Lesson 4.03: "There's Daggers in Men's Smiles," Macbeth, Act II

Take the 4.03 Macbeth Act II Quiz in the Quizzes area.

Collaborative Essay

Each person in the group will write a thesis statement for his own part of the essay. You, as a whole group, will also write an introduction that will incorporate a thesis statement. Let’s review what a thesis statement actually means.

A thesis statement is one sentence, no more than two sentences, that is clear and concise about the topic of the paper. This statement establishes the point you are trying to make. Think of the statement in two ways: it states your point and discusses your plan to prove it in three ways. This sentence is usually at the end of the introductory paragraph.

Common Pitfalls

1. Your thesis statement should not be a question. However, it may help you to pose a question first, and then answer it to derive at a more focused thesis.
2. Your thesis statement cannot be a fragment. Your statement should be a complete sentence.
3. Your thesis statement should not be too general. Narrow it down to something manageable.
4. Your thesis statement should not use first or second person pronouns (I, me, we, you, your).

Practice writing a thesis statement for your role. Submit three different thesis statements to 4.03 Thesis Statement Discussion. Each group member should read over the thesis statements and select the best one.