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- How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 14, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
- Start with a question
- Write your initial answer
- Develop your answer
- Refine your thesis statement
Table of contents
What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.
A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.
The best thesis statements are:
- Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
- Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
- Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.
The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.
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You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?
For example, you might ask:
After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .
Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.
In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.
The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.
In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.
The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.
A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:
- Why you hold this position
- What they’ll learn from your essay
- The key points of your argument or narrative
The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.
These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.
Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:
- In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
- In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :
- Ask a question about your topic .
- Write your initial answer.
- Develop your answer by including reasons.
- Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.
The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .
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McCombes, S. (2022, September 14). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/
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Developing Strong Thesis Statements

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These OWL resources will help you develop and refine the arguments in your writing.
The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable
An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.
Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:
This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.
Example of a debatable thesis statement:
This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.
Another example of a debatable thesis statement:
In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.
The thesis needs to be narrow
Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.
Example of a thesis that is too broad:
There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.
Example of a narrow or focused thesis:
In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.
We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:
Narrowed debatable thesis 1:
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.
Narrowed debatable thesis 2:
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.
Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.
Types of claims
Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.
Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:
Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:
Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:
Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:
Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.
Developing a Thesis Statement
Many papers you write require developing a thesis statement. In this section you’ll learn what a thesis statement is and how to write one.
Keep in mind that not all papers require thesis statements . If in doubt, please consult your instructor for assistance.
What is a 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 of the introduction ; sometimes, in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or in an entire paragraph.
- Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.
Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one.
Identify a topic
Your topic is the subject about which you will write. Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic; or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper.
Consider what your assignment asks you to do
Inform yourself about your topic, focus on one aspect of your topic, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts, generate a topic from an assignment.
Below are some possible topics based on sample assignments.
Sample assignment 1
Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II.
Identified topic
Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis
This topic avoids generalities such as “Spain” and “World War II,” addressing instead on Franco’s role (a specific aspect of “Spain”) and the diplomatic relations between the Allies and Axis (a specific aspect of World War II).
Sample assignment 2
Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad.
The relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64.
This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad ( warfare being a major theme in that work).
Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information
Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic, or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper. You’ll want to read your assignment carefully, looking for key terms that you can use to focus your topic.
Sample assignment: Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II Key terms: analyze, Spain’s neutrality, World War II
After you’ve identified the key words in your topic, the next step is to read about them in several sources, or generate as much information as possible through an analysis of your topic. Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument. For the sample assignment above, you’ll want to look at books and articles on World War II in general, and Spain’s neutrality in particular.
As you consider your options, you must decide to focus on one aspect of your topic. This means that you cannot include everything you’ve learned about your topic, nor should you go off in several directions. If you end up covering too many different aspects of a topic, your paper will sprawl and be unconvincing in its argument, and it most likely will not fulfull the assignment requirements.
For the sample assignment above, both Spain’s neutrality and World War II are topics far too broad to explore in a paper. You may instead decide to focus on Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis , which narrows down what aspects of Spain’s neutrality and World War II you want to discuss, as well as establishes a specific link between those two aspects.
Before you go too far, however, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts. Try to avoid topics that already have too much written about them (i.e., “eating disorders and body image among adolescent women”) or that simply are not important (i.e. “why I like ice cream”). These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic.
As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times . Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.
Derive a main point from topic
Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be. This point, the “controlling idea,” becomes the core of your argument (thesis statement) and it is the unifying idea to which you will relate all your sub-theses. You can then turn this “controlling idea” into a purpose statement about what you intend to do in your paper.
Look for patterns in your evidence
Compose a purpose statement.
Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement.
- Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis
- Franco turned to the Allies when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from the Axis
Possible conclusion:
Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: Franco’s desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power.
Purpose statement
This paper will analyze Franco’s diplomacy during World War II to see how it contributed to Spain’s neutrality.
- The simile compares Simoisius to a tree, which is a peaceful, natural image.
- The tree in the simile is chopped down to make wheels for a chariot, which is an object used in warfare.
At first, the simile seems to take the reader away from the world of warfare, but we end up back in that world by the end.
This paper will analyze the way the simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64 moves in and out of the world of warfare.
