Once you have an arguable statement, you need to develop it into a working thesis (5b). One way to do so is to identify the main elements of an argument (10d): the claim or arguable statement, one or more reasons for the claim, and assumptions—sometimes unstated—that underlie the claim and reasons.
To turn a claim into a working thesis for an argument, include at least one good reason to support the arguable statement.
| reason | Pesticides endanger the lives of farmworkers. |
| working thesis (claim with reason attached) | Because they endanger the lives of farmworkers, pesticides should be banned. |