Writing Thesis Statements

What is a Thesis Statement?

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A thesis statement . . .

1. Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic.

2. Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper.

3. Is focused and specific enough to be "proven" within the boundaries of your paper.

4. should be an arguable (controversial) and defensible (believable) one sentence statement that the rest of the paper is going to prove.

5. Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument. [1]

6. Is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.

[1] UW-Madison Writing Center. www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/thesis

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

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

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

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

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay. [1]

[1] Writing Tutorial Services. www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

Welcome to the Working Thesis

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You'll want a simple sentence you can write on a sticky note and post on the corner of the computer monitor while you tap away at the keyboard. Keep your working thesis straightforward — it's only meant to keep you from straying into the pros and cons of Mongolian woolly slippers. Here's the magic working thesis equation:

Subject + Attitude = Thesis

Your topic and your opinion on that topic — that's it. The secret of the working thesis is that you're allowed to change your mind (about either your subject or your attitude) at any point while writing. Just whip off that first sticky note and slap on your new, improved, topic-and-opinion combo with fries.

Every "A+" thesis starts with a specific topic. Here are some guidelines to what "specific" means:

If your instructor has told you what to write about, make sure to do just that. Sorry, but it's true — if your teacher wants to see something specific, this is not the time to get creative and imaginative.
If the assignment has been left up to you, write about something you're deeply passionate or what to learn more about[1]

If you haven't written your essay yet, go away, write a rough draft, and then come back later. Fact is, most of us don't know what we want to say until we start writing. Pick a specific topic, then decide your purpose: What exactly do you want to say about it? Picture your best obnoxious friend asking, "Why are you telling me this?"

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. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary. [2]

[1] Cliff Notes. www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section

[2] The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Sentence from a Weak One.

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1. A strong thesis takes some sort of stand.

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

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea supplement.
This is a weak thesis. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase “negative and positive aspects” is vague.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.
This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand.

2. A strong thesis 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 states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.

While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.
This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view.

A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.

3. A strong thesis expresses one main idea.

Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:

Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.
This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:

Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.
This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like “because,” “since,” “so,” “although,” “unless,” and “however.”

4. A strong thesis statement is specific.

A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you write a paper on hunger, you might say:

World hunger has many causes and effects.
This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, “world hunger” can’t be discussed thoroughly in five or ten pages. Second, "many causes and effects" is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:

Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.
This is a strong thesis because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger. [1]

[1] Writing Tutorial Services. www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

Thesis Don'ts

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Be sure to avoid these no-no's:

Avoid starting your thesis sentence with "In my opinion I believe" and "This essay will argue that..." or any variation thereof. You can do it — admitting that you've used such phrases as a crutch is the first step. Hey, if it's a thesis, it's always your take on things, right?
Just stating a fact. A thesis has to be worth arguing about.
Tackling two topics at once (even if they seem related). Pick one and stick with it.

Work Cited

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Developing a Thesis Statement. UW-Madison Writing Center. University of Wisconsin. 3/06/07
www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/thesis_def.html.

How to Write a Thesis Statement. Writing Tutorial Services. 4/27/04. Indiana University.
3/06/07. www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml.

Write a Thesis Statement. Cliff Notes. 3/06/07. www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section.

Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina. 3/06/07.
www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html
Bibliography from The Writing Center Article
Anson, Chris M. and Robert A. Schwegler. The Longman Handbook for Writers. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2000.
Hairston, Maxine and John J. Ruszkiewicz. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.
Lunsford, Andrea and Robert Connors. The St. Martin's Handbook. 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1995.
Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1997.