Derive purpose statement from topic
To find out what your “controlling idea” is, you have to examine and evaluate your evidence . As you consider your evidence, you may notice patterns emerging, data repeated in more than one source, or facts that favor one view more than another. These patterns or data may then lead you to some conclusions about your topic and suggest that you can successfully argue for one idea better than another.
For instance, you might find out that Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis, but when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from them, he turned to the Allies. As you read more about Franco’s decisions, you may conclude that Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: his desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power. Based on this conclusion, you can then write a trial thesis statement to help you decide what material belongs in your paper.
Sometimes you won’t be able to find a focus or identify your “spin” or specific argument immediately. Like some writers, you might begin with a purpose statement just to get yourself going. A purpose statement is one or more sentences that announce your topic and indicate the structure of the paper but do not state the conclusions you have drawn . Thus, you might begin with something like this:
- This paper will look at modern language to see if it reflects male dominance or female oppression.
- I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority.
At some point, you can turn a purpose statement into a thesis statement. As you think and write about your topic, you can restrict, clarify, and refine your argument, crafting your thesis statement to reflect your thinking.
As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.
Compose a draft thesis statement
If you are writing a paper that will have an argumentative thesis and are having trouble getting started, the techniques in the table below may help you develop a temporary or “working” thesis statement.
Begin with a purpose statement that you will later turn into a thesis statement.
Assignment: Discuss the history of the Reform Party and explain its influence on the 1990 presidential and Congressional election.
Purpose Statement: This paper briefly sketches the history of the grassroots, conservative, Perot-led Reform Party and analyzes how it influenced the economic and social ideologies of the two mainstream parties.
Question-to-Assertion
If your assignment asks a specific question(s), turn the question(s) into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or reasons for your opinion.
Assignment : What do Aylmer and Rappaccini have to be proud of? Why aren’t they satisfied with these things? How does pride, as demonstrated in “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” lead to unexpected problems?
Beginning thesis statement: Alymer and Rappaccinni are proud of their great knowledge; however, they are also very greedy and are driven to use their knowledge to alter some aspect of nature as a test of their ability. Evil results when they try to “play God.”
Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write.
Main idea: The reason some toys succeed in the market is that they appeal to the consumers’ sense of the ridiculous and their basic desire to laugh at themselves.
Make a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.
- nature = peaceful
- war matériel = violent (competes with 1?)
- need for time and space to mourn the dead
- war is inescapable (competes with 3?)
Use a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).
- although most readers of _______ have argued that _______, closer examination shows that _______.
- _______ uses _______ and _____ to prove that ________.
- phenomenon x is a result of the combination of __________, __________, and _________.
What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement
Beginning statements obtained through the methods illustrated above can serve as a framework for planning or drafting your paper, but remember they’re not yet the specific, argumentative thesis you want for the final version of your paper. In fact, in its first stages, a thesis statement usually is ill-formed or rough and serves only as a planning tool.
As you write, you may discover evidence that does not fit your temporary or “working” thesis. Or you may reach deeper insights about your topic as you do more research, and you will find that your thesis statement has to be more complicated to match the evidence that you want to use.
You must be willing to reject or omit some evidence in order to keep your paper cohesive and your reader focused. Or you may have to revise your thesis to match the evidence and insights that you want to discuss. Read your draft carefully, noting the conclusions you have drawn and the major ideas which support or prove those conclusions. These will be the elements of your final thesis statement.
Sometimes you will not be able to identify these elements in your early drafts, but as you consider how your argument is developing and how your evidence supports your main idea, ask yourself, “ What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? ” and “ How will I convince the reader that this is true? ” When you can answer these questions, then you can begin to refine the thesis statement.
Refine and polish the thesis statement
To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.
- Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
- Question each part of your draft thesis
- Clarify vague phrases and assertions
- Investigate alternatives to your draft thesis
Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement.
Sample Assignment
Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your essay should cause the reader to think critically about the society which produces and enjoys that activity.
- Ask The phenomenon of drive-in facilities is an interesting symbol of american culture, and these facilities demonstrate significant characteristics of our society.This statement does not fulfill the assignment because it does not require the reader to think critically about society.
