middle school thesis statement practice

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How to Write a Thesis Statement

About this worksheet:.

Practice developing thesis statements with this writing introduction worksheet! Students will learn how to improve their writing with a strong, attention grabbing thesis statement. This activity helps build writing skills by asking students to create a statement for the topics provided, such as: “What was the greatest challenge in your life?”.

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Activities to Teach How to Write A Thesis Statement

Research Writing , Secondary Literacy , Writing

If there’s any literacy skill you would want your English Language Arts students to master, it would probably be how to write a thesis statement . If you want to teach your students how to write powerful, eloquent, and exceptionally captivating thesis statements, then you’ll love the activities in this article.

The key to any good essay is a strong thesis statement. A strong thesis statement sets the tone and clarifies the author’s purpose : it tells you the writer’s opinion, along with the level of thought and criticism that has gone into formulating it.

A strong thesis statement also creates an alluring introduction paragraph. This makes each paper in your grading pile a lot more inviting.

How do you teach students to write a thesis statement to make their audience continue reading? This blog post explores six activities to teach how to write a thesis statement.

1. Differentiate Between Strong and Weak Thesis Statements

Writing a thesis statement might be a new skill for your students. Thesis statements are often taught as a topic sentence or the “whole essay boiled down into one sentence.” This can be a challenging concept for your students to grasp.

To teach how to write a thesis statement, have a discussion about what makes a strong thesis statement. You can turn this into a collaborative lesson by brainstorming clarifying statements ; these statements dictate what a thesis is and is not.

For example: “ A proper thesis statement is written in one sentence ,” or “ a proper thesis statement is directly related to the rest of the essay .” This is a great opportunity to teach students the difference between concepts like a “topic sentence” or a “hook.”

Your students can use this free bookmark to differentiate between a strong thesis statement and a weak one. This slideshow lesson also explores clarifying statements with detailed examples.

2. Evaluate Thesis Statement Examples

Now that students have plenty of guidelines, challenge their understanding by evaluating thesis statement examples . You can use thesis statement examples from past students’ essays. You can even write your own examples based on the clarifying statements you create with your class.

If you’re open to your students receiving constructive, anonymous criticism , you can even have them write a thesis statement and evaluate each one as a class. I’ve had success with providing students with a thesis statement topic and having them write a thesis statement. Then, I prompt them to swap with their elbow partner to offer feedback.

If you’d rather provide a comprehensive list of thesis statements that reflect the common errors you would typically see in students’ essays, there are several student examples in this introductory lesson on how to write a thesis statement – this is one of my favourite activities for teaching thesis statement writing!

3. Provide a Thesis Statement Template

One of the easiest ways to teach how to write a thesis statement is to offer a thesis statement template . There are a variety of thesis statement templates that students can use as a framework for their essays. I start with a basic template that involves the three parts of a thesis statement: a topic, position, and evidence . I then demonstrate to students how they can create variations of this template, depending on which order they introduce each part. You can find examples for each template in these thesis statement handouts .

You can also introduce a few sentence styles to your students. These styles scaffold eloquent thesis statements. They also offer students the space to articulate their thoughts without exceeding the one-sentence limit.

Sentence Styles for the Three Parts of a Thesis Statement

Here are a few sentence styles that incorporate the three parts of a thesis statement. Each style also includes an example written by a real student:

• Style A : “Noun phrase; Noun phrase; Noun phrase – Independent Clause” Example: “The promotion of hygiene; the presence of medical professionals; the prevention of death – these are all reasons why supervised injection services are an important facet of public health.”
• Style B : If (subject + verb + object phrase), if (subject + verb + object phrase ), if (subject + verb + object phrase ), then (independent clause) Example: “If taxpayers do not wish to have their money allocated to cruelty, if more than 100 million animals die from animal testing a year, if alternatives to animal testing exist, then governments should ban the practice of testing on animals.”
• Style C : Independent clause: subject + verb, subject + verb, subject + verb Example: “College education should be entirely funded by the government: student debt would be eliminated, education would not be commodified, and access to education would not be exclusive to privileged people.”

All of these sentence styles are outlined in these practice worksheets for how to write a thesis statement, with writing prompts to reinforce each thesis statement template through repeated practice.

4. Daily Practice Activities to Teach How to Write a Thesis Statement

One of the most effective ways to teach how to write a thesis statement is through repeated practice. You can do this by incorporating daily bell ringers into your persuasive writing unit. To assign this activity, I provide students with three topics to choose from. I then prompt them to develop an opinion and write a thesis statement for one.

I’ll also include bell ringers that provide a thesis statement that students need to evaluate. Students really enjoy these drills! They get the opportunity to develop opinions on interesting topics, and many of them choose to explore these ideas as the subject of their final research paper.

If you’re looking for pre-made worksheets with thesis statement activities, these daily thesis statement bell ringers include one month’s worth of thesis statement prompts, graphic organizers, and templates in both digital and ready-to-print format.

5. Use a Self-Assessment Thesis Statement Anchor Chart

You can provide students with a thesis statement anchor chart to reference the guidelines and rules they’ve learned. A personalized anchor chart is best – like this free thesis statement bookmark – so that students can have it on hand while they are reading and writing.

You can distribute the anchor chart at the beginning of your research paper unit. Students can refer to it while evaluating thesis statement examples or completing daily practice activities. A thesis statement anchor chart has been a complete game-changer in my classroom, and I’m pleased to learn that many of my students have held on to these after completing my course.

