What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help
you master the thesis statement of an academic text. The scope of this module
permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used
recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them
can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module focuses on:

 Lesson 4 – Thesis Statement of an Academic Text

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define thesis statement;
2. identify the various techniques in locating thesis statement; and
3. formulate thesis statement of the texts.

What I Know

Directions: Read the following statements carefully. Write TRUE if the statement
supports the principle of thesis statement; write FALSE if otherwise.

1. A thesis statement should reflect the main idea of an essay.

2. The Yankee Doodle Restaurant is a great place to eat, because the staff is
friendly, the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is relaxing is an
example of blue printed thesis statement.
3. "Blue printed" thesis statement is a statement that includes the main
areas of support in the order you will introduce them in your essay and
thus acts as a blue printed for the essay.
4. A good thesis statement is a broad generalization about your topic.
5. The first thing you should do after receiving your writing prompt is write
your thesis statement.
6. It is a simple statement of fact.
7. It is a road map for a paper; it tells the reader what the paper will focus
on.
8. It is a question in response to the writing assignment.
9. It makes a claim that other people may dispute, challenge, or oppose.
10. Thesis Statement is the first sentence at the beginning of each
paragraph.

1
Lesson
Thesis Statement of an
4 Academic Text

What’s In

Directions: Tell whether it is Academic writing or Non-Academic writing

1. Academic reading requires concentration and comprehension.

2. Completing academic readings appears to be a challenge in which

students fail.

3. Essentially, the language of academic texts is precise and accurate.

4. Authors of academic texts usually present facts to support their main

argument.

5. Successful readers of academic texts generally integrate valuable

information or ideas from one source to another.

Note: Kindly use separate paper for your answer.

2
 What’s New

 Read the sample abstract below.

 Take note of the underlined sentence.

Previous studies revealed that meaning-focused

instruction (MFI) and form-focused instruction (FFI) are two of
the most effective approaches in developing the overall language
skills of second language learners, separately. However, no
experimental studies have been conducted to prove their
effectiveness when integrated. This study, therefore, aims to fill
in this gap by investigating the effects of combining MFI and FFI
in developing the speaking, writing, and grammar skills of
selected secondary ESL students in public schools in the
Philippines. The participants involved in the study are 480 third
year high school students. These students were divided into four
groups: Group A (n=120) received both the MFI and FFI, and
Group B (n=120) received MMI only, Group C (n= 120) received
FFI only, and Group D(n=120) received the standard English
Programme for secondary ESL students. Findings revealed that
students from Group A, B, C significantly improved in their
speaking, writing, and grammar skills but not Group D. Based on
ANOVA, findings, further showed that students from Group A
have outperformed students from Groups B,C,D. From these
findings, it is concluded that combining MFI and FFI is an
effective way in significantly improving the language skills of
students. Future directions and implications for teaching are also
discussed.

Guide Questions:
1. What can you say about the text?
2. How about the sentence being underlined?

3
 What is It

Understanding and Locating the Thesis statement

Thesis Statement
Presents or describes the point of an essay. In an academic text, the
thesis statement is usually presented in abstract or executive
summary or found at the last part of the introduction (Barrot &
Sipacio, 2016). It is written in a declarative sentence. (Refer to the
sample above as example)
Expresses the main idea and organizes the entire research report
(Senn & Skinner, 2001).
A thesis statement is a claim that could be argued.
It is a statement that summarizes your topic and declares your
position on it.
Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject
matter under discussion.
It is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what
to expect from the rest of the paper.
It is the central idea of a multiple-paragraph composition. It is one
sentence summary that guides, controls and unifies ideas when
writing a paper. In simple terms, all the other ideas present in an easy
revolve around the thesis statement.
It focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the
topic of your paper and also make a comment about your position in
relation to the topic. Your thesis statement should tell your reader
what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep
your argument focused.

