A thesis statement is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of an essay. It should be clear, concise, and specific so that readers can understand what your paper is about.
The thesis statement will not only help you stay focused on the task at hand but will also give your reader some insight into what to expect from your paper.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to write a thesis statement with examples and tips!
What is a Thesis Statement?
In academic writing, a thesis statement (or main claim) is a sentence or two that presents the argument of your essay. In addition to presenting the argument of your essay, your thesis statement will also indicate the point of view that you will be taking to support your argument. Most importantly, a strong thesis statement will help keep your essay focused and on track.
Elements of a Strong Thesis Statement
There are a few things to keep in mind when creating your thesis statement:
First, your thesis statement should be clear and concise. It should present the argument of your essay straightforwardly.
Second, your thesis statement should be specific. It should not simply state that you will discuss a certain topic but should provide a specific argument about it.
Finally, your thesis statement should be arguable. It should not simply state a fact or opinion but should make an assertion that can be debated.
Thesis statements can be tricky, but with a little practice, you will be able to create one that effectively presents the argument of your essay.
How to Write a Thesis Statement – Step by Step Guide
Thesis statements can be tricky to write. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to write a thesis statement for your essays.
First, let’s start with what a perfect thesis statement is.
A thesis statement is a sentence or two that tells the reader what your essay is about. It’s a short, declarative statement that immediately lets the reader know what to expect from your essay.
Imagine if you started an English paper by saying, “I’m going to write about things in England.” That wouldn’t be considered an effective thesis statement because it doesn’t tell us anything specific about your actual topic (things).
Instead of our general topic (“things”), your thesis should be about a specific thing (for example, “the history of the red phone box in England”).
Thesis statements can also focus on more than one idea. In that case, you would need to write a sentence or two that sum up those ideas and connect them all.
A great way of writing a thesis statement is to come up with your topic and then ask yourself, “So what?” for each of the ideas that you plan on covering.
By asking, “so what?” you will find out how important (or unimportant) these topics are, which helps when it comes time to write an actual essay.
You can also use our thesis statement generator tool, to create the first draft of your thesis statement.
Now let’s get into how to write a thesis statement – the step-by-step guide.
Step One: Brainstorm Your Ideas and Find Patterns in Them
The first thing you should do is brainstorm ideas for your paper, including possible titles. Write down anything that comes to mind about your topic or research question, even if it doesn’t seem relevant at the time (you can always edit it later).
Once you have a good list of ideas, start to look for patterns in them. What topics keep popping up? Are there any specific angles that you’re particularly interested in? Try to find a common thread that ties all your ideas together. This will be your thesis statement.
Step Two: Narrow Your Topic and Make an Outline
Now that you’ve come up with a possible thesis statement, it’s time to narrow your topic so that you can focus on writing.
Choose the idea from Step One (the most relevant or interesting angle) and make sure it fits into the assignment guidelines for length requirements and format. If not, choose another idea until you find one that does.
Once you have a specific topic, make an outline of what you plan on writing about. This doesn’t need to be formal, just a list of the main points you want to cover in your essay.
Doing this will help you stay on track while writing and make sure everything ties back to your thesis statement.
Step Three: Write Your Thesis Statement
Now that you have a narrowed topic and an outline, it’s time to write your thesis statement. But how?
Here are some guidelines for writing effective Thesis Statements:
- Use specific nouns. Instead of saying things like “some people” or “many animals,” focus on one main idea per sentence.
- Make sure your thesis statement is argumentative. In other words, make sure it takes a position on an issue.
- Avoid using vague language like “interesting” or “controversial.” Be clear and concise about what you plan to argue.
Thesis statements can take different formats, but here’s an example of how it might look in an essay:
“Overall, I think that the rise of technology has had a positive impact on our global society. Reason number one is… and reason two is…”
This thesis statement tells us exactly what to expect from this paper – it’s about how online tools have changed life for people around the world. It does not tell us whether or not the author agrees with this position, but it is a strong argumentative statement.
By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to create a clear and concise thesis that will help guide your essay writing and make sure everything ties back to your main point.
Tips for Making your Thesis Statement Stand Out
- Use a strong verb to start your statement
- Make your point clear and concise
- Avoid ambiguity
- Support your argument with evidence
- Be specific about what you are arguing for or against
The thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay, and it should be clear and concise. It should also be specific about what you are arguing for or against.
Avoid ambiguity, such as “Most adults enjoy reading.” It should read, “Adults spend more time reading fiction than nonfiction,” which is specific and direct about what the author is trying to say.
Support your argument with evidence. You can introduce the essay by briefly explaining why you are making this argument, then provide examples and/or details to support it in the body paragraphs, and conclude with a summation of these points.
By following these tips, you can make sure that your thesis statement stands out and effectively communicates your argument. In addition, taking the time to polish your writing will ensure that your essay is clear and easy to read. With these tools in hand, you can confidently write a thesis statement that will make an impact on your reader.
Proofreading your Thesis Statement to Make Sure it’s Perfect
Your thesis statement is the backbone of your entire paper. It’s important that you proofread it to make sure everything in it says what you intend for them to say and no more because if there are any unnecessary or confusing words, people will have a hard time following along with your argument!
In order to properly proofread your thesis statement, you’ll want to ask yourself the following questions:
– Is my thesis statement specific enough?
– Am I making a clear argument?
– Does every point in my thesis statement support my overall argument?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then congratulations! You’ve written a perfect thesis statement.
If, however, your answers to these questions are no or maybe, then you’ll want to go back and revise. Start by asking yourself what isn’t working in the statement: is it too vague? Is there something else entirely that needs fixing instead of this idea?
Final Thoughts
The conclusion should summarize the main points of your essay and give a brief statement or indication about what you will do in the future. It is important to have an effective thesis statement so that readers know what you are discussing before they read through your entire paper. If you need help, take a look at our step-by-step guide for some inspiration on how to write one!