6. Provide Engaging Thesis Statement Topics

You can collaborate with your students to generate an engaging list of good topics for thesis statements. Start by writing down every topic that your students suggest. Then, you can narrow this list down to avoid broad, far-reaching thesis statements that lead to a watered-down essay. When I make this list with my students, we end up with topics that are truly engaging for them. I also have the opportunity to clarify which topics might be a little too vague or broad for an exceptional essay.

For example, students often suggest topics like “racism” or “the problem with school.” These are learning opportunities to demonstrate to students that a great thesis statement is the essential starting point for an even greater essay.

To elaborate, a topic like racism has different implications all over the world. It is far too complex to explore in a single, 750-word essay. Instead, we work together to narrow this topic down to something like “racism in the media,” or even better, “representation in Hollywood.”

Additionally, a topic like “the problem with school” is more of a conclusion. To solve this, we work backward to identify some of the aspects of our school that make it an obstacle . This can include uniforms, early starts, or cell phone policies. This process leads students to a more concise topic, like “cell phone policies in twenty-first-century schools.”

If you’re looking for engaging thesis statement topics to inspire your students, I’ve included a list of 75 argumentative essay topics in this practice unit for how to write a thesis statement .

Tying it All Together

There are plenty of fun thesis statement activities and practice lessons that you can incorporate into your curriculum. Give thesis statements the love and attention they deserve in the classroom – after all, they truly are the most important part of a research essay.

All of the worksheets, lessons, and activities explored in this blog post are included in Mondays Made Easy’s unit for teaching how to write a thesis statement . This bundle has everything you need to teach your students how to master their thesis statements and apply these essential literacy skills to their writing.

Middle School Thesis Statement

In middle school, students begin to familiarize themselves with the concept of thesis statements , laying the groundwork for more complex writing tasks in the future. Crafting a thesis statement at this level is crucial for developing strong writing skills and analytical thinking. This guide provides middle schoolers with essential examples, a step-by-step approach to writing, and helpful tips to ensure they create compelling and clear thesis statements to elevate their essays and reports.

What is a thesis statement for middle schoolers? – Definition

A thesis statement for middle schoolers is a concise sentence or two that clearly presents the main idea or argument of a piece of writing. It serves as a roadmap for readers, helping them understand what the writer intends to convey or prove. For middle school students, a thesis statement often takes a simpler form than in more advanced academic writing but remains essential for guiding the direction of their essays, reports, or projects.

What is a good thesis statement Example for Middle School?

“Despite its reputation for being an aggressive breed, with proper training and socialization, pit bulls can be loyal and gentle family pets.”

A Good thesis statement provides a clear stance on the topic (the nature of pit bulls) and gives a hint about the supporting points the essay might discuss (training and socialization). It’s straightforward and suitable for the middle school level.

100 Thesis Statement Example for Middle School

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Crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement in middle school lays the foundation for advanced essay writing in high school and beyond. These statements are simpler than their high school thesis statement counterparts but serve the crucial role of guiding the direction of an argument or analysis. Here, we provide a selection of examples tailored for the budding middle school writer.

