Activity p. 96

Thesis Statements:

Open, Closed, Counter

Same-sex classrooms have gone in and out of favor in public education. Write an essay explaining why you would support or oppose same-sex classrooms for public schools in grades 10 through 12.

1.     Same-sex classrooms not be allowed in public schools as they inhibit students from learning to collaborate with the opposite sex, make for a less diversified learning environment, and increase government expenses on building same-sex schools for both girls and boys in every state.

The closed structure of this thesis is effective as it breaks down the issue into three distinct parts in order to explain why same-sex classrooms should not be allowed. It helps the writer to better organize his argument and the reader to better understand the specific direction the essay is taking.

Write an essay supporting, challenging, or qualifying English author E.M. Forster’s opinion in the following quotation: “I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.

2.     In his quote, English author E.M. Forster makes a daring statement about how loyalty to a friend supersedes loyalty to a country, all the while implying that friends take people further through their mere presence than a country ever could in its heinous causes.

The open structure of this thesis is appropriate as it allows for more flexibility in arguing in favor of Forster’s position. A quote is something that people interpret subjectively. An open thesis does not confine the argument one could make in evaluating this quote, but leaves room for endless interpretation. The thesis expresses the general direction the essay will take without confining it to specific points.

Today’s world is full of conflicts and controversies. Choose a local or global issue, and write an essay that considers multiple viewpoints and proposes a solution or compromise.

3.     Although the Haitian government sponsors campaigns to promote the replanting of Haiti’s trees, its failure to tend to the needs of the impoverished families whose livelihoods depend on the cutting down of trees for coal and housing inhibits the success of their efforts. Consequently, the government should prioritize the people’s hardships so that they may, in turn, prioritize reforestation.

The counterargument structure of this thesis is effective as it sheds light on two viewpoints concerning deforestation in Haiti: that of the government, who wants to invest in reforestation, and that of the people, whose survival depends on deforestation. While it cedes to the government’s admirable efforts, it emphasizes the importance of a greater issue – poverty as created by the unequal distribution of resources – that must be properly addressed before reforestation can be successfully implemented.

Write an essay explaining why you agree or disagree with the following quotation; “Advertising degrades the people it appeals to; it deprives them of their will to choose.”

4.     Although advertising can be subliminally deceptive, the claim in this quote that it deprives people of their will to choose is false as consumers make a conscious decision when they buy a product, always having the choice to make informed decisions as opposed to giving into the illusions they see in ads.

The counterargument structure of this thesis is effective as it makes a balanced argument that makes a concession and then refutes it to demonstrate that the writer has explored both sides of the issue. This makes the argument both stronger and more reasonable.

Plagiarism is rampant in public high schools and colleges. In fact, some people argue that the definition of plagiarism has changed with the proliferation of the Internet. Write an essay explaining what you believe the appropriate response of a teacher should be to a student who turns in a plagiarized essay or exam.

5.     Plagiarism is intellectual theft. In order to properly address a student who turns in a plagiarized assignment, a teacher must require that the student redo the assignment and research the consequences of plagiarism outside the academic community so that her or she may not only learn how to properly use other people’s words as a reference but also grasp the weight of plagiarism in the real world.

The closed structure of this thesis is effective as it clearly delineates how a teacher should respond to a student who has plagiarized while demonstrating the long-term advantages this response would have for the student’s future. It helps the writer to effectively address the specific points that are required by the prompt.