Thesis Statements

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What does a successful thesis statement do?

Thesis statements go by many names depending on what kind of writing is being

talked about. In scientific papers a hypothesis is a formalized version of thesis,

outlining a suggested reason for

why

something is the way it is. In a persuasive or

argumentative paper the thesis serves the same function: to give the reader a clear

idea of how the author thinks something works. Creative writing, by its nature, does

not

need

a thesis; however it is helpful to consider the concept “plot twist” that is

based around suggesting one explanation of the story’s events, a thesis in a sense,

and then having the ending work against that expectation which is a reversal of how it

is used in non-creative texts. Most college writing assignments will expect that the

essay is organized around a thesis statement, and for good reason as it is difficult to

write a clear and well-organized argument without using a thesis statement.

A solid thesis can help your writing by

 Making clear to readers what exactly your main argument is, and avoiding the

reader being confused.

 Providing your reader with a clear interpretation of the evidence you present in

your paper.

 Guiding your writing as well as the reader because you will need to present

evidence and logical arguments to support your thesis statement.

What are some useful strategies for writing a successful thesis statement?

A useful exercise when trying to make a thesis statement is this: If you had to explain

to a friend, who isn’t in your class, what your paper is about in a single sentence, what

would you say?

Thesis

Statements

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Thesis Statements

What are some common features of successful thesis statements?

A good thesis makes a debatable claim, something beyond a mere statement of fact,

and then connects that claim to an explanation. Claims can range from issues of

definition: “Good Writing is clear and focused,” value: “Writing is an important skill,”

cause and effect: “Learning how to write a good thesis makes you a better writer,” or

even solutions to problems: “Teaching students about thesis statements will help them

become better writers.”

An example of both a claim and explanation would be “Superman is the most iconic

superhero in the world, as he is the most internationally recognized.” The claim being

made is that the comic book character Superman is the

most

iconic, with the

explanation being that this status is because of his exceptional international

recognition. A statement like “Superman is a famous superhero” on the other hand, is

not a thesis because it is just making a factual statement rather than a claim

and

lacks any kind of explanation. If you look at the earlier examples of thesis statements,

you should be able to identify both a claim and an explanation in each of them.

In academic papers it is important to keep your claims narrow and focused to a single

topic, so that you keep your ideas clear and you avoid trying to “bite off too much” in

terms of what you are writing about. Avoid general statements and claims that are

merely factual; the goal is to provide an explanation to a complex issue that you are

presenting. Just like a scientific hypothesis, you are attempting to explain a part of the

world as you see it to your reader, even if you are discussing things that can’t be

measured.

Examples of weak thesis statements

 Global Population has grown at an exponential rate, threatening resources across

the world.

(Weak because it lacks an explanation, and two are possible, either why has the

population grown so quickly, or why that growth is a threat)

 Drug use is detrimental to society because it encourages laziness.

(Weak because it is very broad topic, drug use encompasses a wide variety of

very different activities, and by consequence the explanation has to be very

simple in order to fit, making the explanation weak as well)

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Thesis Statements

Final thoughts

 In another way, the thesis is also like the opening statements by lawyers in a court

drama, both lawyers usually start with statements like “over the course of this trial,

I will prove …” Don’t be afraid to copy this move and explicitly tell your readers

what your argument is in simple terms, after all clarity is a major goal for a thesis

statement.

 You don’t need to prove your case with your thesis, which is for the evidence in the

main part of your paper, instead focus on your explanation of cause-and-effect re-

lating to your topic.

 Your thesis statement does

NOT

have to be in the last sentence of your first para-

graph, although this is an appropriate spot for shorter papers. Your thesis state-

ment should be near the end of your introduction, wherever that may be, and

which for longer papers might not even be on the first page.