http://ozline.com/electraguide/thesis.html

to build a thesis.

Make sure your thesis is solely your opinion and you emphasize your goal.

Your very first sentence should spark some sort of enticing interest for/from the reader such as an anecdote, a very direct–almost uncomfortably direct–statement, a story, a quote, etc. With this sentence to start your paper, you should smoothly, persuasively, and briefly discuss your stance on the issue by 1) stating your opinion (duh!), 2) providing some trite, but key points that shortly provide some background and show the reader that you have a reasonable and resourced argument, and finally 3) finish the paragraph with your thesis (more on thesis below). Overall, the paragraph should be able to stand alone from the rest of the paper by telling your reader your opinion and the reasons (factual and personal evidence/experience(s)/basis).

Now, in terms of the thesis specifically, a thesis is typically a longer sentence than usual because it wraps up almost everything you said in your entire introductory paragraph and it introduces and sets the stage for the rest of your paper. I don’t think you need me to tell you that the thesis is one of the most important parts of your paper…. No pressure. 🙂

Anyway, here’s an example for an opposing argument (America’s nutritional habits are okay):

America, say goodbye to a Hollywood-looking America; obesity could be the new healthy. A recent article on aol.com says that bigger people tend not to be as concerned about their weight, thus not suffering from the constant stress that women in Hollywood fret about whenever they look in the mirror. However, recently there have been more in Hollywood and other popular cultural figures that have started embracing their curvature such as American-Idol-winner Jordin Sparks, Ugly Betty’s America Ferrara, and Hairspray’s Nikki Blonsky. Despite many Americans accepting their curvature, recently, many more Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of living an unhealthy lifestyle. Nutritionalists have been stressing the consumption of many vitamins and minerals, fruits and veggies, and protein and dairy products. My stance on the nutritional state of America is that Americans prioritize their health adequately and, despite much obesity and curvature, make sure they consume all the vitamins and nutrients that their bodies need.

Now, I know this is probably not an A-paragraph, but it was the best I could do while being pretty tired. So, I hope this response was helpful. If you need any more help, feel free to ask. Good luck on the paper!

try looking around when you arive