Sample Introduction
Filipinos are frequent moviegoers. Perhaps because of the comic relief
that comedy films promise, or the fairy tale ending we all want to have that
the rom-coms provide, we indulge in the cinematography of moving pictures.
In the 1984 Guinness Book of World Records, the Philippines was listed as
the nation with the world’s most avid film-going public, averaging 19 trips to
the been known to have the highest level of theatre admission in South-East
Asia, with 63 million moviegoers in 2004 (Phil. Indie films”). More often than
not, movie theatres all over the Metro are filled with people who want to
break out from their usual working routine to catch a two-hour movie with
friends. Oddly enough, however, we as constant consumers of these motion
pictures tend to patronize those that are made particularly international.

Source: Tagudina, M. (n.d.). Curiose and curioser: the making of a better Philippine
cinema.
4
 Note: The underlined sentence is the thesis statement

In some cases, in academic texts, the thesis statement located at the last part of the
introduction is replaced with a purpose statement. Unlike the thesis statement, the
purpose statement is introduced by signal phrases that announce the purpose, scope,
or direction of the text as well as its focus. These signal phrases include:
 “This study examined…..”
 “This paper examines……”
 “The aim of this essay is to ……”
 “This paper begins with……”
 “In this paper, I hope to ……”
 “The primary objective of this paper is to ……”
 “The purpose of this essay is to………”

There is a challenge posted on higher education. That is to

attune its present educational goals, objectives, and mission-vision
to the demands of a globalized world. Consequently, institutions,
especially in the developing countries, have started to reconstruct
their global dynamics of knowledge production through establishing
linkages among institutions across nations. Generally, the common
set of internalization of higher education highlights the importance
of promoting the cultural diversity and fostering intercultural
understanding, respect, and tolerance among people (Turner and
Robinson, 2007). These reiterations of what internalization of
higher education should emphasize are actually based on the
profound belief that the cultural heritage of people is universal and
humankind shares the bond of humanity and global citizenship in
the process of advancement of knowledge (Wing, 2010)….
Exploratory in nature, this paper aims to examine the key concepts
on IHE. Specifically, this paper reviews articles which will shed light
on the significant ideas, and proposes a preliminary framework for
IHE in the Philippines.

Note: The underlined sentence is the thesis statement

(Note: the underlined sentence is the thesis statement)

The essay will contain evidence and opinions that support the
argument.
The thesis statement has 2 parts:

Topic Thesis statement Opinion

Main idea of what you are writing about what your attitude toward the topic

5
 A thesis statement
 Should not be too broad
Ex:
A. Mountain City is a magnificent place to live. (too broad)
 B. One reason to live in Mountain City is access to many
wonderful places to fish. (better)
 Should not too wordy
A. Abe Lincoln was an excellent speaker, the 16 th President of
the U.S., a liberator of slaves, and united the North and South
at the end of the American Civil war. (too wordy)
 B. Abe Lincoln was one of the best presidents of the United
States has ever known. (better)
 Should not too general
 A. Music therapy is useful in relieving stress and other
conditions. (better)
B. Music makes people happy. (too general)
 Should not be a title
A. Cost of Living (a title)
 B. The cost of living in rural areas is lower than urban areas.
(better)
 Should not be a fact
A. The recycling of one aluminium can saves enough energy to
run a TV for three hours. (fact)
 B. Recycling is one of the most important jobs a person can do
to protect our environment.

Use your own words in thesis statements; avoid quoting. Crafting an

original, insightful, and memorable thesis makes a distinct impression on a reader.
You will lose credibility as a writer if you become only a mouthpiece or a copyist;
you will gain credibility by grabbing the reader with your own ideas and words.

A well-crafted thesis statement reflects well-crafted ideas. It signals a writer

who has intelligence, commitment, and enthusiasm.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Strategies to locate thesis statement
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1. Read the title of the text and make inferences on its purpose.

2. If the text has no abstract or executive summary, read the first few
paragraphs as the thesis statement is usually located there.
3. In other cases, you may also check the conclusion where authors sum up
and review their main points.

