This document discusses the elements of a strong thesis statement, including that it should be clearly stated, focused and narrow, debatable, and supported by evidence. It provides examples of each of these elements and discusses four types of claims: claims of facts or definitions, claims of cause and effect, claims of value, and claims about solutions or policies. The document advises that the type of claim used should be determined by the question being answered.

2. Objective
 I can write a thesis statement at a meets or exceeds
level.

3. Elements of a Thesis
 Thesis: A statement that presents the main claim
that your are working to prove.
 Strong Thesis Statements are…
 Clearly Stated
 Focused & Narrow
 Debatable
 Supported by Evidence

4. Clearly Stated
 Generally, your thesis is the last sentence of the
introduction paragraph.
 Your thesis should directly answer the prompt or
questions your are trying to answer.
 Question: Is America’s Capitalistic system good for
the nation?

5. Focused & Narrow
 Your thesis must be focused on not just your topic,
but what you hope to prove about your topic.
 Unfocused: Capitalism is the best economic system.
 Focused & Narrow: As recent developments in
technology have shown, capitalism strengthens the
United States’ economy by creating an environment
which fosters innovation.

6. Debatable
 Your thesis must be debatable…someone should be able
to disagree with your statement.
 Not Debatable: Capitalism in America has both strengths
and limitations.
 Debatable: The limitations of capitalism are shown by the
United States’ inability to dramatically slow down carbon
emissions.

7. Supported by Evidence
 You must have evidence that supports your claim.
 Use a variety of types of evidence (Ethos, Logos,
Pathos)
 Topic sentences must relate to your thesis statement.
 Include a counterclaim paragraph (see counterclaim
PowerPoint)

8. Four Types of Claims
 Claims of Facts or Definitions.
 Claims of cause & effect.
 Claims of value.
 Claims about solutions or policies.

9. Claims of Facts or
Definitions
 Claims that argue what something means or if it is a
fact.
 Example:
 A free market economy allows for
individuals the freedom from government
regulation to run their businesses as they
see fit.

10. Claims of Cause & Effect.
 Claims that argue that two things are related.
 Example:
 The lack of government regulations
placed on automobile emissions has led
to an environmental disaster in the United
States.

11. Claims of Value.
 Claims that argue the worth that we place on
something.
 Example:
 While capitalism allows for individual
liberties, it creates an unfair and costly
system of inequity in our society.

12. Claims about Solutions or
Policies.
 Claims that argue what steps should be taken to
solve a problem.
 Example:
 The government must create laws
requiring all automobiles to increase fuel
efficiency to at least 40 mpg by 2020.

13. Selecting the Best Type of
Claim
 The type of claim that you should use is generally
determined by the question that you are trying to
answer.
 Some questions can be answered in multiple ways.