Thesis Statements,Thesis – A Writer’s and Reader’s Map
WebRemember that the thesis statement is a kind of "mapping tool" that helps you organize your ideas, and it helps your reader follow your argument. After the topic sentence, include WebA thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to WebAn effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. WebHow to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned. Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to WebSep 16, · Here’s a quick technique to help you get started. First, phrase your topic as a question. For example, if you want to write about Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, ask ... read more
Skip to content Common Problems. Click on the links below to learn more about the following topics. Thesis Sentence too Broad. Hospice workers need support. Thesis Sentence too Narrow. Titlex 1 Titlex 2 Titlex 3 Titlex 4 Titlex 5 Titlex 6 Titlex 7 Titlex 8. xContent 1. The Writing Process » Parts of a Thesis Statement » Common Problems ». This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important. A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational. An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil. what does evil mean? and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough.
It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading. An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim.
A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible. Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent. Copyright , Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University. Skip to main content. Main Menu Utility Menu Search. Harvard College Writing Program HARVARD. FAQ Schedule an appointment Writing Resources Writing Resources Writing Advice: The Barker Underground Blog Meet the tutors!
Contact Us Drop-in Hours. Steps in Constructing a Thesis First, analyze your primary sources. Michael Dukakis lost the presidential election because he failed to campaign vigorously after the Democratic National Convention. Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy. This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.
More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children. This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague. Use specific language. You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:. Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion. Make an assertion based on clearly stated support.
You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:. Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights. Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:. This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague. Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.
Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:. This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family. This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view.
A thesis statement is a sentence in a paper or essay in the opening paragraph that introduces the main topic to the reader. As one of the first things your reader sees, your thesis statement is one of the most important sentences in your entire paper—but also one of the hardest to write! In this article, we explain how to write a thesis statement in the best way possible. We look at what to include and the steps to take for writing your own, along with plenty of thesis statement examples to guide you.
Grammarly can check your spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. It even proofreads your text, so your work is extra polished wherever you write. Your writing, at its best Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly. The goal of a thesis statement is to let your reader know what your paper or essay is about. It helps your reader understand the greater context and scope of your topic, plus it lets your readers know what to expect from the rest of the work. A secondary benefit of a thesis statement is that it makes it easier to search for papers on a particular topic, especially in the realm of academic writing like research papers and thesis papers which are sometimes known as dissertations when written for doctoral degrees.
You can simply scan the thesis statements of several papers to see which match your topic and could be worthwhile sources to cite. The thesis statement is located at the beginning of a paper, in the opening paragraph, making it an essential way to start an essay. A thesis statement is often confused with a topic sentence , the first sentence in a paragraph, because they both introduce the central idea of what follows. You can think of thesis statements as the topic sentence of your entire paper. Thesis statements are a necessary part of paper and essay writing , but different formats have different rules and best practices. Below, we break down how to write a thesis statement for the most common types of papers. Expository and argumentative essays are some of the most common types of academic papers.
You want to take a stand right in the opening so that your readers understand what your paper is trying to show. Moreover, thesis statements for these essays should be specific, with some minor details to hint at the rest of the paper. If your paper dives into different subtopics or categories, try to fit them into the thesis statement if you can. Thesis statement examples. Similar to argumentative essays, persuasive essays follow many of the same guidelines for their thesis statements: decisive language, specific details, and mentions of subtopics. However, the main difference is that, while the thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays state facts, the thesis statements for persuasive essays state clear opinions.
Still, the format is the same, and the opinions are often treated like facts, including conclusive language and citing evidence to support your claims. This can actually be a clever strategy to start your essay off on a more personal, impactful note. Exotic pets provide the same love and companionship as conventional pets, so the laws regulating which animals can and cannot be kept as pets should be more relaxed. Thesis statements for compare-and-contrast essays are tricky because you have at least two topics to touch on instead of just one. The same general guidelines apply decisive language, details, etc. If your essay spends more time comparing than contrasting, your thesis statement should focus more on similarities than differences. It sometimes helps to give specific examples as well, but keep them simple and brief.
Save the finer details for the body of your essay. Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are the two most popular actors to portray James Bond, but both have their own distinct and at times contradictory interpretations of the character. To keep you on track, here are three easy steps to guide you. If the topic is already assigned, great! First, phrase your topic as a question. Remember the core traits for thesis statements we mentioned above: decisive language, a happy medium of specific but not too specific details, and mention of subtopics. If they answer correctly, your thesis statement does its job. Next comes the hard part—writing the rest!
To plot out your supporting argument, follow our advice on essay structure and let your ideas flow. The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Thesis Statement Matt Ellis. Your writing, at its best. Thesis statement examples Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are the two most popular actors to portray James Bond, but both have their own distinct and at times contradictory interpretations of the character. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox.
How to Write a Thesis Statement,What is a thesis statement?
WebAn effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. WebHow to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned. Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to WebA thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to WebThesis Sentence Any text written to inform, react, apply, analyze or persuade has a main idea. In the article about Crisco, for example, the main idea is that Crisco was one of the WebRemember that the thesis statement is a kind of "mapping tool" that helps you organize your ideas, and it helps your reader follow your argument. After the topic sentence, include WebWhile the thesis gives unity to the essay, the topic sentence gives unity to the paragraph by developing one major point suggested in the controlling idea of the thesis. Like the ... read more
A thesis that attempts too much may not allow for depth of support. Academic writing in the U. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be. Ruszkiewicz, John J. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. This concern, while understandable, is misguided.
Avoid making statements that are too general or that simply restate the topic. Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. Possible thesis sentences All of the sample thesis sentences are appropriate for an essay intended to react, apply, or analyze, except sentence 4. Help with thesis sentence want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, help with thesis sentence, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. It explains the stand someone takes on an issue and how the person intends to justify the stand. Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. Where does the thesis statement go in an essay?
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