– Write a Thesis Statement –
Whether you’re writing an argumentative paper, an essay, or a compare/contrast statement, you need to write a thesis statement. Without a thesis, your argument falls flat and your information is unfocused. Since a thesis is so important, it’s probably a good idea to look at some tips on how to put together a strong one.
What is a Thesis Statement?
Before diving into the ‘hows’, let establish an understanding of what a thesis statement is.
➢ Tells the reader how you will infer the significance of the subject under discussion.
➢ Is a road map for the paper; it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
➢ Directly answers the question you are dealing with. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
The subject, or topic, of an essay, could be World War III or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
➢ Makes a claim that others might disagree with.
➢ Is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that reveals your argument to the reader.
The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
➢ If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft.
The assignment may not explicitly say that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement.
When an assignment requires you to analyze, interpret, compare and contrast, to show cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being required to develop a thesis and to support it convincingly.
How Do I Create a Thesis?
A thesis results from a lengthy thinking process. Framing a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment.
Before you build an argument on any topic, collect and organize evidence, look for relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships.
Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents the main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence.
Both the argument and your thesis possibly need change along the way.
Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the wider significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement.
For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming.
How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?
Here are some helpful hints to get you started.
Virtually all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distil the assignment into a specific question.
For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school panel explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class.”
Turn the appeal into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question, your essay will answer, compose one, two, or more complete sentences answering that question.
Q: “What are the potential benefits of using a whiteboard in a fourth-grade class?”
A: “The potential benefits of using a whiteboard in a fourth-grade class are . . .”
OR
A: “Using whiteboards in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”
The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.
How to Generate a Thesis Statement Without an Assigned Topic
Even if your assignment doesn’t enquire a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this state, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write on.
A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:
➢ take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
➢ deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the assignment
➢ express one main idea
➢ assert your conclusions about a subject
How to Generate a Thesis Statement for a Social Policy Paper
A social policy paper needs a thesis statement. Here are guides on how to generate one.
1. Brainstorm the Topic
Let’s assume that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find you are interested in the amount of milk Americans consume.
You start out with a thesis statement like this:
Milk consumption.
This portion isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply shows a general subject. Going further, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about milk consumption.
2. Narrow the Topic
Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to a conclusion that elementary school children consume far more milk than is healthy.
You change your thesis to look like this:
by elementary school children.
This section not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children.
It raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more milk than they should, not everyone would agree on what they should do or who should do it.
You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.
3. Take a Position on the Topic
After on the topic, a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of milk these children consume.
You revise your thesis statement to look like this:
More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices accessible to elementary school children.
This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are unclear.
4. Use Specific Language
You decide to clarify what you mean about food and beverage choices, so you write:
Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.
This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely informs a statistic instead of making an assertion.
5. Make an Assertion Based on Clearly Stated Support
You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:
Because half of all American children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of milk, they should require schools to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.
Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What they should do to reduce milk consumption by children, and who should do it?”
When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more speci
fic. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.
How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One
A thesis statement is strong or weak. Here are some tips to help tell the difference.
1. A Strong Thesis Statement Takes a Precise Stand
Remember that your thesis needs to show your deductions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, they might ask you to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:
There are some negative and positive effects on the Supplement.
This is a weak thesis statement. First, it doesn’t take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is unclear.
Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.
This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand and because it’s specific.
2. A Strong Thesis Statement Justifies Discussion
Your thesis should show the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a , using your own family as an example, you could come up with either of these two thesis statements:
My family is an extended family.
This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.
While most American families would view consanguineous marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.
This is a strong thesis because it shows how your knowledge contradicts a widely accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial.
Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.
3. A Strong Thesis Statement Expresses one Main Idea
Readers need to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses over one idea, then you might cloud your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:
Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.
This is a weak thesis statement since the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear.
One way to revise the thesis would be to write:
Because they filled the Internet with great , companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.
This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are connected. Hint: many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because, since, so, although, unless, and however.
4. A Strong Thesis Statement is Specific
A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will discourse, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you’re writing a seven-to-ten-page paper on hunger, you might say:
World hunger has many causes and effects.
This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be deliberated thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, ‘many causes and effects are not precise.
You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:
Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce, and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.
This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more precise topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.
Tips for Writing a Good Thesis Statement
Writing a thesis statement is made easy if you follow these tips.