6
 What’s More

This activity will help you understand the difference between an effective and
ineffective thesis statement.
I. Directions: For each pair of sentences below, select the one that you think is
more effective thesis statement and explain your choices.
1. (a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative
consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in
personal relationships.
(b)Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem in the world today, and many
people suffer from it.
2. (a) In several ways, bicycle today is better than they were 100 or even 50 years
ago.
(b) The bicycle was introduced in the nineteenth century and rapidly grew into a
worldwide phenomenon.
3. (a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic
integrity and curtail cheating in their classes.
(b) There is an epidemic of cheating in many schools and colleges, and there are
no easy solutions to this problem
4. (a) The Hunger Games is a science fiction adventure film based on the novel of
the same name by Suzanne Collins.
(b) The Hunger Games is a morality tale about the dangers of political system
that is dominated by the wealthy.
5. (a) There is no question that cell phones have changed our lives in a very big
way.
(b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a
leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time.
II. Directions: Write T if the statement is true and F if it is false.

_____________6. The abstract presents the thesis of the text.

_____________7. Locating the thesis statement while reading a text can save time

_____________8. The thesis of a text is in question form.

_____________9. When abstract is not provided, the thesis statement is not evident I
the text.

_____________10. You don’t have to read the full text if you know how to spot its
thesis statement.

7
 What I Have Learned

Directions: Reflect on the learning that you gained after taking up this lesson by
completing the following.

What were your I thought____________________________

misconceptions ______________________________________
about the topic ______________________________________
prior to taking ______________________________________
up the lesson? __________________________________

I learned that
What new or ______________________________________
additional ______________________________________
learning have ______________________________________
you had after ______________________________________
taking up this ______________________________________
lesson? ______________________________________
______________________________________
__________________________________

(Note: Kindly use separate paper for your answer.)

8
 What I Can Do

Name: ______________________________________________Section:____________________

Writing Thesis Statements

Use this example as your guide.

Example Activity
Topic: You have won the lottery and can choose to travel anywhere in the
world. Write about one place you would like to visit and explain why you would
like to travel there.
Supports:
1. I would like to travel to France because I love French food.
2. Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I would like to see it.
3. I would like to practice my French and become more fluent.
Thesis Statement: If I won the lottery and could travel anywhere in the world, I
would like to travel to France because I love French food, I want to see Paris,
and I would like to become more fluent in French.

Directions: Create a thesis statement based on the following information.

Topic 1: Education is important.
Supports:
1. It could enable one to get a better paying job.
2. It makes a person more interesting individual.
3. It makes a person a more informed citizen.
Thesis Statement: ____________________________________________________
Topic 2: Young children require a lot of care.
Supports:
1. You must provide for their physical needs.
2. You must provide for their emotional needs.
3. You must help them grow mentally.
Thesis Statement: ____________________________________________________

9
 In this part, you are required to implement your own ideas by completing the
details below.
Topic 3: Parents should regulate the amount of television their children watch.
Supports:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: _____________________________________________
Topic 4: Reading develops a child’s mind.
Supports:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: _____________________________________________
Topic 5: College athletes should maintain their academic grades.
Supports:
1. _______________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________
Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
(Note: Kindly use separate paper for your answer)

10
 Assessment

A. State the thesis statement from the given texts.

1. Maya Angelou is an accomplished African- American author in the United States. While
growing up, she suffered tremendous hardship. Some of her most difficult life events are
portrayed in novels and poems such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and Still I Rise.
Her written works are often including strong themes such as perseverance through trials,
love for family, and passionate optimism.

Thesis Statement: __________________________________________________________

2. Psychologists have argued for decades about how a person’s character is formed.
Numerous psychologists believe that one’s birth order (i.e. Place in the family as the
youngest, oldest, or middle child) has the greatest influence. I believe birth order can have a
significant impact in the formation of a child’s character based on my own experience growing
up in a family of four children. Birth order can strongly affect one’s relationship with parents,
relationships with others, and how one views responsibility as an adult.

