thesis statement with two claims

Two-Part (Claim Reason) Thesis Statement

Ai generator.

Unlock the power of concise and persuasive argumentation with Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples. This approach provides a dynamic framework for crafting compelling essays by presenting a claim followed by the reasoning behind it. Delve into how to effectively employ this method and uncover valuable tips to enhance your writing. Elevate your ability to articulate strong arguments and engage readers with well-structured, impactful thesis statements.

What is a Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement? – Definition

A Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement is a succinct and persuasive way to present an argument in academic writing. It consists of two essential components: the claim, which states the main point or position you’re asserting, and the reason, which provides a concise explanation or justification for why that claim is valid. This approach adds depth and clarity to your thesis statement, setting the stage for a well-structured and persuasive essay.

What is an example of a Two-Part (Claim + Reason) thesis statement?

Claim: “Mandatory physical education in schools is crucial.” Reason: “Regular physical activity not only improves students’ physical health but also enhances their cognitive abilities, contributing to better academic performance.”

In this example, the claim is that mandatory physical education in schools is essential. The reason provided explains why this claim is valid, highlighting the positive impact of physical activity on both physical health and academic achievement. This two-part structure effectively outlines the argument and its rationale.

100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples

Size: 279 KB

Explore 100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples, each carefully crafted to present compelling arguments along with their supporting rationales. This comprehensive collection spans various topics, allowing you to grasp the art of concise and impactful argumentation. Enhance your essay writing skills by learning how to effectively structure your ideas and convince your readers with well-reasoned claims.

• Claim: “Social media platforms have revolutionized communication.” Reason: “Their instant connectivity and vast user base facilitate global interactions, transforming how people connect and share information.”
• Claim: “Artificial intelligence is shaping the future of industries.” Reason: “Its ability to analyze massive data sets and automate complex tasks boosts efficiency and innovation across sectors.”
• Claim: “Climate change demands urgent attention and action.” Reason: “Mounting evidence of rising temperatures and extreme weather events underscores the critical need to mitigate environmental risks.”
• Claim: “Literature plays a pivotal role in fostering empathy.” Reason: “Engaging with diverse characters’ experiences cultivates understanding and compassion among readers.”
• Claim: “Diversity in the workplace enhances creativity and innovation.” Reason: “A range of perspectives fuels dynamic discussions and encourages fresh approaches to problem-solving.”
• Claim: “Higher education is a gateway to socioeconomic mobility.” Reason: “Access to advanced knowledge and skill development equips individuals to access better job opportunities.”
• Claim: “Government surveillance threatens individual privacy rights.” Reason: “Mass surveillance infringes on personal liberties and erodes the balance between security and freedom.”
• Claim: “Renewable energy sources are the solution to the climate crisis.” Reason: “Harnessing solar, wind, and hydro power reduces reliance on fossil fuels, curbing greenhouse gas emissions.”
• Claim: “Mandatory voting promotes a more engaged and informed citizenry.” Reason: “Compulsory participation ensures broader representation and encourages citizens to stay informed.”
• Claim: “Cultural diversity enriches a society’s social fabric.” Reason: “Different backgrounds and traditions contribute to a vibrant tapestry of experiences and perspectives.”
• Claim: “Online learning is revolutionizing education.” Reason: “Flexible schedules and interactive platforms enhance accessibility and engagement for learners worldwide.”
• Claim: “Gender equality is essential for societal progress.” Reason: “Empowering women in all spheres fosters innovation, economic growth, and social harmony.”
• Claim: “Space exploration drives technological advancements.” Reason: “The pursuit of cosmic knowledge inspires breakthroughs in engineering, materials science, and communication.”
• Claim: “Censorship of artistic expression hampers creative freedom.” Reason: “Limiting artistic freedom stifles cultural innovation and inhibits open dialogue on societal issues.”
• Claim: “Critical thinking is a crucial skill for modern education.” Reason: “Nurturing critical thinking abilities empowers students to analyze information, solve problems, and make informed decisions.”
• Claim: “Universal healthcare ensures equitable access to medical services.” Reason: “Healthcare for all reduces disparities, provides preventative care, and promotes overall well-being.”
• Claim: “The digital age has transformed the way we consume information.” Reason: “Instant access to online content and personalized algorithms reshape information consumption patterns.”
• Claim: “Financial literacy is essential for personal financial well-being.” Reason: “Understanding money management empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions.”
• Claim: “Technology addiction poses a significant societal concern.” Reason: “Excessive screen time impairs mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall productivity.”
• Claim: “The preservation of natural habitats is crucial for biodiversity.” Reason: “Conserving ecosystems maintains species diversity and supports ecological balance.”
• Claim: “Ethical consumerism drives positive social and environmental change.” Reason: “Supporting eco-friendly and socially responsible products encourages responsible business practices.”
• Claim: “The advancement of robotics will redefine the job market.” Reason: “Automated tasks and AI technologies will reshape employment opportunities and skill requirements.”
• Claim: “Social media fosters both connection and isolation.” Reason: “Online interactions offer global connectivity, yet excessive screen time can lead to real-world disconnection.”
• Claim: “Youth involvement in civic activities cultivates active citizenship.” Reason: “Engaged young individuals contribute fresh perspectives and energize public discourse.”
• Claim: “Freedom of speech should have limitations to prevent hate speech.” Reason: “Balancing free expression with societal well-being safeguards marginalized communities and social harmony.”
• Claim: “Music therapy offers holistic healing for mental health.” Reason: “Engaging with music promotes emotional release, stress reduction, and cognitive improvement.”
• Claim: “Urbanization poses environmental challenges and opportunities.” Reason: “Concentrated urban living accelerates innovation and necessitates sustainable infrastructure solutions.”
• Claim: “Social inequality hinders economic growth and stability.” Reason: “Unequal distribution of resources stifles human potential and undermines social cohesion.”
• Claim: “The arts are essential for well-rounded education.” Reason: “Cultivating creative expression enhances critical thinking, communication, and empathy.”
• Claim: “Personalized learning empowers diverse student needs.” Reason: “Tailoring education to individual strengths fosters engagement and academic success.”
• Claim: “Ethical considerations should guide advancements in genetic engineering.” Reason: “Prioritizing ethical guidelines ensures responsible innovation and prevents unintended consequences.”
• Claim: “Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful relationships.” Reason: “Clear communication fosters mutual understanding, trust, and resolution of conflicts.”
• Claim: “Social media activism has transformed modern advocacy.” Reason: “Online platforms amplify voices, mobilize communities, and raise awareness about social issues.”
• Claim: “Multilingualism benefits cognitive development and cultural understanding.” Reason: “Learning multiple languages enhances brain function and promotes cross-cultural empathy.”
• Claim: “Early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning.” Reason: “Quality early education nurtures cognitive, social, and emotional development.”
• Claim: “The gig economy provides flexible work options but lacks stability.” Reason: “Freelance opportunities offer autonomy, but inconsistent income poses financial challenges.”
• Claim: “Effective time management is key to academic success.” Reason: “Balancing priorities and deadlines enhances productivity and reduces stress.”
• Claim: “Alternative energy sources are vital for reducing carbon emissions.” Reason: “Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables mitigates climate change and supports sustainability.”
• Claim: “Media literacy is essential in the digital age.” Reason: “Critical analysis of media sources promotes informed decision-making and safeguards against misinformation.”
• Claim: “Preserving indigenous languages safeguards cultural heritage.” Reason: “Language is intrinsic to identity, reflecting unique worldviews and historical legacies.”
• Claim: “Flexible work arrangements enhance work-life balance.” Reason: “Remote work and flexible hours accommodate personal needs, leading to improved well-being.”
• Claim: “Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and empowerment.” Reason: “Proficiency in reading and writing enables access to information, education, and opportunities.”
• Claim: “Rapid technological advancements pose ethical dilemmas in AI development.” Reason: “Ensuring AI aligns with human values and respects privacy is essential for responsible innovation.”
• Claim: “Universal basic income can address socioeconomic inequality.” Reason: “Providing a basic income cushion fosters economic security and reduces poverty.”
• Claim: “Cultural appropriation perpetuates stereotypes and erases history.” Reason: “Appropriating elements from marginalized cultures trivializes their significance and disregards their origins.”
• Claim: “Physical activity is crucial for overall health and mental well-being.” Reason: “Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, and improves cardiovascular health.”
• Claim: “Preserving biodiversity is essential for ecological balance.” Reason: “Each species contributes to ecosystem stability and resilience against environmental changes.”
• Claim: “Government transparency strengthens democracy and public trust.” Reason: “Open governance fosters accountability, ensures informed decisions, and curbs corruption.”
• Claim: “Critical reflection enhances personal growth and self-awareness.” Reason: “Examining experiences and beliefs promotes continuous learning and personal development.”
• Claim: “Technological advancements in healthcare improve patient outcomes.” Reason: “Innovations like telemedicine and precision medicine tailor treatments for better results.
• Claim: “Early childhood vaccinations are vital for public health.” Reason: “Immunizations prevent the spread of diseases, safeguarding individual and community well-being.”
• Claim: “Media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion.” Reason: “Information dissemination influences perspectives, leading to informed decisions and societal change.”
• Claim: “Globalization fosters cultural exchange and interconnectedness.” Reason: “Cross-cultural interactions promote understanding, collaboration, and shared values.”
• Claim: “Animal testing should be replaced with alternative research methods.” Reason: “Ethical considerations demand the use of cruelty-free testing methods that yield accurate results.”
• Claim: “Financial literacy education empowers responsible money management.” Reason: “Teaching budgeting and investment basics ensures informed financial decision-making.”
• Claim: “Promoting gender diversity in STEM fields drives innovation.” Reason: “Inclusive environments harness diverse perspectives, fostering creative problem-solving.”
• Claim: “Education empowers individuals to break the cycle of poverty.” Reason: “Access to quality education equips individuals with skills to overcome economic challenges.”
• Claim: “Cybersecurity measures are essential to protect digital assets.” Reason: “Preventing cyber threats safeguards personal information and prevents cybercrime.”
• Claim: “Economic growth should prioritize environmental sustainability.” Reason: “Balancing growth with conservation ensures future generations’ access to resources.”
• Claim: “Healthy eating habits contribute to overall well-being.” Reason: “Nutrient-rich diets support physical health, energy levels, and disease prevention.
• Claim: “Empathy is crucial for fostering harmonious interpersonal relationships.” Reason: “Understanding others’ perspectives cultivates compassion, reduces conflicts, and builds trust.”
• Claim: “Economic inequality hampers social mobility and undermines democracy.” Reason: “Unequal distribution of resources perpetuates disparities and limits equal opportunities.”
• Claim: “Online education offers accessible and flexible learning opportunities.” Reason: “Virtual learning platforms cater to diverse schedules and geographical constraints.”
• Claim: “Historical preservation maintains cultural heritage and identity.” Reason: “Preserving artifacts and landmarks ensures future generations connect with their past.”
• Claim: “Social entrepreneurship addresses societal challenges while generating profits.” Reason: “Innovative business models prioritize social impact, driving positive change and sustainability.”
• Claim: “Effective parenting strategies shape children’s emotional development.” Reason: “Nurturing emotional intelligence fosters resilience, empathy, and healthy relationships.”
• Claim: “Ethical fashion practices promote sustainable clothing production.” Reason: “Supporting ethically produced garments reduces environmental impact and supports fair labor practices.”
• Claim: “Inclusive education benefits students with diverse learning needs.” Reason: “Adapting curriculum and teaching methods empowers all students to thrive academically.”
• Claim: “Cultural preservation is integral to indigenous identity and rights.” Reason: “Preserving cultural traditions upholds sovereignty and protects indigenous ways of life.”
• Claim: “Volunteering enhances personal well-being and community resilience.” Reason: “Contributing time and skills fosters a sense of purpose and strengthens social ties.
• Claim: “A balanced work-life routine improves overall productivity and satisfaction.” Reason: “Prioritizing personal well-being and leisure time enhances focus and reduces burnout.”
• Claim: “Cultural diversity fosters innovation and global collaboration.” Reason: “Combining perspectives from different backgrounds sparks creative problem-solving and mutual understanding.”
• Claim: “Literacy rates correlate with socioeconomic development and empowerment.” Reason: “High literacy levels enhance access to education, employment opportunities, and civic engagement.”
• Claim: “Sustainable tourism preserves natural and cultural resources.” Reason: “Responsible travel practices protect fragile ecosystems and local traditions.”
• Claim: “Quality healthcare is a fundamental human right.” Reason: “Access to medical services promotes well-being and ensures equal opportunities for health.”
• Claim: “Community engagement enhances neighborhood safety and cohesion.” Reason: “Involved residents collectively address concerns and create a strong sense of belonging.”
• Claim: “Ethical considerations should guide AI’s role in decision-making.” Reason: “Responsible AI use prevents biased outcomes and respects human values.”
• Claim: “The arts promote emotional expression and healing.” Reason: “Creating and engaging with art facilitates catharsis and emotional release.”
• Claim: “Cultural sensitivity is vital for effective global communication.” Reason: “Understanding cultural nuances fosters mutual respect and minimizes misunderstandings.”
• Claim: “Social media’s impact on mental health warrants ethical guidelines.” Reason: “Balancing online engagement with mental well-being safeguards against digital stressors.
• Claim: “Economic globalization accelerates income inequality.” Reason: “Transnational corporations exploit cheap labor, exacerbating disparities between affluent and impoverished regions.”
• Claim: “Investing in early childhood education yields long-term societal benefits.” Reason: “Early learning programs enhance cognitive development and reduce future educational disparities.”
• Claim: “Active participation in local governance strengthens democracy.” Reason: “Engaging citizens in decision-making promotes accountability and responsive policies.”
• Claim: “Promoting mental health initiatives in schools benefits student well-being.” Reason: “Early support and awareness campaigns address psychological challenges and reduce stigma.”
• Claim: “Technology integration in education enhances student engagement.” Reason: “Interactive digital tools cater to diverse learning styles, encouraging active participation.”
• Claim: “Criminal justice reform is necessary for equitable legal outcomes.” Reason: “Eliminating biases in sentencing and addressing systemic flaws ensures fair justice.”
• Claim: “Sustainable agriculture practices are essential for food security.” Reason: “Regenerative farming methods preserve soil health and mitigate climate change impacts.”
• Claim: “Freedom of the press is integral to a functioning democracy.” Reason: “Unbiased journalism informs public discourse and holds authorities accountable.”
• Claim: “Intercultural education fosters global understanding and cooperation.” Reason: “Teaching cultural awareness cultivates empathy and prepares individuals for a diverse world.”
• Claim: “Inclusive urban planning improves accessibility and quality of life.” Reason: “Designing cities for all residents accommodates diverse needs and enhances urban livability.