• Recycling is vital for preserving our planet for future generations.
• School uniforms promote a sense of community among students.
• Homework should be limited to ensure students have enough time for extracurricular activities.
• Solar energy is an eco-friendly alternative that should be explored more.
• Physical education should be mandatory in every grade.
• Reading books enhances creativity more than watching TV.
• Social media platforms should have age restrictions.
• Zoos do more harm than good by imprisoning animals.
• Students should have the option to learn a musical instrument in school.
• Public libraries are essential resources for communities.
• Bullying in schools needs stricter policies and consequences.
• Technology in classrooms enhances the learning experience.
• The Harry Potter series has revolutionized children’s literature.
• Parents should limit video game hours for children.
• Field trips provide a unique and invaluable learning experience.
• Cursive writing is a skill that should still be taught in schools.
• Schools should offer more foreign language options from an early age.
• Year-round schooling is beneficial for student retention.
• Team sports teach valuable life skills like teamwork and leadership.
• The school cafeteria should prioritize healthy food options.
• Art and music classes are as essential as science and math.
• Volunteering should be encouraged in middle school.
• Outdoor learning can be a valuable addition to traditional classrooms.
• History lessons should cover diverse cultures and perspectives.
• Summer vacations are essential for students’ mental well-being.
• Pets in school can aid in stress reduction and emotional learning.
• Teachers should integrate more modern literature into the curriculum.
• Learning a second language benefits cognitive development.
• Excessive testing can put undue stress on students.
• Schools should have programs that teach financial literacy.
• Mobile phones in schools are more distracting than beneficial.
• Gardening programs teach students about sustainability and biology.
• Early bedtimes benefit students’ concentration and health.
• Schools should incorporate more hands-on experiments in science classes.
• The study of mythology offers insights into various cultures.
• Students should learn about global current events in addition to history.
• Virtual reality can revolutionize classroom learning.
• Longer recess breaks benefit students’ concentration.
• Online learning platforms are vital tools for modern education.
• Schools should encourage students to read newspapers.
• Space exploration should be a part of the school curriculum.
• Schools should host annual events celebrating cultural diversity.
• Students should be educated about internet safety.
• Math can be made fun through interactive learning tools.
• Public speaking lessons can boost students’ confidence.
• Schools should teach students about healthy eating habits.
• Parents and teachers need to collaborate for students’ success.
• Peer mentoring can help students adjust to middle school.
• Schools should have counselors to address students’ mental health.
• Writing in journals can improve students’ writing skills.
• Students should be taught the importance of voting from an early age.
• Environmental education is crucial for a sustainable future.
• Ancient civilizations offer valuable lessons for the modern world.
• Students benefit from learning through documentaries and films.
• Creative writing boosts imagination and communication skills.
• Schools should emphasize the importance of critical thinking.
• Robotics clubs can foster interest in science and technology.
• The education system should prioritize experiential learning.
• Schools should have programs that promote kindness and empathy.
• Learning about world religions fosters tolerance and understanding.
• Digital literacy is as important as traditional literacy.
• Daily reading time in schools can enhance vocabulary and comprehension.
• Parent-teacher meetings should be held regularly.
• Schools should reduce the emphasis on grades.
• Education on climate change is essential for younger generations.
• Schools should offer classes on basic life skills.
• Celebrating achievements, big or small, boosts students’ morale.
• Schools should have workshops on time management.
• Middle schoolers benefit from learning about careers and professions.
• Setting personal goals can drive academic success.
• Debates in school foster analytical and critical thinking.
• Learning about entrepreneurship encourages innovation.
• Schools should prioritize classes on ethics and morality.
• Students should be exposed to various forms of art.
• Science clubs can inspire future scientists and researchers.
• Middle schoolers should be educated on digital privacy.
• Learning through games makes education more engaging.
• Schools should encourage independent research projects.
• Students benefit from understanding different political systems.
• Physical activity breaks can enhance classroom focus.
• Schools should have a broader range of extracurricular activities.
• Peer feedback sessions can improve writing skills.
• Astronomy should be introduced to middle schoolers.
• Community service projects instill a sense of responsibility.
• Middle schools should offer classes on logic and reasoning.
• Real-world math problems make learning more applicable.
• Schools should provide resources for learning beyond textbooks.
• Geography lessons should include current world events.
• Middle schoolers should be educated about online scams and fraud.
• Schools should promote creativity over rote learning.
• Workshops on effective communication benefit students in the long run.
• Learning about local history connects students to their community.
• Schools should educate students on the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
• Teaching negotiation skills can be beneficial in everyday life.
• Outdoor adventure programs can boost teamwork and leadership.
• Schools should foster a love for lifelong learning.
• Middle schoolers benefit from understanding basic economics.
• Drama and theater can enhance students’ expressive skills.
• Schools should have more guest speakers from various professions.
• Learning about nutrition can promote lifelong healthy habits.

Thesis Statement Examples for 6th Grade Students

At this age, students begin to form stronger opinions and arguments. The thesis statements are simple, clear, and easy to support with evidence.

• Dogs make better pets than cats because they are more loyal and trainable.
• Reading books helps improve imagination more than watching TV.
• Video games can teach important life skills if played in moderation.
• Homework should be limited on weekends to encourage outdoor activities.
• Solar energy is better than fossil fuels for preserving the environment.
• Field trips are essential for hands-on learning in schools.
• Eating vegetables is crucial for growing kids as they provide essential nutrients.
• Winter is the best season because it brings holidays and snow sports.
• Recycling should be made compulsory in all schools.
• Swimming is the most beneficial sport for overall health in kids.

Thesis Statement Examples for 7th Grade Students

As students mature, their thesis statements can tackle more complex issues, yet remain concise and debatable.

• Online schooling can be just as effective as traditional schooling when implemented correctly.
• Cursive writing should still be taught in schools despite the rise of technology.
• Social media has more negative effects than positive ones for teenagers.
• Schools should start later in the morning to ensure students get enough sleep.
• Zoos do more harm than good by keeping animals in captivity.
• All students should learn a second language from a young age.
• Students should wear uniforms to promote equality and reduce distractions.
• Fast food consumption leads to severe health problems in young individuals.
• Art and music classes are as important as core subjects in middle school.
• Bullying in schools can have long-term mental effects on victims.

Thesis Statement Examples for 8th Grade Students

At this stage, students delve deeper into societal issues and controversies, offering a nuanced perspective in their statements.

• Climate change is the most pressing issue of our generation and requires immediate action.
• Genetic modification in food can be beneficial if regulated properly.
• Animal testing for cosmetics should be banned worldwide.
• The age for acquiring a driver’s license should be raised to 18.
• Reality TV promotes unhealthy stereotypes and should be viewed with skepticism.
• Technology addiction in teenagers is leading to decreased physical activity.
• Students should be educated about the dangers of tobacco and alcohol from a younger age.
• The internet, though beneficial, has also given rise to increasing cyberbullying cases.
• Schools should actively promote STEM subjects for girls.
• Historical monuments representing controversial figures should be preserved with context.

Middle School Thesis Statement Examples for Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays aim to convince readers to adopt a particular viewpoint. The persuasive essay thesis statement should be compelling and offer a clear stance.

• Planting trees in urban areas is vital for maintaining air quality and community health.
• Junk food in school cafeterias contributes to childhood obesity and should be replaced.
• Digital textbooks are more efficient and eco-friendly than paper ones.
• Physical education classes should be mandatory throughout middle school.
• Restricting screen time for children encourages better sleep and healthier habits.
• Volunteering should be integrated into the school curriculum for character development.
• Parents should monitor their children’s online activities to ensure safety.
• Students should have more say in designing the school curriculum.
• Reward systems in schools can boost motivation and performance.
• Local communities should invest more in public libraries.

Middle School Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays thesis statement present arguments on both sides. The thesis states a clear position on a contentious issue.

