Understanding the Elusive Thesis Statement

What is the definition of “thesis statement”? In general, a thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove It is the central point of focus in your essay—if you have a strong thesis statement, your essay can literally fall into place (if you are sure to follow your thesis)

What else can be compared with a thesis statement? A hypothesis In the science world, a hypothesis is formed before any experimentation begins to suggest what the outcome might be The hypothesis serves as the guiding point for experimentation, and gives focus to a scientist’s actions, just as the thesis statement gives focus to all of a writer’s decisions

What else can be compared with a thesis statement? The chorus of a song If you think about your favorite song’s chorus, it most likely contains the main “message” that the song is trying to convey The verses of the song aim to “prove” the message heard in the chorus, just like the paragraphs of an essay aim to “prove” the thesis

What else can be compared with a thesis statement? The “plays” created by sports teams Each play has a specific goal, where certain players fulfill certain roles The entire team focuses their actions around completing the play successfully, just like all other sentences and paragraphs in an essay should be focused on supporting the thesis effectively

So how can I write an effective thesis statement? A handy formula for creating an effective thesis statement is: A specific subject + A limited focus= An effective thesis statement

Let’s look at an example: Imagine you are writing an informational essay about shopping for a new car. Car shopping is definitely a specific subject, so you’ve got that part of the thesis! But now you need a limited focus. What do you want to say about car shopping? Perhaps you could write about the things that you need to consider when choosing a new car.

Your thesis: When shopping for a dependable car, the three main things that one should consider are the vehicle’s mileage, motor condition and warranty. You can see the specific subject in this color font, and the limited focus in this color font. Do you see how the rest of the essay would “fall into place” following a thesis like this?

Some general rules to follow when writing a thesis statement Besides using the formula to create your thesis, you should also keep in mind: The thesis should directly answer a question—it should not be a question itself The thesis should make a claim that others might dispute—a statement of fact is not a thesis The thesis should appear somewhere in the introductory paragraph of the essay—it is not usually the FIRST sentence, but most commonly found toward the end, or as the last sentence of your introduction

Let’s practice looking at thesis statements—Example 1 Is this an effective thesis statement? Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s greatest play. Does it address a specific subject? Does it have a limited focus? Does it directly answer some question? Is it a topic someone might dispute? How might you revise this thesis to make it more effective?

Let’s practice looking at thesis statements—Example 2 Is this an effective thesis statement? This essay will address the characteristics of a good student. Does it address a specific subject? Does it have a limited focus? Does it directly answer some question? Is it a topic someone might dispute? How might you revise this thesis to make it more effective?

Let’s practice writing a thesis statement Suppose you were given the assignment to write an essay about school lunches. What would your thesis statement be? As you write your thesis, consider: Does it address a specific subject? Does it have a limited focus? Does it directly answer some question? Is it a topic someone might dispute?

Let’s hear some of your thesis statements. Who will share their thesis statement? Is each thesis statement effective? Does it address a specific subject? Does it have a limited focus? Does it directly answer some question? Is it a topic someone might dispute?

In conclusion… The thesis statement is the foundation of any good essay Use the information you’ve learned today to simplify your writing process and become a better writer!