Drive-ins are an interesting symbol of American culture because they represent Americans’ significant creativity and business ingenuity.
Among the types of drive-in facilities familiar during the twentieth century, drive-in movie theaters best represent American creativity, not merely because they were the forerunner of later drive-ins and drive-throughs, but because of their impact on our culture: they changed our relationship to the automobile, changed the way people experienced movies, and changed movie-going into a family activity.
While drive-in facilities such as those at fast-food establishments, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize America’s economic ingenuity, they also have affected our personal standards.
While drive-in facilities such as those at fast- food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize (1) Americans’ business ingenuity, they also have contributed (2) to an increasing homogenization of our culture, (3) a willingness to depersonalize relationships with others, and (4) a tendency to sacrifice quality for convenience.
This statement is now specific and fulfills all parts of the assignment. This version, like any good thesis, is not self-evident; its points, 1-4, will have to be proven with evidence in the body of the paper. The numbers in this statement indicate the order in which the points will be presented. Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.
Complete the final thesis statement
The bottom line.
As you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:
- Context matters! Think about your course materials and lectures. Try to relate your thesis to the ideas your instructor is discussing.
- As you go through the process described in this section, always keep your assignment in mind . You will be more successful when your thesis (and paper) responds to the assignment than if it argues a semi-related idea.
- Your thesis statement should be precise, focused, and contestable ; it should predict the sub-theses or blocks of information that you will use to prove your argument.
- Make sure that you keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Change your thesis as your paper evolves, because you do not want your thesis to promise more than your paper actually delivers.
In the beginning, the thesis statement was a tool to help you sharpen your focus, limit material and establish the paper’s purpose. When your paper is finished, however, the thesis statement becomes a tool for your reader. It tells the reader what you have learned about your topic and what evidence led you to your conclusion. It keeps the reader on track–well able to understand and appreciate your argument.

Writing Process and Structure
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Getting Started with Your Paper
Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses
Generating Ideas for
Creating an Argument
Thesis vs. Purpose Statements
Architecture of Arguments
Working with Sources
Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources
Using Literary Quotations
Citing Sources in Your Paper
Drafting Your Paper
Generating Ideas for 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
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How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.
Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?
- to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
- to better organize and develop your argument
- to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument
In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.
How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?
Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.
How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One
How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned
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.
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How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned
Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.
A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:
- take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
- deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment
- express one main idea
- assert your conclusions about a subject
Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.
Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.
You start out with a thesis statement like this:
Sugar consumption.
This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.
Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.
You change your thesis to look like this:
Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.
This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.
Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.
You revise your thesis statement to look like this:
More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.
This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.
Use specific language . You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:
Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.
This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.
Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:
Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.
Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar consumption by children, and who should do it?” When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more specific. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.
How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One
1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..
Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are 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 statement. 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, and because it's specific.
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 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 statement expresses one main idea.
Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement 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're writing a seven-to-ten page 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 seven to 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 Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.
This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.
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Essay Writing Guide
Thesis Statement Examples

Good Thesis Statement Examples For Your Help
Published on: Oct 18, 2017
Last updated on: Jan 23, 2023

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A thesis statement aims to make a claim that will guide the reader throughout the paper. Coming up with a solid thesis statement is the first step in the essay writing process after deciding on the topic.
Understanding the key elements of a solid thesis statement is important for writing impressive research papers.
If you are the kind of person who looks at examples before starting writing, then explore our list of effective thesis statement examples below to start writing your own.
Keep reading the blog until the end and know what it takes to develop a strong thesis statement.
Thesis Statement Examples for Different Types of Essays
A thesis statement is a one-sentence statement that aims to express the essay’s main idea to the reader. It makes a claim that directly answers the question.
The following are some great thesis statement examples for essays that will help you better understand the different types of essays they apply in.
Refer to the following section and learn how to write a great thesis statement example from experts.
Please note that the below examples for different types of essays are only written to help you understand the concept better. You should not use these examples as it is for your research paper. However, you can take help and implement your ideas into it that you find interesting.
Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay
Below are some interesting argumentative thesis statement examples for your help.
