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- How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
- Start with a question
- Write your initial answer
- Develop your answer
- Refine your thesis statement
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Table of contents
What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.
A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.
The best thesis statements are:
- Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
- Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
- Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.
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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .
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 and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many 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 many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.
You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?
For example, you might ask:
After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .
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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.
In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.
The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.
In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.
The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.
A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:
- Why you hold this position
- What they’ll learn from your essay
- The key points of your argument or narrative
The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.
These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.
Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:
- In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
- In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.
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!
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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :
- Ask a question about your topic .
- Write your initial answer.
- Develop your answer by including reasons.
- Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.
The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .
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McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/
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thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you'll make in the rest of your paper. What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of ...
**Thesis s •A thesis statement can appear as one sentence (see examples C and D) or several sentences (see examples A and B); this is dependent on the requirements of your rhetorical context. ** Note: these are general guidelines for constructing a strong thesis statement and topic sentences in a thesis driven essay; always refer to your ...
5. A troublesome thesis is a fragment; a good thesis statement is expressed in a complete sentence. Example: How life is in New York after September 11th. Better: After September 11th, the city of New York tends to have more cases of post-traumatic disorder than other areas of the United States and rightfully so.
WHAT IS A THESIS?? Your thesis statement asserts the central idea of your writing. The thesis takes a clear-cut position on a debatable topic, or summarizes the main point of argument of your paper. The thesis answers the main question or problem associated with your topic, which your course's assignment directions often state.
Many writing assignments ask you to create a thesis-driven argument. Your thesis statement should explicitly lay out the specific argument you will support in the body of your paper. 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
Example thesis statement: Shaped by religious tradition and belief the supremacy of Western culture, 20th century United States foreign policy has reinforced racism against the Middle East. • Argumentative Makes a claim about a topic and defends this claim Example thesis statement: High school graduates should be required to
Strong Thesis Statement. ral idea or main argument of theIt typically appears at the end of the introduction as the last sentence. though it may appear elsewhere).The thesis may be implied or explicitly stated, but it shoul. always be evident to the reader.The thesis may differ in form depending on the type of writing (argumentative, persuasi.
Deforestation means fewer trees exist to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. 3. Farming contributes to climate change because livestock produce methane, a greenhouse gas. 4. Now, put it all together. Example Thesis: Climate change is caused by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and farming.
Checklist of a Strong Thesis Statement. ü Clear and concise. • R-T sentences (rest of intro can explain hows, whys, and whats in more detail) • Presents summary picture of your main argument. • Avoids hedging ("I hope to show," "I will try to prove," etc.) ü Specific and Arguable. • Avoids broad / unprovable statements.
1. Topic = the topic of your paper. This is based on the assignment's requirements. 2. Argument/Claim = this depends on the type of paper you are writing. If it is an argumentative paper, then this should express your opinion. If it is a research or explanatory paper, this should explain the purpose of your paper. 3.
Basic Guidelines for Thesis Statements: 1. Thesis statements must make a claim or argument rather than merely stating facts. They are not. statements of fact (because you couldn't write a paper about a statement of fact). Reasonable people should be able to disagree with you. Examples of statements of fact which are NOT good thesis statements: a.
is Statements - Defining, Developing, and EvaluatingAn effective thesis statement functions as a directional signpost, providing clarity and focused direction. for the reader on a particular ...
and all the other parts. In an essay, the thesis statement serves as the foundation: it is hard to move forward without it. A thesis statement should have three discernable parts: 1. Topic 2. Link 3. Main Arguments 1. Topic Your topic serves as the main idea of your project. If you are writing about why deforestation of
A thesis statement is one or a few sentences that express the main ideas of your paper and answer the questions posed by your paper. Some thesis statements offer readers a quick and easy-to-follow summary of what the paper will be discussing and what you as a writer are setting out to tell them. This handout will include strategies for writing ...
A thesis statement—which is essentially a relatively succinct answer to a critical question—aids in this communicative process by helping an audience understand what question the writer is asking, why that question is important, and how the writer has responded to that question. Creating a Working Thesis Statement. 1.
Examples of moving from a topic to a thesis: These examples show what the development of a thesis might look like moving from a vague idea to a specific statement that can be explained and justified. Example 1 - Topic: The novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad In this example, the thesis is based on the author's reading of a literary source.
Thesis statements have three parts: the topic, the claim, and the major points. The claim is your argument, opinion, or stance that will be supported by your evidence and examples. You present the evidence in the list of major points. Examine the thesis statements below. forced it to create more. animals.
Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education.
Without a thesis statement, a paper has no direction. A thesis lets you know from the start where the paper is heading. It is a direct statement that lets the reader know exactly what you're discussing, how you're discussing it, and what your claim is. It says: this is the one point I'm going to convince you of. Your final thesis should ...
The statements made in the thesis imply that the differences outweigh the similarities. A revised thesis should specify the characters' personality traits and the kind of treatment. Define: "A hero can be any individual whose character and qualities people admire and attempt to imitate.". The thesis avoids using a dictionary definition.
Arguable thesis statement: The government should ban smoking altogether. Statement of fact: Small cars get better fuel mileage than 4x4 pickup trucks. Arguable thesis statement: The government should ban 4x4 pickup trucks except for work-related use. Statement of fact: On average, people with college degrees earn more money in the workplace.
Include in your thesis: Topic (cause OR effect) and statement of the effects OR the causes; or an existing argument and the reasons why it is invalid. Topic (cause) Claim Effect 1. Example thesis: Climate change endangers life on earth because it is leading to an increase in. Effect 2 Effect 3.
(3) A longer, excellent thesis statement: Infancy James 14 depicts a scene where Joseph is struggling to decide what to do with the pregnant Mary. Similar to the scene in Matthew 1:18-25, Infancy James is a recitation and recontextualization of the Matthean account.1 This is evident not only in the shared language and structure of the passages but also in their similar treatments of Mary.