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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
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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
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How to Write a Thesis Statement (Full Guide + 60 Examples)
Crafting the perfect thesis statement is an art form that sets the foundation for your entire paper.
Here is how to write a thesis statement:
Write a thesis statement by clearly stating your topic, expressing your position, and providing key points. For example: “Social media impacts teens by influencing self-esteem, enabling cyberbullying, and shaping social interactions.” Be specific, concise, and arguable.
This ultimate guide will break down everything you need to know about how to write a thesis statement, plus 60 examples.
What Is a Thesis Statement?
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Table of Contents
A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other piece of academic writing.
It presents the topic of your paper and your position on the topic, ideally in a single sentence.
Think of it as the roadmap to your paper—it guides your readers through your arguments and provides a clear direction.
Key Elements of a Thesis Statement
- Clarity: Your thesis should be clear and specific.
- Position: It should convey your stance on the topic.
- Argument: The statement should make a claim that others might dispute.
Types of Thesis Statements
There are various types of thesis statements depending on the kind of paper you’re writing.
Here are the main ones:
- Standard Method – This is the classic thesis statement used in many academic essays. It provides a straightforward approach, clearly stating the main argument or claim and outlining the supporting points.
- Research Paper – Designed for research papers, this type involves extensive research and evidence. It presents a hypothesis or a central argument based on your research findings.
- Informative Essay – Used for essays that aim to inform or explain a topic. It provides a clear summary of what the reader will learn.
- Persuasive Essay – For essays meant to persuade or convince the reader of a particular point of view. It clearly states your position and outlines your main arguments.
- Compare and Contrast Essay – Used when comparing two or more subjects. It highlights the similarities and differences between the subjects and presents a clear argument based on these comparisons.
- Analytical Essay – Breaks down an issue or idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
- Argumentative Essay – Makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. It’s similar to the persuasive essay but usually requires more evidence and a more formal tone.
- Expository Essay – Explains or describes a topic in a straightforward, logical manner. It provides a balanced analysis of a subject based on facts without opinions.
- Narrative Essay – Tells a story or relates an event. The thesis statement for a narrative essay usually highlights the main point or lesson of the story.
- Cause and Effect Essay – Explores the causes of a particular event or situation and its effects. It provides a clear argument about the cause and effect relationship.
How to Write a Thesis Statement (Standard Method)
Writing a standard thesis statement involves a few straightforward steps.
Here’s a detailed guide:
- Identify Your Topic: What is your essay about?
- Take a Stance: What is your position on the topic?
- Outline Your Main Points: What are the key arguments that support your stance?
- Combine All Elements: Formulate a single, coherent sentence that encompasses all the above points.
- “Social media has a significant impact on teenagers because it influences their self-esteem, provides a platform for cyberbullying, and shapes their social interactions.”
- “Climate change is a pressing issue that requires immediate action because it threatens global ecosystems, endangers human health, and disrupts economies.”
- “The rise of remote work is transforming the modern workplace by increasing flexibility, reducing overhead costs, and enhancing work-life balance.”
- “School uniforms should be mandatory in public schools as they promote equality, reduce bullying, and simplify the morning routine.”
- “Digital literacy is essential in today’s world because it improves communication, enhances job prospects, and enables informed decision-making.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper
Research papers require a more detailed and evidence-based thesis.
Here’s how to craft one:
- Start with a Research Question: What are you trying to find out?
- Conduct Preliminary Research: Gather evidence and sources.
- Formulate a Hypothesis: Based on your research, what do you think will happen?
- Refine Your Thesis: Make it specific and arguable.
- “The implementation of renewable energy sources can significantly reduce carbon emissions in urban areas, as evidenced by case studies in cities like Copenhagen and Vancouver.”
- “Genetically modified crops have the potential to improve food security, but their impact on biodiversity and human health requires further investigation.”
- “The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare can improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes, but ethical concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias must be addressed.”
- “Urban green spaces contribute to mental well-being and community cohesion, as demonstrated by longitudinal studies in various metropolitan areas.”
- “Microplastic pollution in oceans poses a severe threat to marine life and human health, highlighting the need for stricter waste management policies.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for an Essay
You’ll write thesis statements a little differently for different kinds of essays.
Informative Essay
- Choose Your Topic: What are you informing your readers about?
- Outline Key Points: What are the main pieces of information?
- Draft Your Statement: Clearly state the purpose and main points.
- “The process of photosynthesis is essential for plant life as it converts light energy into chemical energy, produces oxygen, and is the basis for the food chain.”
- “The human digestive system is a complex series of organs and glands that process food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste.”
- “The Industrial Revolution was a period of major technological advancement and social change that reshaped the economies and societies of Europe and North America.”
- “The history of the internet from its early development in the 1960s to its current role in global communication and commerce is a fascinating journey of innovation and transformation.”
- “The impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems is profound, affecting wildlife, indigenous communities, and global weather patterns.”
Persuasive Essay
- Identify Your Position: What are you trying to convince your reader of?
- Gather Supporting Evidence: What evidence backs up your position?
- Combine Elements: Make a clear, arguable statement.
- “Implementing a four-day workweek can improve productivity and employee well-being, as supported by studies from Iceland and Japan.”
- “The death penalty should be abolished as it is inhumane, does not deter crime, and risks executing innocent people.”
- “Public transportation should be made free to reduce traffic congestion, decrease pollution, and promote social equity.”
- “Recycling should be mandatory to conserve natural resources, reduce landfill waste, and protect the environment.”
- “Vaccination should be mandatory to protect public health and prevent the spread of contagious diseases.”
Compare and Contrast Essay
- Choose Subjects to Compare: What are the two (or more) subjects?
- Determine the Basis of Comparison: What specific aspects are you comparing?
- Draft the Thesis: Clearly state the subjects and the comparison.
- “While both solar and wind energy are renewable sources, solar energy is more versatile and can be used in a wider variety of environments.”
- “Although both capitalism and socialism aim to improve economic welfare, capitalism emphasizes individual freedom while socialism focuses on collective equality.”
- “Traditional classroom education and online learning each offer unique benefits, but online learning provides greater flexibility and access to resources.”
- “The novels ‘1984’ by George Orwell and ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley both depict dystopian societies, but ‘1984’ focuses on totalitarianism while ‘Brave New World’ explores the dangers of technological control.”
