Thesis statements in MLA papers 2

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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◯ Legislators should not reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to provide balanced coverage of controversial topics; this federal policy had the negative effect of watering down political debate.
◯ The Fairness Doctrine, a federal policy that required broadcasters to provide balanced coverage of controversial topics, was abolished by the FCC in 1987.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 1

2 of 10

Question

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◯ The fascination with vampires among young people reflects our cultural obsession with immorality, youth, and individuality.
◯ What is it about vampires that attracts so many young people?
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 2

3 of 10

Question

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◯ Many college professors spend too much of their time on publishing or research and too little time on teaching; as a result, they do a disservice to the students in their classrooms.
◯ Student evaluations of college professors should play a larger role in determining an instructor’s overall performance and compensation.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 3

4 of 10

Question

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◯ More than one-third of the cumulative carbon dioxide emissions over the last century can be attributed to deforestation.
◯ Although much of the discussion about carbon dioxide emissions focuses on automobiles and factories, one of the most efficient ways of cutting emissions is through forest restoration and conservation.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 4

5 of 10

Question

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◯ While SAT scores are fairly accurate at predicting the academic success rates of white students, they are very poor at predicting the academic success rates of minority students.
◯ SAT scores should be eliminated from college admissions requirements because they do not accurately predict the academic success rates of minority students.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 5

6 of 10

Question

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◯ Although Catch-22 is set during World War II, Joseph Heller uses the novel to comment on the absurdity of cold war society.
◯ Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22 led to the widespread use of the term “catch-22,” which refers to a paradox or a situation that cannot be escaped with a desirable outcome.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 6

7 of 10

Question

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◯ For roughly four decades, the war on drugs has attempted to make America drug free, but this is an uphill battle with no end in sight.
◯ The war on drugs should be reformed to focus more on drug abuse education, prevention, and treatment rather than on law enforcement.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 7

8 of 10

Question

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◯ Public schools should consider the benefits of mandatory religious education, which can lead to increased tolerance of religious views.
◯ The teaching of religious education in public schools is a controversial topic, mostly because the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion has led to a separation of church and state.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 8

9 of 10

Question

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◯ Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees workers the right to equal pay regardless of race, sex, religion, or ethnicity, more stringent laws are needed because the current law contains loopholes that allow unfair pay practices to continue.
◯ The Civil Rights Act of 1964 provided for the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which, among other things, guarantees employees equal pay regardless of race, sex, religion, or ethnicity.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 9

10 of 10

Question

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◯ In 1884, nearly two decades after the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in the United States, Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; a century later, two decades after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Toni Morrison wrote Beloved.
◯ Mark Twain’s motivations for writing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were very different from Toni Morrison’s motivations for writing Beloved, but both authors succeed in using their books to humanize the slave.
Thesis statements in MLA papers 2 – 10