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Together
1. What is a thesis statement?
a. It expresses the author’s opinion in a
text.
b. It is one’s claim on a given topic.
c. It is the author’s comment on an issue.
d. All of the above.
1. What is a thesis statement?
a. It expresses the author’s opinion in a
text.
b. It is one’s claim on a given topic.
c. It is the author’s comment on an issue.
d. All of the above.
2. Which is not true about thesis statements?
a. It serves as a roadmap of your paper.
b. It states the main idea about the topic or
issue.
c. A thesis statement can be a quote from a
famous person.
d. A thesis statement requires evidence or proof.
2. Which is not true about thesis statements?
a. It serves as a roadmap of your paper.
b. It states the main idea about the topic or
issue.
c. A thesis statement can be a quote from a
famous person.
d. A thesis statement requires evidence or proof.
3. How long should a thesis statement be?
a. one word c. one paragraph
b. one sentence d. one text
3. How long should a thesis statement be?
a. one word c. one paragraph
b. one sentence d. one text
4. Which is true about thesis
statements?
a. It is an announcement.
b. It is arguable.
c. It is a fact.
d. It is a question.
4. Which is true about thesis
statements?
a. It is an announcement.
b. It is arguable.
c. It is a fact.
d. It is a question.
5. Where is thesis statement located in an
academic text?
a. first paragraph c. last paragraph
b. second paragraph d. anywhere in
the text
5. Where is thesis statement located in an
academic text?
a. first paragraph c. last paragraph
b. second paragraph d. anywhere in
the text
6. Which is a thesis statement about Angel Locsin?
a. Angel Locsin should receive an award for her
charity and humanitarian efforts.
b. Angel Locsin is a respected actress in showbiz.
c. What makes Angel Locsin a real-life Darna?
d. Not just a film and television actress, Angel Locsin
is also a commercial model and fashion designer.
6. Which is a thesis statement about Angel Locsin?
a. Angel Locsin should receive an award for her
charity and humanitarian efforts.
b. Angel Locsin is a respected actress in showbiz.
c. What makes Angel Locsin a real-life Darna?
d. Not just a film and television actress, Angel Locsin
is also a commercial model and fashion designer.
7. Which among the following is true about thesis
statements?
a. It tells the reader what the academic text is about.
b. There could be one or more thesis statements
found in an academic text.
c. Thesis statements and topic sentences are similar.
d. Thesis statements are found in every paragraph of
an academic text.
7. Which among the following is true about thesis
statements?
a. It tells the reader what the academic text is about.
b. There could be one or more thesis statements
found in an academic text.
c. Thesis statements and topic sentences are similar.
d. Thesis statements are found in every paragraph of
an academic text.
8. Which is a thesis statement?
a. Which is better, desktops or laptops?
b. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance
Education
c. Most Filipino students prefer modular learning to
online learning.
d. The key to defeat this pandemic is discipline
and self-control.
8. Which is a thesis statement?
a. Which is better, desktops or laptops?
b. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance
Education
c. Most Filipino students prefer modular learning to
online learning.
d. The key to defeat this pandemic is discipline
and self-control.
9. Which among the following is a strong thesis
statement?
a. Research is an essential subject in Senior High School.
b. Corporal punishment is harmful as it only worsens
children’s behavior.
c. J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, is a good
writer.
d. Pollution and mining in the Philippines should be
stopped.
9. Which among the following is a strong thesis
statement?
a. Research is an essential subject in Senior High School.
b. Corporal punishment is harmful as it only worsens
children’s behavior.
c. J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, is a good
writer.
d. Pollution and mining in the Philippines should be
stopped.
10. Which is the most appropriate thesis statement on
the use of educational technology in schools?
a. Educational technology includes computers and
other software application to aid classroom learning.
b. What is educational technology?
c. This paper discusses the uses and benefits of
educational technology in the classroom.
d. Educational technology is a helpful tool that
improves students’ academic performance.
10. Which is the most appropriate thesis statement on
the use of educational technology in schools?
a. Educational technology includes computers and
other software application to aid classroom learning.
b. What is educational technology?
c. This paper discusses the uses and benefits of
educational technology in the classroom.
d. Educational technology is a helpful tool that
improves students’ academic performance.
Thesis Statements
Objectives