- Though uniforms are meant to enhance unity and spirit, educational institutes should not force students to wear them. This idea is completely based on the fact that uniforms restrict the student’s freedom of expression and it is specifically supported by the fact that restricting the freedom of expression is actually a violation of human rights.
- High school graduate students should take a year off to participate in community service projects in order to increase maturity and awareness before entering college.
Thesis Statement Examples for Informative Essay
Refer to the following informative thesis statement examples to get a clear idea.
- Feminism was supposed to be used as a weapon for supporting equal rights and not for proving that women were superior to men. In a literal sense, feminism is all about snatching equal rights, not about proving gender imbalance.
- Homework pressure can take childhood rights from the kids. Therefore, they should be given less homework to bring out their playfulness.
Thesis Statement Examples for Compare and Contrast Essay
The following compare and contrast thesis statement examples will help you understand how to create a perfect thesis statement.
- Although Vaughana Feary and Edmund Wall both consider harassment an unbidden statement, their ideas are not similar in several other points, which makes the scholars view cases of sexual harassment differently.
- While bears and bats appear to have not been common at first glance, they are notably similar in their hibernation habits and species classifications.
Thesis Statement Examples for Persuasive Essay
These persuasive essay thesis statement examples can help you understand how to present your essay’s main idea.
- Baseball is a more exciting, revitalizing, and captivating sport played between two opposing teams.
- Jelly and bean sandwiches are the best type of sandwiches because they are easy to make, handle, and taste good.
Narrative Essay Thesis Statement Examples
Refer to these personal narrative thesis statement examples if you are stuck at the start of your essay.
- Though the idea of studying abroad seems a costly option, the experience of interacting with other cultures and different learning approaches is worth it.
- There is nothing wrong with who chooses not to have children, and society has to understand that. It is not about others’ beliefs but her time and life that are at stake.
Thesis Statement Examples for Expository Essay
Here are some excellent expository essay thesis statement examples for your help.
- The life of a typical high school student is distinguished by time studying, attending classes, and participating in other peer activities.
- The US spends more time on its military budget than all the other industrialized countries combined.
Thesis Statement Examples for Literary Analysis Essay
It will be easier for you to write your excellent literary analysis essay with these thesis statement examples.
- In ‘Paul’s Case’ written by Willa Cather, a portrayal of suicidal behaviors among adults is a possible factor that might have been identified and remedied.
- The details of ‘The Story of an Hour’ point out how language, institution, and appearance can suppress the natural desire and ambitions of women.
Cause and Effect Essay Thesis Statement Examples
Learn more about ending the introductory paragraph with these cause and effect thesis statement examples.
- The increasing rates of divorces result from poor communication, changing social values, and unrealistic expectations.
- Coal miners whose jobs are vanishing should be retrained in other fields such as technology and renewable energy. This will improve local economies and lead to lower unemployment rates.
Thesis Statement Examples for Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Look at these rhetorical analysis thesis statement examples to learn how to represent the final element of your essay introduction.
- The author has successfully developed an argument in favor of gun carry but focused on emotional appeal with no factual information that has weakened his argument.
- Although Alex includes several convincing, logical arguments using facts, readers may not agree with the presented analysis because of his sarcastic tone.
Strong Thesis Statement Examples
To develop a good thesis statement, you should get help from professionally written examples.
Below are some examples that our expert writers write, and you can easily get an idea from them for your thesis statement.
Thesis Statement Examples History
Here are some history thesis statement examples for your better understanding.
- There are many causes for world war 1; the main factor was the new definition of nationalism and a slight upward trend in technology development.
- The US clash with the Soviets was an important factor in the decision of Trump to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Thesis Statement Examples for Research Papers
Refer to these research paper thesis statement examples to help you understand how to express the main idea of a research paper.
- Exams are not a productive way to evaluate the knowledge and skills of students. There should be an alternative way to measure students’ abilities by banning exams.
- The government should not have access to the information that we share online and should not use it.
Thesis Statement Examples for College Essays
Here are some examples of a thesis statement for college essays to guide you in the essay introduction process.
