Notes: What makes a good thesis?
For starters: Are these Strong Thesis Statements?
- The myth, Midas, has a great lesson.
- My essay is about the lesson on greed in Midas.
- While greed is universally known to lead to disaster, Midas is one Greek myth that shows the painful effects of greed on the individual, the family, and society
*In this case, strong means clear and specific.
1st -Figure out the question.
What traits make a hero universal hero?
Why has the hero changed?
How has the hero changed since Greek times?
Which traits do I view as the true hero?
2nd - Answer the question.
One possible format to use is the CAB thesis:
Contest
Although the Greek heroes were often demigods and quite selfish,
Assert
they do have some major similarities with the typical modern hero
Because
because they share the traits of self-sacrifice, loyalty and courage.
3rd - Check it.
- Did I take a debatable position? No Summary!!!
- Is my thesis specific enough? Avoid general words. For example, if you contain words like "good" or "successful," then state what makes it good or specifically what the standard for success is.
- Does it pass the "So What?" test? If not, you may need to clarify, connect your ideas to a larger issue, or narrow your topic down somehow.
- Does my thesis match my body paragraphs? If the topics of your body paragraphs do not match your thesis, then one of them has to change. It is ok to change your thesis. This often happens as your write and think more deeply about a topic. For this reason, many people write the introduction to the essay last.
