Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences answering that question.
Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?”
A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . . .”
OR
A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . . .”
The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.
[1][1] Writing Tutorial Services. www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
