Drug Abuse Thesis Statement

Prior to writing a paper, read the points below about developing a thesis (also called an argument, opinion, or claim). If further help is needed with understanding a thesis, refer to Chapters 1, 4, 17, and pp. 98-102 of Everything’s an Argument. The thesis (argument, opinion, or claim) is the main point of the essay or research paper. It is the primary argument upon which the entire essay or research paper will focus.

• In EH 1302, the thesis must be placed as the last sentence in the introductory paragraph, and it must address the specifics of the assignment.

• The thesis must be one underlined, complete declarative sentence. Only one sentence.

• The thesis must be stated as an argument from an omniscient point of view, and the thesis must be a debatable opinion developed after completion of the reading assignment. Leave yourself and anyone else out of the thesis. Address the topic, not a person. In other words, do not use the pronouns I, me, my, myself, mine, us, our, ours, ourselves, or we in the thesis.

• Avoid the use of quotations and clichés in the thesis, the introductory paragraph, and the concluding paragraph.

• The thesis must be supported in all paragraphs of the essay or research paper.

• Do not include forms of the verb “be” in the thesis (be, is, am, was, being, are, been, were).

• The thesis must be restated (not in the same words) in the concluding paragraph of the essay or research paper. Nothing in the concluding paragraph should be underlined or quoted.

IMPORTANT: Use this document as the primary guidance to develop a thesis for this course. Mike Wright English Composition Instructor [email protected] 251-533-3119