With these 100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement examples, you have a diverse array of topics and arguments to explore, analyze, and incorporate into your essays.

Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples for Essay

• Claim: “Exploring diverse cultures enriches personal growth.” Reason: “Cultural exposure broadens perspectives, fostering tolerance and empathy.”
• Claim: “Effective time management enhances academic success.” Reason: “Balancing study and leisure optimizes focus and reduces stress.”
• Claim: “Mindfulness practices improve mental well-being.” Reason: “Mindful techniques cultivate self-awareness, reducing anxiety and enhancing emotional balance.”
• Claim: “Literature is a powerful tool for social commentary.” Reason: “Fictional narratives offer insights into societal issues, prompting reflection and dialogue.”
• Claim: “Personalized learning caters to individual student needs.” Reason: “Tailoring education to learning styles boosts engagement and comprehension.”
• Claim: “Responsible social media usage preserves mental health.” Reason: “Setting boundaries online reduces comparison and fosters authentic connections.”
• Claim: “Community service fosters a sense of belonging.” Reason: “Volunteering connects individuals to their surroundings, enhancing civic engagement.”
• Claim: “Promoting eco-friendly habits protects the environment.” Reason: “Green choices like recycling and energy conservation reduce carbon footprint.”
• Claim: “Inclusive workplaces enhance employee morale.” Reason: “Valuing diversity creates a positive environment that promotes collaboration and creativity.”
• Claim: “Critical thinking skills are essential for informed decisions.” Reason: “Analytical thinking empowers individuals to evaluate information and make reasoned choices.”

Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay

• Claim: “Government surveillance infringes on individual privacy rights.” Reason: “Mass monitoring undermines civil liberties, opening doors to abuse of power.”
• Claim: “Social media platforms should implement stricter content moderation.” Reason: “Addressing harmful content reduces misinformation and protects user well-being.”
• Claim: “Mandatory voting promotes active citizenship and representative democracy.” Reason: “Compulsory participation ensures diverse voices are heard in political decisions.”
• Claim: “Gun control measures are necessary to prevent mass shootings.” Reason: “Stricter regulations reduce access to firearms, curbing potential violence.”
• Claim: “Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right.” Reason: “Affordable medical services ensure equitable well-being and protect lives.”
• Claim: “Climate change is a result of human activity.” Reason: “Scientific evidence links rising emissions to global temperature increases.”
• Claim: “Animal testing should be replaced with humane alternatives.” Reason: “Ethical considerations demand cruelty-free research methods that yield accurate results.”
• Claim: “Social media has negative effects on mental health.” Reason: “Excessive usage correlates with increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation.”
• Claim: “School dress codes infringe on students’ freedom of expression.” Reason: “Restrictive policies limit individuality and discourage self-confidence.”
• Claim: “Capital punishment should be abolished as it violates human rights.” Reason: “Irreversible consequences and the potential for wrongful convictions oppose ethical principles.”

Two-Part Thesis Statement Examples for Research Paper

• Claim: “AI-driven healthcare innovations enhance medical diagnostics.” Reason: “Machine learning algorithms analyze complex data, aiding accurate disease identification.”
• Claim: “Economic globalization impacts income distribution within nations.” Reason: “Global trade can lead to unequal wealth distribution among different socioeconomic groups.”
• Claim: “Gender pay gap persists despite progress in workplace equality.” Reason: “Societal norms and biases contribute to unequal compensation between genders.”
• Claim: “Urbanization affects mental health and well-being.” Reason: “City living can lead to increased stress levels due to noise and social pressures.”
• Claim: “Digital media’s influence on children’s development warrants scrutiny.” Reason: “Excessive screen time can hinder cognitive and social skills during formative years.”
• Claim: “Artificial intelligence has transformative potential in education.” Reason: “AI-powered personalized learning adapts to individual student needs, enhancing outcomes.”
• Claim: “Effects of climate change impact vulnerable populations disproportionately.” Reason: “Marginalized communities suffer more from environmental changes due to resource disparities.”
• Claim: “The role of genetics in mental disorders requires further exploration.” Reason: “Genetic factors contribute to mental health conditions, prompting research for targeted treatments.”
• Claim: “Criminal justice reform is needed to address racial disparities.” Reason: “Biased sentencing and profiling lead to unequal treatment within the justice system.”
• Claim: “Ethical implications of gene editing demand regulatory frameworks.” Reason: “CRISPR technology raises concerns about unintended consequences and responsible usage.”

Can you have a two point thesis?

Yes, you can have a two-point thesis, also known as a Two-Part Thesis Statement. This type of thesis statement presents two distinct aspects or ideas that will be discussed in your essay, each supported by specific reasons or evidence. It provides a clear structure for organizing your arguments and helps you convey a well-rounded perspective on your topic.