- “While iOS and Android operating systems offer similar functionality, iOS provides a more streamlined user experience, whereas Android offers greater customization options.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for an Analytical Essay
An analytical essay breaks down an issue or idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
- Choose Your Topic: What will you analyze?
- Identify Key Components: What are the main parts of your analysis?
- Formulate Your Thesis: Combine the components into a coherent statement.
- “Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ explores themes of madness and revenge through the complex characterization of Hamlet and his interactions with other characters.”
- “The economic policies of the New Deal addressed the Great Depression by implementing financial reforms, creating job opportunities, and providing social welfare programs.”
- “The symbolism in ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald reflects the moral decay and social stratification of the Jazz Age.”
- “The narrative structure of ‘Inception’ uses nonlinear storytelling to explore the complexities of dreams and reality.”
- “The use of color in Wes Anderson’s films enhances the whimsical and nostalgic tone of his storytelling.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for an Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence.
It’s similar to the persuasive essay but usually requires more evidence and a more formal tone.
- Choose Your Topic: What are you arguing about?
- Gather Evidence: What evidence supports your claim?
- Formulate Your Thesis: Make a clear, evidence-based statement.
- “Climate change is primarily driven by human activities, such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels, which increase greenhouse gas emissions.”
- “The benefits of universal healthcare outweigh the costs, as it ensures equal access to medical services, reduces overall healthcare expenses, and improves public health.”
- “The death penalty should be abolished because it violates human rights, is not a deterrent to crime, and risks the execution of innocent people.”
- “Animal testing for cosmetics should be banned as it is unethical, unnecessary, and alternatives are available.”
- “Net neutrality should be maintained to ensure a free and open internet, preventing service providers from prioritizing or blocking content.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for an Expository Essay
An expository essay explains or describes a topic in a straightforward, logical manner.
It provides a balanced analysis of a subject based on facts without opinions.
- Choose Your Topic: What are you explaining or describing?
- Outline Key Points: What are the main facts or components?
- Formulate Your Thesis: Combine the elements into a clear statement.
- “The water cycle consists of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, which are essential for maintaining the earth’s water balance.”
- “The human respiratory system is responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide through a series of organs, including the lungs, trachea, and diaphragm.”
- “Photosynthesis in plants involves the absorption of light energy by chlorophyll, which converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.”
- “The structure of DNA is a double helix composed of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of genetic information.”
- “The process of mitosis ensures that cells divide correctly, allowing for growth, repair, and reproduction in living organisms.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Narrative Essay
A narrative essay tells a story or relates an event.
The thesis statement for a narrative essay usually highlights the main point or lesson of the story.
- Identify the Main Point: What is the main lesson or theme of your story?
- Outline Key Events: What are the key events that support this point?
- Formulate Your Thesis: Combine the main point and events into a coherent statement.
- “Overcoming my fear of public speaking in high school taught me the value of confidence and perseverance.”
- “My summer volunteering at a wildlife rescue center showed me the importance of compassion and teamwork.”
- “A family road trip across the country provided me with unforgettable memories and a deeper appreciation for our diverse landscapes.”
- “Moving to a new city for college challenged me to adapt to new environments and build independence.”
- “A childhood friendship that ended in betrayal taught me the importance of trust and resilience.”
How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Cause and Effect Essay
A cause and effect essay explores the causes of a particular event or situation and its effects.
It provides a clear argument about the cause and effect relationship.
- Identify the Event or Situation: What are you analyzing?
- Determine the Causes: What are the reasons behind this event or situation?
- Identify the Effects: What are the consequences?
- Formulate Your Thesis: Combine the causes and effects into a coherent statement.
- “The rise in global temperatures is primarily caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, and leads to severe weather patterns and rising sea levels.”
- “The introduction of invasive species in an ecosystem disrupts the balance and leads to the decline of native species.”
- “Economic recession is caused by a combination of factors, including high unemployment rates and declining consumer confidence, and results in reduced business investments and government spending.”
- “Prolonged exposure to screen time can cause digital eye strain and sleep disturbances, affecting overall health and productivity.”
- “Deforestation contributes to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity, leading to the degradation of ecosystems and reduced agricultural productivity.”
How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
Writing a good thesis statement is all about clarity and specificity.
Here’s a formula to help you:
- State the Topic: What are you writing about?
- Express Your Opinion: What do you think about the topic?
- Provide a Reason: Why do you think this way?
- “Remote work is beneficial because it offers flexibility, reduces commuting time, and increases job satisfaction.”
- “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining physical and mental health as it boosts energy levels, improves mood, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.”
- “Reading fiction enhances empathy by allowing readers to experience different perspectives and emotions.”
- “A plant-based diet is advantageous for both personal health and environmental sustainability.”
- “Learning a second language enhances cognitive abilities and opens up cultural and professional opportunities.”
Check out this video about how to write a strong thesis statement:
How to Write a Thesis Statement (Formula + Template)
Use this simple formula to craft your thesis statement:
[Main Topic] + [Your Opinion/Position] + [Reason/Key Points]
Template: “__________ (main topic) has __________ (your opinion) because __________ (reason/key points).”
- “Electric cars are the future of transportation because they reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower fuel costs, and require less maintenance.”
- “Social media platforms should implement stricter privacy controls because user data is vulnerable to breaches, exploitation, and misuse.”
- “Higher education should be more affordable to ensure equal access and promote social mobility.”
- “Television news often fails to provide balanced coverage, leading to public misinformation.”
- “Volunteer work should be encouraged in schools to foster community engagement and personal development.”
Thesis Statement Tips
Writing a strong thesis statement is crucial for a successful essay. Here are some tips to help you craft a killer thesis statement:
- Be Specific: Avoid vague language. Make sure your thesis statement clearly defines your argument or main point.
- Be Concise: Keep it to one or two sentences. Your thesis statement should be brief and to the point.
- Make It Arguable: Ensure that your thesis statement presents a claim or argument that can be disputed.
- Place It Appropriately: Typically, your thesis statement should be placed at the end of your introduction paragraph.
- Revise and Refine: Don’t be afraid to revise your thesis statement as you write and refine your essay. It should evolve as your ideas develop.
Common Thesis Statement Errors
Avoid these common errors when crafting your thesis statement:
- Too Broad: A thesis statement that is too broad makes it difficult to focus your essay. Narrow it down to a specific point.
- Too Vague: Avoid vague language that lacks specificity. Be clear about what you’re arguing.
- Lacks an Argument: Ensure that your thesis statement makes a clear argument or claim. Avoid statements that are purely factual or descriptive.