1. Know the topic
The topic should be something you know or can learn about. It is difficult to write a thesis statement, let alone a paper, on a topic that you know little or nothing about.
Reflecting on personal experience and/or researching will help you know more information about your topic.
2. Trim your topic
Based on what you know and the required length of your final paper, limit your topic to a specific area. A broad scope will generally require a longer paper, while a shorter paper will sufficiently prove a narrow scope.
3. Brainstorm
If you are having trouble beginning your paper or writing your thesis, take a piece of paper and write down everything that comes to mind about your topic.
Did you discover any new ideas or connections? Can you separate any of the things you jotted down into categories? Did you notice any themes?
Think about using ideas generated within this process to shape your thesis statement and your paper.
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Three Types of Thesis Statement
There are basically three types of thesis statements. All three are being discussed below.
1. Analytical Thesis Statement
From the term analytical, an individual may conclude that the major focus is on examining a specific problem. When you are writing a paper that needs you to write an analytical thesis statement, you need first to define the topic.
Afterward, you differentiate various aspects then; finally, you conclude with an evaluation of the topic. An analytical thesis statement first presents that subject, which should be discussed, and then offers a way to resolve it.
They mostly used analytical thesis statements in writing science and mathematics courses, where there is an analysis of data. Unlike persuasive thesis statements, which are most accurate.
I always tied analytical thesis statements to a specific study or text. If you struggle to write an impressive thesis statement, you can try using the free thesis statement generator by .
The tool is not only free but also has a user-friendly interface. A faultless example of an analytical thesis statement is; “the college’s policy to begin its school day an hour later presented three related benefits:
learners performed better in their assignments, were more positive regarding their institution, and were more observant and alert in class.”
More on the Analytical Thesis statement!
When you make use of such a thesis statement in your work, it becomes possib
le to examine the benefits of the school moving its school hours in contrast to what happened when a regular schedule was maintained.
When you think critically and analytically, you can easily explain why the learners performed better, mainly because they had more time on their hands to make and adjust their schedules to something more achievable.
The students also got more time to relax, which improved their cognitive functions. You may also notice that the statement is strong because they do not base it on factual claims.
Although these types of statements usually seem more inspiring to employ in academic writing. An experienced writer can easily use them to attract the attention of the reader.
Since they are not obvious and it forces the readers to wonder what class hours have to do with the performance and positive attitude.
These types of statements also cause you, as the writer, to think from a unique point of view, which is very important in advanced-level writing.
2. Explanatory Thesis Statement
An essay that incorporates an explanatory thesis statement needs the writer to detailedly explain the topic to the reader.
As a result, for you to be rational and clear, they require you to describe meaningful or most significant ideas of the topic on which you are supposed to base your arguments.
When you are writing an explanatory thesis statement, you should always keep in mind that you are presenting different aspects of your topic in the same direction as they will be mentioned and thereafter discussed in the body sections.
It is important to note that it always centred these types of thesis statements on factual information. This type of thesis statement neither supports claims nor has personal information that evidence does not support can.
It informs the readers what the topic is, the major concepts that will be presented, and finally, how it will be discussed. A flawless example of an explanatory thesis statement is;
“The life of a typical college student is characterized by time spent socializing with friends, attending lectures, and completing assignments.” In the thesis statement provided, a student’s college life is expanded using the mentioned three areas.
When you use such a thesis statement in your work, give explanations and evidence to support your position. We all comprehend the various things that you expect to go through during your college years, but we have to keep in mind that we all have original experiences in college.
Although such a kind of explanation captures the larger picture of the life of the normal college student, there are also factors that may interfere with your life in school.
A good tactic to such an essay using such a thesis statement would be to consider some factors that prevent students from achieving this kind of life, and health problems and academic disruptions.
The statement can, however, explain the various things and issues that collegiate-level students face in their pursuit of academic excellence.
3. Argumentative Thesis Statement
Through judging by the name of the thesis statement, it offers something common to an argument. An argumentative essay’s major focus is on presenting a sound argument by expressing sentiments on certain subjects and taking a stand thereafter.
The content of your paper should aim at supporting your claims. Unlike explanatory thesis statements, where the information is based on factual information.
Argumentative essays allow the writer to make a claim. And afterwards, encourage the readers of their stances. A good example, if you are planning to write your essay on whether cities should make public libraries stop operating.