How to Write a Two Part Thesis Statement? – Step by Step Guide

Crafting a Two-Part Thesis Statement involves careful consideration of your topic and the main points you want to address. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create an effective Two-Part Thesis Statement:

• Choose a Specific Topic: Select a topic for your essay that is focused and manageable. Your thesis statement should address a specific aspect of the topic.
• Identify Two Key Points: Determine the two main points or arguments you want to make about the topic. These points should be distinct and complementary, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
• Create a Claim for Each Point: Develop a clear and concise claim for each of the two points. These claims should represent the main ideas you will be discussing in your essay.
• Provide Reasons or Evidence: For each claim, outline the reasons or evidence that support your point. These reasons will help you elaborate on each point in your essay.
• Arrange the Structure: Organize your Two-Part Thesis Statement by presenting both claims in a logical order. You can choose to present one claim before the other or arrange them based on their significance.
• Concise Language: Write your Two-Part Thesis Statement in clear and concise language. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex sentence structures.
• Revise and Refine: Review your Two-Part Thesis Statement for clarity and coherence. Make sure that each part is distinct and contributes to the overall argument.
• Alignment with Essay Content: Ensure that the points you’ve identified in your Two-Part Thesis Statement are directly related to the content of your essay. This alignment helps maintain a focused and organized essay.

How do you split a thesis statement?

Splitting a thesis statement refers to breaking it down into two distinct parts: the claim and the reason. The claim represents the main idea or argument you are making, while the reason provides a brief explanation or justification for that claim. Here’s how you can split a thesis statement:

Original Thesis Statement: “Online education is beneficial.”

Split Thesis Statement:

• Claim: “Online education offers numerous benefits.”
• Reason: “It provides flexible scheduling and access to a variety of courses.”

By splitting the thesis statement, you clearly separate the main claim from the reason that supports it. This structure sets the foundation for a Two-Part Thesis Statement.

Tips for Writing a Two Part Thesis Statement

• Be Clear and Specific: Ensure that your claims and reasons are clear, specific, and focused on the main points you want to discuss.
• Balance the Two Points: Choose two points that are relevant to your topic and provide a well-rounded perspective on the subject.
• Logical Order: Present your claims in a logical order that flows well and contributes to the coherence of your essay.
• Support with Evidence: Make sure you have enough evidence or reasoning to support each claim. This strengthens the credibility of your arguments.
• Avoid Overcomplication: Keep your language simple and straightforward. Avoid overly complex sentence structures that might confuse the reader.
• Consider Counterarguments: Anticipate potential counterarguments to your claims and address them in your essay to strengthen your position.
• Stay Focused: Each part of your thesis statement should relate directly to the points you’ll discuss in your essay. Avoid including unnecessary information.
• Revise and Edit: Like any other part of your essay, revise and edit your Two-Part Thesis Statement to ensure it effectively conveys your intended message.

A well-crafted Two-Part Thesis Statement guides your essay’s structure, helps you stay focused on your main points, and provides your readers with a clear roadmap of what to expect.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

Developing a Thesis Statement

Many papers you write require developing a thesis statement. In this section you’ll learn what a thesis statement is and how to write one.

Keep in mind that not all papers require thesis statements . If in doubt, please consult your instructor for assistance.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement . . .

• Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic.
• Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper.
• Is focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper.
• Is generally located near the end of the introduction ; sometimes, in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or in an entire paragraph.
• Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.

Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one.

Identify a topic

Your topic is the subject about which you will write. Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic; or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper.

Consider what your assignment asks you to do

Inform yourself about your topic, focus on one aspect of your topic, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts, generate a topic from an assignment.

Below are some possible topics based on sample assignments.

Sample assignment 1

Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II.

Identified topic

Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis

This topic avoids generalities such as “Spain” and “World War II,” addressing instead on Franco’s role (a specific aspect of “Spain”) and the diplomatic relations between the Allies and Axis (a specific aspect of World War II).

Sample assignment 2

Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad.

The relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64.

This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad ( warfare being a major theme in that work).

Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information

Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic, or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper. You’ll want to read your assignment carefully, looking for key terms that you can use to focus your topic.

Sample assignment: Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II Key terms: analyze, Spain’s neutrality, World War II

After you’ve identified the key words in your topic, the next step is to read about them in several sources, or generate as much information as possible through an analysis of your topic. Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument. For the sample assignment above, you’ll want to look at books and articles on World War II in general, and Spain’s neutrality in particular.

As you consider your options, you must decide to focus on one aspect of your topic. This means that you cannot include everything you’ve learned about your topic, nor should you go off in several directions. If you end up covering too many different aspects of a topic, your paper will sprawl and be unconvincing in its argument, and it most likely will not fulfull the assignment requirements.

For the sample assignment above, both Spain’s neutrality and World War II are topics far too broad to explore in a paper. You may instead decide to focus on Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis , which narrows down what aspects of Spain’s neutrality and World War II you want to discuss, as well as establishes a specific link between those two aspects.

Before you go too far, however, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts. Try to avoid topics that already have too much written about them (i.e., “eating disorders and body image among adolescent women”) or that simply are not important (i.e. “why I like ice cream”). These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times . Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Derive a main point from topic

Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be. This point, the “controlling idea,” becomes the core of your argument (thesis statement) and it is the unifying idea to which you will relate all your sub-theses. You can then turn this “controlling idea” into a purpose statement about what you intend to do in your paper.

Look for patterns in your evidence

Compose a purpose statement.

Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement.

• Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis
• Franco turned to the Allies when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from the Axis

Possible conclusion:

Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: Franco’s desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power.

Purpose statement

This paper will analyze Franco’s diplomacy during World War II to see how it contributed to Spain’s neutrality.

• The simile compares Simoisius to a tree, which is a peaceful, natural image.
• The tree in the simile is chopped down to make wheels for a chariot, which is an object used in warfare.

At first, the simile seems to take the reader away from the world of warfare, but we end up back in that world by the end.

This paper will analyze the way the simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64 moves in and out of the world of warfare.

Derive purpose statement from topic

To find out what your “controlling idea” is, you have to examine and evaluate your evidence . As you consider your evidence, you may notice patterns emerging, data repeated in more than one source, or facts that favor one view more than another. These patterns or data may then lead you to some conclusions about your topic and suggest that you can successfully argue for one idea better than another.

For instance, you might find out that Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis, but when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from them, he turned to the Allies. As you read more about Franco’s decisions, you may conclude that Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: his desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power. Based on this conclusion, you can then write a trial thesis statement to help you decide what material belongs in your paper.

Sometimes you won’t be able to find a focus or identify your “spin” or specific argument immediately. Like some writers, you might begin with a purpose statement just to get yourself going. A purpose statement is one or more sentences that announce your topic and indicate the structure of the paper but do not state the conclusions you have drawn . Thus, you might begin with something like this:

• This paper will look at modern language to see if it reflects male dominance or female oppression.
• I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority.

At some point, you can turn a purpose statement into a thesis statement. As you think and write about your topic, you can restrict, clarify, and refine your argument, crafting your thesis statement to reflect your thinking.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Compose a draft thesis statement

If you are writing a paper that will have an argumentative thesis and are having trouble getting started, the techniques in the table below may help you develop a temporary or “working” thesis statement.

Begin with a purpose statement that you will later turn into a thesis statement.

Assignment: Discuss the history of the Reform Party and explain its influence on the 1990 presidential and Congressional election.

Purpose Statement: This paper briefly sketches the history of the grassroots, conservative, Perot-led Reform Party and analyzes how it influenced the economic and social ideologies of the two mainstream parties.

Question-to-Assertion

If your assignment asks a specific question(s), turn the question(s) into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or reasons for your opinion.

Assignment : What do Aylmer and Rappaccini have to be proud of? Why aren’t they satisfied with these things? How does pride, as demonstrated in “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” lead to unexpected problems?

Beginning thesis statement: Alymer and Rappaccinni are proud of their great knowledge; however, they are also very greedy and are driven to use their knowledge to alter some aspect of nature as a test of their ability. Evil results when they try to “play God.”

Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write.

Main idea: The reason some toys succeed in the market is that they appeal to the consumers’ sense of the ridiculous and their basic desire to laugh at themselves.

Make a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.

• nature = peaceful
• war matériel = violent (competes with 1?)
• need for time and space to mourn the dead
• war is inescapable (competes with 3?)

Use a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).

• although most readers of _______ have argued that _______, closer examination shows that _______.
• _______ uses _______ and _____ to prove that ________.
• phenomenon x is a result of the combination of __________, __________, and _________.

What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement

Beginning statements obtained through the methods illustrated above can serve as a framework for planning or drafting your paper, but remember they’re not yet the specific, argumentative thesis you want for the final version of your paper. In fact, in its first stages, a thesis statement usually is ill-formed or rough and serves only as a planning tool.

As you write, you may discover evidence that does not fit your temporary or “working” thesis. Or you may reach deeper insights about your topic as you do more research, and you will find that your thesis statement has to be more complicated to match the evidence that you want to use.

You must be willing to reject or omit some evidence in order to keep your paper cohesive and your reader focused. Or you may have to revise your thesis to match the evidence and insights that you want to discuss. Read your draft carefully, noting the conclusions you have drawn and the major ideas which support or prove those conclusions. These will be the elements of your final thesis statement.

Sometimes you will not be able to identify these elements in your early drafts, but as you consider how your argument is developing and how your evidence supports your main idea, ask yourself, “ What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? ” and “ How will I convince the reader that this is true? ” When you can answer these questions, then you can begin to refine the thesis statement.

Refine and polish the thesis statement

To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.

• Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
• Question each part of your draft thesis
• Clarify vague phrases and assertions
• Investigate alternatives to your draft thesis

Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement.

Sample Assignment

Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your essay should cause the reader to think critically about the society which produces and enjoys that activity.

• Ask The phenomenon of drive-in facilities is an interesting symbol of american culture, and these facilities demonstrate significant characteristics of our society.This statement does not fulfill the assignment because it does not require the reader to think critically about society.

Drive-ins are an interesting symbol of American culture because they represent Americans’ significant creativity and business ingenuity.

