Forming A Thesis & Thesis Statement Compiled and Written by Anita J. Ghajar-Selim

Form a Thesis A thesis is the Central idea, the governing idea, or controlling idea of an essay. (note the word idea here, not sentence.) Specific topic + Your Attitude/Angle/Argument = Thesis What you plan to argue + How you plan to argue it = Thesis

Thesis Statement Whatever the topic is that your teacher has given you. Turn that sentence into a question. The answer to that question is your thesis statement. For example: Discuss three causes of global warming. Question: What are the three causes of global warming? Answer: Air conditioners, Disposal of trash into the sea, and emission of gas from cars are the three main causes of global warming. (thesis statement)