• Identify what thesis statement is;

• Distinguish weak and strong thesis
statements; and
• Develop a thesis statement for a
given text.
Thesis Statement
1
• The thesis is the main idea or main point of
an informational text. It serves as a roadmap of
the text you are reading. Simply, the thesis
statement provides direction or purpose to
the text. It can be expressed anywhere in the
selection or passage you are reading. It can be
seen at the beginning, middle or end of the
text.
• Thesis statement is written in a declarative
sentence.
 2
• If the thesis is stated at the beginning, then the
reader may expect that the following sentences
support or develop it. The ideas are said to be
organized in deductive order. However, if the
thesis is stated at the latter part of the text, then
the preceding statements are the details or the
specifics. This follows the inductive order.
Remember that, thesis statements require proof or
evidences to make your stand more convincing
and effective.
 Two types of thesis statement 3
• Implicit thesis statements do not clearly
express the main idea of the text. The
reader has to infer from all the details
stated in the text.
• Explicit thesis statements express the
main idea clearly and directly in the text
read.
The following are the key elements for
a strong thesis statement: 4
1. It is not a fact.
2. It is not a question.
3. It is not an announcement.
4. It is not too broad.
5. It is a complete sentence.
6. It requires support.
7. It takes a stand.
It is not a fact 5
A fact is irrefutable. Writing a fact as a
thesis makes no argument.
• Weak: Cats spend most of their time
sleeping.
• Strong: Cats are better than dogs
because they keep pests at bay and
they require less work than puppies.
It is not a question 6
A question simply does not express one’s
claim or comment about a topic.
• Weak: What are the advantages of keeping
a pet at home?
• Strong: A person who wants to live happily
in life should own a pet because of their
ability to help decrease depression, stress
and anxiety.
It is not an announcement 7
Avoid saying what you will discuss in the text.

• Weak: This paper discusses the advantages

and disadvantages of owning a pet.
• Strong: Owning a pet brings good than
burden because they can lower stress
levels, make one feels safe and teach their
owners responsibility.
It is not too broad 8
Avoid making vague and confusing thesis
statements by making specific and focused
thesis.
• Weak: Too much alcohol consumption is not
good for the health.
• Strong: Excessive alcohol consumption
increases the risk to health problems as it
may cause liver damage, stomach distress
and even cancer.
It is a complete sentence 9
A phrase does not convey
complete ideas or thought.
Stating the thesis in complete
sentence makes it easier for
the reader to understand the
main idea of the text.
It requires support 10
To make your thesis statement
persuasive, facts, surveys,
reports etc. should be used as
proof or evidences to support
your claim or opinion on the
topic.
It takes a stand. 11
The thesis should
clearly show your claim
about a subject/topic.
It is arguable 12
The thesis should be
contestable, debatable or
argumentative. Again, the
thesis statement should
never be a factual statement.
 STRATEGIES IN LOCATING THE THESIS
STATEMENT 13
• Read the title of the text and make inferences
on its purpose.
• If the text has no abstract or executive
summary, read the first few paragraphs as
the thesis statement is usually located there.
• In other cases, you may also check the
conclusion where authors sum up and review
their main points.
 14
In some cases, the thesis statement
located at the last part of the introduction
is replaced with a purpose statement.
Unlike thesis statement, the purpose
statement is introduced by signal phrases
that present the purpose, scope, or
direction of the text as well as its focus.
Signal phrases
15
• “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…”
Understanding and Locating Topic
Sentences 16
• Topic sentence presents or
describes the point of a paragraph;
in other words, it is the main idea
of a paragraph. It can be located at
the beginning, in the middle, or at
last part of a paragraph.
Strategies in locating the Topic Sentence
17
• Read the first sentence of the paragraph
very carefully because most authors state
their topic sentence at the beginning of the
paragraph.
• Browse the sentences in the paragraph to
identify what they state. The sentence that
states the main idea of the paragraph is the
topic sentence.
 18
• Find the concept or idea being tackled, which in
colloquial term is the “big word” in the
paragraph. The sentence that defines the big
word is usually the topic sentence.
• Identify the purpose of the paragraph. The
sentence that presents or describes the
purpose is the topic sentence.
• Observe the writing style of the author. Focus
specifically on where he/she usually places
his/her topic sentence.
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