Among the types of drive-in facilities familiar during the twentieth century, drive-in movie theaters best represent American creativity, not merely because they were the forerunner of later drive-ins and drive-throughs, but because of their impact on our culture: they changed our relationship to the automobile, changed the way people experienced movies, and changed movie-going into a family activity.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast-food establishments, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize America’s economic ingenuity, they also have affected our personal standards.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast- food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize (1) Americans’ business ingenuity, they also have contributed (2) to an increasing homogenization of our culture, (3) a willingness to depersonalize relationships with others, and (4) a tendency to sacrifice quality for convenience.

This statement is now specific and fulfills all parts of the assignment. This version, like any good thesis, is not self-evident; its points, 1-4, will have to be proven with evidence in the body of the paper. The numbers in this statement indicate the order in which the points will be presented. Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.

Complete the final thesis statement

The bottom line.

As you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:

• Context matters! Think about your course materials and lectures. Try to relate your thesis to the ideas your instructor is discussing.
• As you go through the process described in this section, always keep your assignment in mind . You will be more successful when your thesis (and paper) responds to the assignment than if it argues a semi-related idea.
• Your thesis statement should be precise, focused, and contestable ; it should predict the sub-theses or blocks of information that you will use to prove your argument.
• Make sure that you keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Change your thesis as your paper evolves, because you do not want your thesis to promise more than your paper actually delivers.

In the beginning, the thesis statement was a tool to help you sharpen your focus, limit material and establish the paper’s purpose. When your paper is finished, however, the thesis statement becomes a tool for your reader. It tells the reader what you have learned about your topic and what evidence led you to your conclusion. It keeps the reader on track–well able to understand and appreciate your argument.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

What this handout is about

This handout will define what an argument is and explain why you need one in most of your academic essays.

Arguments are everywhere

You may be surprised to hear that the word “argument” does not have to be written anywhere in your assignment for it to be an important part of your task. In fact, making an argument—expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence—is often the aim of academic writing. Your instructors may assume that you know this and thus may not explain the importance of arguments in class.

Most material you learn in college is or has been debated by someone, somewhere, at some time. Even when the material you read or hear is presented as a simple fact, it may actually be one person’s interpretation of a set of information. Instructors may call on you to examine that interpretation and defend it, refute it, or offer some new view of your own. In writing assignments, you will almost always need to do more than just summarize information that you have gathered or regurgitate facts that have been discussed in class. You will need to develop a point of view on or interpretation of that material and provide evidence for your position.

Consider an example. For nearly 2000 years, educated people in many Western cultures believed that bloodletting—deliberately causing a sick person to lose blood—was the most effective treatment for a variety of illnesses. The claim that bloodletting is beneficial to human health was not widely questioned until the 1800s, and some physicians continued to recommend bloodletting as late as the 1920s. Medical practices have now changed because some people began to doubt the effectiveness of bloodletting; these people argued against it and provided convincing evidence. Human knowledge grows out of such differences of opinion, and scholars like your instructors spend their lives engaged in debate over what claims may be counted as accurate in their fields. In their courses, they want you to engage in similar kinds of critical thinking and debate.

Argumentation is not just what your instructors do. We all use argumentation on a daily basis, and you probably already have some skill at crafting an argument. The more you improve your skills in this area, the better you will be at thinking critically, reasoning, making choices, and weighing evidence.

Making a claim

What is an argument? In academic writing, an argument is usually a main idea, often called a “claim” or “thesis statement,” backed up with evidence that supports the idea. In the majority of college papers, you will need to make some sort of claim and use evidence to support it, and your ability to do this well will separate your papers from those of students who see assignments as mere accumulations of fact and detail. In other words, gone are the happy days of being given a “topic” about which you can write anything. It is time to stake out a position and prove why it is a good position for a thinking person to hold. See our handout on thesis statements .

Claims can be as simple as “Protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged,” with evidence such as, “In this experiment, protons and electrons acted in such and such a way.” Claims can also be as complex as “Genre is the most important element to the contract of expectations between filmmaker and audience,” using reasoning and evidence such as, “defying genre expectations can create a complete apocalypse of story form and content, leaving us stranded in a sort of genre-less abyss.” In either case, the rest of your paper will detail the reasoning and evidence that have led you to believe that your position is best.

When beginning to write a paper, ask yourself, “What is my point?” For example, the point of this handout is to help you become a better writer, and we are arguing that an important step in the process of writing effective arguments is understanding the concept of argumentation. If your papers do not have a main point, they cannot be arguing for anything. Asking yourself what your point is can help you avoid a mere “information dump.” Consider this: your instructors probably know a lot more than you do about your subject matter. Why, then, would you want to provide them with material they already know? Instructors are usually looking for two things:

• Proof that you understand the material
• A demonstration of your ability to use or apply the material in ways that go beyond what you have read or heard.

This second part can be done in many ways: you can critique the material, apply it to something else, or even just explain it in a different way. In order to succeed at this second step, though, you must have a particular point to argue.

Arguments in academic writing are usually complex and take time to develop. Your argument will need to be more than a simple or obvious statement such as “Frank Lloyd Wright was a great architect.” Such a statement might capture your initial impressions of Wright as you have studied him in class; however, you need to look deeper and express specifically what caused that “greatness.” Your instructor will probably expect something more complicated, such as “Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture combines elements of European modernism, Asian aesthetic form, and locally found materials to create a unique new style,” or “There are many strong similarities between Wright’s building designs and those of his mother, which suggests that he may have borrowed some of her ideas.” To develop your argument, you would then define your terms and prove your claim with evidence from Wright’s drawings and buildings and those of the other architects you mentioned.

Do not stop with having a point. You have to back up your point with evidence. The strength of your evidence, and your use of it, can make or break your argument. See our handout on evidence . You already have the natural inclination for this type of thinking, if not in an academic setting. Think about how you talked your parents into letting you borrow the family car. Did you present them with lots of instances of your past trustworthiness? Did you make them feel guilty because your friends’ parents all let them drive? Did you whine until they just wanted you to shut up? Did you look up statistics on teen driving and use them to show how you didn’t fit the dangerous-driver profile? These are all types of argumentation, and they exist in academia in similar forms.

Every field has slightly different requirements for acceptable evidence, so familiarize yourself with some arguments from within that field instead of just applying whatever evidence you like best. Pay attention to your textbooks and your instructor’s lectures. What types of argument and evidence are they using? The type of evidence that sways an English instructor may not work to convince a sociology instructor. Find out what counts as proof that something is true in that field. Is it statistics, a logical development of points, something from the object being discussed (art work, text, culture, or atom), the way something works, or some combination of more than one of these things?

Be consistent with your evidence. Unlike negotiating for the use of your parents’ car, a college paper is not the place for an all-out blitz of every type of argument. You can often use more than one type of evidence within a paper, but make sure that within each section you are providing the reader with evidence appropriate to each claim. So, if you start a paragraph or section with a statement like “Putting the student seating area closer to the basketball court will raise player performance,” do not follow with your evidence on how much more money the university could raise by letting more students go to games for free. Information about how fan support raises player morale, which then results in better play, would be a better follow-up. Your next section could offer clear reasons why undergraduates have as much or more right to attend an undergraduate event as wealthy alumni—but this information would not go in the same section as the fan support stuff. You cannot convince a confused person, so keep things tidy and ordered.

Counterargument

One way to strengthen your argument and show that you have a deep understanding of the issue you are discussing is to anticipate and address counterarguments or objections. By considering what someone who disagrees with your position might have to say about your argument, you show that you have thought things through, and you dispose of some of the reasons your audience might have for not accepting your argument. Recall our discussion of student seating in the Dean Dome. To make the most effective argument possible, you should consider not only what students would say about seating but also what alumni who have paid a lot to get good seats might say.

You can generate counterarguments by asking yourself how someone who disagrees with you might respond to each of the points you’ve made or your position as a whole. If you can’t immediately imagine another position, here are some strategies to try:

• Do some research. It may seem to you that no one could possibly disagree with the position you are arguing, but someone probably has. For example, some people argue that a hotdog is a sandwich. If you are making an argument concerning, for example, the characteristics of an exceptional sandwich, you might want to see what some of these people have to say.
• Talk with a friend or with your teacher. Another person may be able to imagine counterarguments that haven’t occurred to you.
• Consider your conclusion or claim and the premises of your argument and imagine someone who denies each of them. For example, if you argued, “Cats make the best pets. This is because they are clean and independent,” you might imagine someone saying, “Cats do not make the best pets. They are dirty and needy.”

Once you have thought up some counterarguments, consider how you will respond to them—will you concede that your opponent has a point but explain why your audience should nonetheless accept your argument? Will you reject the counterargument and explain why it is mistaken? Either way, you will want to leave your reader with a sense that your argument is stronger than opposing arguments.

When you are summarizing opposing arguments, be charitable. Present each argument fairly and objectively, rather than trying to make it look foolish. You want to show that you have considered the many sides of the issue. If you simply attack or caricature your opponent (also referred to as presenting a “straw man”), you suggest that your argument is only capable of defeating an extremely weak adversary, which may undermine your argument rather than enhance it.

It is usually better to consider one or two serious counterarguments in some depth, rather than to give a long but superficial list of many different counterarguments and replies.

Be sure that your reply is consistent with your original argument. If considering a counterargument changes your position, you will need to go back and revise your original argument accordingly.

Audience is a very important consideration in argument. Take a look at our handout on audience . A lifetime of dealing with your family members has helped you figure out which arguments work best to persuade each of them. Maybe whining works with one parent, but the other will only accept cold, hard statistics. Your kid brother may listen only to the sound of money in his palm. It’s usually wise to think of your audience in an academic setting as someone who is perfectly smart but who doesn’t necessarily agree with you. You are not just expressing your opinion in an argument (“It’s true because I said so”), and in most cases your audience will know something about the subject at hand—so you will need sturdy proof. At the same time, do not think of your audience as capable of reading your mind. You have to come out and state both your claim and your evidence clearly. Do not assume that because the instructor knows the material, he or she understands what part of it you are using, what you think about it, and why you have taken the position you’ve chosen.

