A strong thesis:
1.
Addresses the prompt in a clear way.
2.
Takes
a stand on the subject
being explored.
3.
Clearly communicates the subject matter being explored
4.
Gives examples by which the stance is defended
5. Possesses the “so what” factor—the
lesson learned by the writer that he or she wants his or her audience to grasp
or agree with by the end of the essay. (Note: a good intro will include a summary of the works explored. A good thesis will summarize the points that a
writer defends or makes regarding the
the works (or the summary thereof) explored.)
Important to Note:
- A good introduction will often include a summary of source material used. However, a good thesis must summarize the points an author makes in reaction to that source material.
- Also, the thesis may take more than one sentence (as much as three, but sometimes it's interspersed throughout the introduction) to complete/communicate/write. Just make sure these items are addressed in the introduction. Being concise is always preferable, but it takes practice.
- Limit thesis to introduction; it should not bleed into the first body paragraph (that's only appropriate for very long papers--20 pages plus.
In Charisse Goodman’s article “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Diets,”
the author suggests mass media
portrays excessive weight gals as villains, not romantic
central characters in
ads and movies. However, many of these overweight women have as much potential to exercise a
career as the typical skinny actresses in a widely viewed medium. Not only does this
affect seriously heavy women, but even average women who compare themselves to
famous skeletal girls. This has been occurring for a few decades now, and women
have made poor choices
to achieve this stereotypical view of “gorgeous.” It has stirred insecurities for thin and heavy alike.
Therefore, the negative messages
of TV have caused major damage, which can be worsened in unhealthy families.
Dove intentionally crosses an intimate line of
privacy
in order to excite a specific and desired
reaction, in which authors like Megan Daum fall prey, to ultimately fuel the ad campaign.Ad campaigns should mind higher standards of privacy, but
even if they don’t, audiences need to know that the privacy has been invaded,
and should not being victimized by it.
Inadequate, but good start at thesis: “In Hamlet and A Doll House (3), both writers express the struggles and hardships
(hinting at 2) dealt with due to lack of political power (hinting at 2 and 5)
through the characters Ophelia and Nora (clearly 3) but also show how these
obstacles affected (so vague at 5) the ladies as well.
Refined, strong thesis: While both Nora and Ophelia
suffer from a feminine frailty and naivety, Nora successfully identifies this
and overcomes. Ophelia is unable to make such a discovery. Ophelia is
tragically dependent on the approval of either her dad or Hamlet. Nora is a
passive socialite benefiting from a marriage that established her financial
and, to some extent, emotional security.
Figuring out thesis:
Dependency: Ophelia was naïve. Even though she was in
love with Hamlet, she was easily dissuaded from her loyalty to him because of
her obedience to her father’s wishes. She goes insane when her father dies,
because her security was gone. She was either dependent on her dad or Hamlet.
She struggles with the issue of whom to trust—Hamlet or her father. It
backfires in either case. She is very
fragile. She’s weak. This quality allows her to be pushed around by males
around her. Coupled with her innocence of evildoing in romantic love makes her
vulnerable to the whimsy of more powerful men.
Nora, however, overcomes her weakness, when she
realizes her idealism is a liability and is willing to face the consequences by
risking social shame for rejecting a false love in her husband Torvald.
