Communication Skills – MCM 301 VU

Lesson 14

Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement is a declarative statement in sentence form. It is a

complete thought; it is not a question. It is a simple sentence that makes a statement or expresses an

attitude, opinion, condition, position, or feeling about the subject.

Suppose you begin with a topic, the general subject matter, and, after considering your audience

and researching your subject, you formulate a statement about the topic. For example:

Topic: Fast foods

Thesis: Fast foods are a serious problem for heart patients

You have made a complete declarative statement. This statement expresses a condition about the

relationship that exists between fast foods and heart patients. However, consider the next example.

Topic: Fast foods

Thesis: Does fast foods cause a serious problem for heart patients?

This sentence is not a thesis statement. It does not express a feeling, condition, opinion, or an attitude.

The sentence is a question; it does not declare or tell anything -- it only asks. This sentence would not

give focus to your message for the audience. It would only pose more questions.

The thesis statement, then, is a complete declarative sentence that expresses an opinion, condition, value,

attitude, or feeling.

Purpose of the thesis

What is the purpose of the thesis sentence in a communication situation? Why is one necessary? A thesis

statement is the focus of the speech, lecture, conversation, or discussion. It is the main idea or purpose of

the entire message, expressed in a single sentence.

For example:

Topic: Inflation

Thesis: Inflation has seriously affected the housing market.

The entire speech, then, should be spent developing the thesis. You should show how the housing market

has been seriously affected by inflation, Every statement, fact, opinion and example expressed should be

concerned with developing the concept that inflation has affected the housing market.

Appropriateness of the thesis

The thesis must not only be a declarative sentence; it should also be appropriate for the audience.

Formulate a thesis that you are interested in and well informed about, and also one that will interest and

inform the audience. Will the thesis be new and interesting to them, or are your going to "inform" the

audience about something they already know?

Is your thesis appropriate for the occasion and place? A topic and thesis might be interesting but simply

not appropriate for the audience at that particular time. Selecting a thesis that is inappropriate constitutes a

failure to adapt to the audience.

Scope of the thesis

Next ask yourself if the thesis is well designed. You have already partially answered this question if you

docsity.com

Partial preview of the text

Download Thesis Statement-Communication Skills-Lecture Handout and more Exercises Communication and Presentation Skills in PDF only on Docsity!

Lesson 14

Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement is a declarative statement in sentence form. It is a complete thought; it is not a question. It is a simple sentence that makes a statement or expresses an attitude, opinion, condition, position, or feeling about the subject. Suppose you begin with a topic, the general subject matter, and, after considering your audience and researching your subject, you formulate a statement about the topic. For example: Topic: Fast foods Thesis: Fast foods are a serious problem for heart patients You have made a complete declarative statement. This statement expresses a condition about the relationship that exists between fast foods and heart patients. However, consider the next example. Topic: Fast foods Thesis: Does fast foods cause a serious problem for heart patients? This sentence is not a thesis statement. It does not express a feeling, condition, opinion, or an attitude. The sentence is a question; it does not declare or tell anything -- it only asks. This sentence would not give focus to your message for the audience. It would only pose more questions. The thesis statement, then, is a complete declarative sentence that expresses an opinion, condition, value, attitude, or feeling. Purpose of the thesis What is the purpose of the thesis sentence in a communication situation? Why is one necessary? A thesis statement is the focus of the speech, lecture, conversation, or discussion. It is the main idea or purpose of the entire message, expressed in a single sentence. For example: Topic: Inflation Thesis: Inflation has seriously affected the housing market. The entire speech, then, should be spent developing the thesis. You should show how the housing market has been seriously affected by inflation, Every statement, fact, opinion and example expressed should be concerned with developing the concept that inflation has affected the housing market. Appropriateness of the thesis The thesis must not only be a declarative sentence; it should also be appropriate for the audience. Formulate a thesis that you are interested in and well informed about, and also one that will interest and inform the audience. Will the thesis be new and interesting to them, or are your going to "inform" the audience about something they already know? Is your thesis appropriate for the occasion and place? A topic and thesis might be interesting but simply not appropriate for the audience at that particular time. Selecting a thesis that is inappropriate constitutes a failure to adapt to the audience. Scope of the thesis

Next ask yourself if the thesis is well designed. You have already partially answered this question if youdocsity.com

have considered the level of interest and of prior information of your audience. You should also consider the scope of your thesis sentence. Have you limited the thesis adequately? Do you have the time and information necessary to discuss the thesis you have designed? Is your thesis too general and too broad to be of interest or to be informative to the audience? For example, you have been assigned to present an 8- to 10-minute persuasive speech. You select and research your topic. You formulate the thesis: "Inflation is a serious problem in this country." Is your thesis well designed? No, because the thesis is too broad. How could you develop and support this thesis in 8 to 10 minutes? The sentence needs to be limited, and it could be limited in a variety of ways, such as: Inflation is a serious problem for:  the young married  the farmer  the housewife The list is endless. How many specific groups can you add to the list? After thinking of all the possible ways to complete the statement, you can see just how broad the original thesis is, and how impossible it would be to develop it effectively for the audience. Concreteness of the thesis Besides being limited in scope, a thesis must also be concrete in its wording. For example, the thesis "Preventive dentistry is good" is, not well designed. This thesis needs to be more concrete. "Good" is a vague term; it needs definition. A more effective thesis for our audience might be: Preventive dentistry is an effective means of controlling tooth decay:" This statement indicates why preventive dentistry is important. Development of the thesis After you have formulated your thesis statement, the next step is to develop it by stating your main points. Suppose your thesis is “Improving communication skills are essential for every business student.” What are your reasons for making this statement - good communication skills help make good presentations, improved communication ensures future success? Your reasons for believing that improving communication skills are essential for every business student are your main points and are the means of developing your speech for the audience. Your main points should always be:  Clear  Logical  Equal in value  Distinct  Central to the issue Clarity Are your main points clearly worded? Have you used simple terms? Are the words concrete and precise? Are you constructing simple sentences?

Thesis Statement-Communication Skills-Lecture Handout, Exercises of Communication and Presentation Skills

Related documents

Partial preview of the text

Download Thesis Statement-Communication Skills-Lecture Handout and more Exercises Communication and Presentation Skills in PDF only on Docsity!

Lesson 14

Thesis Statement

Next ask yourself if the thesis is well designed. You have already partially answered this question if youdocsity.com

It is important to make your reasons clear for the audience. For example, if the thesis statement isdocsity.com