Critical reading

Critical reading is a big part of understanding argument. Although some of the material you read will be very persuasive, do not fall under the spell of the printed word as authority. Very few of your instructors think of the texts they assign as the last word on the subject. Remember that the author of every text has an agenda, something that he or she wants you to believe. This is OK—everything is written from someone’s perspective—but it’s a good thing to be aware of. For more information on objectivity and bias and on reading sources carefully, read our handouts on evaluating print sources and reading to write .

Take notes either in the margins of your source (if you are using a photocopy or your own book) or on a separate sheet as you read. Put away that highlighter! Simply highlighting a text is good for memorizing the main ideas in that text—it does not encourage critical reading. Part of your goal as a reader should be to put the author’s ideas in your own words. Then you can stop thinking of these ideas as facts and start thinking of them as arguments.

When you read, ask yourself questions like “What is the author trying to prove?” and “What is the author assuming I will agree with?” Do you agree with the author? Does the author adequately defend her argument? What kind of proof does she use? Is there something she leaves out that you would put in? Does putting it in hurt her argument? As you get used to reading critically, you will start to see the sometimes hidden agendas of other writers, and you can use this skill to improve your own ability to craft effective arguments.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, and William T. FitzGerald. 2016. The Craft of Research , 4th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Ede, Lisa. 2004. Work in Progress: A Guide to Academic Writing and Revising , 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Gage, John T. 2005. The Shape of Reason: Argumentative Writing in College , 4th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 2016. Everything’s an Argument , 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

• Mission, Vision, and Inclusive Language Statement
• Locations & Hours
• Undergraduate Employment
• Graduate Employment
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Newsletter Archive
• Support WTS
• Schedule an Appointment
• Online Tutoring
• Before your Appointment
• WTS Policies
• Group Tutoring
• Students Referred by Instructors
• Paid External Editing Services
• Writing Guides
• Scholarly Write-in
• Dissertation Writing Groups
• Journal Article Writing Groups
• Early Career Graduate Student Writing Workshop
• Workshops for Graduate Students
• Teaching Resources
• Syllabus Information
• Course-specific Tutoring
• Nominate a Peer Tutor
• Tutoring Feedback
• Schedule Appointment
• Campus Writing Program

Writing Tutorial Services

How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.

Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?

• to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
• to better organize and develop your argument
• to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument

In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.

How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?

Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request 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 or two complete sentences answering that question.

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”

A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

[ Back to top ]

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned

Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.

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 nature of the assignment
• express one main idea
• assert your conclusions about a subject

Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.

Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.

You start out with a thesis statement like this:

Sugar consumption.

This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.

You change your thesis to look like this:

Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.

This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done 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.

Take a position on the topic. After reflecting 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 sugar these children consume.

You revise your thesis statement to look like this:

More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.

This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Use specific language . You decide to explain 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 reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.

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 elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar 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 specific. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..

Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss 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 indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might 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 consanguineal 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 experience 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 be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse 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 because 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 the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, 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 related. Hint: a great 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 be about, 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 discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. 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 specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.

Produced by Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Writing Tutorial Services social media channels

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence

Thesis statements, claims, and evidence, introduction.

The three important parts of an argumentative essay are:

• A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with.  Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct.
• Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement,  are not facts.  Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence.
• Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true.  Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas.  The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports.

Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence.

Paragraphs 1-7

Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement:  “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”  It is a thesis statement for three reasons:

• It is the article’s main argument.
• It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education.
• It requires evidence to show that it is true.

Finding Claims.  A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement.  Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence.

You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”

Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree.  For this reason, a claim needs support.

• Question 1.  Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence.

Finding Evidence. 

Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question.  Reread paragraphs 5-7.

• Question 2.  Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 8-10

Finding Claims

Paragraph 8 makes two claims:

• “The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.”
• “The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.”

Finding Evidence

Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence:

• “The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.”
• “Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.”

Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)?

Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 11-13

Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that:

• “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement)
• “More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim)

Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story.

Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one?

Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)?

Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence?  Does it persuade you to agree with him?

Paragraphs 14-16

Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14.  Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16.  If you can’t find any evidence,  write “none.”

Claim:  The more education a person has, the higher their income.

Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.

Paragraphs 17-19

Evaluating Evidence

In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs.

Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far?   Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer.

Paragraphs 20-23

Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.”

To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist.  One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people.

What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants?

Paragraphs  24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms)

In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions.  To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application.

What statistic does he include?

In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid.

What do you think about this assumption?   Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions?

Supporting English Language Learners in First-Year College Composition Copyright © by Breana Bayraktar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• Our Mission
• Code of Conduct
• The Consultants
• Hours and Locations
• Apply to Become a Consultant
• Make an Appointment
• Face-to-Face Appointments
• Zoom Appointments
• Written Feedback Appointments
• Support for Writers with Disabilities
• Policies and Restrictions
• Upcoming Workshops
• Class Workshops
• Meet the Consultants
• Writing Center Quick Guides
• Citation Resources
• Helpful Links
• Video Resources
• Login or Register
• Graduate Writing Consultations
• Thesis and Dissertation Consultations
• Weekly Write-Ins
• ESOL Graduate Peer Feedback Groups
• Setting Up Your Own Writing Group
• Writing Resources for Graduate Students
• Support for Multilingual Students
• ESOL Opt-In Program
• About Our Consulting Services
• Promote Us to Your Students
• Recommend Consultants

Thesis Statements

A thesis statement is:.

• The statement of the author’s position on a topic or subject.
• Clear, concise, and goes beyond fact or observation to become an idea that needs to be supported (arguable).
• Often a statement of tension, where the author refutes or complicates an existing assumption or claim (counterargument).
• Often answers WHY or HOW questions related to the topic at hand.

A thesis statement is NOT:

• A statement of fact or observation (no matter how astute the observation).
• A statement of personal conviction or opinion.
• A generalization or overly broad claim.

For the writer, the thesis statement:

• Helps the writer determine the essay’s real focus. What are you trying to say with the evidence presented? A thesis provides a theory to be tested by evidence.
• Serves as a planning tool. The component parts of the thesis often correspond with the essay’s topic sentences.

For the reader, the thesis statement:

• Serves as a “map” to guide the reader through the paper. In the same way the thesis helps you organize your paper, the thesis helps organize the reader’s thinking. Once a solid thesis is presented, the reader will understand that all of the evidence presented is in service of proving the thesis.
• Creates a reason to keep reading. The reader will want to discover the support behind the thesis.

If you are having trouble writing a thesis...

...ask yourself a genuine, difficult question about the topic (usually a “how” or “why” question), and state your response, even if you are not sure why you want to give that answer. Your response may very well be a workable thesis, and the pursuit of proving that answer may reveal to you more about your sources of evidence.

...think of a strong statement or observation you have made about the subject beginning with the words “In this essay, I will...” Then ask yourself why this observation is important, or “So What?” 1 Answer the question with “I believe this is because...” In the draft stage you might phrase a working thesis as the following:

In this essay, I plan to explain how Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn contrasts his river and shore scenes. I believe Twain is telling us that in order to find America’s true democratic ideals one must leave “civilized” society (the shore) and go back to nature (the river).

Then revise out the “I” statements. A revised version of this thesis might look like this:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Mark Twain’s Adventure’s of Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

Writing in the Disciplines

Keep in mind that thesis statements vary depending on the purpose of the assignment (or type of essay), and also by discipline. Here are a few notes on the thesis statements and the purpose of writing in a few different disciplines. 2

English: “A thesis is an interpretive argument about a text or an aspect of a text. An interpretive argument is defined as one that makes a reasonable but contestable claim about a text; in other words, it is an opinion about a text that can be supported with textual evidence."

Sciences (Biology): “A well-written scientific paper explains the scientist’s motivation for doing an experiment, the experimental design and execution, and the meaning of the results... The last sentences of the introduction should be a statement of objectives and a statement of hypotheses.”

Business: “When you write in business courses, you will usually write for a specific audience. Your goal will be to communicate in a straight-forward manner and with a clear purpose." 3

History: “In historical writing, a thesis explains the words or deeds of people in the past. It shows cause and effect; it answers the question why?... A thesis must change a reader’s mind to be of value. If it presents only facts or an obvious finding, it will merely confirm what the reader already believes.”

1. This strategy comes from Writing Analytically by Jill Stephen and David Rosenwasser.

2.  The following statements on writing in the disciplines have been borrowed from the Writing Guides found at the Writing Across the Curriculum website at http://wac.gmu.edu/guides/GMU%20guides.html .

3.  From A Writer’s Reference, 6th Edition, with Writing in the Disciplines, by Diana Hacker.

The Writing Center

4400 University Drive, 2G8 Fairfax, VA 22030

• Johnson Center, Room 227E
• +1-703-993-1200
• [email protected]

Quick Links

• Register with us

© Copyright 2024 George Mason University . All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement | Accessibility

Thesis Statements: Crafting a Claim Backed by Reasoning

Overview of thesis statements.

A clear and well-developed thesis statement is, in many cases, the backbone of most essays and research papers. The thesis statement presents your argument to your reader, making your stance or your position clear. A solid thesis statement can also provide structure for your writing. Even in non-argumentative writing, such as narrative essays, you can still use your thesis statement to express your purpose for writing.

In your thesis statement, you can provide the overarching claims you plan to make, as well as your reasoning for those claims. You can think of the thesis statement as being made up of two parts: the position and the reasoning. The position is the overall point you are making, and the reasoning is the explanation or logic behind that position. When you include both the position and the reasoning, your thesis statement shows your readers how you intend to structure your writing. For more on organization in your writing, see the Stone Writing Center (SWC) handout on this topic.

Argumentative Thesis Statements

When it comes to argumentative thesis statements, these statements are not argumentative for the sake of conflict; rather, you are writing to inform and persuade your readers, advancing their understanding of your topic. It might be helpful to even think of argumentative thesis statements like a road map that guides your writing as a whole. For more on argumentative writing, see the SWC handouts on this topic.

