1. Bad and Better Thesis Statements
Types of Bad Thesis Statements and How to Fix Them

2. What It Is: Not Neutral A thesis is not neutral!
It announces, in addition to the topic, the argument you want to make or the point you want to prove. This is your own opinion that you intend to back up.
This is your reason and motivation for writing.

3. What It Is: Specific A thesis should be as specific as possible!
It should reflect the scope of the paper.
You can’t write a history of the English language in a five paragraph essay.
You can’t write a seven page paper on plot elements in The Censors.

4. What it is: Arguable and Proveable
A thesis must be arguable and provable!
It has to be something that can be proven using unbiased, objective source material.
It cannot be a statement of something so universally accepted that there is no need to prove the point.
Example: Although we have a right to say what we want, we should avoid hurting anyone’s feelings.
Example: The extermination of Jews was bad.

5. What it is: Clear A thesis must be clear and make a definitive claim.
There is no room for “I think”, “kind of”, “arguably”, “pretty much”, etc.

6. Bad
Hunger persists in Appalachia.
Why is this bad?

7. Better
Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil of the region is rarely profitable.
Why is this better?

8. Bad
The concept of global warming should not receive the amount of attention that is currently focused on this issue.
Why is this bad?

9. Better
The concept of global warming should not receive the amount of attention that is currently focused on this issue because the earth constantly goes through spells of warming and cooling; the increasing temperature of the earth is but a part of this natural cycle and out of human control.
Why is this better?

10. You Evaluate Racism is bad because people should not hate each other.
Living in an apartment has many advantages.
There are many different types of college students today.
The music business is pretty complicated.