- Doctors should get the highest salary in a world where humans’ lives are the biggest value. They save lives, relieve our physical pain. They have spent years studying and practicing to do that.
- Abortions should be legalized as women should have the freedom to make decisions regarding their bodies. There could be no other solution to this problem.
Thesis Statement Examples Middle School
The following thesis statement examples for middle school students will help you understand how to end the introductory paragraph.
- To minimize the damage caused by hurricanes, everyone needs to take preventive measures.
- Studying abroad might sound costly, but the experience that one will get from the interactions with another culture and teaching approach is worth it.
Thesis Statement Examples in Literature
A good thesis statement will guide your paper’s tone of voice and direction. Here are some excellent examples that you can use as inspiration.
- “The Third and Final Continent” has characteristics that you see in writings by immigrants: tradition, adaptation, and identity.
- In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty creates a fictional character named Phoenix Jackson who is determined, faithful and cunning. This shows the indomitable human spirit.
3-Point Thesis Statement Examples
The perfect thesis statement for your paper is the foremost thing. We compiled some great examples that give you a better idea of how to create one, and these will help you get started.
- All students at the school should wear uniforms so the school is safer, they feel closer to their classmates and get more of a sense of belonging, and it will save parents money.
- There are two sides to the issue of children using social media. Many people think that it does not hurt children. But others think they shouldn't use social media because they see unreal lives.
To conclude, keep in mind that a strong thesis statement keeps the readers engaged throughout the paper or essay. It should be specific and relevant to your chosen topic. For that, it is important to write your thesis statement again and again until you end up with a perfect one.
What Makes a Perfect Thesis Statement?
A perfect thesis statement must incorporate the following elements.
- It should be brief and informative.
- It should present your arguments in a clear argument to state your opinion on the issue.
- It must have a logical basis even if you share your personal opinion.
- The thesis statement should relate to the rest of the paper.
In other words, a perfect thesis statement should identify the topic, the claim, and the key points that you will use to support your claim.
Composing a great thesis statement takes more time and effort than other parts of writing an essay. It contains an entire argument in one sentence, so you should spend some time refining your thesis statement.
If you are still unsure how to craft a solid thesis statement, ask for help to ensure you are on the right track. You can always contact MyPerfectWords.com and get help from our professional paper writer to write an argumentative paper or any type of thesis statement.
Why wait? Place your order right now from the top-notch essay writing service .
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you not do in a thesis statement.
Here are some things that you should avoid in writing a thesis statement.
- Avoid writing a thesis statement that is more than one sentence long.
- Avoid questions, facts, being too broad or narrow in scope, and focusing on what you will do rather than the topic itself.
- Avoid writing announcements about what you will do.
What are the two types of thesis statements?
There are two types of thesis statements: explanatory and argumentative. An explanation will identify the topic but never take a side, whereas an argument states its position and defends it with reasons/evidence.
What are the 3 parts of a thesis statement?
The three parts of the thesis statement are:
- Limited subject
- Precise opinion
- Blueprint of reasons
Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)
Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.
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- How to Start a Thesis Statement?
Where Should the Statement Be in My Essay?
How to compose a solid thesis for the first time, how do i know if my thesis is strong, order a professional thesis statement online.
There are a few crucial steps for creating a great thesis statement:
- Choose a topic that you are familiar with. Writing about something you have good knowledge in, are passionate about always turns into a masterpiece. If you wonder how to start a thesis, choose a specific topic rather than a general one.
- Try to persuade your readers. Your thesis statement which is the main idea should be one sentence long. Give your opinion & try to explain why it is true in one sentence.
- Choose a subject that people can agree & disagree on. A subject like this will make a reader think, analyze, look forward to hearing your conclusion, agree or disagree with your point.
- Write a clear thesis in the introduction part of the article. Let your audience know what you are going to discuss in the following parts of your article.
- If your task is to create a persuasive paper, make sure you compose a statement that will be supported with facts & evidence. Before you start, be sure you have plenty of information to persuade the reader.
There are main writing tips you should follow when wondering how to write a statement. Most papers including essays, research papers, a dissertation require a good statement. This is why it is important to learn how to start a thesis. Learn to give your own opinion on any subject or hire a thesis helper having vast experience in writing top-notch Ph.D. works.
