Help Making a Strong Thesis for My English Paper?

Question by MamaD: Help making a strong thesis for my English paper?
I’m writing a paper on the legalization of marijuana in texas for medical use. I’d be arguing against it, I need help with my thesis though…

Best answer:

Answer by TKO_12
A good thesis statement needs 1) a Specific Noun, 2) an Active Verb, and 3) an Assertive Predicate.

Poor Thesis: The economic situation is bad.

Better Thesis: The tax policies of the current administration threaten to reduce the tax burden on the middle class by sacrificing education and health-care programs for everyone.

For your paper, all you need is to define the limits of “medical use” for the assertive predicate and come up with a reason that you’re arguing against it for the active verb. Here’s an example (in favor of marijuana–I can’t do all the work! 😉 ):

SAMPLE: The current healthcare restrictions on the use of cannibis for medical purposes is frankly outdated; the fear of increasing recreational use by allowing glaucoma treatments defies even the most stringent definition of a “gateway” drug’s danger.

Specific noun: the fear of increasing recreational use…
Active verb: defies
Assertive predicate: the most stringent definition of […] danger

Note that the first half (prior to the semi-colon) can’t work as a thesis–it’s too opinionated and uses a weak verb (“is”). However, by linking it with the semi-colon, I get to have my cake and eat it too. My “opinion” goes from being a rant to being an informed argument, provided that I prove what I state in the actual thesis.

Best,

TKO 12

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!