• Animal experimentation is unjustifiable, regardless of its potential benefits to humans.
• Introducing foreign languages in early grades leads to better cognitive development.
• Surveillance cameras in schools infringe on student privacy rights.
• The benefits of space exploration far outweigh the associated costs.
• All middle schools should adopt a vegetarian menu for environmental and health reasons.
• The grading system in schools stifles creativity and individualism.
• Strict parental controls on the internet are a necessity in today’s digital age.
• Public transportation should be free for students to encourage its use.
• Corporal punishment in schools does more harm than good.
• Modern educational technology tools enhance learning more than traditional methods.

Middle School Thesis Statement Examples for Informational Essay

Informational essays present factual information. The thesis sets the stage for the topic to be explored.

• The water cycle is an essential natural process that supports life on Earth.
• Ancient Egyptian pyramids were architectural marvels and had significant cultural importance.
• Photosynthesis is the process through which plants produce their food and release oxygen.
• The Great Wall of China, built over centuries, served as protection and a symbol of power.
• Hurricanes are powerful storms that arise from specific atmospheric conditions.
• The life cycle of a butterfly consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
• The human skeletal system provides structure and supports bodily movements.
• Mars, often called the “Red Planet,” has intrigued scientists for potential signs of life.
• The Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest tropical rainforest, hosts unparalleled biodiversity.
• The Internet’s invention has revolutionized communication, information access, and business.

How do you write a thesis statement for middle schoolers? – Step by Step Guide

• Understand the Purpose of a Thesis Statement : Begin by explaining to middle schoolers that a thesis statement expresses the main point of their essay and serves to guide the ideas within it. It tells the reader what to expect.
• Select a Topic : Encourage students to choose a topic they are passionate about or one they’d like to explore. The more interest they have in a topic, the easier it will be to write about.
• Ask a Question About the Topic : After selecting a topic, have them phrase it as a question. For example, if the topic is “recycling,” the question could be, “Why is recycling important for our environment?”
• Answer the Question : The answer to this question can form the basis of the thesis statement. Using the above example, an answer might be: “Recycling is essential for our environment because it reduces waste, conserves resources, and minimizes the impact on landfills.”
• Keep It Specific : Ensure that the thesis is not too vague. A good thesis provides a clear and specific point. Instead of writing, “Books are good,” they might write, “Reading books enhances vocabulary, improves concentration, and encourages empathy.”
• Limit to One or Two Sentences : A thesis should be concise. Middle schoolers should be taught to express their main idea succinctly.
• Avoid Opinion Phrases : Teach them to avoid starting their thesis with phrases like “I think” or “I believe.” The thesis should assert a fact or a stance, not merely present an opinion.
• Revise and Refine : Encourage rewriting the thesis a few times to make it stronger and clearer. As they gather more information for their essay, their thesis might need adjustments.
• Seek Feedback : Have students share their thesis statements with peers or teachers for feedback. Others can provide insight into whether the statement is clear and convincing.
• Practice Makes Perfect : Provide ample opportunities for middle schoolers to practice writing thesis statements on various topics. Over time, the process will become more intuitive.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement for Middle School Students

• Start Simple : Especially for younger middle school students, starting with a simple and straightforward topic can make the process less intimidating.
• Use Templates : Offering a template can be beneficial. For instance: “[Topic] is essential because of [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].”
• Always Back it Up : Remind students that whatever claim they make in their thesis, they should have evidence or reasons to back it up in the essay.
• Stay Flexible : Let students know it’s okay to change their thesis as they delve deeper into a topic. Research might lead them to a different perspective.
• Be Clear and Direct : Encourage students to avoid jargon or overly complex words. Their thesis should be easily understood.
• Avoid Being Too Broad : A common mistake is making a thesis too broad. For instance, instead of saying “Pollution is bad,” they could specify, “Plastic waste harms marine life.”
• Practice Debates : Allow students to practice debating on various topics. This helps them learn to form arguments, which can translate into stronger thesis statements.
• Use Real-World Examples : Relating the thesis statement to current events or real-world issues can make the process more engaging and relevant for students.
• Stay Organized : Teach students the importance of outlining their essays. This can help them see where their thesis fits and how their arguments should be structured.
• Encourage Creativity : While the structure of a thesis has a specific format, students can still be creative in how they present their main ideas.

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How to Teach Middle School Students to Write a Thesis Sentence

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A lesson teaching middle school students how to write a thesis statement should use a simple step-by-step process that teaches them exactly what a thesis statement is, explains the difference between argumentative statements and facts, and encourages the class to become an active part of the learning process through collaboration and discussion. By the end of your lesson, students should be able to write their own thesis statements at home.

Write a factual statement on the board, such as "The sky is blue." Then write an argumentative statement, such as "The sky is bluest in the summer." Show the students the difference between the two statements and explain that a thesis must an arguable statement.

Write a broad question on the board, such as "What would make school less boring?" Call on students to offer answers, and list some of the best on the board.

Turn the answers into arguments by combining them with the question to form a single thesis sentence, such as "School would be less boring if group work was maximized in the classroom."

Assign a separate topic and instruct students to brainstorm and develop their own thesis statements at home.

• Pick topics that are of interest to middle schoolers, such as school or aspects of pop culture.
• Create a collaborative atmosphere by inviting students to interject their own opinions and beliefs, thus personalizing the learning process.
• Limit the amount of time you spend talking "at" students. Format your lecture like a conversation in order to stave off classroom boredom and torpor.

