Name______Date: ______Pd: ______

Thesis Statement Practice 12

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 / Most employers are looking for specific characteristics in a potential employee. For example, they look for someone who is responsible and hard-working, and often they look for a person who has experience. Write to persuade a future employer that, even though you may not have experience in the type of work you seek, you are a good candidate to hire. Use reasons and specific examples to support your response.(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 / Many schools have partnerships with companies that allow
students to explore certain occupations through internships and shadowing opportunities to discover whether they are interested in pursuing that type of employment. Write to convince a manager of a business to select you to visit and learn about the work that interests you.
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 / Consider the type of job that would best suit you. It might be a job working outdoors or in an office, or somewhere else. Write to convince an employer that you possess the qualities required to do well at the job that most interests you. Use specific examples to support your reasons.
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 / Many believe that in democratic societies a free education is each citizen’s right. Others see education as a privilege, one that must be earned. In the United States, should education be
considered a right or a privilege? Take a position on this question. 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 / Companies market products to children, especially through television commercials shown with children's programming. Designed to appeal to children, these advertisements promote products like toys and snack foods. Should companies be permitted to market to children, or should children be protected from the influence of advertising? Take a position on this issue. 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

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