Main points are statements that support your thesis. In an informative paper, main points are the major categories of information that you have promised to discuss. In an argumentative paper, main points are the major reasons you offer to show that your thesis is true. In both cases, the main points represent three major divisions of your paper.

Since you are writing an argumentative paper, it will be helpful to think of your main points as three reasons "why" (or "how") your thesis is true. For instance, when Josephine declared in her thesis that "Parents of gang members should not tolerate their children's involvement in violent gangs," she then tried to think of reasons "why" parents of gang members should not tolerate their children's gang activities. If Josephine had declared a slightly different thesis, "Parents of gang members often unknowingly encourage their children's involvement in violent gangs," she would have had to explain "how" parents unknowingly encourage their children's gang activities. "Why?" or "How?" . . . these are the important questions in coming up with your paper's main points.

It will also be helpful to think of at least three main points. Why three? Because in Western culture, the number "three" carries significance. The United States government has three major branches (executive, legislative, judicial) . . . Christianity is based on a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) . . . three strikes and you're out, both in baseball and in the California judicial system! The list goes on and on. In trying to convince a reader that your thesis is true, two main points are better than one, certainly. But three main points are even better. The third point may be the deciding factor.

Once you have devised a list of three main points, you will be in a position to begin developing them with subpoints and evidence. Subpoints, as you will learn, are statements that support a main point . . . and evidence is the information you provide as "proof" that each of your subpoints is true. You'll learn more about these in Phase 4. First, let's work on making sure you have three solid main points to support your thesis.

Subject:	Crime in America
Topic:	Gang violence in American cities
Question:	Should families of gang members tolerate the violent acts of gangs in their communities?
Thesis Statement:	Families of gang members should not tolerate gang violence in their communities.
Main Points:	By tolerating their children's involvement in violent gangs, parents send a signal to their children that they no longer care about their children's future. By tolerating their children's involvement in violent gangs, parents are admitting their loss of control as parents. By tolerating one child's involvement in violent gangs, parents make it more acceptable for other children in the family to become involved with violent gangs.