- Too Complex: A thesis statement should be straightforward and easy to understand. Avoid overly complex sentences.
- Off-Topic: Make sure your thesis statement is directly related to the topic of your essay. Stay on track.
How Do You Start a Thesis Statement?
Starting a thesis statement involves using clear and concise language that sets the stage for your argument.
Here are some exact words and phrases to begin with:
- “The purpose of this paper is to…”
- “This essay will argue that…”
- “In this essay, I will demonstrate that…”
- “The central idea of this paper is…”
- “This research aims to prove that…”
- “This study focuses on…”
- “This analysis will show that…”
- “The main argument presented in this paper is…”
- “The goal of this essay is to…”
- “Through this research, it will be shown that…”
How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be?
A thesis statement should be clear and concise, typically one to two sentences long.
Aim for 20 to 30 words, ensuring it includes the main topic, your position, and the key points that will be covered in your paper.
This provides a focused and precise summary of your argument, making it easier for readers to understand the main direction of your essay or research paper.
While brevity is essential, it’s also crucial to provide enough detail to convey the scope of your argument.
Avoid overly complex sentences that can confuse readers. Instead, strive for a balance between clarity and comprehensiveness, ensuring your thesis statement is straightforward and informative.
Summary Table of Thesis Statement Writing
Type of Thesis Statement | Example |
---|---|
Standard Method | “Social media influences teenagers’ self-esteem and social interactions.” |
Research Paper | “Renewable energy reduces urban carbon emissions, shown by case studies.” |
Informative Essay | “Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy for plants.” |
Persuasive Essay | “A four-day workweek improves productivity and well-being.” |
Compare and Contrast Essay | “Solar energy is more versatile than wind energy.” |
Analytical Essay | “The symbolism in ‘The Great Gatsby’ reflects social stratification.” |
Argumentative Essay | “Climate change is driven by human activities, requiring urgent action.” |
Expository Essay | “The water cycle is essential for maintaining earth’s water balance.” |
Narrative Essay | “Overcoming my fear of public speaking taught me confidence.” |
Cause and Effect Essay | “Deforestation leads to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.” |
Final Thoughts: How to Write a Thesis Statement
Writing a strong thesis statement is the cornerstone of a successful paper.
It guides your writing and helps your readers understand your argument. Remember to be clear, specific, and concise. With practice, you’ll master the art of crafting killer thesis statements.
Read This Next:
- How to Write a Hypothesis [31 Tips + Examples]
- How to Write a Topic Sentence (30+ Tips & Examples)
- How to Write a Paragraph [Ultimate Guide + Examples] What Is A Universal Statement In Writing? (Explained) 21 Best Ways To Write Essays When You Are Stuck [Examples]
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How to Write a Research Paper: Thesis Statement
- Anatomy of a Research Paper
- Developing a Research Focus
- Background Research Tips
- Searching Tips
- Scholarly Journals vs. Popular Journals
- Thesis Statement
- Annotated Bibliography
- Citing Sources
- Evaluating Sources
- Literature Review
- Academic Integrity
- Scholarship as Conversation
- Understanding Fake News
- Data, Information, Knowledge
What is a Thesis Statement?
What is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a concise statement of an academic work's main point. The thesis statement should identify both what the paper is about (the topic) and what you are saying about it. Your thesis statement should be as specific as possible. For a short essay, the length of your thesis statement should be one or two sentences. If you are writing a dissertation or book, your thesis statement should be about a paragraph in length. A thesis should avoid saying "This paper is about..." Your thesis statement should be as specific as possible.
A basic pattern to follow is "An analysis of (insert topic here) will show that (point one), (point two), and (point three)." Keep in mind this is only an example, there is no one-size-fits-all formula.
Who Needs a Thesis Statement?
All academic writing, from a short essay to a dissertation or a monograph, should have an identifiable thesis statement somewhere in it. The longer or more complicated an academic work is, the easier is becomes to get bogged down in details and lose sight of the overall argument, and the more important it is to clearly state the central point.
Where Should I Put My Thesis Statement?
Thesis statements are most commonly located near the beginning of the academic work, usually towards the end of the introduction. This strategic placement allows the reader to quickly understand specifically what the essay is about and be able to follow the arguments as they are presented.
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements: Purdue Owl
This resource from Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides tips for creating a thesis statement and examples of different types of thesis statements.
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How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper
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- 26th July 2023
A strong thesis statement is the foundation of a successful research paper . The thesis gives focus to your ideas, engages readers, and sets the tone for the rest of the paper. You’ve spent substantial time and effort to craft a well-written and effective study , so you want your thesis statement to accurately reflect the impact of your work.
However, writing a thesis is often easier said than done. So if you’ve already got the arguments, the data, and the conclusions, keep scrolling for our straightforward guide on how to write a thesis statement for a research paper.
What Is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a clear and succinct assertion that presents the main argument or central idea of a research paper or other academic work. You usually find the thesis, which serves as a road map for the entire piece of writing, at the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis also highlights the importance and relevance of the research topic , explaining why it’s worth studying and what impact it may have.
A good thesis statement also invites critical discussion and debate. Although your statement should provide a compelling argument , it should also inspire readers to engage with your ideas and potentially challenge or explore alternative viewpoints.
How to Write a Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement should outline the scope and boundaries of the paper and indicate what aspects of the topic you’ll cover. But now that you know what a good thesis statement entails, where should you start? Check out our series of steps below for help on writing an impactful thesis statement that accurately summarizes your research and arguments.
Understand the Purpose of Your Research
Before you can write a thesis statement, you need to understand the purpose and scope of your research. Pinpoint the specific topic or issue you’ll be exploring and the main objective of your paper. You should also familiarize yourself with the existing literature and research related to your topic because these will help you refine your focus and identify gaps in the existing knowledge that your research can address.
Consider the Impact of Your Research
Your thesis statement should answer the question, What is the relevance? – meaning it should tell the reader what the practical implications of your research are, why the research is significant, and what it adds to the broader academic landscape.
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Make a Concise Claim or Argument
Your statement should be clear, specific, and concise, conveying the main point of your research in one or two sentences. It should present a claim or argument that you’ll go on to support and defend in your paper, so avoid purely factual or self-evident statements. Be precise in your wording and tailor your thesis statement to the scope of your research – don’t introduce a new or unrelated topic that you don’t expressly address in your paper. The thesis statement is meant to indicate what the reader can expect to find in your paper, and you must support the thesis with evidence throughout.