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• Purdue Online: Purdue Online Writing Lab: Thesis Writing, Elyssa Tardiff/Allen Brizee, 2/24/2011
• www.Dummies.com: How-To: Forming a Thesis, Copyright 2011 Wiley Publishing

Neil Richter began his writing career in 2007. He has served as a writing tutor and published reviews in the local Illinois newspaper "The Zephyr." Richter holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in English literature and film from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill.

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Writing a Thesis Statement Free Lesson Plan

Here is a guided writing workshop to teach students how to brainstorm and draft a thesis statement. This activity provides students an opportunity to consider their prompt and develop a claim that is effective and arguable. Three handouts are included in each download, with the teacher version also containing instructions on how to conduct the workshop.

This lesson plan can be used with any persuasive, argumentative, or research-based essay.

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Thesis Statement Throwdown!

Every English teacher has experienced the frustration of introducing a writing skill, like how to write a thesis statement, over and over again without it “sticking.”

Three years ago, I began “flipping” my writing instruction, so students watch videos on my YouTube channel , take Cornell notes, then come prepared to class to do the actual writing. I love this approach to teaching writing! Students can watch my explanations as many times as they need to over the course of the year. Plus, I get to support them as they write in class. (See my post on synchronous editing ).

Alas, there are always students who need more practice. That said, I can only read so many essays in a year. Instead of feeling frustrated, I decided to design a fun activity to practice writing thesis statements. This is how thesis statement throwdown was born!

Thesis throwdown is a quirky combination of group collaboration, writing practice, funky music, and competition. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Write an essay prompt on the board. I vary my questions between informative and argumentative topics. KQED’s Do Now series is an excellent place to grab writing prompts!

Step 2: Put students into small groups and give them 5 minutes to construct a solid thesis statement in response to the essay question. The conversations that take place are incredible!

Step 3: Randomly select two groups to compete. I don’t tell them ahead of time who will compete in the actual throwdown because I want everyone to give it 100%.

Step 4: As each group writes their thesis statements on separate whiteboard, I play a fun but slightly random song. Our thesis throwdown music list has ranged from “Everybody Dance Now” to “Eye of the Tiger.” My philosophy is that the music keeps everyone interested and entertained while the two groups write their thesis statements on the board.

Step 5: Once both thesis statements are written on the board, I turn off the music and set to work! I edit each thesis statement and “think out loud” as I work, so students can hear what I am responding to in a positive way–strong vocabulary, parallel language, and clearly stated assertion–and what needs to be added, removed or edited. The more I let them into my process as an editor, the more likely they are to successfully edit their own work.

Finally, a winner is declared!

The entire activity takes 10 minutes from beginning to end. It’s hard to believe a writing activity can be so much fun, but this is really entertaining if you add the music and just have fun with it.

In the two weeks, we’ve done thesis statement throwdown, I am shocked by the improvement in the quality of the thesis statements. It’s worth a try if you are feeling like your students just aren’t delivering quality thesis statements. After all, the thesis is the most important sentence of an essay. We want students to leave our classes confident crafting a strong thesis statement!

48 Responses

Love it. I’ve actually been struggling with helping my GRE prep students with the essays. Can’t wait to try this out. I don’t use any music in my classes, so I’m sure turning it on will create a memorable moment they’ll associate with the theses for a long time:)

Jeremy http://stuartmillenglish.com

I hope they enjoy it, Jeremy! I’m sure the addition of music will make it interesting 😉

I read your page as a student at Heaton Middle School it helps understand your point of view.

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Love it! What fabulousness do you do to help them write hooks that go beyond the BrainyQuote or “Do you have a hero? I have a hero. Let me tell you about my hero” hooks.

Pretend there’s a question mark on the end there… 🙂

No, I’ve only done this with thesis statements at this point. That said, I can imagine it would be fun for almost any type of writing review.

I teach seventh grade and I can’t wait to try this with my students.

As a wrter, editor, photojournalist & author for more than 67 years, I applaud this approach to an often-difficult task for novice writers. Way to go, Catlin. Wish I’d had teachers like you back in the 1940s when I was in hight school. – DigitalKen

[…] ideas either and sometimes it is a fine line with engagement as well. So, I modified this idea from Catlin Tucker who is just simply AMAZING and if you haven’t visited her site, you are REALLY missing […]

I think this is a winning idea for several reasons! First of all, I’m really intrigued by the idea of flipping the writing instruction so that students are doing more of their writing practice in the classroom where the support is available. I would imagine that this would lead to less student frustration and that students are finding themselves better equipped to tackle the roadblocks that occur during writing. I like the fact that this activity asks students to work collaboratively to create thesis statements and build off of each other’s ideas. Also, I really like the fact that the teacher models editing and thinking out loud. This is a great way to show students what you mean, rather than just telling them. Finally, making this activity fun with music and good-natured competition will most likely make for more engaged students. Love the fact that this idea can be adaptable to other mini writing lessons. Thanks for the great idea!

Thank you, Sara! Not only do the kids enjoy this activity, but their thesis statements have improved so much in such a short window of time. I also plan to use the same strategy for other mini writing lessons.

Take care. Catlin

Thank you, Catlin! This is a great way to practice thesis statements. I will try it this fall.

I love this idea. Getting students to write thesis statements and then support those statements with well-crafted topic sentences are the keys to building an argument. It’s a skill the students struggle with but is such a key skill to success in all subjects. A variation to this could be to get another group to edit the students’ thesis statements.