You may proceed with a thesis statement such as, “the government should halt the operations of public libraries since they do not well use tax because of rapid advancement in technology.”
In the example, the writer has stated some reasons public libraries’ operations should be stationary. The argumentative thesis statement’s primary aim is to present an opinion.
And, thereafter, present information to persuade the readers to believe the claims.
A Strong Thesis Statement
A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.
Specificity
A thesis statement must focus on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic.
For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a precise area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.
Precision
A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it.
Such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.
Ability to be Argued
A thesis statement must give a relevant and specific argument. We rarely consider a factual statement arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.
Ability to be Showed
For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this.
Or you can consult outside sources to show that what you assert is valid. Examples and details back A worthy argument.
Forcefulness
A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.
Confidence
Besides using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe really weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply you are the only person who feels the way you do.
Your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.
Parts of a Thesis Statement
The thesis statement has 3 main parts: the limited subject, the precise opinion, and the blueprint of reasons.
1. Limited Subject
Make sure you’ve chosen a theme that meets your instructor’s requirements for the assignment. (It never hurts to ask.)
2. Precise Opinion
The precise opinion gives your answer to a question about the subject. A good specific opinion is vital to the reader’s comprehension of the goal of the essay.
3. Blueprint of Reasons
A blueprint is a plan. It le
ts the builder know the will be here, the living room will be to the east, the dining room to the west, and the family room will be north.
The design of an essay permits you to see the whole shape of your ideas before you churn out whole paragraphs. While it’s okay for you to write your ideas before you have a clear sense of your blueprint.
Your reader should never encounter a list of details without being told exactly what point these details are supposed to support.
These kinds of statements are very rampant and should never be based on a fact.
When you use such a thesis statement in your paper, you need to be prepared to conduct as much research as possible to make sure that you can back up your arguments.
One of the best approaches would be to show the audience why the public libraries are relevant and what impacts they make. You could also show why the government finds it relevant to continue financing such institutions.
They do not limit you to a specific type of research, so long as you possess the ability to argue out all your points logically.
In most cases, you will find these types of statements much easier to use in your writing, since most argumentative essays are open-ended. You, however, want to take into consideration the conflicting arguments that other people have used as you employ such arguments.
The importance of such a thesis statement is to direct you as you write and explain to the reader the position that you are going to take in all your arguments.
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How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper
A research paper like most official writes up needs a strong thesis statement.
Developing an idea is half the battle; you need to take a position and clearly present it in your thesis statement. It may seem like an uphill struggle for most students, and some writers even skip this step.
But, in fact, no research paper will be complete without a powerful thesis statement. That’s why you need to keep several basic rules in mind to avoid a weak thesis, or what’s worse, ignore this stage at all.
Here’re several useful tips on how to nail your research paper thesis:
1. Brainstorm Ideas
It is always better to have several topics to write about. This way, you will choose only that theme that you like most and, might engage your reader.
2. Choose a Captivating Topic
The topic should be narrow enough and focus on the current issue. It is crucial to pick a good topic idea this factor predetermines the development of convincing arguments.
3. Conduct Research
You need to do thorough research based on credible, up-to-date sources. Remember to use academic databases to access the resources that will help you with your research.
4. Find Decent Examples
It’s recommended to choose to correspond evidence that can support your central idea. Make sure that all arguments you develop in the research paper are backed up by examples and related to the thesis statement.
5. Craft a Powerful Thesis Statement
In a research paper, thesis statements should stress the issue’s significance. They are 1-2 sentences long and aim to provide the course of action for the entire text. The rest of the sections are there to support the statement with the help of solid evidence.
How to Start?
There is an established formula to start your thesis statement properly. You should find a central idea that will be discussed in the research’s body paper.
[Discussed object] should [do something] in order…
[The issue] of the [objects] is characterized…
The essay on [topic] tries to explore and prove that…
An analysis of [subject/object] reveals a challenge facing…
Use these starters as your reference to come up with unique approaches to forming your argument.
Thesis Statement Examples
The last thing to discuss is the best examples used in research papers. Below, we offer several free samples to help you get started.
College Education
“High school graduates should be encouraged to take part in various volunteer and projects before having a right to apply for the college program they wish.”
“An analysis of the choices modern HR managers make showed that the companies prefer candidates who have LinkedIn profiles over those who do not have any social media profile.”
