Writing a Thesis Statement OR Making a Roadmap of Your Essay

What is a Thesis Statement? A thesis statement is something you write AFTER you have done some preliminary research on your topic. You cannot develop a good thesis statement without doing some research, because the thesis develops OUT OF the research

Definition that contains one main idea. This idea controls A thesis statement is a complete sentence that contains one main idea. This idea controls the content of the entire essay. A thesis statement that contains subpoints also helps a reader know how the essay will be organized. Look at the introductory paragraph below. See if you can identify the thesis statement and subpoints.

Where is the Thesis Statement? Psychologists have argued for decades about how a person’s character is formed. Numerous psychologists believe that one’s birth order (i.e. place in the family as the youngest, oldest, or middle child) has the greatest influence. Birth order can have a significant impact in the formation of a child’s character regardless of the number of children in the family. Birth order can strongly affect one’s relationship with parents, relationships with others, and how one views responsibility as an adult. Subpoints in the thesis or nearby help the reader know how the essay will be organized The thesis statement contains the main idea that controls the content of the essay.

Key Features of the Thesis Statement Answers a FOCUS QUESTION Takes a stand on an issue Can be backed up with evidence Expresses ONE main idea Is narrow and specific Is written as a 1-2 sentence STATEMENT, not a question Is usually at the end of the introduction

Your Thesis Statement for the ISU Must make a specific claim about the topic you are researching (i.e. Environmental activism has had a significant positive impact on the world.) Must include a Statement of Evidence to identify, on average, three cases/points etc. to prove this claim

Starting from Scratch….. Let’s say that you are interested in writing about sugar and how much children consume. Your thesis development might look like this: Sugar Consumption Experts think half of elementary school children consume 9 x’s the daily recommended sugar. How Should Schools Reduce Student Sugar Consumption Because half of elementary school children consume nine times the daily recommended allowance of sugar, schools should have to replace beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives. More attention should be paid to food and beverage choice of elementary students.