Working with a Thesis—Group Project
Part I: Thesis or Not? For each of the statements below, mark them as a thesis or as a simple fact.
_____________ 1. Cheverolet has been the most innovative car manufacturer in America over the last fifteen years.
_____________ 2. The venom from a King Cobra is so deadly that it can kill a man in just
over three minutes.
_____________ 3. Research shows that children prefer to eat smooth peanut butter over
crunchy.
_____________ 4.Although Janis Joplin died before her time, she still remains one of the
most influential women in rock and roll today.
_____________ 5. Although the September 11 attacks on the United States of America may
have left America damaged, in the end the attacks made the country
stronger.
_____________ 6.John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln were both American presidents
who were victims of assassination.
_____________ 7. One of John F. Kennedy’s biggest contributions during his presidency was
his effect on minority rights in America.
_____________ 8.Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of
the most important pieces of literature in American history.
_____________ 9.Although he does not hold the records that Walter Payton, Emmit Smith,
or Jim Brown, Barry Sanders was probably the most talented running back ever to play the game.
_____________ 10.Examples of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture can be found throughout
the United States.
Part II: Group Activity A topic and supporting information is listed below. With your partner, discuss the topic and the supporting information, and decide on a thesis statement that encompasses all of the information.
Topic: Stephen Spielburg
Supporting Information:
o Stephen Spielburg has directed over thirty-five Hollywood films and has produced over fifty.
o Spielburg is responsible for five of the top twenty highest-grossing films of all time.
o Spielburg has directed everything from childhood favorites such as E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and the Indiana Jones series to visual thrillers such as Jaws and Jurassic Park.
o Spielburg has also directed powerful, award-winning dramas, such as The Color Purple and Amistad.
o Spielburg and his films have been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Golden Globes, and many film critics, film festivals, and review boards.
o Spielburg’s film Schindler’s List was recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the most important and influential films ever made.
o Rodger Ebert said of Stephen Spielburg in 1994, “If he were never to direct another movie, his place in Hollywood cinema legend would already be cemented.”
o Speilburg is responsible for starting the careers of many of today’s hottest actors and actresses.
Thesis Statement:_______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name:_________________________________________ Date:_______ Hour:______
English 202
Writing Proper Thesis Statements
Directions: Each of the following thesis statements is too vague. First, decide which side of the issue you support. Then using Wikipedia for preliminary research (*Remember: General reference sites, especially “wiki” sites that can be changed should only be used for preliminary research, not for cited support in a paper), provide a specific, divided thesis for each of the following arguments.
1. Concealed carry of firearms should/should not be allowed.
2. Illinois should/should not recognize gay marriage.
3. Capital punishment is/is not an effective deterrent to crime.
4. Marijuana should/should not be legalized in the United States.
5. Cigarette smoking in public places should/should not be banned by state and local governments.