An argumentative thesis statement makes a clear assertion, taking a stance and providing details to support that stance. An effective argumentative thesis statement helps to persuade the reader by providing an outline of the main claims and reasoning for those claims.

Examples of Thesis Statements

Each of these sample thesis statements takes a stance on a subject and states a claim, then provides supporting details to convey the reasoning for the claim/s. The position or claim is in bold , and the reasoning is in italics .

Adults should eat apples more regularly because the fruit has many health benefits including lowering risk for heart disease, improving digestion, and promoting weight loss.

The Stone Writing Center is a convenient learning resource for Del Mar College as it provides a place where students can get help with their writing and offers multiple services for all writers.

Because of the convenience, low prices, and diverse options , people should get rid of cable and join streaming services instead.

Del Mar College is a great option to further one’s education because it offers many different academic programs, has a lower cost than surrounding universities, and provides dual-enrollment courses for high school students.

Because public libraries give citizens access to free books, technological resources, and other helpful learning programs, these institutions deserve more city funding.

To demonstrate the theme that family can be made through friends, The Avengers* movie uses characterization, conflict, and allusion. *Note: Movie titles, such as The Avengers , are usually italicized.

By providing readers with the main claim or position, as well as the reasoning or explanations for said claim, thesis statements allow you to effectively communicate the overall argument you intend to make in your writing.

Page last updated July 12, 2023.

Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Parts of a Paper / How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis can be found in many places—a debate speech, a lawyer’s closing argument, even an advertisement. But the most common place for a thesis statement (and probably why you’re reading this article) is in an essay.

Whether you’re writing an argumentative paper, an informative essay, or a compare/contrast statement, you need a thesis. 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.

Guide Overview

What is a “thesis statement” anyway.

• 2 categories of thesis statements: informative and persuasive
• 2 styles of thesis statements
• Formula for a strong argumentative thesis
• The qualities of a solid thesis statement (video)

You may have heard of something called a “thesis.” It’s what seniors commonly refer to as their final paper before graduation. That’s not what we’re talking about here. That type of thesis is a long, well-written paper that takes years to piece together.

Instead, we’re talking about a single sentence that ties together the main idea of any argument . In the context of student essays, it’s a statement that summarizes your topic and declares your position on it. This sentence can tell a reader whether your essay is something they want to read.

2 Categories of Thesis Statements: Informative and Persuasive

Just as there are different types of essays, there are different types of thesis statements. The thesis should match the essay.

For example, with an informative essay, you should compose an informative thesis (rather than argumentative). You want to declare your intentions in this essay and guide the reader to the conclusion that you reach.

To make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you must procure the ingredients, find a knife, and spread the condiments.

This thesis showed the reader the topic (a type of sandwich) and the direction the essay will take (describing how the sandwich is made).

Most other types of essays, whether compare/contrast, argumentative, or narrative, have thesis statements that take a position and argue it. In other words, unless your purpose is simply to inform, your thesis is considered persuasive. A persuasive thesis usually contains an opinion and the reason why your opinion is true.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best type of sandwich because they are versatile, easy to make, and taste good.

In this persuasive thesis statement, you see that I state my opinion (the best type of sandwich), which means I have chosen a stance. Next, I explain that my opinion is correct with several key reasons. This persuasive type of thesis can be used in any essay that contains the writer’s opinion, including, as I mentioned above, compare/contrast essays, narrative essays, and so on.

2 Styles of Thesis Statements

Just as there are two different types of thesis statements (informative and persuasive), there are two basic styles you can use.

The first style uses a list of two or more points . This style of thesis is perfect for a brief essay that contains only two or three body paragraphs. This basic five-paragraph essay is typical of middle and high school assignments.

C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series is one of the richest works of the 20th century because it offers an escape from reality, teaches readers to have faith even when they don’t understand, and contains a host of vibrant characters.

In the above persuasive thesis, you can see my opinion about Narnia followed by three clear reasons. This thesis is perfect for setting up a tidy five-paragraph essay.

In college, five paragraph essays become few and far between as essay length gets longer. Can you imagine having only five paragraphs in a six-page paper? For a longer essay, you need a thesis statement that is more versatile. Instead of listing two or three distinct points, a thesis can list one overarching point that all body paragraphs tie into.

Good vs. evil is the main theme of Lewis’s Narnia series, as is made clear through the struggles the main characters face in each book.

In this thesis, I have made a claim about the theme in Narnia followed by my reasoning. The broader scope of this thesis allows me to write about each of the series’ seven novels. I am no longer limited in how many body paragraphs I can logically use.

Formula for a Strong Argumentative Thesis

One thing I find that is helpful for students is having a clear template. While students rarely end up with a thesis that follows this exact wording, the following template creates a good starting point:

___________ is true because of ___________, ___________, and ___________.

Conversely, the formula for a thesis with only one point might follow this template:

___________________ is true because of _____________________.

Students usually end up using different terminology than simply “because,” but having a template is always helpful to get the creative juices flowing.

The Qualities of a Solid Thesis Statement

When composing a thesis, you must consider not only the format, but other qualities like length, position in the essay, and how strong the argument is.

Length: A thesis statement can be short or long, depending on how many points it mentions. Typically, however, it is only one concise sentence. It does contain at least two clauses, usually an independent clause (the opinion) and a dependent clause (the reasons). You probably should aim for a single sentence that is at least two lines, or about 30 to 40 words long.

Position: A thesis statement always belongs at the beginning of an essay. This is because it is a sentence that tells the reader what the writer is going to discuss. Teachers will have different preferences for the precise location of the thesis, but a good rule of thumb is in the introduction paragraph, within the last two or three sentences.

Strength: Finally, for a persuasive thesis to be strong, it needs to be arguable. This means that the statement is not obvious, and it is not something that everyone agrees is true.

Example of weak thesis:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are easy to make because it just takes three ingredients.

Most people would agree that PB&J is one of the easiest sandwiches in the American lunch repertoire.

Example of a stronger thesis:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are fun to eat because they always slide around.

This is more arguable because there are plenty of folks who might think a PB&J is messy or slimy rather than fun.

Composing a thesis statement does take a bit more thought than many other parts of an essay. However, because a thesis statement can contain an entire argument in just a few words, it is worth taking the extra time to compose this sentence. It can direct your research and your argument so that your essay is tight, focused, and makes readers think.

EasyBib Writing Resources

Writing a paper.

• Academic Essay
• Argumentative Essay
• College Admissions Essay
• Expository Essay
• Persuasive Essay
• Research Paper
• Thesis Statement
• Writing a Conclusion
• Writing an Introduction
• Writing an Outline
• Writing a Summary

EasyBib Plus Features

• Citation Generator
• Essay Checker
• Expert Check Proofreader
• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tools

Plagiarism Checker

• Spell Checker

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Grammar and Plagiarism Checkers

Grammar Basics

Plagiarism Basics

Writing Basics

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

• Translators
• Graphic Designers

Please enter the email address you used for your account. Your sign in information will be sent to your email address after it has been verified.

25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

• Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
• Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
• School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
• Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
• Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
• Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
• Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
• Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
• Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
• Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
• Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
• Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
• Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
• University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
• Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
• Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
• Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
• The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
• Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
• Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
• Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
• Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
• Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
• Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

• Place order

How to Write an Effective Claim for an Essay

Often, people use claim statements and thesis statements interchangeably. And they are not wrong because a thesis statement is a type of a claim. In most cases, essays contain further claims other than the thesis statement, depending on the topic in question. Nevertheless, claims overlap the line between fact and opinion. A strong claim leads to a powerful essay that always scores the best marks.

A good claim is debatable either for or against and must be sufficiently specific so that you explore all the aspects and angles of a given topic.

Yet even with this knowledge, people find themselves confused when asked to formulate a claim for an essay. Failure to structure an argument the right way makes it difficult to persuade an audience. Claims help structure your argument using reasoning and evidence to support your stance.

Given the confusion that sometimes surrounds claims and claim statements, we have put together this guide to take you through the process of writing claims in five steps, using examples and illustrations where necessary for you to master the art of writing claims in an essay.

What is a claim in an essay?

A claim statement is the main point or a debatable statement in the essay that asserts your argument . When you write an essay, you do it to convince or inform the reader about something. What you are trying to convince the reader about is what is referred to as a claim.

The main point or argument in an essay is its most important part. This is because it quickly informs the reader about the objective of the essay, its direction, and its scope.

It is important to note that an opinion is not a claim and cannot be used as the main argument when writing an essay. The easiest way to know if your essay's main argument is a good claim is to ask yourself if it is specific, focused, detailed, relevant, and debatable. If your answer to these questions is yes, you most probably have a good claim.

A claim is usually substantiated with evidence, research, testimony, and academic reasoning. It addresses the -so what?- question the implications of why your audience should care anyway. Unlike a subjective opinion, a claim is always objective.

In a nutshell, a claim:

• Refers to the main argument of an essay
• Defines the goals, scope, and direction of a paper
• It is supported by facts, evidence, argumentation, statistics, telling details, and quotations.
• It is specific, nuanced, detailed, complex, and focused.
• It is the starting point for your thesis and allows readers to think critically about the topic.
• Persuades, argues, and proves a point to the reader.

Types of claims with examples

With the definition of claims in mind, let's explore the different types of claims you can use when writing a paper on any topic.

1. Factual claims

Factual claims are arguments or statements that state facts. Any statement that is a fact is a factual claim. Factual claims are usually easy to support with evidence.

When writing a research essay, a claim of fact or definition defines the fact as you see it and provides evidence to back the claim.

Examples of factual claims that are easy to support:

• The United States is the world's biggest economy.
• New York is the home of the United Nations.
• Donald Trump was the 45 th President of the USA.
• The invention of computing technology has transformed every sector of the global economy.

2. Value claims

Value claims or claims of value are arguments that include a judgment. They are primarily opinion-based. A typical value claim will judge something or someone using terms such as good/bad, right/wrong, moral/immoral, and fair/unfair. A value claim is usually followed by explaining the value claim or argument to provide context.