Where is the thesis statement located ? Show your main idea early in the essay. Place a thesis in the introductory paragraph of the article to set up your position. It will help readers to understand the subject. Don't bury a great idea in the middle of a paragraph or at the end of your article. Avoid vague words & phrases such as “My point is”, “In my opinion”.
A good idea should present the subject plus the comment about your position. It serves as a roadmap for your essay. The sooner you present it, the better reaction you will receive from the audience. Don't be scared to make a statement that others can dispute. Often controversial subjects attract more attention & bring authors higher scores.
If you are writing a thesis for the first time, you need to be careful and take time to prepare a good paper. If your goal is to receive a good score, then you should work on a winning thesis statement. Strong ideas don't come within a second. They are created with a long thinking process. Review a guide to creating a successful statement below:
- choose the best Desktop Time Tracker . It lets you conveniently track time you monitor how much time you dedicate to work
- find evidence related to the given or chosen topic
- organize evidence in a logical order
- try to find a relationship between facts
- evaluate the importance of facts found in books, journals, interviews
- write down important arguments that can support your idea
- compose a thesis statement which is the main reason for writing an academic paper
This is a process of creating a thesis. You can't just write a sentence & make it a strong idea. Support your idea with relevant information taken from books, journals, other sources. Get ready for a brainstorming process that can take from a couple of hours to a couple of days. Professional writers recommend using such techniques as freewriting when an author writes down all ideas that come to mind, listing words & phrases related to the topic, or asking questions about the topic from a different perspective & answering them. Choosing a topic for your research paper should come first. Read various thesis ideas for some kind of inspiration. It will help you to come up with a creative topic.
There are certain criteria that define a strong thesis. Usually, an essay should answer a question. Whether your task is informative or persuasive, you should give an answer. A successful essay & a good statement answer a question. Reread your paper & make sure you match this criterion. Your position must have a conclusion. Summarize all arguments in the conclusion part. It will show the good deep research you conducted.
A solid thesis explains why something is good, important, valuable, etc. Stating is not enough. The more information you can collect the richer your text will be. Once you have written your essay, read it to your family, friends. Ask for their reaction. If you hear “So what?”, consider finding a stronger argument or changing it.
Statements should make people think. Use topics that bring value. Think of discussing current issues. If your thesis forces readers to think, analyze & give feedback, you succeeded. Do not create too short or too long statements. Place the main idea in one, maximum two lines. A detailed description of your idea should be in the body part of your essay or college thesis paper .
Studying in a quiet environment helps students improve their study habits. For example, studying in a quiet place like a library allows students to get away from distracting noises. Also, students are able to think better when they can hear their own thoughts. Students will do better in their classes if they find a silent place to do their homework.
Are you struggling with writing a good thesis? Order a professional thesis from expert writers on the Internet. Writing companies hire experienced tutors who know how to start a thesis on any topic, where to look for facts, what information sources to use to make college essays winning.
Find a service that has a good reputation. Look for a company with positive feedback & check prices. If you are happy with customers' rates & prices, order a thesis on a certain topic. You can order a whole essay page that will be written according to an academic style, where a thesis will be provided in a single, maximum of two sentences.
Receive a well-written thesis, impress your university teachers with a great paper. Read a custom essay before delivering it to your teacher. Learn from an expert writer how a thesis is composed, where it is placed, how every argument is making an idea relevant.
Hopefully, we have given you a clear idea of how to start a thesis , what tips you can use to complete a task. If you can't deal with this task yourself, remember that there is a service that will be happy to help you to receive a decent score. Our company is here to help you out no matter how yard your essay, dissertation, case study or any other academic assignment is.
If you do not know what a thesis statement is and what this sentence is for, it means that you have never written an essay. However, we are always ready to explain it all to you. So what is the thesis? How is it formed and formulated? Where does the thesis statement go? Why a successful thesis is ha...
Students have to complete different writing assignments, and some of them are utterly complex. Every assignment has the central idea or problem, which is supposed to be discussed and analyzed during the entire work. It’s called a thesis statement. The main objective of the statement is to explain to...
