Most types of essays require a specific claim to be provided as a direct roadmap for their content. In this case, people ask themselves how to write a thesis statement and share their messages with readers. Moreover, creating a valid claim may prove to be a challenging task if an author is unaware of its qualities. In turn, well-formulated core assertations should focus on various aspects, including its definition, purpose, format, content, importance, nature of language, length, strategic positioning in an essay’s structure, specific steps to follow, academic levels, and common mistakes to avoid. As a result, these factors are critical for developing a strong thesis statement.
General Aspects
The most important part of any essay’s structure is a thesis statement. Basically, this one last sentence of an introduction paragraph provides a roadmap to a whole essay, highlights its main points, and clearly answers all questions that writers try to investigate within their essays. Hence, such a sentence has to be precise and clear, not overgeneralizing facts, as it will mean that a written work is vague, and people do not understand what they are doing. As such, writing a good thesis statement is an important skill to learn at any level of education.
What Is a Thesis Statement and Its Purpose
According to its definition, a thesis statement is a brief, clear, and declarative sentence that summarizes a main point or claim of an essay or research paper and guides a specific direction and focus of its content, and it is typically placed at the end of an introduction paragraph. The main purpose of writing a thesis statement is to inform readers of a central argument, position, or assertion on a specific topic that a writer intends to prove or discuss in an entire paper (Fletcher, 2023). By clearly stating a writer’s position on a particular topic, a primary claim helps to provide a roadmap for readers and organize a subsequent content, ensuring each paragraph and piece of evidence directly supports a central claim. Moreover, a well-formulated thematical sentence is crucial for maintaining focus and clarity throughout an essay, acting as a foundational element that supports an overall argument and enhances a reader’s understanding (Babin et al., 2020). As such, a typical thesis statement:
- Situates at the end of an introductory paragraph. Such an option is considered to be the best as it usually sums up background information that leads to a specific hypothesis and highlights what an author finds important to investigate further.
- Hence, usually, it also outlines major implications of an essay, its arguments, most important themes, take-aways, and so on.
- Anything that can be called as the most important argument of an essay has to be reflected in a thesis.
- Consequently, it might reflect a disputable idea. That is because an author might be biased or target only a specific side of an issue.
- As a result, it is a one-sentence summary of an essay.
Format
| Component | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | Start with a specific subject or main idea of your essay or research paper. | The benefits of having a remote job … |
| Position | Provide your specific stance or viewpoint on a discussed topic. | … outweigh the disadvantages … |
| Reason(s) | Include your main reasons that support your position. | due to increased productivity, better work-life balance, and cost savings for companies |
| Qualification | End with any condition or limit that clarifies your position. | … in the tech industry. |
| Using this format, a complete thesis statement might be: “The benefits of having a remote job outweigh the disadvantages due to increased productivity, better work-life balance, and cost savings for companies, especially in the tech industry.” | ||
Content
Any thesis statement presents an original opinion concerning a topic. Basically, if someone wants to know how to write a correct argumentative sentence, they should understand that an author’s position on a specific topic presents a central claim (Lauritzen, 2021). It implies that such a statement contains two complementary elements: a subject or fact and a unique perspective on a topic. In this case, a good primary proposition announces a central topic that will be discussed in an essay, while an author provides his or her opinion. Moreover, an author’s opinion should be objective and founded on sound logic (Wyllie, 2021). In turn, a proposed claim is accompanied by a reasonable justification to ensure a target audience understands a direct association of a specific issue mentioned in a core assertation. On the other hand, oversimplification of complex issues may occur if an author makes universal judgments (Fletcher, 2023). Hence, a typical content of a thesis statement must present a target audience with a complete argument.
Layout
To write a thesis statement, a writer clearly identifies a particular topic, takes a specific stance or position on it, and provides reasons or evidence that will support a central argument throughout an entire paper. For example, writing an essay depends on specific rules that anyone must follow in order to provide a perfect paper (Miller & Pessoa, 2016). In this case, the set of requirements is common to all writers, and such rules are considered unquestionable as they are proven to be the most effective. Furthermore, such rules are about a specific position, structure, and definition of a main argument. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a thesis statement are:
- Comparative: “While both [topic A] and [topic B] have their merits, [topic A] is superior because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Causal: “The rise of [topic] can be attributed to [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3], making it a crucial factor in [aspect].”