Thesis Statement: _________________________________________________________

3. What was happened to the American male? For a long he seemed utterly confident in his
manhood, sure of his masculine role in society, easy and definite in his sense of sexual
identity. The frontiersmen of James Fenimore Cooper, for example, never had any concern
about masculinity; they were men, and it did not occur to them to think twice about it. Even
well into the twentieth century, the heroes of Dreiser, of Fitzgerald, of Hemingway remain
men. But one begins to detect a new theme emerging in some of these authors, especially in
Hemingway: the theme of the male hero increasingly preoccupied with proving his virility to
himself. And by mid-century, the male role had plainly lost its rugged clarity of outline.
Today men are more and more conscious not as a fact but as a problem. The ways by which
American men affirm their masculinity are uncertain and obscure. There are multiplying
signs, indeed, that something has gone badly wrong with the American male’s conception of
himself.

Thesis Statement: _________________________________________________________

Revising Thesis Statements

4. Revise this thesis statement to make the language more precise.
The two films are different. One focuses on two women who are close friends and
the other focuses on two male friends who are really just buddies.

11
5. Revise this thesis statement to make the claim more precise.
“In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
symbolizes English upper and lower-class society.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

B. Read the texts below. Locate the thesis statement and identify the strategy
used.
A. Fidelity Investments is regarded as the leader in the financial services
industry. They have managed to do this by remaining one of the most
technologically advanced companies around as well as being extremely
innovative. Fidelity investments deals in outsourcing, which means Fidelity
manages other companies’ payroll, retirement plans, benefits etc. so that the
other companies do not need to form an independent department to handle
these issues. When a larger company wishes to have Fidelity managed these
issues it is handled by the Large Plan Services segment. This presentation
examines the current problems that occur from the way information is
currently distributed amongst the segment’s Project managers and cliental.
It will offer answers to the problems that currently slow the flow of
information throughout the segment and help make the system more
efficient.
B. The author Aldous Huxley once said,” To his dog, every man is Napoleon;
hence the constant popularity of dogs.” As I consider the pet I would to have
shared my life, its Huxley’s quote that sums up why a dog would be the best
choice. Because of its sense of loyalty, its ability to protect you and its great
companionship, a dog is the perfect pet.
C. Corporations and business companies need to focus on being competitive,
profitable and sustainable in order to survive in the future, Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) is a significant focus for companies, which is the
commitment to behave ethically and contribute to economic development
while improving the quality life of the community. It has been argued that
CSR is not an important consideration for 2018, which is possibly true for
smaller companies. However, it is vitally important to implement CSR in
larger corporations because it can improve reputation, investment and
profitability. This essay will discuss both areas of the argument and
conclude that CSR is important and should be a key focus for business.

12
 Additional Activities

Direction: Identifying Problems in Thesis Statements

1. What is wrong with this thesis? How can you revise it to make it more
effective?
“In his novel The Long Walk, it seems as if Stephen King is attempting to
make a statement about the evils of laissez-faire capitalism, and in my
opinion the characters and settings reflected this well.”

2. What is wrong with this thesis? How can you revise it to make it more
effective?
“The cost of college education is rising sharply.”

3. What is wrong with this thesis? How can you revise it to make it more
effective?
The Great Gatsby is inarguably the best-written novel of the last 100 years,
leaving millions of readers with either a renewed or disenchanted view of the
“American Dream.”

Source: writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/thesisexercise.html

13
 Answer Key

What I Know What's In

1. FALSE 1. Academic writing
2. FALSE
3. FALSE 2. Non-academic writing
4. TRUE
5. FALSE 3. Academic writing
6. TRUE
7. TRUE 4. Academic Writing
8. FALSE
9. TRUE 5. Academic Writing
10. TRUE

What I Have Learned,

What's More What I Can Do,
1. B Assessment A and B and
2. A
3. B
Additional Activities
4. B
5. A
6. T *Answers may vary
7. T
8. F
9. F
10. T

14