11b Make a claim and formulate a working thesis

11b
Make a claim and formulate a working thesis

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.