7/8 Language Arts

Thesis Statement Cheat Sheet

A Thesis Statement:
Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject
matter under discussion.
Acts as a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to
expect from the rest of the paper.
Directly answers a question asked of you.
Is a single sentence that can be found in the introduction paragraph of your
essay
Thesis Statement Formulas (these will save your life!)
Because _____, _____, and _____, we come to understand _____.
Because of x, y, and z, it is apparent w occurs.
W occurred because of x, y, and z.
Subject +Direction+ reason 1+ reason 2+ reason 3.
Examples:
1. Cancun and Mexico City became major travel destinations because of their cultural
diversity, abundance of natural resources, and comfortable climate.
2. Because of their cultural diversity, abundance of natural resources, and comfortable
climate, it is apparent Cancun and Mexico City became major travel destinations.
3. Because of their central Silk Road location, access to natural resources, and military
power, the ancient cities of Tehran and Mosul have thrived through the present day.

Introductory Paragraph
Think of a hook. Your first sentence should pull the readers in, making them want to
read the essay because they are fascinated, intrigued, or even outraged. Opening with a
catchy saying or provocative statistic can be helpful, but make sure that you dont wander
too far from your essays overall purpose. Consider a couple of different types of hooks,
and choose the one that feels the most effective to you.
You can use an interesting fact or statistic to surprise your reader. While the fact should
be relevant to what you're saying, this is not the place to state the facts that you are using
for evidence down in the body of your essay. Instead, use it as a way to grab your readers
attention and let them know whats coming. For example: Although we tend to think of
social media as a young persons game, the fastest-growing demographic on Twitter are
people aged 55-64.[4] This statistic confronts an expectation your readers may have and
could set up an argument on the importance of, say, access to the internet for senior
citizens.
You can also use an anecdote as a hook. If you are writing a less formal paper, consider
beginning with a relevant, humorous, or moving story. This will provide context and

allow the reader to get to know you, or the person or thing you're writing about, a little bit
better. For example: Sergei Filin was walking home on a cold Moscow morning when a
man in black approached him. With his hand held behind his back, the man in black
muttered something menacing. Before he knew what hit him, Filin was on the ground,
tossing snow in his face, his skin literally burning off. Filin had been attacked with acid.
You can sometimes pose a question as a hook. This is particularly effective if you are
writing a persuasive essay. Draw the reader in with a question that is both relevant and
provoking. For example: What would you do if you could play God for a day? That's
exactly what the leaders of the tiny island nation of Guam tried to answer.
A quotation can be used as a hook, but be careful: this is a clich way of opening your
essay, and some readers may interpret it as lazy rather than inventive. Its usually
best to start off with your own words, rather than someone elses.
Avoid the The dictionary defines ____ as type of openings. They add nothing to your
essay and usually arent even helpful (everyone knows how the dictionary defines
love/war/peace/ice cream).