The big idea

The thesis is the key to any persuasive speech or essay. It's the point you want to prove. It's the focus of the whole thing. Everything you do in the piece should grow from your thesis--that's how important it is.

Before you begin

Make sure you know what point you want to make in your essay or speech. If you find yourself drawn in several directions, choose one and develop it.

How to do it

The thesis is supposed to be ONE SENTENCE LONG. In my class, I want your thesis statements to give your point of view AND give some hint of what your subtopics are going to be. In other words, the thesis should be a roadmap to the rest of the essay. Someone who is paying attention to your thesis should be able to tell what the other paragraphs in the essay are going to be about.

. . . .

Some examples:

There are several reasons that Americans should be comfortable with the idea of a woman President: women are as smart and capable as men, many have now had the necessary administrative experience to do the job, and, in the long run, they may be less likely to resort to violence than men are.

(In this thesis, the point I want to prove is that women should be elected president. I will have paragraphs in the essay about women being smart and capable, about their administrative experience, and about their lack of violent tendencies.)

One thing to remember is that, even if two different candies, such as Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfinger, have similar components and general descriptions, they can be very different where it really counts: in your mouth.

(In this thesis, I point out that, despite the fact that the two candies seem to have similarities, they are, in fact, very different.)