Revise and Refine the Statement
Crafting a strong thesis statement may require multiple attempts, so take the time to revise and edit it until you’re satisfied that it meets your requirements.
Example Thesis Statement
Below is an example of a strong thesis statement that clearly emphasizes the main points of a research topic:
In this example, the thesis statement clearly identifies the main topic (technology’s impact on education) and presents a strong argument about technology’s positive effects. The thesis conveys the essential message of the research concisely in one sentence, leaving no doubt about the position of the author and what they’ll address in the paper.
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Thesis Statements
What this handout is about.
This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.
Introduction
Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the 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 the paper.
- directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
- makes a claim that others might dispute.
- is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)
How do I create a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.
Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .
How do I know if my thesis is strong?
If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :
- Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
- Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.
Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:
Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.
You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.
- Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?
After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:
Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.
This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.
Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:
Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.
You begin to analyze your thesis:
- Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.
Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.
- Do I answer the question? Yes!
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”
After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.
This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.
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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.
Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.
Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.
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
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How to write a thesis statement for a research paper
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The thesis statement is the central argument of your research paper makes and serves as a roadmap for the entire essay. Therefore, writing a strong thesis statement is essential for crafting a successful research paper—but it can also be one of the most challenging aspects of the writing process. In this post, we discuss strategies for creating a quality thesis statement.
What is a thesis statement?
A thesis statement is the main argument of an academic essay or research paper . It states directly what you plan to argue in the paper.
A thesis statement is typically a single sentence, but it can be longer depending on the length and type of paper that you’re writing.
How to write a good thesis statement
In this section, we outline five key tips for writing a good thesis statement. If you’re struggling to come up with a research topic or a thesis, consider asking your instructor or a librarian for additional assistance.
1. Start with a question
A good thesis statement should be an answer to a research question. Start by asking a question about your topic that you want to address in your paper. This will help you focus your research and give your paper direction. The thesis statement should be a concise answer to this question.
Your research question should not be too broad or narrow. If the question is too broad, you may not be able to answer it effectively. If the question is too narrow, you may not have enough material to write a complete research paper. As a result, it’s important to strike a balance between a question that is too broad and one that is too narrow.
Thesis statements always respond to an existing scholarly conversation; so, formulate your research question and thesis in response to a current debate. Are there gaps in the current research? Where might your argument intervene?
2. Be specific
Your thesis statement should be specific and precise. It should clearly state the main point that you will be arguing in your paper. Avoid vague or general statements that are not arguable (see below). The more specific your thesis statement is, the easier it will be to write your paper.
To make your thesis statement specific, focus on a particular aspect of your topic. For example, if your topic is about the effects of social media on mental health, you can focus on a specific age group or a particular social media platform.
3. Make it debatable
A good thesis statement must be debatable (otherwise, it’s not actually an argument). It should present an argument that can be supported with evidence. Avoid statements that are purely factual or descriptive. Your thesis statement should take a position on a topic and argue for its validity.
4. Use strong language
Use strong, definitive language in your thesis statement. Try to avoid sounding tentative or uncertain. Your thesis statement should be confident and assertive, and it should clearly state your position on the topic.
It’s a myth that you can’t use “I” in an academic paper, so consider constructing your thesis statement in the form of “I argue that…” This conveys a strong and firm position.
To help make your thesis more assertive, avoid using vague language. For example, instead of writing, "I think social media has a negative impact on mental health," you might write, "Social media has a negative impact on mental health" or “I argue that social media has a negative impact on mental health.”
5. Revise and refine
Finally, remember that your thesis statement is not set in stone. You may need to revise, and refine, it as you conduct your research and write your paper. Don't be afraid to make changes to your thesis statement as you go along.
As you conduct your research and write your paper, you may discover new information that requires you to adjust your thesis statement. Or, as you work through a second draft, you might find that you’ve actually argued something different than you intended. Therefore, it is important to be flexible and open to making changes to your thesis statement.
The bottom line
Remember that your thesis statement is the foundation of your paper, so it's important to spend time crafting it carefully. A solid thesis enables you to write a research paper that effectively communicates your argument to your readers.
Frequently Asked Questions about how to create a thesis statement
Here is an example of a thesis statement: “I argue that social media has a negative impact on mental health.”
A good thesis statement should be an answer to a research question. Start by asking a question about your topic that you want to answer in your paper. The thesis statement should be a concise answer to this question.
Start your thesis statement with the words, “I argue that…” This conveys a strong and firm position.
A strong thesis is a direct, 1-2 sentence statement of your paper’s main argument. Good thesis statements are specific, balanced, and formed in response to an ongoing scholarly conversation.
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Thesis and Purpose Statements
Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.
In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.
A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.
As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.
Thesis statements
A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.
Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.
A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.
A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.
A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.
Purpose statements
A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.
Common beginnings include:
“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”
A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.
A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.
A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.
This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.
Sample purpose and thesis statements
The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).
The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.
For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.
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Writing Process and Structure
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Getting Started with Your Paper
Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses
Generating Ideas for Your Paper
Creating an Argument
Thesis vs. Purpose Statements
Developing a Thesis Statement
Architecture of Arguments
Working with Sources
Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources
Using Literary Quotations
Citing Sources in Your Paper
Drafting 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
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How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be?
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Students often ask how long should a thesis statement be when given a paper to write. This article addresses frequently asked questions concerning thesis statements and other relevant issues. We will answer several questions, including how many words in a thesis and how long should a thesis statement be.
How Long is a Thesis Statement, and Where Should it Be?
How long can a thesis statement be and not be, how long should a thesis statement be for a high school student, how many sentences are in a thesis statement, how long should a thesis paper be, how long is a thesis supposed to be for high school essay, how long are thesis statements for college essays, what is the length of a typical thesis statement for professional research papers, how long does a thesis paper have to be.
How long is a thesis paper that determines many things and has brought about several questions like how many words should a thesis statement be? It should not be too long, thirty to forty words at the most. As a rule, your thesis statement should reflect your knowledge and the scope of the essay you are writing. Whether you are writing an analytical research paper or an essay, the thesis statement should be in the introduction part. Your thesis should be at the beginning of the paper, preferably in the first paragraph.