- Problem-Solution: “To address the issue of [problem], implementing [solution] is essential due to [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Hypothetical: “If [condition] continues, then [outcome] will occur, as shown by [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Research Assertion: “This research paper asserts that [topic] is crucial for [aspect] because of [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Balanced: “Although [counterargument], [main argument] holds true due to [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Chronological: “The development of [topic] over the years shows that [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3] have significantly influenced [aspect].”
- Question-Answer: “How does [topic] affect [aspect]? This study reveals that [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3] are key factors.”
- Contextual: “In the context of [situation], [topic] proves to be significant because of [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
- Thematic: “Focusing on [theme], this paper argues that [topic] is vital to understanding [aspect] through [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].”
Language
A particular language used in writing a thesis statement establishes specificity and clarity while ensuring there is no generalization. Basically, a normal central claim contains a single argument based on well-integrated concepts with details (Miller & Pessoa, 2016). The wording of the concepts prioritizes precise detailing of each concept, for example, “men” is substituted with “males above the age of 20 years.” Further on, by considering how to write a principal point, it does not incorporate abstract and vague words that have indefinite meanings to a specific audience. In this case certain words may have multiple meanings suggested by different schools of thought (Fletcher, 2023). Besides, this feature makes it necessary for an author to identify a specific definition applicable in an essay. As a result, a typical nature of language used in a thesis statement has a significant impact on its clarity and specificity.
Location and Length
A typical location and length of a thesis statement contribute to its overall effectiveness. For example, if people know how to write a main sentence for a single idea, a target audience of readers will understand a whole paper (Lauritzen, 2021). In this case, any person reading a specific work is exposed to a core assertation at an early stage. As such, a central statement provides readers with a claim supported by body paragraphs. However, this sentence may also appear at the end of second or third paragraphs of lengthier works, which require a more detailed college essay introduction (Fletcher, 2023). Besides, a normal length of a thesis statement is usually confined to one or two sentences. On the other hand, lengthy sentences may create confusion because an issue of wordiness overwhelms readers (Wyllie, 2021). In turn, it makes deciphering the main idea difficult. Hence, such sentences are succinct claims placed strategically in an opening paragraph.
Main Idea in an Essay’s Structure
To start a thesis statement, writers begin by clearly identifying their topics and then asserts their specific perspective or main argument about them. As a fact, a primary claim appears to be one of the essential aspects of any essay structure because this sentence is a roadmap of a paper (Babin et al., 2020). If people know how to write a good essay, they produce high-quality papers. However, while some high school papers might lack a simple main idea and be limited to a purpose statement, that should not be the case for higher institutions’ papers. Consequently, a lack of a main claim means that an essay does not have a well-defined focus and structure.
Steps on How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
Students spend years on mastering skills on how to write a thesis statement. Before starting any paper, the most important thing people should know is that they should know what they will write in their essays (Brantley et al., 2020). As simple as it sounds, knowing of what a whole essay will talk about is usually a challenge for most writers. That is because people rush on writing their essays without thinking of how they will look in the end. In turn, some steps on how to write a good thesis statement include:
- Understand a Topic: Start by fully grasping a subject matter and a specific question or issue you need to address.
- Narrow Your Focus: Refine a broad topic into a specific aspect or perspective you wish to explore.
- Formulate a Research Question: Develop a question that your principal point will answer.
- Take a Position: Decide on your stance or perspective regarding a research question.
- Identify Key Points: Determine main reasons or arguments that support your position.
- Draft a Statement: Write a concise sentence that clearly states your main point and previews your supporting arguments.
- Be Specific and Clear: Ensure your central proposition is specific, clear, and precise, avoiding vague language.
- Make It Debatable: Ensure your thesis presents a specific claim that can be supported with evidence and can be argued against.
- Place It Appropriately: Put your core assertion at the end of your introduction paragraph.
- Revise and Refine: Review and revise your key statement to make sure it accurately reflects your argument and is as strong as possible.
Other Features
For a proper writing process, one should consider a standard essay structure and highlight each important argument. For example, if someone adds or substracts arguments from an essay – they have to revisit a principal proposition and rewrite this sentence (Brantley et al., 2020). On the other hand, it is easier to write a particular claim when people are already done with the rest. In this case, any argumentative proposition has to be the last thing they reread or rewrite in their papers. As a result, any writer should always revisit a conclusion’s restatement of a thesis if they made changes in their original versions of this sentence.