Examples of value claims:

• Online dating is
• It is right for the West to sanction private individuals for Russian government actions.
• It is unfair for some businesses to be exempted from tax.
• Emotional health is as important as physical and mental health.

3. Definitional claims

Definitional claims are arguments defining something as one thing or the other. For example, a good value claim will define or describe something or someone as a particular thing and then provide an explanation why.

An excellent example of a definitional claim:

• Hunting is not a sport because it does not include regular competition.

4. Cause and effect claims

Cause and effect claims are arguments that are very logical in structure. A typical cause-and-effect claim argues that one thing causes something else. For a cause-and-effect claim to be successfully proven, you must show clearly how the cause leads to the effect.

An excellent example of a cause-and-effect claim:

• Wars in the Middle East caused Europe's biggest refugee crisis.

5. Descriptive claims

Descriptive claims are arguments that describe or state things. The work of proving a descriptive claim is usually quite simple and straightforward.

Here are good examples of descriptive claims:

• Peter weighs 220 pounds.
• He is the world marathon record holder.
• The house has three master en suite bedrooms.

6. Argumentative claims

All argumentative essays have an argumentative claim at the core. An argumentative claim is an argument that is clear, focused, specific, and debatable. The thing that makes argumentative claims argumentative is the fact that they are debatable. In other words, the claims usually have two clear sides. The side you have picked should be clear in the claim so the audience can read your essay to understand why you picked that side.

Here are good examples of argumentative claims:

• In light of reduced and erratic rainfalls, farmers in East Africa are increasingly abandoning agriculture for city life.
• Running provides both mental and physical health benefits.
• Increasing cases of cyberbullying can be prevented by banning anonymous social media accounts.
• Yoga improves physical, mental, and emotional strength.
• School uniforms help promote inclusive environments where students can interact without barriers.
• College students should learn new languages and skills to help them gain skills to take them through life.
• Concrete is by far the best building material for commercial houses.
• Owning a home is better compared to renting.
• Children under 12 should not be posted on social media by their parents.
• Generation Z should be taught about financial literacy.
• Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper compared to fast food.

7. Exploratory claims

Exploratory claims are very different from argumentative claims. The reason why is that they are written to explore all the different opinions or sides of a debate. No exploratory claim will focus on one position.

A typical exploratory claim will include information about the subject to be written about, the different positions or debates about the subject, and the writer's thoughts about the subject.

Here is an example of an exploratory claim:

• Marijuana was recently legalized for recreational use in New York, leading to a heated debate online on the benefits and drawbacks of the drug. It is essential to look at both sides of the debate to make a fair conclusion on the matter.

8. Assertive claims

Assertive claims are strong arguments or statements. The use of an assertive statement is to explain the thesis a bit or show the importance of the thesis. Without an assertive claim, it becomes challenging to hook the reader to try and read the rest of your essay.

Here is an excellent example of an assertive claim:

• Online driving courses are not as good as physical ones because they minimize hands-on or one-on-one training experience.

9. Policy claims

Policy claims are also known as solution claims. A characteristic policy claim will state a problem and then its solution.

Examples of policy claims:

• Western European countries are over-dependent on Russian oil and gas and, therefore, should try to be more energy-independent.
• Non-violent drug users who are caught should be rehabilitated instead of being incarcerated.

Where to use Claims when writing

As we have already discussed, academic writing has different types of claims. You can use these claims when writing different kinds of papers. Here are some types of writing that use claims:

• Argumentative essay. Claims in argumentative essays are used to support the central argument or the thesis. In this type of essay, you must focus on a controversial or debatable issue and present evidence to support your thesis statement. Your claims help to fortify the thesis in your argumentative essay.
• Literary analysis essays. In a literary analysis essay, you can make a claim about the literary work in question and then offer evidence to support the claim.
• Persuasive essays. Like the argumentative essay, you can use a claim in a persuasive essay. In this case, you will use evidence-based information to support your claim.
• Research papers. You can use evidence to support or refute the hypothesis, a type of claim.
• Persuasive speeches. Although presented orally, persuasive speeches entail providing claims and then using evidence to support the claims.
• Persuasive memos. You can write a persuasive memo to convince the audience about a claim you support with evidence.
• Compare and contrast essays . You can use claims when comparing two items or subjects.

You can also use claims when writing professional papers such as reports, letters, memos, or social media posts.

Related Article: Writing good analytical essays for better grades.

Features of a reasonable claim

Below are the features of a good claim:

1. A good claim is a statement and not a question

A good claim is usually a statement and not a question. The purpose of making a claim is to present a debate and the writer's position on the debate. Using a question, there is no way to present a debate and clarify your position.

2. A good claim challenges the status quo

The purpose of writing essays is to improve the existing body of knowledge. Simply writing another essay supporting the current beliefs, behaviors, rules, or policies does not enhance the body of knowledge. This is why it is vital to make your claim challenge the status quo so that you can write about something new that everyone doesn't already agree with.

An excellent example of a claim that challenges that status quo is that "The United States should shut down all its nuclear power plants in the next year to eliminate the chance of a disaster happening."

This statement challenges the status quo: nuclear power plants are needed in the USA for the foreseeable future to provide much-needed power.

3. A good claim is unbiased

Claims should always be put to provide an opportunity to defend or support either position. Phrasing a claim in a way that leaves no room for the audience to think that an alternative position can exist is not right. It removes objectivity and makes a claim look biased and unwise.

4. A good claim is particular

Broad claims do not provide any insight. This is because they are easy to agree with. They are also easy to prove. In contrast, specific claims narrow the focus and improve argumentation. So, to write a good essay, it is vital to make your claim specific and detailed so that whatever you write is focused and provides good insight.

5. A good claim promotes an argumentative essay

Make a claim that is easy to agree with. Your essay will not be engaging because it will be a description or a story. In contrast, you create an argumentative environment when you make a claim supporting one of two sides. In other words, you create a situation where you provide evidence to support or defend the side of the argument you have picked.

Claim vs. Claim Statement

A claim is an argument. When writing an academic paper (essay, speech, or research), you will have your main claim (main argument). In addition, you will have your sub-claims or supporting arguments throughout your paper or essay.

An essay's central claim or argument is the claim statement. It is also referred to as the thesis statement. In brief, the main difference between a claim and a claim statement is that the former is just an argument while the latter is the main argument.

The requirements for writing a claim and a claim statement are very similar. However, sub-claims or supporting arguments in the body paragraphs do not need to be debatable. In contrast, a good claim statement should always be detailed and debatable.

Claim vs. Thesis Statement vs. Counterclaim

Steps to writing the best claim in an essay

A claim is an argument. It is pretty easy to write an argument in an essay. The most straightforward essay will include the main claim or argument in the introduction , a supporting argument beginning each body paragraph, and a conclusion.

The most important part when writing an essay is usually the main claim or argument. It is also referred to as the claim statement. A good claim statement will help you to write a good essay. A lousy claim statement will make it challenging to write a good essay.

Follow the steps below to learn how to write a good claim statement.

1. Pick a topic and find out more information about it

The first thing you need to do when writing a claim statement is to pick a topic. Even if you can choose any topic, select one that interests you and can research and write an entire essay.

Once you choose the topic, find out more information about it. This will help you narrow the topic, find something interesting to write about, and make arguments. You also develop many aspects of the topic and choose one to help you write your claim.

As an example, suppose you are writing about climate change. Then, you can focus on global warming as a subject and present why it is a top cause of climate change.

2. Phrase the exciting topic as a question

Once you find something interesting about a topic, you should frame the topic as a question. As you frame the question, ensure you answer it with your thesis.

The easiest way to write a question is to imagine you are a professor asking your students to write an easy essay on the topic. This will help you to phrase the topic as a question quickly. The question will help you to come up with the claim statement and to write a good essay.

For example, suppose your research on a topic leads you to want to write about the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls. In that case, you could phrase this topic as a question. For example, one way you can phrase this topic as a question is, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

Phrasing the topic this way makes it easy to write the claim and thesis statements.

3. Define the objective of your essay

To write a good essay, you need to set the objective. The objective of your essay will determine what type of claim statement you write. For example, suppose your objective is to convince the audience that something is good or bad. In that case, you must decide after phrasing your essay topic as a question.

4. Take a position on the issue

After deciding your essay's objective, you need to take a position on the topic now. This position or claim will be your essay's main claim or claim statement. In addition, it will inform what your supporting arguments will be.

At this stage, you should rephrase your question into a claim statement (the question you constructed in step 2). Our example question was, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

To rephrase this question into a claim statement, state how you would answer it in detail. For example, one way you could do this is, "This paper looks at the harmful effects of Instagram on girls under 18 years of age in the USA."

This statement makes it clear what your essay will be all about. It is focused, detailed, and debatable.

5. Develop sub-claims

After creating the claim statement, you need to write an outline to help you write your essay. Your claim statement will inform the outline.

And the most critical parts of the outline will be the sub-claims. The sub-claims are the supporting arguments you will use in your essay. They are the arguments that support your main argument.

If you are writing a typical 5-paragraph essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion " the three body paragraphs will include a sub-claim at the beginning. The sub-claim will be an argument that supports your main position.

Following the five steps above, you can quickly develop a good essay with all the necessary claims and sub-claims. If, for any reason, you feel like it will be challenging for you to develop a good claim statement and sub-claims, contact us for help with your essay. We have professional essay tutors ready to help you write any essay before you hit the deadline.

Dos and don'ts when writing A claim in an Essay

You now know everything important about claims. You know all the major types of claims and how to write an eye-catching claim statement. In this section, you will learn all the critical dos and don'ts when writing any kind of claim.