A too-short thesis statement won’t give the sufficient information an audience needs, while one too long will be offering too much. This is something to keep in mind when researching; how long should a thesis statement be? Regardless of how long your essay or research paper is, your thesis statement should explain your position in short sentences. That means it should be convincing enough to get your audience interested in your point of view. Your thesis statement should not exceed one paragraph, whether you’re writing a school essay or an in-depth research paper.
If you’re writing a paper in high school, your thesis shouldn’t be more than two sentences long. Your teacher doesn’t expect you to have an extremely elaborate thesis statement as a high school student. So, one or two short sentences indicating your essay’s aim should be more than enough. Knowing how many sentences are in a thesis statement helps ensure you don’t overdo it.
How many sentences should a thesis statement depend on what type of paper you are writing? A thesis statement should normally be no more than two sentences long unless you are writing a very long paper. Your thesis statement should be short and straight to the point, declaring your specific position on the topic you’re writing on.
A good thesis will strike the right balance between not having a flat thesis and not giving too much information. How many sentences are in a thesis determines how many should be in a thesis statement?
A thesis paper is usually forty pages long, but it varies significantly from project to project and from one expertise level to another. This number includes texts, figures, and a list of references, but it doesn’t include appendices. Also, don’t take these generalizations on how long should a thesis be too seriously, especially if you’re working on a labor-intensive project.
How Many Words is a Thesis?
How long a thesis is usually around eighty to a hundred thousand words long, depending on the topic’s depth. At the master’s or college level, a thesis fluctuates between fifteen and twenty thousand words. However, research journals ask for articles no more than three to five thousand words. After knowing how long is a thesis, the next question is, how long should your thesis statement be?
Your thesis in high school should be short, depending on what topic you are working on. It is better to contain one concise sentence, clearly stating your thoughts on the topic. It is this thought you’ll expound on later in the essay. Always ask your teacher or instructor for clarity on how long is a thesis statement.
A college thesis statement’s length depends on how many sentences is a thesis and how many points a writer mentions. It should contain at least two clauses, an independent clause, your opinion, and a dependent clause, the reasons. It would help if you aimed for a single sentence at least two lines long, or at most forty words long.
A typical thesis statement for professional research papers is usually no more than fifty words long. However, thesis statements don’t exactly have an exact word count, but most experts advise staying within that range. Once you know how long are thesis papers, you’ll have an idea of how long a thesis statement should be.
A single sentence clearly stating your position is great, but it may be hard to compress all your thoughts into one sentence. Thus, if you can’t do one sentence, you can keep it to two, four at the most, lines in a paragraph.
Your thesis paper has to be as long as the instructions say; there is no one-rule-fits-all answer to this question. If you’re writing a thesis paper in college, it wouldn’t be as long as writing a Ph.D. thesis paper . A thesis length is at least three thousand words and at most a hundred thousand. How long should a thesis be in an essay is a common question for people new to writing professional research papers.
Your thesis statement may be short or long, depending on your academic level. While there is no one rule on how long is a thesis statement supposed to be, experts advise 20-50 words. Long or short, your thesis should clearly state your paper’s aim in one to four lines; leave out irrelevant words. If you need professional help writing your thesis, you can contact our expert team to give you the best services.
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A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that asserts the position a paper will be taking. This statement should be both specific and arguable. Generally, the thesis statement will be placed at the end of the first paragraph of your paper. The remainder of your paper will support this thesis.
After you've landed on a satisfactory topic, your next step will be to solidify the position you would like to take and write a clear and succinct thesis statement which will lay the foundation for the rest of your paper.
For the sake of example, let's say that you've chosen to argue the merits of eating locally grown foods. You want to focus on the positive effects that this will have on one's health, the local economy, and on global ecology. You also want to dispel the myth that eating locally is more expensive, and therefore, the exclusive purview of the upper middle class.
An example of a thesis statement outlining your position might look like this:
The locavore movement that has gained popularity in the United States over the past several years offers a way to increase health, support the local economy, and promote global ecology by making some simple changes to the way that you and your family eat. Although frequently criticized for being far more expensive than eating factory-farmed foods, the truth is that the costs of home gardening and the prices for which you can purchase food at your local farmer's market are often far less expensive alternatives than buying from a chain grocer, not to mention safer and more nutritious.
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9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement
Learning objectives.
- Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.
- Revise your thesis statement.
Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.
Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.
Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.
Elements of a Thesis Statement
For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.
Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.
A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.
A Strong Thesis Statement
A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.
Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.
Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.
Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.
Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.
Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.
Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.
Even in a personal essay that allows the use of first person, your thesis should not contain phrases such as in my opinion or I believe . These statements reduce your credibility and weaken your argument. Your opinion is more convincing when you use a firm attitude.
On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.
- Texting while driving
- The legal drinking age in the United States
- Steroid use among professional athletes
Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements
Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the following requirements:
- Specificity
- Ability to be argued
- Ability to be demonstrated
- Forcefulness
- The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
- Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
- Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
- J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
- Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
- Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
- In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.
You can find thesis statements in many places, such as in the news; in the opinions of friends, coworkers or teachers; and even in songs you hear on the radio. Become aware of thesis statements in everyday life by paying attention to people’s opinions and their reasons for those opinions. Pay attention to your own everyday thesis statements as well, as these can become material for future essays.
Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look at the pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis:
A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.
Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.
A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.
Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.
A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.
Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.
A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.
Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.
Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the requirements of a strong thesis.
- The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
- The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.
- Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
- In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
- Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to support civil rights legislation.
- Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.
- My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.
Writing at Work
Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an e-mail. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your e-mail request. While your e-mail will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.
Thesis Statement Revision
Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that your thesis statement begins as a working thesis statement , an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.
Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the paper.
The best way to revise your thesis statement is to ask questions about it and then examine the answers to those questions. By challenging your own ideas and forming definite reasons for those ideas, you grow closer to a more precise point of view, which you can then incorporate into your thesis statement.
Ways to Revise Your Thesis
You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:
1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people , everything , society , or life , with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness.
Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.
Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.
The revised thesis makes a more specific statement about success and what it means to work hard. The original includes too broad a range of people and does not define exactly what success entails. By replacing those general words like people and work hard , the writer can better focus his or her research and gain more direction in his or her writing.
2. Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis.
Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.
Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.
A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience. By asking questions, the writer can devise a more precise and appropriate explanation for joke . The writer should ask himself or herself questions similar to the 5WH questions. (See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information on the 5WH questions.) By incorporating the answers to these questions into a thesis statement, the writer more accurately defines his or her stance, which will better guide the writing of the essay.
3. Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs are forms of the verb to be , a verb that simply states that a situation exists.
