Thesis statement and reading outline

1. Thesis Statement and
Reading Outline
Prepared by:
Ana Mae F. dela Torre

2. Definition
• A thesis statement is the claim or stand that you will
develop in your paper. It is the controlling idea of your
essay.
• (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson 2006:34)
A strong thesis statement usually contains an element of
uncertainty, risk or challenge.

3. Guidelines on writing an effective
thesis statement
1. Avoid making overly-opinionated stands
2. Avoid making announcements
3. Avoid stating facts alone

4. Outline
An outline is a summary that gives the essential
features of a text. It shows how the parts of a text
are related to one another as parts that are of
equal importance, or sections that are subordinate
to a main idea.

5. Kinds of Outlines
1. Reading outline
2. Writing outline

6. Steps in creating a reading outline
1. Read the entire text first. Skim the text afterward. Having an overview of the
reading’s content will help you follow its structure better.
2. Locate the thesis statement.
3. Look for the key ideas in each paragraph of the essay.
4. Look at the topic sentence and group related ideas together.
5. Arrange the contents according to chronological order, spatial order, and
general to specific order.
6. Go back to the text and make sure you have not miss any important
information.

7. Rules for Outlining
1. Subdivide topics by a system of numbers and letters, followed by a period. In
a formal outline, Roman numerals can be used to represent paragraphs.
Capital letters can be used to represent supporting details for the
paragraphs.
2. Each heading and subheading must have at least two parts.
3. Use either brief phrases or complete sentences. Do not use both in one
essay.

8. Types of Outlines
1. Topic outline—the headings are given
in sing words or brief phrases
2. Sentence outline– all headings are
expressed in complete sentences

9. SAMPLES

10. SAMPLES