Writing Thesis Statements

To be effective, all support in an essay must work together to convey a central point; otherwise, an essay can fall into the trap of being out of order and confusing. Just as a topic sentence focuses and unifies a single paragraph, the thesis statement focuses and unifies an entire essay. This statement is like a sign-post that signals the essay’s destination; it tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point.

You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

A thesis is not just a topic, but rather the writer’s comment or interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic you select (for example, school uniforms, social networking), you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful, and confident.

In the majority of essays, a thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of the introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

Working Thesis Statements

A strong thesis statement must have the following qualities:

• It must be arguable. A thesis statement must state a point of view or judgment about a topic. An established fact is not considered arguable.

• It must be supportable. The thesis statement must contain a point of view that can be supported with evidence (reasons, facts, examples).

• It must be specific. A thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and remain focused on the topic.

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements:

1. Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.

2. Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.

3. Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.

4. In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

5. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.

6. J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet acts like a phony on many occasions.

7. The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxson, in the play Fences, symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

• A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.

  • Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.

• A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.

  • Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.

• A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.

  • Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.

• A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.

  • Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.

Attribution:

"Writing Thesis Statements" from "Advanced Community College ESL Composition: An Integrated Skills Approach" by Jenell Rae, Jacob Skelton, Edgar Perez, and Sara Beseta is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Adapted by Laura Paciorek.