Thesis/Proposition Statements

1
Thesis/Proposition Statements

• Express your thesis/proposition (conclusion) as a
  single, declarative sentence.
• Infinitive phrases or questions are NOT thesis
  statements OR main points.
• Since the thesis (conclusion) will be the
  defining statement of your argument, it should be
  as specific as possible.

2
Topic State funding to colleges

• Thesis
• Decreases in state funding to colleges will
  result in cuts in educational programs,
  extracurricular offerings, and financial aid.

3

• Be sure that the thesis statement includes enough
  information to differentiate your approach from
  other possibilities.
• Not Something must be done about AIDS
• But The threat of a national epidemic of
  AIDS requires a major governmental program
  of education, research, and treatment.

4
Analyze your topic by breaking your thesis
statement into a list of questions to be answered
during your debate.

• Thesis
• There are a number of sociological and
  developmental reasons for gangs being attractive
  to youth.
• Exactly what are the sociological reasons for
  gangs being attractive to youth?
• Exactly what are the developmental reasons for
  gangs being attractive to youth?
• Do young people find gangs attractive?

5
Thesis An entrepreneurial business
plan discusses the objectives, needs, and
financial projections for a business. Main
Points I. The first section of the business
plan focuses on the objectives. II. The
second section of the business plan
establishes the need for the
business. III. The third section contains the
financial projections for the
business.
6

• All main points should be of equal importance in
  relation to the thesis of the speech.
• Make each main point mutually exclusive
• Have at least two subpoints per main point. In
  other words, dont have one main point supported
  by lots of evidence, and then the next main point
  as very little evidence to support it