• Choose a good topic. It is important to choose a good topic if you are permitted to. A good topic is interesting, has lots of facts and data, and is easy to take a stand on.
• Have fun. If essays are stressing you up, maybe you should re-evaluate your major or minor. Whatever topic you choose, you should have fun learning more about it and taking a stand. If you do this, your genuine passion will be evident to the reader.
• Take a position. It is important to take a position when writing about a topic. Writing about something without supporting or defending a position will not help you. You need to embrace a position and stick to it.
• Narrow your focus. It is crucial to narrow the focus of your writing to a particular thing or group. If your claim is too broad, it will not be compelling, and your essay won't be very informative.
• Avoid using first-person when writing a claim statement. Using the first-person perspective  will make your argument subjective and not very objective.
• Avoid using emotional appeal. When writing, ensure that you appeal to facts and data. So don't appeal to emotions; that will water down your arguments.
• Lose focus. Cluttering your claim with other ideas will make it challenging to support. It will also make your writing less understandable and less robust.

Final Remarks

Consider a claim as the branches and the thesis statement as the trunk that holds your paper together. It can be a compound or short sentence that asserts your position on an issue or topic.

Related Readings:

• How to write an argumentative essay.
• How to write a perfect case study paper.
• How to write counterarguments.

Using controversial claims makes essays engaging and appetizes your readers. So ensure that your claim is straightforward, specific, and contestable. And to maintain a good balance, try to rope in a counterclaim.

Now that you understand what a claim is, the different types of claims, and the steps to take when writing a claim, all we can say is all the best. Of course, you will need our wishes as you craft your essay. But in case you need any help, don't hesitate to place an order. Let our argumentative essay writers help you out!

Need a Discount to Order?

15% off first order, what you get from us.

Plagiarism-free papers

Our papers are 100% original and unique to pass online plagiarism checkers.

Well-researched academic papers

Even when we say essays for sale, they meet academic writing conventions.

24/7 online support

Hit us up on live chat or Messenger for continuous help with your essays.

Easy communication with writers

Order essays and begin communicating with your writer directly and anonymously.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, how to write an expository essay, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

FACT FOCUS: A look at claims made by Trump at news conference

Trump lashes out at Harris, recommits to a Sept. 10 debate at hourlong news conference

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

• Copy Link copied

FILE - Crowds are shown in front of the Washington Monument during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Aug. 28, 1963, in Washington. (AP Photo, File)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump talks about his ear as he speaks to reporters during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

In his first news conference since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for president, former President Donald Trump said he would debate her on Sept. 10 and pushed for two more debates. The Republican presidential nominee spoke for more than an hour, discussing a number of issues facing the country and then taking questions from reporters. He made a number of false and misleading claims. Many of them have been made before.

Here’s a look at some of those claims.

CROWD SIZES

CLAIM: “The biggest crowd I’ve ever spoken — I’ve spoken to the biggest crowds. Nobody’s spoken to crowds bigger than me. If you look at Martin Luther King when he did his speech, his great speech, and you look at ours, same real estate, same everything, same number of people, if not we had more. And they said he had a million people, but I had 25,000 people.”

THE FACTS: Trump was comparing the crowd at his speech in front of the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, to the crowd that attended Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial.

But far more people are estimated to have been at the latter than the former.

Approximately 250,000 people attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which King gave his speech, according to the National Park Service . The Associated Press reported in 2021 that there were at least 10,000 people at Trump’s address.

Moreover, Trump and King did not speak in the same location. King spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial , which looks east toward the Washington Monument. Trump spoke at the Ellipse , a grassy area just south of the White House.

CLAIM: “Nobody was killed on Jan. 6.”

THE FACTS: That’s false. Five people died in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and its immediate aftermath. Pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol that day amid Congress’ effort to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

Among the deceased are Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter shot and killed by police, and Brian Sicknick, a police officer who died the day after battling the mob. Four additional officers who responded to the riot killed themselves in the following weeks and months.

Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was shot and killed by a police officer as she climbed through a broken part of a Capitol door during the violent riot. Trump has often cited Babbitt’s death while lamenting the treatment of those who attended a rally outside the White House that day and then marched to the Capitol, many of whom fought with police.

DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION

CLAIM: “The presidency was taken away from Joe Biden, and I’m no Biden fan, but I tell you what, from a constitutional standpoint, from any standpoint you look at, they took the presidency away.”

THE FACTS: There is nothing in the Constitution that prevents the Democratic Party from making Vice President Kamala Harris its nominee. That process is determined by the Democratic National Committee.

Harris officially claimed the nomination Monday following a five-day online voting process, receiving 4,563 delegate votes out of 4,615 cast, or about 99% of participating delegates. A total of 52 delegates in 18 states cast their votes for “present,” the only other option on the ballot.

The vice president was the only candidate eligible to receive votes after no other candidate qualified by the party’s deadline following President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race on July 21.

What to know about the 2024 Election

• Today’s news: Follow live updates from the campaign trail from the AP.
• Ground Game: Sign up for AP’s weekly politics newsletter to get it in your inbox every Monday.
• AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.

THE ECONOMY

CLAIM: Suggesting things would be different if he had been in office rather than Biden: “You wouldn’t have had inflation. You wouldn’t have had any inflation because inflation was caused by their bad energy problems. Now they’ve gone back to the Trump thing because they need the votes. They’re drilling now because they had to go back because gasoline was going up to 7, 8, 9 dollars a barrel.”

THE FACTS: There would have been at least some inflation if Trump had been reelected in 2020 because many of the factors causing inflation were outside a president’s control. Prices spiked in 2021 after cooped-up Americans ramped up their spending on goods such as exercise bikes and home office furniture, overwhelming disrupted supply chains. U.S. auto companies, for example, couldn’t get enough semiconductors and had to sharply reduce production, causing new and used car prices to shoot higher. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in March 2022 also sent gas and food prices soaring around the world, as Ukraine’s wheat exports were disrupted and many nations boycotted Russian oil and gas.

Still, under Biden, U.S. oil production reached a worldwide record level earlier this year .

Many economists, including some Democrats, say Biden’s $1.9 trillion financial support package, approved in March 2021, which provided a $1,400 stimulus check to most Americans, helped fuel inflation by ramping up demand. But it didn’t cause inflation all by itself. And Trump supported $2,000 stimulus checks in December 2020, rather than the $600 checks included in a package he signed into law in December 2020.

Prices still spiked in countries with different policies than Biden’s, such as France , Germany and the U.K. , though mostly because of the sharp increase in energy costs stemming from Russia’s invasion.

IMMIGRATION

CLAIM: “Twenty million people came over the border during the Biden-Harris administration — 20 million people — and it could be very much higher than that. Nobody really knows.”

THE FACTS: Trump’s 20 million figure is unsubstantiated at best, and he didn’t provide sources.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports 7.1 million arrests for illegal crossings from Mexico from January 2021 through June 2024. That’s arrests, not people. Under pandemic-era asylum restrictions, many people crossed more than once until they succeeded because there were no legal consequences for getting turned back to Mexico. So the number of people is lower than the number of arrests.

In addition, CBP says it stopped migrants 1.1 million times at official land crossings with Mexico from January 2021 through June 2024, largely under an online appointment system to claim asylum called CBP One.

U.S. authorities also admitted nearly 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela under presidential authority if they had financial sponsors and arrived at an airport.

All told, that’s nearly 8.7 million encounters. Again, the number of people is lower due to multiple encounters for some.

There are an unknown number of people who eluded capture, known as “got-aways” in Border Patrol parlance. The Border Patrol estimates how many but doesn’t publish that number.

CLAIM: Vice President Kamala Harris “was the border czar 100% and all of a sudden for the last few weeks she’s not the border czar anymore.”

THE FACTS: Harris was appointed to address “root causes” of migration in Central America. That migration manifests itself in illegal crossings to the U.S., but she was not assigned to the border.

NEW YORK CASES

CLAIM: “The New York cases are totally controlled out of the Department of Justice.”

THE FACTS: Trump was referring to two cases brought against him in New York — one civil and the other criminal.

Neither has anything to do with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The civil case was initiated by a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James. In that case, Trump was ordered in February to pay a $454 million penalty for lying about his wealth for years as he built the real estate empire that vaulted him to stardom and the White House.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a state-level prosecutor, brought the criminal case . In May, a jury found Trump guilty on 34 felony counts in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.

___ Associated Press writers Melissa Goldin and Elliot Spagat and economics writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this article. ___

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

An earlier version of this story mixed up “latter” and “former” in the third paragraph. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 1963, drew a far larger crowd than Donald Trump’s speech near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021.

Advertisement

Supported by

Inside the Worst Three Weeks of Donald Trump’s 2024 Campaign

People around the former and would-be president see a candidate knocked off his bearings, disoriented by his new contest with Kamala Harris and unsure of how to take her on.

• Share full article

By Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

The Aug. 2 dinner at the Bridgehampton, N.Y., home of Howard Lutnick, the Cantor Fitzgerald chief executive, was a high-powered affair. Among the roughly 130 people who dined under an air-conditioned tent were some of Donald Trump’s wealthiest supporters, including the billionaire hedge-fund financier Bill Ackman, who sat next to the former president, and Omeed Malik, the president of another fund, 1789 Capital.

Some guests hoped Mr. Trump would signal that he was recalibrating after a series of damaging mistakes. He did not.

Before the dinner, answering a question that voiced concerns about the upcoming election during a small round-table discussion inside Mr. Lutnick’s house, Mr. Trump said, “We’ve got to stop the steal,” reviving yet again his false claims about the 2020 election — claims that his advisers have urged him to drop because they don’t help him with swing voters.

According to two people present, Mr. Trump himself also brought up his remark, made two days earlier at a gathering of the National Association of Black Journalists, in which he had questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity.

It had been a display of flagrant race-baiting that was egregious even by Mr. Trump’s standards, and it instantly reprogrammed America’s TV news chyrons: He falsely claimed that Ms. Harris had only recently decided to identify as Black for political purposes.

But Mr. Trump showed no regret. “I think I was right,” he told the rattled donors that Friday night.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .