1) Introduction
2) Body ¶ 1 – the first example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
3) Body ¶ 2 – the second example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
4) Body ¶ 3 – the third example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
5) Conclusion
While this five-paragraph structure isn’t inherently “bad,” you are now ready to go to the next
level in your writing, which requires more complexity in your thinking and writing processes.
As you can see, there is no real development of the thesis. Instead, the thesis is restated over and
over again, hoping that the reader will believe the above thesis because it has been “proved”
three times (I’m using the word “proved” in this handout to make a point, but I would avoid it in
your actual essay).
To improve on this thesis statement, make it slightly more complex by asking yourself the “so
what” question. Talk shows portray everyone as a victim of society. So what?? Answering the
“so what” question will help to make the thesis more complicated. Here are some questions that
might help you.
What are some of the ways talk shows portray people as victims?
1) Introduction
2) Body ¶ 1 – the first example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
3) Body ¶ 2 – the second example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
4) Body ¶ 3 – the third example of how talk shows portray everyone as a victim
5) Conclusion
While this five-paragraph structure isn’t inherently “bad,” you are now ready to go to the next
level in your writing, which requires more complexity in your thinking and writing processes.
As you can see, there is no real development of the thesis. Instead, the thesis is restated over and
over again, hoping that the reader will believe the above thesis because it has been “proved”
three times (I’m using the word “proved” in this handout to make a point, but I would avoid it in
your actual essay).
To improve on this thesis statement, make it slightly more complex by asking yourself the “so
what” question. Talk shows portray everyone as a victim of society. So what?? Answering the
“so what” question will help to make the thesis more complicated. Here are some questions that
might help you.
What are some of the ways talk shows portray people as victims?
Explanation:
