An Easy way of how to write a thesis statement for an essay
A thesis statement is a condensation of your argument or main idea. In academic writing, your thesis statement should appear towards the end of your introduction paragraph. In most cases, a thesis is a single sentence that summarizes the rest of your paper. However, in some cases, especially when writing very long papers, a thesis could be several sentences or a paragraph. Importantly, no essay is complete without a thesis statement. Thus, whether you are preparing to tackle a short essay or your PhD dissertation, you must have the tips of how to write a thesis statement for an essay at your fingertips. This will ensure that you do not go off the tangent as you put together your ideas.
This document will take you through different steps that will help you develop awesome thesis statements whenever you are writing academic essays. Here is what is coming up….
- Importance of a thesis statement
- Developing a thesis statement
- Making your thesis strong
- Examples of thesis statements
Read on and get the facts right…
The basics of how to write a thesis statement for an essay and why you need one
When writing an academic essay, it is important to state the purpose of your paper. The reader wants to know why you writing on the topic. This purpose should come early in your paper to help your audience understand your argument better. Do not hide the aim of your assignment. Here are the functions of an effective thesis statement
States the function of your paper- A thesis should clearly define what you are discussing. What is your argument?
Determines the structure of your paper – An effective thesis statement will dictate the order of your ideas and supporting evidence. This is essential in shaping the structure of your final draft.
Strengthens your argument – One can only tell the strength of your argument by looking at your thesis statement. Use this statement to win your audience by making it captivating.
It guides your audience – As you think about how to write a thesis statement for an essay, have in mind the needs of your readers. A good thesis acts as a compass to you as the writer and as a guide to the reader. It ensures that you are moving together without any disconnect.
With this introduction, let us look at sample thesis statements before we move to the next section:
Example #1: Sample thesis Statement
“Admission panelists in colleges experience a dilemma of admitting students who have high-test scores or those with strong extracurricular backgrounds”.
This is an analytical thesis statement from OWL. If someone were reading an essay with this thesis, he or she would expect the essay to discuss the following in details:
- The process of admitting students in colleges
- Challenges which admission panelists face
Steps of how to write a thesis statement for an essay
Did you know that you could reduce every writing assignment into a single question, regardless of how it is complicated? Well, you first assignment before you start writing your essay should always be finding a suitable question that summarizes the task ahead.
Once you have the question that you are about to answer in your essay, go ahead and summarize your thoughts in two or three sentences.
Here are hints of how to write a thesis statement for an essay to help you master this better:
STEP 1: Brainstorm the topic – The first step is to look at your topic from all angles and write down the ideas, which pop in your mind. Since most of these ideas will be broad, you will have to refine them in order to turn into guiding statements.
Step 2: Narrow your topic – An effective topic is a narrow topic. A narrow topic is specific and focuses on a particular aspect of the issue. This allows you to be focused as you piece together your ideas. For example, instead of talking about Internet as your topic, refine your title. “How the internet has revolutionized communication in the 21st century” narrows down to a specific issue.
Step 3: Take your position on the topic – After narrowing to a specific topic, state what you want to discuss. For example, you may take an opposing position and support your stance throughout your paper. When taking a position, be sure to research and find out evidence backing your angle.
Step 4: Use a specific language – As you draft your thesis, do not use general or vague language. Be clear and concise with what you are saying. The reader must not have any doubts regarding your position and your discussion.
Step 5: Revise your thesis – Mastering how to write a thesis statement for an essay is about giving your best. At this stage, revisit your statement and fine-tune to make it strong and effective. Do not assume anything or leave gaps for the reader to fill. Put everything, as you would want your audience to understand. Examine the following example as you reflect on the five steps above. From the example, you should be able to visualize how the writer employed the strategies we have discussed in this section.
Example #2: Sample Thesis Statement
The following is a thesis statement of an essay titled, We Can Live Without Petroleum. The writer says:
“Petroleum offers a wide range of opportunities and advantages to humanity. However, the world can overcome overreliance oil by exploring alternative sources of energy that are renewable, cost effective and environmentally friendly.”
From this thesis statement, the reader expects the following in the essay:
- Advantages of petroleum as a source of energy
- Disadvantages of petroleum as a source of energy
- Alternative sources of energy in comparison to petroleum
This thesis is specific because it narrows to petroleum as a source of energy.
Writing a strong thesis for your essay
A strong thesis captures your argument and helps your audience to follow your ideas. It is the backbone of your paper, without which you will not accomplish your objectives. How do you make your thesis strong? This section gives you more hints on how to write a thesis statement for an essay without any struggle.
A strong thesis takes a firm stand – A good thesis should state your take on the subject. Tell your audience about your conclusions on the issue you are discussing. A statement that does not take a clear stance is weak. It is likely to give you a weak argument.
A strong thesis qualifies your discussion – Your thesis should be a pointer to your main discussion point.
A strong thesis has one idea – Do not crowd ideas in your thesis statement. Readers want to see one clear issue in your thesis. Multiple thesis statements are likely to confuse your audience. In addition, you are likely to wander as you develop your ideas and loose track.
Example #3: Sample Bad Thesis Statement
Organizations should utilize internet marketing opportunities, and online gurus can offer advertizing and customer support simultaneously.
This example has multiple ideas, making it hard for the reader to follow your argument. When you read this statement, it is not clear if the writer is discussing marketing or online companies.
A strong thesis is specific – Show exactly what you are discussing in your paper. The reader should now flip through several chapters looking for your purpose. Make it clear in your introduction.
As you discover how to write a thesis statement for an essay, it is equally important to understand common mistakes that students make. In the following section, you will learn about these errors plus ways of avoiding them.
The don’ts of how to write thesis statement for an essay
To put together a good thesis statement, avoid the following:
No thesis at all – This is a grave and inexcusable mistake. You must have a thesis statement for all your essays. In cases where your tutor is very strict, he or she may not grade your work if you do not have a thesis statement.
Avoid general statements – Sweeping generalizations are not thesis statements.
Avoid reporting facts – Scientific or documented facts are not thesis statements. Go deeper into in the matter and tell your reader why the issue is important.
Avoid announcing your thesis – Do not publicly announce your thesis. ‘This is paper will discuss A, B, and C’ is a wrong way of stating your argument.
Do not hide your thesis – Your thesis should appear towards the end of your first paragraph.
This document gives you all the secrets of how to write a thesis statement for an essay. With it, you have the key to batter writing experience. All the best.
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ONLINE SOURCES:
https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/thesis_composedraft.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Thesis-Statement
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/
https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/thesis_statements.php
http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis/