Below you will find 8 examples of thesis statements. Some a good examples and others are poor. Identify whether each statement is good or poor and your rationale for each decision. Participating in this exercises by not only stating “good” or “poor” but also sharing your rationale will earn you a participation point for week five.
1) I'm going to tell you about Edgar Allan Poe and how he wrote Gothic Horror.
2) Edgar Allan Poe's strategic use of light and darkness in "The Raven" symbolizes the emotional extremes of the narrator's intellect and soul.
3) The rhyme scheme in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan."
4) There are a lot of things that were unusual about magic realist writers.
5) The French decadent writers of the late 19th century denounced nature as the originator of art and promoted "the artificial" as supreme artistic inspiration.
6) Many of the beat generation writers, most notably Jack Kerouac, wrote about the rebellious Jazz movement, a musical parallel to their literary rebellion of post-war suburban hypocrisy.
7) Tom Robbins is a contemporary author that is very popular among fans of wacky philosophical fiction.
8) Mary Shelley was the most famous female writer of the British Romantic Period.
Please tell us your ideas and we'll be glad to check them and comment on them.
1) Poor - The thesis statement is vague and does not provide any specific argument or focus. It simply states the intention to talk about Edgar Allan Poe and Gothic Horror without providing any specific points or analysis.
2) Good - The thesis statement clearly states the focus (Edgar Allan Poe's strategic use of light and darkness in "The Raven") and the argument (symbolizing the emotional extremes of the narrator's intellect and soul). It provides a specific analysis that can be explored and supported in an essay.
3) Poor - The thesis statement is incomplete and lacks focus. It only mentions the rhyme scheme in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" without stating any specific argument or analysis.
4) Poor - The thesis statement is too general and lacks specificity. It only mentions that there were unusual things about magic realist writers without providing any specific points or analysis.
5) Good - The thesis statement clearly states the focus (the French decadent writers of the late 19th century), the argument (denouncing nature as the originator of art and promoting "the artificial" as supreme artistic inspiration), and provides a specific historical and artistic context for analysis.
6) Good - The thesis statement clearly states the focus (the beat generation writers, most notably Jack Kerouac) and the argument (writing about the rebellious Jazz movement as a musical parallel to their literary rebellion of post-war suburban hypocrisy). It provides a specific analysis and connection between different artistic expressions.
7) Poor - The thesis statement is too general and lacks specificity. It only mentions that Tom Robbins is a popular contemporary author among fans of wacky philosophical fiction without providing any specific points or analysis.
8) Poor - The thesis statement is incorrect. While Mary Shelley was indeed a famous female writer of the British Romantic Period, stating that she was the most famous is subjective and can be debated.