Transcript

Hey! This is Abby from the MSU Writing Center here to talk to you about a couple quick tips about thesis statements. So you can have your best write ever. Thesis Statements(x3). I am here to talk you about how to conceptualize and how to craft the best one for your writing.

A thesis statement is place in your paper where in a short amount space you as a writer tell the reader exactly what they are in for when they read your writing. It represents the focus of your work and naturally is an important part of tips for communication. Some people describe it as a roadmap of your ideas; it will guide the reader through your specific concepts that answer the question you are responding to. Normally, the thesis comes in the beginning of the paper, in the first paragraph. Sometimes in their cultures writing builds up to a final point at the very end, or spirals around a main point, putting the thesis in the middle of the paper. American writing seems to like to be up front about what its going to say, that way the reader knows right away what they are getting themselves into. Putting the thesis in the beginning of the paper lets the reader feel that they know what is going when you are writing. IF your reader understands what you are saying your paper is naturally more effective. This makes sense if you think of as your paper as conversation. If we step back and think about it, writing a paper is a lot like talking to somebody. You want them to follow you. What you have to say has to fit together from start to finish. Your paper has to work together as a whole. A thesis state that is specific, in mentioning all the components of your argument or an analysis helps keep the reader following exactly what you are you saying. Here is an example, if you are writing about what the color green means in advertising culture, you know you want to mention something about it symbolizing wealth, also fresh ideas. Your thesis might look something like this: In American advertising the color green seems to take a dichotomous role, green consistently an image of wealth for its connection to the color of our currency, as well as a concept of freshness that comes along with fresh food campaigns full of images of green fresh vegetables. This thesis does two things. First, it says the main points of the paper; the way green represents wealth and freshness. Second, the thesis offers specific examples of what the paper is going to do. It tells the reader what they are getting into and how you as a writer are going to talk to them about it. One thing I am for in writing a thesis statement like this is to say something that is contested. Someone else may analyze green in our to culture to represent magic, decay, or even envy. They could develop this further and create a thesis statement to analyze and to support it. A thesis statement that says something that could potentially be contested gives you a paper that is yours. A thesis that reads, "The sky is blue" is pretty hard to contest. It is not as strong or interesting as specific one that offers examples to answer a question that may have more than one answer. If we keep thinking about a piece of writing working as a whole than we can begin to think about the thesis as working as apart of that whole. If your paper is analyzing a theme like green, the thesis should offer evidence of this analysis. The thesis should suggest the way each componet that you look at works to answer the question at hand. If the goal of your paper on the other hand is to per-sway the reader of something the tone of your language will be more forthright more argumentative. Naturally, the tone of your thesis should follow suit, becoming more opinionated and forceful, rather than just working to analyze and explain an idea. I try to remember when writing a thesis it is ok to stray away from my ideas. They don't say writing is invention for nothing. If your ideas go in different direction writing sometimes it is better to follow them. You can always go back and change your thesis to fit your specific concepts you ended up talking about. When I am writing a thesis I try to keep in mind that I have opportunity to tell someone something. Even if it may be an assignment from a teacher. If I care about the reader and what to tell them 5 pages of something, I want them to understand me. I think about the thesis as a promise to the reader, by telling them upfront what I am going to talk about specifically, then by providing examples and evidence throughout the paper I own up to this promise. I am able to connect to the reader and effectively inform and persuade them through my writing, and that’s the point of a thesis statement anyway. Hey that's it, thanks so much for listening. For more quick tips visit us online at writing.msu.edu. Until then have fun having your best write ever.