Nine Errors to Avoid When Composing a Thesis

1. A thesis cannot be a fragment; it must express a complete thought.
   
   Unacceptable:how students learn to write
   
   Acceptable:  The best means for teaching students to write is to have them focus on the steps of the writing process rather than the end product. 
   
   
2. A thesis must not be worded as a question.  (Sometimes the answer to the question can be the thesis.)
   
   Unacceptable:Do Americans really need large refrigerators?
   
   Acceptable:If Americans did their marketing daily, as do some Europeans, they could save energy and money because they could use smaller refrigerators. 
   
   
3. A thesis must not be too broad.
   
   Unacceptable:The literature of mythology contains many journeys.
   
   Acceptable: In Greek mythology, the motif of the journey represents the internal struggles and eventual perseverance of mortals.
   
   
4. A thesis should not contain unrelated elements.
   
   Unacceptable:All novelists seek the truth, and some novelists are good psychologists.
   
   Acceptable: In their attempt to probe human nature, many novelists strive to reveal the intricacies of human relations. 
   
   
5. A thesis should not contain phrases like “I think” or “in my opinion” because they weaken the writer’s argument.
   
   Unacceptable: In my opinion, all cigarette smoking in public places should be banned because of the adverse effects of “passive smoking” on non-smokers.
   
   Acceptable: All cigarette smoking in public places should be banned because of the adverse effects of “passive smoking” on non-smokers. 
   
   
6. A thesis should not be expressed in vague language.
   
   Unacceptable:Religion as part of the school curriculum should be avoided because it can cause trouble.
   
   Acceptable: Religion should not be part of the public school curriculum because it is a highly personal commitment and can cause conflict with those who hold alternative beliefs. 
   
   
7. A thesis must not be expressed in muddled or incoherent language.
   
   Unacceptable: Homosexuality is a “status” offence to the effect that the participants are willing so that the relationship is voluntary in character rather than the type described in a “victim-perpetrator” model.
   
   Acceptable: Homosexuality between two consenting adults should be considered as alternate life style rather than a crime.
   
   
8. A thesis should not be expressed in figurative language (symbolic in any way).
   
   Unacceptable:The amazons of today are trying to purge all the stag words from the English language.
   
   Acceptable: Today’s feminists are trying to eliminate the use of sexually-biased words from public use. 
   
   
9. A thesis should not simply state a fact.
   
   Unacceptable:Women have been repressed at different times and in different cultures.
   
   Acceptable:The repression of women writers in America during the nineteenth century contributed to the idea that there were relatively few writers who should be included in anthologies.