HOW CAN I USE

THESIS STATEMENTS
AS A WRITING
STRATEGY?
MODULE 4
 At the end of the lesson, you will able to:

• State the thesis statement of an academic text

• Differentiate between a topic sentence and a
thesis statement
• Use the thesis statement as a writing strategy
• Formulate an arguable thesis statement
 Thesis Statement Defined

The thesis statement is the main idea of your paper

that is usually conveyed in one declarative sentence. It
serves a summary of your writing and gives your
viewpoint about a particular topic. It is like a signpost
that tells your readers what to expect from your essay.
Through the thesis statement, you guide your readers by
briefly explaining your arguments, giving clues on how
you will defend your claim.
 As a writing strategy, the thesis statement helps
you determine what significant ideas to emphasize in
your writing. You may evaluate your essay using your
thesis to see if it is consistent with the ideas you have
expressed. If your essay contains other useful
information not reflected in your thesis, you might
wish to revise it to include the information you have
left out.
Although usually found at the start of the essay, it
is not unusual to find the thesis statement in the
concluding paragraph. But whether it is placed in the
introduction or conclusion, the thesis statement
serves as the basis for your outline.
 Parts of the Thesis Statement
The thesis statement should be concise enough to include only
the essential parts. An arguable thesis statement consists of the
following:
The claim, or conviction, objective, position, and issue. An
important element of an arguable thesis statement is the issue or
problem that the writer wants to tackle. This may be linked with
the claim or conviction, which reflects the writer’s argument. The
claim may be a short phrase that expresses what the writer
wants to prove. Although the thesis statement is usually
expressed in one or two sentences, it should be able to
accommodate the objective, which reflects what the writer wants
to accomplish. The position is an expression of what the writer
believes should be done about the issue.
 Functions of a Thesis Statement
1. The thesis statement expounds on an answer to an
issue or topic.
The first thesis statement below is a weak thesis statement.
Although it seems to have a stand, no reasons were
included to explain why they are useful as learning
resources.
Poor: E-books are useful learning resources.
Improved: E-books have significantly influenced students’
positive perception about reading and learning; therefore,
educators should explore more avenues and programs for
the use of E-books in classrooms.
The improved thesis has a clear claim that can be defended.
2. A thesis statement gives direction to the academic text.
In the example below, the first thesis does little to advance the
essay’s direction. Not only it is vague, it also contains no
specific details explaining why poverty is prevalent in the
Philippines.
Poor: In the Philippines many people are poor.
Improved: According to a 2015 study, 22% of the Philippine
population are poor despite the poverty alleviation program of
the government due to a number of factors: ineffective
implementation of government programs, widespread
corruption, and the continued poverty mentally among the
marginalized sector.
The details provided in the improved thesis give a clearer
picture as to which aspects of poverty in the Philippines the
writer will discuss.
3. A thesis statement defends a writer’s claim.
It should be strong enough to stand the “so what?” test. Try
asking yourself this question each time you write a thesis.
Keep asking the question until you are sure your thesis is
complete and debatable. If your thesis fails to answer this
basic question, rewrite it until you have exhausted the “so
what?” question.
The thesis statement below contains the writer’s claim but
fails the “so what?” test.
Poor: Television may be your child’s worst enemy.
Improved: Due to the adverse effects of watching television,
parents should strictly monitor the amount of time children
spend in front of the television, as well as the programs they
watch.
 Guidelines in Formulating a
Thesis Statement
1. Your thesis should be expressed as a declarative
sentences, not as a question.
It should not be a mere statement of fact, but should answer the
question, “How” or “Why?”. In the following example, you need to
explain why you believe the use of social media has become
ubiquitous and what you believe should be done about the issue.
Fact or observation: Access to social media has reached ubiquity.
Improved thesis: Parents and educators should impose
restrictions on social media use so as not to compromise the
physical and mental health of young netizens.
 2. Your thesis statement should be more
than just a statement of fact about a
topic.

Statement: My paper will show the complexity of the

traffic problem in Metro Manila.
Improved thesis: The traffic problem in Metro Manila is
a multi-sectorial problem that must be solved with the
combined effort of private individuals, foreign think tanks
and the government.
 3. Your thesis should contain enough
supporting details and should be more
than just a title.
Because a thesis statement is a single most important
statement in your essay, it should contain an argument that
can be defended.
Title: Change in the Study Habits of Millennials
Improved thesis: Parents should exert stricter supervision
over their children whose study habits have changed as a
result of their changing priorities.
 4. The thesis should be specific enough
to defended.
A thesis statement should include specific details
explaining the important aspect/s of the topic. Without
specific details, the thesis statement loses its focus.
Example
Broad: The ROCT has been re-implemented.
Specific: Senior high school graduates should be required
to take the ROCT or pursue community service projects
before entering college in order to increase their maturity,
discipline and love of country.
 5. Your thesis should be reflect your
opinion, giving enough arguments that
can be proven.

Your thesis is a reflection of what you believe in; it

should contain your conviction combined with your
proposed solution.
Without opinion: Some video games contain violent fight
scenes.
Debatable, with opinion: Some video games depict
violent fight scenes and may cause behavioral problems
among young gamers; therefore strict regulations should
be imposed on video games and apps.
 Differentiating between a Thesis
Statement and a Topic Sentence
The thesis statement and a topic sentence have
similarities but they are differ in several aspects. The topic
sentence gives a glimpse of what the paragraph talks about,
while the thesis statement contains the writer’s conviction.
The topic sentence connects to the thesis statement; the
thesis statement encompasses all the other sentences in
the essay. Because the thesis covers the entire essay or
research paper, it is broader in scope than the topic
sentence. Two or more ideas may be presented in a thesis
statement, while only one idea should be contained in a
topic sentence.
 Activity
Direction: In this activity, identify which thesis statement is poor and
which one is improved. Write P is the statement is Poor and I is the
statement is Improved. Then explain why is the statement is poor or
improved. If you think it is poor, improved the statement. If it’s a
improved thesis statement, just leave the Improved thesis
statement blank.

1. Internet usage has a negative effect to people, especially to children.

Answer: ______________________________________________________
Explanation:___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Improved Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. The minimum wage in the country should be raised as it is beneficial not
just to Filipino wage-earners but also to the Philippine economy.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
Explanation:___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Improved Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. In this paper, I will explore the different effects, both positive and
negative, of wearing school uniforms in universities and colleges.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
Explanation:___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Improved Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. President Rodrigo Duterte is the best president in Philippine history.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
Explanation:___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Improved Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

5. As of April 2020, there were more than 125,000 Filipinos who violated the
enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
Explanation:___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Improved Thesis Statement: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
 Assignment:
Below is the list of contemporary topics. Write a focused and
debatable thesis statement for each of them. Keep in mind
the guidelines discussed in this lesson.

1. Online Dating
2. Internet Addiction
3. Hazing
4. Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education(MTB-MLE)
5. Free tuition in State Universities and College (SUCs)
6. Lowering of the age of criminal liability of young offenders
7. Depiction of violence in media
8. Fake news
9. National ID system
10.Restriction on smoking in campus