Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is a single sentence that presents the main topic or argument of your paper.

Think of your thesis statement as the Twitter version of your paper: in one sentence, you should be able to sum up what your paper is about.

Anyone (from your teacher to a total stranger) should be able to understand where your paper is going based on this statement. You get a little more than 140 characters, of course!

There are two types of thesis statements:

Informative Thesis Statement

An informative thesis statement presents the topic of an informative paper and shows the direction it will take. In this type of paper, you are teaching the reader about the topic.

Example:

Jim’s Lunch, a Millville landmark, has been owned and operated by the same family for over 90 years, and attracts steady business even on a limited seasonal schedule.

Argumentative Thesis Statement

An argumentative thesis statement presents the topic and central argument of an argumentative paper. In this type of paper, you are taking a stance on a topic and backing it up with facts.

Example:

The special sauce used on Jim’s Lunch hamburgers is much more delicious than the McDonald’s special sauce, based upon ordering statistics and customer feedback.

⚡ TIP: It is possible to revise your thesis statement as you build your paper. Research is a process and you make adjustments as you go!