Here is where you set the tone for your essay. Begin your discussion by explaining how the media shapes the value you have selected and how this value impacts human behavior.
Include a strong thesis statement in the introduction. The thesis statement is a crucial part of writing essays in sociology. This statement tells the reader what the essay is talking about. It’s your intention statement.
Tips for writing a thesis statement for a sociology class:
The thesis statement is the single most important sentence that you’ll ever learn to write. It is the main argument of any essay, featured right up front in the essay’s introduction, and it tells your reader in no uncertain terms where you stand.
1. Be clear - Demonstrate your understanding of the topic by making a complex argument using simple language - not sociology jargon.
2. Be specific about your topic - Avoid general statements, rather specify exactly what you are addressing.
Here is an example of too broad of a thesis statement, “All women are oppressed”.
Here is an example of a strong thesis statement explaining what will be examined in the essay: “Women are not as financially rewarded in the U.S. workforce as their male counterparts”.
3. Provide supporting arguments - Thesis statements cannot stand alone as arguments in an essay. Here is an example of a strong thesis statement with specific arguments included:
"Women are not as financially rewarded in the U.S. workforce as men are in three ways: First, on average, women’s salaries are lower than men’s salaries; second, women are often unfairly penalized for going on maternity leave; and third, women typically receive fewer and smaller financial bonuses.”
4. Write the main argument - Your thesis statement is the main argument -- trying to make it more than that will actually make it less.
Source: Aarons, A. (n.d.) Help with writing a thesis statement for a sociology class. Classroom. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://classroom.synonym.com/writing-thesis-statement-sociology-class-3301.html Retrieved
Body - Paragraph 2
Body - Paragraph 3