Thesis Statement Types & Models
Blinn College – Bryan Writing Center
Spring 2023
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and point of view in distinct ways to portray different outcomes: a descent into madness in the case
of Gilman’s protagonist and a greater sense of individuation in the case of Ibsen’s Nora.
3. Definitional Argument
What it does: Examines the nature of a word or a concept, a person, an event or a situation, or an
object.
Include in your thesis: Topic (the term, situation, or phenomenon you are defining), category, criteria
for meeting this category, your claim.
Example thesis: American Sign Language should be considered a foreign language for the purpose of
a college graduation requirement because it is not a language used within most American families,
and it is usually learned outside of the family setting.
4. Ethical Argument
What it does: Assesses whether a person, thing, or action is right or wrong through an examination
of either principles or consequences, or both.
Include in your thesis: Topic, claim of whether the topic you are analyzing is right or wrong, the
consequence(s) or the principle(s) that determine the rightness or wrongness of the topic.
Example thesis (consequences): Recycling consumer products, packaging, and other waste is a
positive behavior to encourage in local residents because it keeps waste out of the landfill, reuses
manufacturing resources instead of requiring new ones, and is healthier for the environment.
Example thesis (principle): Recycling consumer products, packaging, and other waste is the right
action to take because it is the duty of citizens to serve as good stewards of the earth.
5. Evaluation Argument
What it does: Assesses whether a person, thing, or action is a good or a bad member of its category
through an examination of the criteria determining goodness or badness.
Include in your thesis: Topic, category, claim as to whether the topic you are analyzing is good or
bad, criteria for a good or bad member of this category.
Example thesis: From the point of view of customers, Facebook is a poor medium for conducting
business transactions because it does not keep personal and financial information secure, it is
constantly changing, and it is more time-consuming than a regular website.
6. Literary Analysis Argument
What it does: Analyzes the text of a short story, play, or poem and makes a claim about how various
literary elements illustrate the theme of the piece, revealing how these literary elements and the
theme work together to create meaning for the audience.