Working thesis: Kansas City schoolteachers are not paid enough.
Revised thesis: The Kansas City legislature cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.
The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are . Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Rather, they connect words and phrases to the second half of the sentence. Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:
- Who is not paying the teachers enough?
- What is considered “enough”?
- What is the problem?
- What are the results
4. Omit any general claims that are hard to support.
Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.
Revised thesis: Teenage girls who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a woman’s worth depends on her sensuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behavior.
It is true that some young women in today’s society are more sexualized than in the past, but that is not true for all girls. Many girls have strict parents, dress appropriately, and do not engage in sexual activity while in middle school and high school. The writer of this thesis should ask the following questions:
- Which teenage girls?
- What constitutes “too” sexualized?
- Why are they behaving that way?
- Where does this behavior show up?
- What are the repercussions?
In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you determined your purpose for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently experienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three methods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.
Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.
Collaboration
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revision to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. Using the techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.
Key Takeaways
- Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
- A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
- A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated.
- A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence.
- A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
- Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
- Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.
Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Writing Studio
How do i write a thesis statement.
This page is Part 1 of a two-part handout that continues with our Thesis Statement Checklist .
What is a Thesis Statement?
In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: See p. 1 of How Do I Write a Thesis Statement Return to Writing Studio Handouts
A thesis statement is a very specific argument that guides your paper. Generally, a thesis statement consists of two parts :
- A clearly identifiable topic or subject matter
- A succinct summary of what you have to say about that topic
For your reader, a thesis functions like the case a lawyer has to make to the judge and jury in a courtroom. An effective thesis statement explains to your reader the case you are going to make and how you are going to make it.
For you as the author, your thesis can also help you to stay focused as a writer and determine what information you do (and don’t) need to include in your analysis.
Traditionally, the thesis statement is found near the end of your introduction , though this may change depending on the assignment and context. Don’t be afraid to draft a thesis statement that is more than one sentence.
A Note on Writing Process
You do not need a perfect thesis statement before you draft the rest of the paper. In fact, you will likely need to modify your thesis once you have a complete draft to make sure that your draft and your thesis match one another. If your argument evolves in productive ways as you write, your thesis should, too.
Honing and tweaking a thesis statement during the revision process is ultimately more important than having it exact and precise during the drafting process.
Characteristics of a WEAK thesis statement
- Vague: Raises an interesting topic or question but doesn’t specify an argument
- Offers plot summary, statement of fact, or obvious truths instead of an argument
- Offers opinion or conjecture rather than an argument (cannot be proven with textual evidence)
- Is too broad or too complex for the length of the paper
- Uses meaningful-sounding words, but doesn’t actually say anything of substance
Disclaimer: This is not a complete list! You can probably think of many more characteristics of a weak thesis statement.
Characteristics of a STRONG thesis statement
- Answers a specific question
- Takes a distinct position on the topic
- Is debatable (a reasonable person could argue an alternative position)
- Appropriately focused for the page length of the assignment
- Allows your reader to anticipate the organization of your argument
Having trouble drafting a thesis? Try filling in the blanks in these template statements:
- In this paper, I argue that _____, because/by _____.
- While critics argue _____, I argue _____, because _____.
- By looking at _____, I argue that _____, which is important because _____.
- The text, _____, defines _____ as _____, in order to argue _____.
Disclaimer: These are only models. They’ll be useful to help you to get started, but you’ll have to do quite a bit of tweaking before your thesis is ready for your paper.
For more on thesis statements, check out part 2: Our Thesis Statement Checklist .
Last revised: 07/15/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 5/2021
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How to write an excellent thesis conclusion [with examples]
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Restate the thesis
Review or reiterate key points of your work, explain why your work is relevant, a take-away for the reader, more resources on writing thesis conclusions, frequently asked questions about writing an excellent thesis conclusion, related articles.
At this point in your writing, you have most likely finished your introduction and the body of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper . While this is a reason to celebrate, you should not underestimate the importance of your conclusion. The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable.
A good conclusion will review the key points of the thesis and explain to the reader why the information is relevant, applicable, or related to the world as a whole. Make sure to dedicate enough of your writing time to the conclusion and do not put it off until the very last minute.
This article provides an effective technique for writing a conclusion adapted from Erika Eby’s The College Student's Guide to Writing a Good Research Paper: 101 Easy Tips & Tricks to Make Your Work Stand Out .
While the thesis introduction starts out with broad statements about the topic, and then narrows it down to the thesis statement , a thesis conclusion does the same in the opposite order.
- Restate the thesis.
- Review or reiterate key points of your work.
- Explain why your work is relevant.
- Include a core take-away message for the reader.
Tip: Don’t just copy and paste your thesis into your conclusion. Restate it in different words.
The best way to start a conclusion is simply by restating the thesis statement. That does not mean just copying and pasting it from the introduction, but putting it into different words.
You will need to change the structure and wording of it to avoid sounding repetitive. Also, be firm in your conclusion just as you were in the introduction. Try to avoid sounding apologetic by using phrases like "This paper has tried to show..."
The conclusion should address all the same parts as the thesis while making it clear that the reader has reached the end. You are telling the reader that your research is finished and what your findings are.
I have argued throughout this work that the point of critical mass for biopolitical immunity occurred during the Romantic period because of that era's unique combination of post-revolutionary politics and innovations in smallpox prevention. In particular, I demonstrated that the French Revolution and the discovery of vaccination in the 1790s triggered a reconsideration of the relationship between bodies and the state.
Tip: Try to reiterate points from your introduction in your thesis conclusion.
The next step is to review the main points of the thesis as a whole. Look back at the body of of your project and make a note of the key ideas. You can reword these ideas the same way you reworded your thesis statement and then incorporate that into the conclusion.
You can also repeat striking quotations or statistics, but do not use more than two. As the conclusion represents your own closing thoughts on the topic , it should mainly consist of your own words.
In addition, conclusions can contain recommendations to the reader or relevant questions that further the thesis. You should ask yourself:
- What you would ideally like to see your readers do in reaction to your paper?
- Do you want them to take a certain action or investigate further?
- Is there a bigger issue that your paper wants to draw attention to?
Also, try to reference your introduction in your conclusion. You have already taken a first step by restating your thesis. Now, check whether there are other key words, phrases or ideas that are mentioned in your introduction that fit into your conclusion. Connecting the introduction to the conclusion in this way will help readers feel satisfied.
