Name______Date: ______Pd: ______
Thesis Statement Practice 9
A thesis statement is one sentence which expresses the main idea of your paper.
A thesis statement:
1. provides author with a direction to write his or her paper; and
2. provides the reader with an idea as to what the paper will be about.
In the activities that follow, construct a thesis statement for each of the topic questions. For each question,
1. write a declaration (you opinion on the topic),
2. three reasons to support your declaration,
3. one reason to oppose your declaration,
4. and a thesis statement for each.
The first example has been completed for you. Follow this example closely for the remaining five topic questions.
Topic Question / Should high school students have a curfew?Declaration/
Opinion on the Topic / High school students should have an enforced curfew.
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion / 1. Students are less likely to get into trouble if they are home.
2. Students need their rest for school.
3. Being behind the wheel of a vehicle during the early morning hours increases their chances of accidents.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion / 1. The police officers have more important things to worry about than whether or not a high school student is out after curfew.
Thesis Statement / Even though police officers have more important things to worry about, high school students should have an enforced curfew because students need their rest for school, are less likely to get into trouble, or have accidents if the curfew is enforced.
Topic Question / Some states have now made it illegal to drive while using a hand-
held cell phone. Do you agree or disagree with this law? Why or why not? Take a position on the issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.(Hyphenated words may show as misspelled in the online Writing Tool; however, this will not negatively affect a student’s score.)
Declaration/
Opinion on the
Topic
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion / 1.
2.
3.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion / 1.
Thesis Statement
Topic Question / Most public places, including schools, have installed video cameras for surveillance. Is the installation of surveillance cameras the best way to provide security, or is it a privacy violation that would not deliver what it promises? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific examples.
Declaration/
Opinion on the
Topic
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion / 1.
2.
3.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion / 1.
Thesis Statement
Topic Question / Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said that “success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” Do you agree with Churchill’s statement about the
important role that failure plays in the pursuit of success? Take a position on this question. Use reasons and specific examples to support your ideas.
Declaration/
Opinion on the
Topic
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion / 1.
2.
3.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion / 1.
Thesis Statement
Topic Question / People who value self-reliance define it as the need for each individual to follow his or her own instincts and ideas. Should people make their own decisions, or should they seek guidance from experts and authorities about life’s important matters? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific examples.(Hyphenated words may show as misspelled in the online Writing Tool; however, this will not negatively affect
a student’s score.)
Declaration/
Opinion on the
Topic
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion / 1.
2.
3.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion / 1.
Thesis Statement
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