Healthcare & Medicine
“The United States government must deny the regular consumption of fast food because such meals result in increased childhood obesity and heart disease.”
“Passive smoking is as harmful as smoking itself since it causes the same health issues. This type of smoking increases the threat of cancer and heart disease, and that is why it should be banned in public places.”
“All American kids should obtain vaccinations against such diseases as polio, rubella, and mumps. It is especially important for those who attend school since vaccinations allow us to monitor deadly .”
Social Services
“Saving our planet is not late. All we need is to address environmental issues collectively. With collective consciousness, it is possible to avoid the famine, world war, and rapid climate change.”
“The United States media reflects the traditional family where a mother, father, and children are the only members. Such a notion of the family is old-fashioned and can ruin the lives of those children who consider this claim as the gold standard.”
Thesis Statement for Expository and Argumentative Essays
Expository and argumentative essays are the most common types of academic papers. Because they don’t have a formal abstract like research papers, they rely on their thesis statements to summarize what’s discussed.
Thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays should use strong and decisive language; don’t be wishy-washy or uncertain. You want to take a stand right in the opening so that your readers understand what your paper is trying to show.
Moreover, thesis statements for these essays should be specific, with some minor details to hint at the rest of the paper. It
’s not enough to merely make your point; you also want to provide some basic evidence or background context to paint a full picture.
If your paper dives into different subtopics or categories, try to fit them into the thesis statement if you can. You don’t have to get into details here, but it’s nice to mention the different sections at the top so that the reader knows what to expect.
Thesis Statement Examples
Despite the taboo, pests make an excellent food source and could stem humanity’s forthcoming food short, based on both their protein output and the sustainability of farming them.
The backlash to rock ’n’ roll music in the ’50s by religious groups and traditionalists actually boosted the genre’s popularity instead of weakening it as intended.
Thesis Statement for Persuasive Essays
Similar to argumentative essays, persuasive essays follow many of the same guidelines for their thesis statements: decisive language, specific details, and mentions of subtopics.
However, the major difference is that, while the thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays state facts, the thesis statements for convincing essays state clear opinions.
Still, the format is the same, and the opinions are often treated as facts, including conclusive language and citing evidence to support your claims.
Unlike with other essays, it’s fitting to make emotional connections in a thesis statement in persuasive essays. This can actually be a clever strategy to start your essay off on a more personal, impactful note.
Thesis Statement Examples
You should not permit advertising in public schools because it’s a distraction from studies and may lead to misguided priorities among the school board and the materialist culture it promotes.
Exotic pets provide the same love and friendship as conventional pets, so we cannot keep the laws regulating which animals as pets should be more relaxed.
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Thesis Statement for Compare-and-Contrast Essays
Thesis statements for compare-and-contrast essays are tricky because you have at least two topics to touch on instead of just one. The same general guidelines apply (decisive language, details, etc.).
But you need to give equal attention to both your topics otherwise, your essay will appear biased from the start.
As always, your thesis statement should reflect what’s written in the rest of your essay. If your essay spends more time comparing than contrasting, your thesis statement should focus more on similarities than differences.
It sometimes helps to give precise examples as well, but keep them simple and brief. Save the finer details for the body of your essay.
Thesis Statement Examples
Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are the two most popular actors to portray James Bond, but both have their own different and contradictory interpretations of the character.
While we often view capitalism and communism as diametric opposites, the truth is that, in practice, both ideologies tend to “borrow” principles from one another.
FAQs about Writing a Thesis Statement
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement
Ques: In What Section do I Write my Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is part of introducing your paper. We frequently found it in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.
Ques: What is the Usual Length of a Thesis Statement?
In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. It really depends on your academic and expertise level. Look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.
Ques: Is a Thesis Statement a Question?
A thesis statement is not a question. Such a statement has to be debatable and prove itself using reasoning and evidence. A question cannot state anything. It is a significant lead into a thesis, but it is not a thesis statement.
Ques: Who Should write Thesis Statements in their Essays/Papers?
Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student, they do not expect you to have the extremely elaborated statement a should.
There you have it. Writing a thesis statement could not be easier. Follow the tips, examples, and guides, and write yourself a strong thesis statement.
Do you have more questions about writing a thesis statement? Drop them in our comment box. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and loved ones.
StudentsandScholarship Team.
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