I explored how Mary Wollstonecraft, in both her fiction and political writings, envisions an ideal medico-political state, and how other writers like William Wordsworth and Mary Shelley increasingly imagined the body politic literally, as an incorporated political collective made up of bodies whose immunity to political and medical ills was essential to a healthy state.
Tip: Make sure to explain why your thesis is relevant to your field of research.
Although you can encourage readers to question their opinions and reflect on your topic, do not leave loose ends. You should provide a sense of resolution and make sure your conclusion wraps up your argument. Make sure you explain why your thesis is relevant to your field of research and how your research intervenes within, or substantially revises, existing scholarly debates.
This project challenged conventional ideas about the relationship among Romanticism, medicine, and politics by reading the unfolding of Romantic literature and biopolitical immunity as mutual, co-productive processes. In doing so, this thesis revises the ways in which biopolitics has been theorized by insisting on the inherent connections between Romantic literature and the forms of biopower that characterize early modernity.
Tip: If you began your thesis with an anecdote or historical example, you may want to return to that in your conclusion.
End your conclusion with something memorable, such as:
- a call to action
- a recommendation
- a gesture towards future research
- a brief explanation of how the problem or idea you covered remains relevant
Ultimately, you want readers to feel more informed, or ready to act, as they read your conclusion.
Yet, the Romantic period is only the beginning of modern thought on immunity and biopolitics. Victorian writers, doctors, and politicians upheld the Romantic idea that a "healthy state" was a literal condition that could be achieved by combining politics and medicine, but augmented that idea through legislation and widespread public health measures. While many nineteenth-century efforts to improve citizens' health were successful, the fight against disease ultimately changed course in the twentieth century as global immunological threats such as SARS occupied public consciousness. Indeed, as subsequent public health events make apparent, biopolitical immunity persists as a viable concept for thinking about the relationship between medicine and politics in modernity.
Need more advice? Read our 5 additional tips on how to write a good thesis conclusion.
The conclusion is the last thing that your reader will see, so it should be memorable. To write a great thesis conclusion you should:
The basic content of a conclusion is to review the main points from the paper. This part represents your own closing thoughts on the topic. It should mainly consist of the outcome of the research in your own words.
The length of the conclusion will depend on the length of the whole thesis. Usually, a conclusion should be around 5-7% of the overall word count.
End your conclusion with something memorable, such as a question, warning, or call to action. Depending on the topic, you can also end with a recommendation.
In Open Access: Theses and Dissertations you can find thousands of completed works. Take a look at any of the theses or dissertations for real-life examples of conclusions that were already approved.
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How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion
Published on September 6, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 20, 2023.
The conclusion is the very last part of your thesis or dissertation . It should be concise and engaging, leaving your reader with a clear understanding of your main findings, as well as the answer to your research question .
In it, you should:
- Clearly state the answer to your main research question
- Summarize and reflect on your research process
- Make recommendations for future work on your thesis or dissertation topic
- Show what new knowledge you have contributed to your field
- Wrap up your thesis or dissertation
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Table of contents
Discussion vs. conclusion, how long should your conclusion be, step 1: answer your research question, step 2: summarize and reflect on your research, step 3: make future recommendations, step 4: emphasize your contributions to your field, step 5: wrap up your thesis or dissertation, full conclusion example, conclusion checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.
While your conclusion contains similar elements to your discussion section , they are not the same thing.
Your conclusion should be shorter and more general than your discussion. Instead of repeating literature from your literature review , discussing specific research results , or interpreting your data in detail, concentrate on making broad statements that sum up the most important insights of your research.
As a rule of thumb, your conclusion should not introduce new data, interpretations, or arguments.
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Depending on whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, your length will vary. Generally, a conclusion should make up around 5–7% of your overall word count.
An empirical scientific study will often have a short conclusion, concisely stating the main findings and recommendations for future research. A humanities dissertation topic or systematic review , on the other hand, might require more space to conclude its analysis, tying all the previous sections together in an overall argument.
Your conclusion should begin with the main question that your thesis or dissertation aimed to address. This is your final chance to show that you’ve done what you set out to do, so make sure to formulate a clear, concise answer.
- Don’t repeat a list of all the results that you already discussed
- Do synthesize them into a final takeaway that the reader will remember.
An empirical thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:
A case study –based thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:
In the second example, the research aim is not directly restated, but rather added implicitly to the statement. To avoid repeating yourself, it is helpful to reformulate your aims and questions into an overall statement of what you did and how you did it.
Your conclusion is an opportunity to remind your reader why you took the approach you did, what you expected to find, and how well the results matched your expectations.
To avoid repetition , consider writing more reflectively here, rather than just writing a summary of each preceding section. Consider mentioning the effectiveness of your methodology , or perhaps any new questions or unexpected insights that arose in the process.
You can also mention any limitations of your research, but only if you haven’t already included these in the discussion. Don’t dwell on them at length, though—focus on the positives of your work.
- While x limits the generalizability of the results, this approach provides new insight into y .
- This research clearly illustrates x , but it also raises the question of y .
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You may already have made a few recommendations for future research in your discussion section, but the conclusion is a good place to elaborate and look ahead, considering the implications of your findings in both theoretical and practical terms.
- Based on these conclusions, practitioners should consider …
- To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address …
- Further research is needed to determine the causes of/effects of/relationship between …
When making recommendations for further research, be sure not to undermine your own work. Relatedly, while future studies might confirm, build on, or enrich your conclusions, they shouldn’t be required for your argument to feel complete. Your work should stand alone on its own merits.
Just as you should avoid too much self-criticism, you should also avoid exaggerating the applicability of your research. If you’re making recommendations for policy, business, or other practical implementations, it’s generally best to frame them as “shoulds” rather than “musts.” All in all, the purpose of academic research is to inform, explain, and explore—not to demand.
Make sure your reader is left with a strong impression of what your research has contributed to the state of your field.
Some strategies to achieve this include:
- Returning to your problem statement to explain how your research helps solve the problem
- Referring back to the literature review and showing how you have addressed a gap in knowledge
- Discussing how your findings confirm or challenge an existing theory or assumption
Again, avoid simply repeating what you’ve already covered in the discussion in your conclusion. Instead, pick out the most important points and sum them up succinctly, situating your project in a broader context.
The end is near! Once you’ve finished writing your conclusion, it’s time to wrap up your thesis or dissertation with a few final steps:
- It’s a good idea to write your abstract next, while the research is still fresh in your mind.
