Thesis statements in MLA papers 1

In each pair, click on the sentence that would work well as the thesis statement for a research paper of about ten pages. Remember that a thesis should be a central idea that requires supporting evidence; it should be of adequate scope for a ten-page paper; and it should be sharply focused.

For help with this exercise, see Supporting a thesis.

Example

1 of 10

Question

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◯ Residents of the District of Columbia must pay federal income taxes, even though they are denied voting representation in the United States Congress.
◯ Residents of the District of Columbia should be given voting representation in Congress because they pay federal income taxes.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 1

2 of 10

Question

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◯ When a woman suffering from postpartum psychosis does something terrible, such as injuring or killing her child, she obviously needs help.
◯ When a woman suffering from postpartum psychosis injures or kills her child, she should be treated for mental illness rather than charged as a criminal.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 2

3 of 10

Question

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◯ Political and economic conditions in the early twentieth century help explain the popularity of Marcus Garvey’s Back to Africa movement.
◯ Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and initiated the popular Back to Africa movement.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 3

4 of 10

Question

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◯ Because fighting terrorists who plan their activities online is a high priority for the US government, Congress should enact stricter computer privacy laws that allow for wiretapping and other forms of surveillance.
◯ American citizens must give up their privacy rights so that the US government can find and convict political terrorists.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 4

5 of 10

Question

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◯ Online grocery shopping is gaining in popularity among American families.
◯ Online grocery shopping benefits American families because it saves money, saves time, and lowers exposure to marketing gimmicks.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 5

6 of 10

Question

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◯ Seasonal affective disorder, common in northern countries such as Norway and Sweden, is a debilitating condition that affects many people during the winter months.
◯ Because light therapy and antidepressants do not always help those suffering from seasonal affective disorder, patients should also consider dietary changes and supplements.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 6

7 of 10

Question

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◯ Throughout history, big business interests have almost always been at odds with environmentally friendly practices.
◯ Although big businesses have traditionally been at odds with environmental interests, eco-friendly policies can actually lead to increased corporate profits.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 7

8 of 10

Question

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◯ There are both similarities and differences between the US AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and the Black Death that occurred hundreds of years ago in the Middle Ages.
◯ The US AIDS epidemic that began in the early 1980s had much in common with the Black Death of the Middle Ages: both began mysteriously, terrified the general public, and seemed to some people to be God’s punishment for sinful behavior.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 8

9 of 10

Question

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◯ The phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear in the US Constitution; Thomas Jefferson coined it in a famous letter explaining the First Amendment.
◯ Americans must continue to maintain the separation of church and state to protect religious minorities and to protect religion itself from domination by the state.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 9

10 of 10

Question

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◯ Wyatt Earp’s law-and-order reputation is a myth based chiefly on a poorly documented biography written early in the twentieth century.
◯ Historians have shown that the reputations of many heroes of the Old West were based primarily on myths.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 1 – 10