An overview of the four elements of a strong thesis statement.

1. “To be, or not to be?” is
not a thesis statement

2. “To be, or not to be?” is a question
!
(“Why don’t I just kill myself already?!”
—Hamlet, the original emo kid)

3. Thesis statements are (less
melodramatic) statements

4. Thesis statements are, in
fact, arguable statements

5. Therefore, a strong thesis
statement will (like any good
arguable statement) do four things.

6. 1. Take a stand.

7. Robert J. Sawyer’s novel Mindscan
explores, at one point, the concept
of the philosophical zombie.
RED = WARNING!!

8. Yes. It does.
!
I’m glad we had this talk!!!

9. A strong thesis statement takes a stand by risking
an argument that the reader could sensibly reject.
!
If you disagreed with me about how RJS’s novel
discusses “the philosophical zombie,” then you
were wrong. I just need to turn to page 194 to
prove you wrong. What’s the fun in that?

10. Robert J. Sawyer uses literary
devices to refute the idea that the
machine characters in his novel
are philosophical zombies.

11. “No he doesn’t! Did you get
your degree from a cereal box?”
!
Now, we’re getting somewhere.

12. 2. Justify the discussion.

13. Robert J. Sawyer uses literary
devices to refute the idea that the
machine characters in his novel
are philosophical zombies.

14. Okay. But, like,
who cares?

15. Well, who cares?

16. Who cares about using
literature to refute arguments?
!
Authors might care.
Literary critics might care.

17. What about, specifically, refuting the
philosophical zombie?
!
(This is a philosophical argument with
scientific applications.)

18. Philosophers might care.
Scientists might care.

19. Authors, literary critics, philosophers,
scientists…
!
Science Fiction authors might care.

20. Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices to
refute the idea that the machine
characters in his novel are philosophical
zombies, thereby suggesting that science
fiction authors have a role to play in the
process of scientific exploration.

21. 3. Express one main idea.

22. Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices…
!
Which ones?

23. A good question, but…

24. Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice and
metaphors and space travel and a cool font
and lots themes and the afterword and beer
and a dog and stuff to refute the idea that the
machine characters in his novel are
philosophical zombies, thereby suggesting that
science fiction authors have a role to play in
the process of scientific exploration.

25. Pick one.

26. Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice to
refute the idea that the machine
characters in his novel are philosophical
zombies, thereby suggesting that science
fiction authors have a role to play in the
process of scientific exploration.

27. 4. Be specific.

28. Be Specific

29. If you aren’t Being Specific,
then you are just writing B.S.

30. Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice
[what kind?] to refute [suggests an essay;
isn’t this literature?] the idea [idea, or
argument?] that the machine characters
[aren’t they really human “copies”?] in his
novel [what novel?] are philosophical
zombies [are what?], thereby suggesting
that science fiction authors have a role
[what role?] to play in the process of
scientific exploration.

31. Robert J. Sawyer’s novel Mindscan uses
first-person, character-based narration to
present a literary refutation of the
argument that human “copies” like his
characters would be “philosophical
zombies” and not conscious, thereby
suggesting that science fiction authors
experiment with ideas in literary
laboratories and thus participate in the
process of scientific exploration.

32. Thesis Statements summarize arguments.
!
They take a stand.
They justify discussion.
They express one main idea.
They are specific.

33. Hamlet skipped his classes in
order to hang out with ghosts.
!
He was only good at two things:
sulking and dying.
!
He wasn’t much for writing essays.