Thesis Development

Warm-up: Two sentences that decide the essay

2 warm-up questions

• When you read a Task 2 question, how quickly do you commit to a position — instantly, or after brainstorming both sides?
• First try, 30 seconds: state your thesis for this question — 'Technology improves education. To what extent do you agree or disagree?'

Reading: Writing Strong Thesis Statements

Read a 177-word text about Writing Strong Thesis Statements

Thesis Development for Band 7+ A thesis statement is your main argument. Band 7+ essays have clear, nuanced theses. Weak vs Strong Theses: | Weak | Strong | |------|--------| | "I agree with this opinion." | "While there are valid concerns about X, I firmly believe that Y because..." | | "This essay will discuss..." | "Although some argue X, the evidence overwhelmingly supports Y." | | "There are advantages and disadvantages." | "The advantages of X fundamentally outweigh its drawbacks due to..." | Elements of a Strong Thesis: 1. Clear position - What do you believe? 2. Acknowledgment - Show awareness of other views 3. Qualification - Nuance your position (partly, to some extent) 4. Preview - Hint at your main reasons Thesis Templates: "Although... , I would argue that... because..." "While it is true that..., I believe that... due to..." "Despite valid concerns about..., I maintain that..." "To a large extent, I agree with... because..., though I acknowledge..." Avoid: Over-simplification ("I totally agree/disagree") Sitting on the fence without a position Making claims you won't support

Vocabulary: Thesis Vocabulary

6 items

Framework: The THESIS Framework

THESIS, 6 steps

THESIS: A comprehensive approach to developing strong, nuanced thesis statements for Band 7+ essays.

Practice: Thesis Construction

Gap-fill exercise, 4 items

• ____ there are valid concerns about privacy, I would argue that the benefits of social media outweigh its drawbacks.
• I ____ that education is the single most important factor in reducing poverty.
• To a ____ extent, I agree with the view that governments should regulate social media.
• While I ____ that there are some disadvantages, the overall impact is positive.

Discussion: Your mission: the thesis sprint

3 discussion questions

• Mission — thesis sprint: three questions, three nuanced theses, 90 seconds each. (1) 'Advertising aimed at children should be banned.' (2) 'Working from home benefits both workers and society.' (3) 'Museums and art galleries should be free for everyone.' Each thesis must contain a position verb ('I would argue / I maintain'), a hedge ('to a large extent / in most cases') and an acknowledgment ('while / although...'). (Tutor: score each thesis out of 3 — one point per element.)
• Second take: take your weakest thesis from the sprint and rebuild it through the THESIS framework letter by letter — Topic, Hedge, Evaluation, Scope, Implication, Structure preview. Compare the before and after.
• Callback: your warm-up thesis on technology and education — say the upgraded version now. Which element was missing from your first try: the hedge, the acknowledgment, or the scope?