My students absolutely love this activity. It got amazing reviews at the end of the year. I’m trying to figure out how to use a similar strategy to analyze textual evidence.

I hope your kids enjoy it!

[…] #1 Thesis Statement Throwdown […]

Is there a place where writing prompts are put together without the instructor having to create them? If so, this would be a great help. My urban seventh graders need many, many practice prompts to become adept at creating introductory sentences and thesis statements.

I design many of my own writing prompts. I also grab topics from KQED Do Now ( http://ww2.kqed.org/education/category/do-now ) and the released SAT essay prompts ( https://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/prep/essay-prompts ). The KQED Do Now topics will be a better fit for your 7th-grade students than the SAT release questions. Many of the KQED Do Now questions lend themselves to argumentative writing.

Thank you, Catlin! I am a lazy curriculum author looking for an easy way to gather prompts. After thinking about my request, prompts without the context of the article would be kind of useless. I’m in Florida where we had argument tested last year. I have been concentrating on informative this year but have the kids ready for argument just in case. Since text-based writing is new to students, I developed a template for them to follow at the beginning of the year and find them now differentiating their writing from the template.

[…] learned about this activity from Catlin Tucker’s blog. I adapted it a bit, but the idea is the same. My students are in Lit Circles and competing to earn […]

[…] for each prompt. See my post about this step here. The idea was inspired by Catlin Tucker’s blog post. Check it […]

I did this lesson in my 9th grade classes today, and it went really well. One student requested I play Michael Jackson, and I discovered every single kid likes him, so I went with that. Thanks for the great idea!

I’m so glad it went well, Mindi! I will occasionally take requests too 😉

Sorry, but the nature of a good thesis depends to a great extent on the nature of the assignment–the kind of essay you’re being asked to write.

If the assignment is to write an argumentative or persuasive essay, the thesis should be a sentence that clearly states your position on the issue you’re writing about.

If you’re writing an extended definition, a one-sentence formal definition would be a good thesis: “A ____ is a ____ with _____.” (I. e. it should put the thing being defined in its class or category and distinguish it from other members of that class.)

If you’re writing a process analysis, the thesis should describe the process in one sentence–say whether it’s a simple process or a complex one, or mention the number of steps, or simply say in that one sentence what it does.

[…] Tucker’s “Thesis Statement Throwdown”, you can see the original lesson plan here. My mini-lesson is totally different from Tucker’s, but if you look hard into hers, you can […]

I might give this a try with my ESL students in China. Getting them to write thesis statements hasn’t been easy, even for the smartest ones. Solid idea. Thanks.

Since their first language is not English, I think I’ll probably give them more than 5 minutes to come up with their thesis statements though.

Love this and planning on trying it in class tomorrow! Should you see this before then – how do you go about choosing a winner? Do you “judge” the edited or unedited versions of the thesis statements?

Hi Shannon,

I judge the original versions since I make the edits.

Catlin –

Love the Thesis Statement Throwdown and would like to share it with our teachers as way to provide feedback. Would it be okay to link to your site in a document that we are sharing with our teachers? It will be in our curriculum repository that is only accessible to teachers in Fairfax County Public Schools. Thank you for your consideration.

Yes, you are more than welcome to link to my site! I hope it’s a useful resource for your teachers.

Thank you for sharing! I teach AP US History and the students struggle with developing thesis statements. I look forward in using this strategy with my AP kids.

[…] KQED’s Do Now series is an excellent place to grab writing prompts! […]

I did this with my juniors today and it was great. I chose really thought provoking prompts from the website you recommended. I did it three times and saw the thesis statements improve with each round. This was really engaging and the first time I’ve taught thesis statements in a fun way. Thank you for sharing.

I’m currently in my education clinicals (student teaching with one class), and I’ll be using this activity tomorrow with high school seniors. They struggled with thesis statements, so I’m hoping this will be a fun way to practice!

I love this idea, but after students show some improvement (or even at the beginning of the process), how can students be more in charge of their learning? In other words, I’d love for students to be the ones acting as the Editor and doing the judging. Maybe using a few strong writers of the group be a guest judge and let them lead by example? I don’t want to be gatekeeper forever, and I believe students will and can step up when given the chance. Love the idea. Going to try soon!

Absolutely, Jane! Once kids can hear you talk through correcting a few and have a better handle on what a strong thesis statement looks like, they should absolutely be able to give each other feedback!

Can any one give me a feedback about my thesis statement, thank you in advance

“Although most students have an awareness about basic academic integrity in their previous education; it is significant to students taking a class about academic integrity before they apply college or university because of the increasing number of cheating, plagiarism and academic dishonesty in the higher education”.

[…] a sample letter. Letter for Change Standard Met: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1. Se connecter à Facebook. Thesis Statement Throwdown! Every English teacher has experienced the frustration of introducing a writing skill, like how to […]

This is amazing. Thank you! I’ve been looking for a fun activity to bring the point home with my students. This will definitely help!

Wonderful! I hope they enjoy it!

Catlin! I did this today with my Grade 10’s and was it ever valuable! I did the edits and each one was a learning opportunity for students. We had a quick discussion about each edit and moved on. The lesson flowed beautifully, and the music was a fun touch. I will definitely get students to do the editing after the first few Thursdays (our bellringer for the day) and have them talk through their edits as well. Great lesson! Thanks for sharing.

Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you used this strategy and you all enjoyed it, Wendy!

