Thesis statements 101

What is the purpose of a thesis statement? Informs the reader of the content Informs the reader of the possible argument (in a persuasive or argumentative paper) Provides the direction of the overall paper

A thesis statement is not: A question A quote A fact(s) A command A title Nor will a thesis statement say: “In this paper I will…” – there should not be any first person pronouns used in your thesis statement!

A thesis statement will: Be specific and not over-generalized Cover one topic Focus on the essay and guide its direction – it will lead into the topic sentences of the body paragraphs. Be concise and mature in content

Steps to writing a thesis: Decide on your topic Narrow your topic Put your topic in a sentence Add an argument or viewpoint to take on the topic Elaborate so it addresses all parts of your essay prompt/assignment

Where does a thesis go? The thesis statement should be in the introductory paragraph. Often, the thesis is one of the last sentences of this paragraph, although it is not limited to this location. It will not be the first sentence as this is your hook, or attention-grabber.

Example thesis statements: Recycling programs, though expensive at first, are ultimately an efficient, cost effective, and environmentally sound means of reducing waste in our environment. What would the three topic sentences be or how would they begin? Flaubert's Emma Bovary is a tragic character because, never seeing reality, she misses some important clues that her life has gone awry, and she falls from her social "height" into prostitution. What would the topic sentences be or how would they begin?