The Impact of Academic Levels
An entire content of any essay might be different, depending on educational levels students are dealing with. For instance, essays in universities are different when compared to high school ones (Fletcher, 2023). Therefore, authors must adapt their skills and knowledge to complete assignments that arise. Consequently, a well-formulated thesis statement will be different in each new grade or educational level. For example, if someone is writing about a topic of education, a direct impact on a claim sentence will be the next:
Bad Thesis Statement for All – “I think education is important.”
High School – “Education is important for people.”
College – “Opposing arguments agree that education is important for each person, with the difference only in their viewpoint on higher education, such as attending college after high school.”
University – “Therefore, based on the background literature review, it was proved that attending higher education facilities nowadays benefits people more than ten years ago, creating a new argument on the importance of education for people and their future.”
Master’s – “The quantitative research reveals that the presence of mediators at special education facilities increases the chances of successful completion of courses and overall academic results of students among all ages with ADHD diagnosis, while new curriculum was developed as the result of their presence, the effect of which is to be investigated in the future research.”
Ph.D. – There is no possible way one can summarize everything in a
Common Mistakes
- Being Too Vague: A vague claim lacks clarity and specificity, making it difficult to understand a key idea of an essay.
- Being Too Broad: A broad sentence tries to cover too much ground, making it hard to focus on a specific argument or point.
- Lack of Argument or Claim: Simply stating a topic or fact does not provide a basis for argument.
- Stating a Fact: A strong statement should present a viewpoint that others might dispute.
- Lack of Specificity: A general idea cannot provide a clear direction for an essay.
- Too Complex or Lengthy: An overly complex or lengthy sentence can be difficult to follow and may dilute a main point.
- Using First Person or Announcing a Thesis: Using phrases, like “I believe … ” or “In this essay, I will … ,” does not mean a direct, assertive statement.
- Lack of Focus: Covering too many aspects makes it hard to develop a coherent argument, and a central argument should focus on one main idea.
- Unclear Language: Unclear or ambiguous language can confuse readers and weaken a principal point.
- Ignoring a Central Scope: A lack of an essay’s scope may propose a topic too large or small to be effectively covered within a paper’s length.
Summing Up
Communicating an author’s main idea is reliant on different elements, such as its definition, purpose, format, content, importance, nature of language, length, strategic positioning in an essay’s structure, specific steps to follow, academic levels, and common mistakes to avoid. Moreover, the best practices for each of these features on how to write a thesis statement have been discussed extensively. In turn, developing a strong thesis requires much practice when people write essays. As a result, basic guidelines for thesis statements are:
- Learn a key difference between a purpose statement and a thesis statement.
- Investigate how to write an argumentative claim before you start working on your paper.
- Your central proposition should be a one-sentence summary of your paper.
- Any statement has to reflect your educational level and has to be clear, concise, and well-developed.
- A typical position of a thesis statement has to be the last sentence of your introduction.
- Revisit your core assertion each time you change anything in your essay.
- A main idea is an essential part of an essay’s structure.
- Do not overgeneralize in your core statement and be clear in your arguments and answers to an essay topic.
References
Babin, M., Burnell, C., Pesznecker, S. M., Rosevear, N., & Wood, J. R. (2020). The word on college reading and writing. Open Oregon Educational Resources.
Brantley, S., Corrigan, E. K., & Duffin, K. I. (2020). Thesis research 101: Cultivating relationships with graduate student scholars beyond course-based instruction. Academic Library Services for Graduate Students, 3–17. https://doi.org/10.5040/9798400606397.ch-001
Fletcher, J. (2023). Writing rhetorically: Fostering responsive thinkers and communicators. Routledge.
Lauritzen, J. (2021). Read, write, and cite. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
Miller, R. T., & Pessoa, S. (2016). Where’s your thesis statement and what happened to your topic sentences? Identifying organizational challenges in undergraduate student argumentative writing. TESOL Journal, 7(4), 847–873. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.248
Wyllie, D. J. (2021). Thesis write‐up and manuscript preparation: Related but distinct tasks. The Journal of Physiology, 599(11), 2771–2775. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp281665