What does a good thesis entail? This activity helps students identify the features of a strong thesis.
The instructor brings 4-5 thesis statements about texts read previously in the class. Among the sample theses, there is 1 strong one and the rest are relatively weak. Students break into groups and discuss the positive and negative aspects of the sample theses. By examining theses that are not their own, students come to appreciate the differences between theses of different qualities, which will help their own writing.
See also: Discussion, Pair and Share, Research, Observational, ENGLISH 178x: The American Novel: Dreiser to the Present, The American Novel: Dreiser to the Present, Broad/Fundamental, English, Worksheet, Donofrio, Nicholas, Maynes-Aminzade, Liz, Group & Cooperative Learning; Students as Classroom Leaders, Providing Structure and Context, Develop Communication Skills, Collaborate, Evaluate and Critique a Model or Argument, 10 to 30 minutes, Class Group, Group, Broadly Applicable, Humanities, Single Class