to meld the two into a higher
standard of medicine.
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Consists of two parts

1. Your topic
2. The analysis, explanation, or assertions you are
   making about the topic. (The So What of your
   argument)

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Jamie Weisman portrays her life as a journey
through a land of wizardry and art. As a doctor
she is able to meld the two into a higher
standard of medicine.
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A Thesis Statement

• Is a map or guide both for yourself and your
  audience.

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A Thesis Statement

• Has one main point rather than several main
  points.

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The Main Point

• Is supported by reasoning or evidence from the
  text

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The Evidence

• Is organized into paragraphs with one topic per
  paragraph

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Remember

• Your thesis is a working thesis. If you find
  yourself straying from your original argument,
  one alternative is to rewrite your thesis
  statement.

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Remember

• Your thesis is making a claim
• That your must sufficiently prove with reasons
  and evidence.
• That could be an opinion, an evaluation, a
  cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation.
• With which people could possibly disagree.

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Remember

• Your thesis is not an expression of what you
  think or feel.
• Do not summarize the plot. Analyze the plot.
• Focus on how your argument develops or changes in
  the story.

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Checklist

• Must be in introduction
• Must be specific and narrow
• Must be arguable
• Must answer So what?