- Next, make sure your reference list is complete and correctly formatted. To speed up the process, you can use our free APA citation generator .
- Once you’ve added any appendices , you can create a table of contents and title page .
- Finally, read through the whole document again to make sure your thesis is clearly written and free from language errors. You can proofread it yourself , ask a friend, or consider Scribbr’s proofreading and editing service .
Here is an example of how you can write your conclusion section. Notice how it includes everything mentioned above:
V. Conclusion
The current research aimed to identify acoustic speech characteristics which mark the beginning of an exacerbation in COPD patients.
The central questions for this research were as follows: 1. Which acoustic measures extracted from read speech differ between COPD speakers in stable condition and healthy speakers? 2. In what ways does the speech of COPD patients during an exacerbation differ from speech of COPD patients during stable periods?
All recordings were aligned using a script. Subsequently, they were manually annotated to indicate respiratory actions such as inhaling and exhaling. The recordings of 9 stable COPD patients reading aloud were then compared with the recordings of 5 healthy control subjects reading aloud. The results showed a significant effect of condition on the number of in- and exhalations per syllable, the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable, and the ratio of voiced and silence intervals. The number of in- and exhalations per syllable and the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable were higher for COPD patients than for healthy controls, which confirmed both hypotheses.
However, the higher ratio of voiced and silence intervals for COPD patients compared to healthy controls was not in line with the hypotheses. This unpredicted result might have been caused by the different reading materials or recording procedures for both groups, or by a difference in reading skills. Moreover, there was a trend regarding the effect of condition on the number of syllables per breath group. The number of syllables per breath group was higher for healthy controls than for COPD patients, which was in line with the hypothesis. There was no effect of condition on pitch, intensity, center of gravity, pitch variability, speaking rate, or articulation rate.
This research has shown that the speech of COPD patients in exacerbation differs from the speech of COPD patients in stable condition. This might have potential for the detection of exacerbations. However, sustained vowels rarely occur in spontaneous speech. Therefore, the last two outcome measures might have greater potential for the detection of beginning exacerbations, but further research on the different outcome measures and their potential for the detection of exacerbations is needed due to the limitations of the current study.
Checklist: Conclusion
I have clearly and concisely answered the main research question .
I have summarized my overall argument or key takeaways.
I have mentioned any important limitations of the research.
I have given relevant recommendations .
I have clearly explained what my research has contributed to my field.
I have not introduced any new data or arguments.
You've written a great conclusion! Use the other checklists to further improve your dissertation.
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
Research bias
- Survivorship bias
- Self-serving bias
- Availability heuristic
- Halo effect
- Hindsight bias
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- Supervised vs. unsupervised learning
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In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.
The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.
While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.
All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:
- Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the discussion section and results section
- Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion …”)
- Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g., “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)
Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:
- A restatement of your research question
- A summary of your key arguments and/or results
- A short discussion of the implications of your research
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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:
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 ...
A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other piece of academic writing. ... How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be? A thesis statement should be clear and concise, typically one to two sentences long. Aim for 20 to 30 words, ensuring it includes the main topic, your position, and the ...
A thesis statement is a concise statement of an academic work's main point. The thesis statement should identify both what the paper is about (the topic) and what you are saying about it. Your thesis statement should be as specific as possible. For a short essay, the length of your thesis statement should be one or two sentences.
Understand the Purpose of Your Research. Before you can write a thesis statement, you need to understand the purpose and scope of your research. Pinpoint the specific topic or issue you'll be exploring and the main objective of your paper. You should also familiarize yourself with the existing literature and research related to your topic ...
A thesis statement is a sentence in a paper or essay (in the opening paragraph) that introduces the main topic to the reader. As one of the first things your reader sees, your thesis statement is one of the most important sentences in your entire paper—but also one of the hardest to write! In this article, we explain how to write a thesis ...
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 the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
1. Start with a question. A good thesis statement should be an answer to a research question. Start by asking a question about your topic that you want to address in your paper. This will help you focus your research and give your paper direction. The thesis statement should be a concise answer to this question.
Rather than simply stating a fact, the thesis statement should represent the question that will be addressed in the research that follows it. How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be? It is best to check the guidelines of your institute/college before drafting your thesis statement as each has different requirements. Generally, 1-3 sentences ...
Thesis Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore needs
Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph. A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the ...
Your thesis statement may be short or long, depending on your academic level. While there is no one rule on how long is a thesis statement supposed to be, experts advise 20-50 words. Long or short, your thesis should clearly state your paper's aim in one to four lines; leave out irrelevant words. If you need professional help writing your ...
A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that asserts the position a paper will be taking. This statement should be both specific and arguable. Generally, the thesis statement will be placed at the end of the first paragraph of your paper. The remainder of your paper will support this thesis.
A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a PhD program in the UK. ... A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, ... Usually a maximum of 300 words long, it's should include brief descriptions of your research objectives, methods, results, and ...
You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps: 1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people, everything, society, or life, with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness. Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.
Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
The paper opens at its widest point; the introduction makes broad connections to the reader's interests, hoping they will be persuaded to follow along, then gradually narrows to a tight, focused, thesis statement. The argument stays relatively narrow and focused on the thesis throughout the body, or the middle paragraphs.
A thesis statement is a very specific argument that guides your paper. Generally, a thesis statement consists of two parts: A clearly identifiable topic or subject matter. A succinct summary of what you have to say about that topic. For your reader, a thesis functions like the case a lawyer has to make to the judge and jury in a courtroom.
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 ...
4. Calculate the scope of your paper: The length of your thesis statement should be determined by the length of your complete paper. It should not be too long or too short. Aim for something between one sentence and one paragraph. Learn How to Write a Thesis Statement with Useful Examples on do´s and dont´s. Thesis statements are an essential ...
This article provides an effective technique for writing a conclusion adapted from Erika Eby's The College Student's Guide to Writing a Good Research Paper: 101 Easy Tips & Tricks to Make Your Work Stand Out.. While the thesis introduction starts out with broad statements about the topic, and then narrows it down to the thesis statement, a thesis conclusion does the same in the opposite order.
A thesis statement is a one- to two-sentence statement that presents the main idea and makes an assertion about your issue. You may have a longer thesis for much longer essays, but one to two sentences is a good general guideline. And, remember, in an argumentative essay, the assertion you present in your thesis is going to be particularly ...
Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research. Step 3: Make future recommendations. Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field. Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation. Full conclusion example. Conclusion checklist. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.