Just a heads up…your kids will get good at thesis statements FAST, so be prepared for your throwdown to evolve. We started doing analytical throwdowns with quotes after thesis statements and the “throwdown” format worked well for any type of writing practice. I also started taking song requests from the winning teams which they LOVED 😉

[…] Catlin Tucker: Thesis statement throwdown […]

[…] librarian does – I started researching. I came across the idea of the Thesis Throw Down from Catlin Tucker but decided to alter it a bit to put my own spin on it. I tried the lesson a couple of times last […]

I love how you explain it.

I like that you used this strategy.

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Forming a Thesis Statement

Minilesson print.

The whole purpose of writing is to transfer an idea from your head into someone else's. If you can state your idea in a single, clear sentence, your reader can easily grasp it.

Use this simple formula to craft an effective thesis statement (for an essay) or topic sentence (for a paragraph).

Topic (who or what am I writing about? )

+ Focus (what specific thought or feeling do I have about my topic?)

_________________________________

= Thesis Statement (or Topic Sentence)

Here are some examples of the formula in action with different forms of writing.

Explanatory

Antibiotic resistance (topic) creates superbugs through the misuse of modern medicine (focus).

Sex and gender (topic) are related but different, one defined by biology and the other by culture (focus).

Narrative Writing

My hectic senior year of high school (topic) embodied the word overcommitment (focus) .

Your Turn Use the formula to create thesis statements for the following topics. Note: The focus is up to you.

• Career opportunities
• Community involvement
• Generational differences
• The search for colleges
• Lasting lessons of high school

From 30 in Write for College

Teacher Support:

Click to find out more about this resource.

Answers will vary.

Standards Correlations:

The State Standards provide a way to evaluate your students' performance.

• 110.38.c.10.C
• 110.39.c.10.C
• 110.38.c.5.J
• 110.39.c.5.J
• LAFS.1112.W.1.1
• LA 12.2.1.b
• LA 12.2.2.a
• LAFS.1112.W.1.2
• 110.38.c.10.A
• 110.39.c.10.A
• LAFS.1112.W.1.3

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Middle and High School Thesis Statement Practice Worksheet Packet

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Description

A worksheet to help students learn to identify and write strong thesis statements. This packet goes from easier to harder exercises; students will begin by simply identifying a thesis statement to writing their own. Students will work from identifying a thesis statement to choosing the best thesis statement, identifying whether a thesis statement is strong or weak and finally, practice writing their own thesis statements.

This worksheet packet includes four scaffolded exercises to help students learn not only to write their own thesis statements, but to recognize strong thesis statements and what makes them strong. Students will begin with an exercise that asks them to choose the thesis statement. This helps students recognize and evaluate what makes a thesis statement a thesis statement.

Students will then do an exercise which asks them to choose the strongest thesis statement from a list. This aids students in learning the qualities and characteristics of strong thesis statements. Next, students will be challenged not only to choose the strongest thesis statement but to explain why it is strong. Finally, students will be tasked with writing their own thesis statements.

Exercise 1: Choose the thesis statement

Exercise 2: Choose the strongest thesis statement

Exercise 3: State if thesis statement is weak or strong and why

Exercise 4: Write a thesis statement

This Worksheet Packet Includes:

• 4 Exercises
• Choose the thesis statement
• Choose the strongest thesis statement
• Why is the thesis statement strong or weak
• Write your own thesis statement

What You'll Love

• Scaffolded Practice
• Simple to more difficult exercises
• Answer key with suggested answers
• Download & print worksheet PDF
• Use as a quiz, homework, or in class practice

Skills You'll Find in this Packet:

• Recognizing a thesis statement
• Strong and weak thesis statements
• Writing thesis statements

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Engage learners through fun, interactive activities while learning to make arguments and avoid logical fallacies. Students will do a logical fallacies worksheet in either self-grading google or paper format, play a logical fallacies quiz game, and participate in a group debate activity where they will work in teams to create an argument.

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Introduce students to the basics of doing academic research with an interactive lesson. Learn about the importance of academic sources where to find them, and how to distinguish academic from non-academic sources. This lesson includes a research warmup activity, an intro to academic sources, a trivia research activity, and a group research project.

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Help students use and identify ethos, pathos, and logos by learning about ethos, pathos, and logos, their definitions, how to identify and use them in writing. Students will read short passages and identify when ethos, pathos, and logos is being used. They will also practice writing arguments using ethos, pathos, and logos.

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9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

Learning objectives.

• Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.
• Revise your thesis statement.

Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.

Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.

Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.

Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.

Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

Even in a personal essay that allows the use of first person, your thesis should not contain phrases such as in my opinion or I believe . These statements reduce your credibility and weaken your argument. Your opinion is more convincing when you use a firm attitude.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.

• Texting while driving
• The legal drinking age in the United States
• Steroid use among professional athletes

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements

Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the following requirements:

• Specificity
• Ability to be argued
• Ability to be demonstrated
• Forcefulness
• The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
• Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
• Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
• J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
• Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
• Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
• In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

You can find thesis statements in many places, such as in the news; in the opinions of friends, coworkers or teachers; and even in songs you hear on the radio. Become aware of thesis statements in everyday life by paying attention to people’s opinions and their reasons for those opinions. Pay attention to your own everyday thesis statements as well, as these can become material for future essays.

Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look at the pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis:

A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.

Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.

A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.

Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.

A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.

Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.

A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.

Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.

Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the requirements of a strong thesis.

• The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
• The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.
• Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
• In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
• Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to support civil rights legislation.
• Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.
• My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.

