What Herbicide and Reports Have in Common

Back in the days when we lived in a Ghanaian village, one of our friends told John, "My field has become yellow. I don't know. It could be I have used too much herbicide." He handed John an empty container. "I didn't know how read the instructions, so I just added it by heart." 

John read the back of the bottle, did some quick math, and discovered that our friend had mixed up the concentrate incorrectly. He used triple the amount of herbicide as he should have and five beautiful acres of rice turned yellow. We literally (cough, cough) held our breath for an entire month until the rice pulled through. 

What do herbicides have in common with reports? And, no, killing you is not what I had in mind. Both herbicides and reports begin with a concentrate. In an herbicide, it comes in a container (at least in northern Ghana). In a report, it comes at the end of your introductory paragraph and is known as the thesis statement. 

The thesis statement is one of the most important parts of your research paper. It needs to tell us exactly what your paper is about. It should be your entire report boiled down to a single sentence. It states the purpose of your paper. 

Do not begin your thesis by saying, "My paper is about..." or "I am going to tell you about..." Simply make a statement. The rest of your paper will expand, explain, and defend your thesis. 

BAD: "I am going to tell you about the planes that hit the buildings on September 11."
GOOD: "On September 11, 2001, the greatest act of terrorism America has ever seen began when a passenger jet hit the World Trade Center in New York City." 

BAD: "My paper is about the Golden Gate Bridge." 
GOOD: "One of America's most beautiful and famed engineering successes is the Golden Gate Bridge." 

BAD: Let me tell you about Corrie ten Boom.
GOOD: Corrie ten Boom's life is a timeless example of self-sacrifice, service, and forgiveness. 

Watch out! Even a good thesis can become a bad one if the report does not support and expand on the thesis statement. For example, this thesis will make me think I'm going to read about fleas: "Fleas are prolific, jumping abominations that infest homes, yards, and sock drawers across America." But if the report is about dog breeds (even if fleas are mentioned once), the thesis is poor.

Theses are NOT quotes. Use a quote in the body of your report and earn brownie points; use a quote as your thesis statement and get your patties slapped, your grade docked, and your entire coffee stash handed over to your teacher. Your thesis statement needs to be your own words that summarize your research report. Boil your entire report into a single sentence, bringing it back to a concentrate so powerful it will leave me breathless (but not dead).

Assignment, Deadline, & Prize: 

In the comments below, write your working thesis. I call it a 'working thesis' because if you start to write about fleas and your report morphs into dog care, you will need to change your thesis. That's okay. But right now, write a thesis statement, one that your entire report will be built upon.

Post it in the comments on or before Monday, October 12, and get your name added to a drawing for the second prize!*

*Note: The ONLY people eligible for prizes on this blog are those who signed up for this class through the SHARE Homeschool Co-op. No other entrants will be considered.