A Good Working Thesis

A Good Working Thesis, p. 16, Keys for Writers: a Handbook, Ann Raimes, 2nd Edition, US: Houghton Mifflin (1999)

1. narrows your topic to a single main idea that you want to communicate
2. asserts your position clearly and firmly in a sentence that makes a claim about a topic
3. states not simply a fact but an opinion
4. makes a generalization that can be supported by details, facts, and examples within the assigned limtations of time and space;
5. stimulates the curiousity and interest in readers and prompts them to thing, "Why do you say that?" and read on.

A good thesis statement also may be one or more of the following:

1. A strong, thought-provoking, or controversial statement

• Bilingual education has not fulfilled its early promise.

2. A call to action

• All inner-city schools should set up bilingual programs.

3. A question that will be answered in the essay

• What can bilingual education accomplish for a child? It can lead to academic and personal development

4. A preview or reflections of the structure of the research

• Bilingual education suffers from two main problems: a shortgae of trained teachers and lack of parental involvement.

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Now, look at your topic, or if you have already written your thesis statement, look at it again and compare it with the guidelines above. Does it meet the guidelines? Should you edit it and make it better?

Aiden