Writing at Work

Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an e-mail. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your e-mail request. While your e-mail will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.

Thesis Statement Revision

Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that your thesis statement begins as a working thesis statement , an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.

Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the paper.

The best way to revise your thesis statement is to ask questions about it and then examine the answers to those questions. By challenging your own ideas and forming definite reasons for those ideas, you grow closer to a more precise point of view, which you can then incorporate into your thesis statement.

Ways to Revise Your Thesis

You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:

1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people , everything , society , or life , with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness.

Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.

Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.

The revised thesis makes a more specific statement about success and what it means to work hard. The original includes too broad a range of people and does not define exactly what success entails. By replacing those general words like people and work hard , the writer can better focus his or her research and gain more direction in his or her writing.

2. Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis.

Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.

Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.

A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience. By asking questions, the writer can devise a more precise and appropriate explanation for joke . The writer should ask himself or herself questions similar to the 5WH questions. (See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information on the 5WH questions.) By incorporating the answers to these questions into a thesis statement, the writer more accurately defines his or her stance, which will better guide the writing of the essay.

3. Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs are forms of the verb to be , a verb that simply states that a situation exists.

Working thesis: Kansas City schoolteachers are not paid enough.

Revised thesis: The Kansas City legislature cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are . Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Rather, they connect words and phrases to the second half of the sentence. Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:

• Who is not paying the teachers enough?
• What is considered “enough”?
• What is the problem?
• What are the results

4. Omit any general claims that are hard to support.

Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.

Revised thesis: Teenage girls who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a woman’s worth depends on her sensuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behavior.

It is true that some young women in today’s society are more sexualized than in the past, but that is not true for all girls. Many girls have strict parents, dress appropriately, and do not engage in sexual activity while in middle school and high school. The writer of this thesis should ask the following questions:

• Which teenage girls?
• What constitutes “too” sexualized?
• Why are they behaving that way?
• Where does this behavior show up?
• What are the repercussions?

In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you determined your purpose for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently experienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three methods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.

Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revision to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. Using the techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.

Key Takeaways

• Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
• A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
• A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated.
• A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence.
• A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
• Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
• Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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300 protesters arrested at Columbia University and City College of New York

• Hundreds of arrests have been made at Columbia University and the City College of New York.
• Pro-Palestinian protesters had barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, a main campus building at Columbia.
• The arrests were confirmed by an NYPD official who took part in a press conference.

Three hundred people have been arrested at protests at Columbia and City College of New York, police said.

Columbia has been rocked by protests for days over Israel's war on Gaza following Hamas' October 7 terror attack on Israel.

While students and faculty have been urged not to go onto campus, the school's president, Nemat Minouche Shafik, said that "a working group of Deans, university administrators, and faculty members will try to bring this crisis to a resolution."

NYPD officials took part in a press conference on Wednesday when they confirmed the number of arrests.

How it started

The protests at Columbia began on Wednesday, April 17, which coincided with Shafik testifying before Congress about antisemitism on campus .

A coalition of student groups — Columbia University Apartheid Divest, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace — took part in setting up "Gaza Solidarity Encampments" in the center of campus.

One of the goals of the protest was to convince the university to divest all its "finances, including the endowment, from companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine," according to Columbia University Apartheid Divest's website .

Police were called in

On Thursday, April 18, Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to clear the encampment. "Attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved. As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus and the process of clearing the encampment is underway," she said in a statement.

This resulted in the arrest of more than 100 people on suspicion of criminal trespass, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a news conference.

Related stories

Protests have continued since then.

President Joe Biden weighed in

Chabad at Columbia, a group that supports Jewish students, released a letter on social media that said Jewish students were targeted with offensive rhetoric during the protests.

President Joe Biden also called out antisemitism on campus in his Passover statement in April.

"We've seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews. This blatant Antisemitism is reprehensible and dangerous — and it has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country," he said.

Columbia student organizations participating in the protests have insisted that their protests are peaceful.

One student group, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, said in a statement on X last month that they are frustrated by the attention paid to "inflammatory individuals who do not represent us."

"We firmly reject any form of hate or bigotry and stand against non-students attempting to disrupt our solidarity," the statement said.

On Monday, Shafik released a statement that said the university would not "divest from Israel." The university also ordered protesters to leave their encampment by 2 p.m. on Monday and threatened students who defied the order with suspension.

Protesters took over the Hamilton Hall

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, dozens of protesters barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, one of the main buildings on the Manhattan campus. They used metal gates, tables, and chairs as barricades and zip-tied the doors shut.

The protesters maintained their demands of "divestment, financial transparency, and amnesty," Columbia University Apartheid Divest said in a press release on X.

NYPD in riot gear were called to clear the protesters

On Tuesday evening, NYPD officers in riot gear entered Hamilton Hall, where protesters had been camping out for around 20 hours.

According to CNN , the NYPD used loud distraction devices, "flash-bang grenades" to disperse the protesters who had barricaded themselves in the building.

Shafik released a letter to the NYPD on Tuesday, which requested that police remain on the campus until May 17, two days after the graduation ceremony.

"The takeover of Hamilton Hall and the continued encampments raise serious safety concerns for the individuals involved and the entire community," the letter read.

The protests have spread to other campuses across the country. In Los Angeles, police were called to the UCLA campus early Wednesday after violence broke out when counter-protesters showed up to tear down barricades at the pro-Palestinian encampment, the LA Times reported.

Watch: Black Lives Matter wins historic police brutality lawsuit over George Floyd protests; NYPD to pay $13 million

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