Failing to produce a well-organized structure of a thesis paper leads to fiasco and a waste of your precious time. The structure is your supporting pillar and guidance. It helps you achieve the goals of the research and not to lose the track of things and time. "Help me write my thesis for me" is wh...
What Words To Use To Make Your Thesis Look Better Now
Choice of words.
Now, let’s take a look at some example, particularly, words that will make your thesis look better.
Findings/study/investigation calls into question, challenges, refutes, rebuts, disputes, disproves, questions, debunks, invalidates or rejects.
5. When consenting to an agreement that has been arrived at regarding your study topic, you can use the following words:
7. Finally, even if you choose to use paper writing pros , the following words for discussing results/findings, observations, methods and impact of a study are important.
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words to start a thesis
- December 16, 2020
- Original : “Society is. ” [who is this “society” and what exactly is it doing?]
- Revised : “Men and women will learn how to. ” “writers can generate. ” “television addicts may chip away at. ” “American educators must decide. ” “taxpayers and legislators alike can help fix. “
- Original : “the media”
- Revised : “the new breed of television reporters,” “advertisers,” “hard-hitting print journalists,” “horror flicks,” “TV movies of the week,” “sitcoms,” “national public radio,” “Top 40 bop-til-you-drop. “
- Original : “is, are, was, to be” or “to do, to make”
- Revised : any great action verb you can concoct: “to generate,” “to demolish,” “to batter,” “to revolt,” “to discover,” “to flip,” “to signify,” “to endure. “
Your thesis should be limited to what can be accomplished in the specified number of pages. Shape your topic so that you can get straight to the “meat” of it. Being specific in your paper will be much more successful than writing about general things that do not say much. Don’t settle for three pages of just skimming the surface.
Bad : Reading can develop a child’s analytical mind. – Words like “can,” aren’t strong enough. This thesis statement begs the question of how? If you’re about to write several paragraphs (or pages) about a topic make sure you can confidently defend every point you make. Good : Reading develops a child’s mind by fostering comprehension skills, increasing vocabulary, and exposing them to new worlds they might not otherwise encounter. – Now, we’ve not just stated that reading is good, we’ve provided a sampling of all the benefits we’re about to bring to light in our paper. As you can see in the thesis statement examples below, you must be very specific, summarizing points that are about to be made in your paper, and supported by specific evidence. Generally, your thesis statement can be the last line of the first paragraph in your research paper or essay.

References:
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/thesis-statement-examples.html http://www.easybib.com/guides/how-to-write-a-strong-thesis-statement/ http://get-thesis.com/blog/how-to-start-a-thesis http://www.servicescape.com/blog/25-thesis-statement-examples-that-will-make-writing-a-breeze http://examples.yourdictionary.com/thesis-statement-examples.html
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Placement of the thesis statement Step 1: Start with a question Step 2: Write your initial answer Step 3: Develop your answer Step 4: Refine your thesis statement Types of thesis statements Frequently asked questions about thesis statements What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay.
An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.
Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic. Refine and polish the thesis statement. To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable. Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
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 statement expresses one main idea. Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point.
A thesis statement aims to make a claim that will guide the reader throughout the paper. Coming up with a solid thesis statement is the first step in the essay writing process after deciding on the topic. Understanding the key elements of a solid thesis statement is important for writing impressive research papers.
Your thesis statement which is the main idea should be one sentence long. Give your opinion & try to explain why it is true in one sentence. Choose a subject that people can agree & disagree on. A subject like this will make a reader think, analyze, look forward to hearing your conclusion, agree or disagree with your point.
For analytical purposes, words like this paper/study considers, analyzes, explains, evaluates, interprets, clarifies, identifies, delves into, advances, defines, dissects, probes, tests , explores and appraises have always worked wonders in helping students better their thesis writing. And when referring to sections, use words like covers, deals with, talks about, outlines, sketches, highlights, assesses or contemplates.
words to start a thesis Original: “is, are, was, to be” or “to do, to make” Revised: any great action verb you can concoct: “to generate,” “to demolish,” “to batter,” “to revolt,” “to discover,”...