HOW TO WRITE A THESIS STATEMENT: A STEP TO STEP GUIDE TO WRITE LIKE A PRO

By Frank G. on Fri May 03 2024

What is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is a brief but concise summary of the central theme of an essay, research paper, or any other type of academic writing. It is typically found as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph of an academic paper.

The main purpose of a thesis statement in an academic paper is to present an author's position or main claim regarding the primary topic of study.

When well crafted, a thesis statement is an essential guideline to the author and the reader, providing the direction and a clear focus through which an academic paper is developed. The single sentence should be straightforward, debatable, and empirical and serve as the backbone of an academic paper.

Features of a Good Thesis Statement

There are various characteristics you must take note of when writing a strong thesis statement. These considerations distinguish your thesis statement from one that needs to be stronger or more effective.

According to a list compiled from notable institutions, including Brandis University and the University of North Texas, the key features of a thesis statement include;

Specific

A strong thesis statement is specific, using clear and easily understandable language. One should avoid using vague and general language when writing an academic paper. Instead, it should be direct and clearly state the paper's main claim.

Too General: Parents have a lot of responsibilities.

Too Narrow: Parents in the Bronx, New York, have a lot of responsibilities raising children.

Perfect: Parents with schooling children have a lot of responsibilities as they must provide, care for, protect, educate, and balance parenting and living their own lives.

Focused

A strong thesis should try to cover only a few ideas or unrelated themes. It should instead address a single topic or claim.

Originality

A good thesis should address a novel topic that avoids general insights. It should be based on a new argument and not restate or be based on other writer's arguments.

Debatable

Brandis University Writing Resources state that a good thesis statement should be arguable. This means that the thesis statement should provide an openly debatable claim; thus, it is not just a topic or a theme.

Factual

Brandis University Writing Resources explains that a strong thesis statement should be researchable and thus backed up by empirical evidence. While the thesis statement itself is a claim, it should be true, creating the foundation by which credible academic sources within the body of the academic paper would back it up.

Engaging

While the introductory sentence of an academic paper should grab the reader's attention, a good thesis statement provokes the curiosity and interest of the reader. It should be compelling and thought-provoking strongly and peculiarly.

Clear and Concise

A good thesis statement eliminates ambiguity and should be presented understandably. This means that it should not be expressed in words that are hard to understand or unnecessary.

A clear and concise thesis statement is typically presented in a single sentence. However, in rare instances, it could be expressed in two to three sentences for very long academic papers.

Importance of a Good Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement is like the foundation of a building. When built on a strong foundation, the entire building would have a strong structure that could take on weight and last for decades, like the Le Palais Idea built by Ferdinand Cheval in the 19th Century and still stands strong today. However, while weak, the building.

However, with a weak foundation, the building would come crumbling before it even got done.

This is directly relatable to the quality of your thesis statement. You have probably started writing an academic paper and got lost before you were done, started it again, or slept over it to work on it the next day.

That is the story of a weak foundation, a weak thesis statement. Without it being strong enough, you will always spend more than the necessary time frame on a single task and maybe have to start it again.

So, what is the importance of a strong thesis statement?

Guides Clear Expectations

A good thesis statement makes it clear to the reader what to expect from reading an academic paper.

Directs Your Writing

A strong thesis statement requires clarity of the main argument of an academic paper. This is essential as it aids the author in staying within the topic of discussion and not averting.

Establishes the Position of the Author

A clear thesis statement must present the author's position on the subject topic. It is essential as it guides you in organizing your thoughts and fueling critical analysis and argumentation.

Shaping the Structure of your Academic Paper

Like a spinal cord in the body of a human, the thesis statement defines the structure of your academic paper. Creating a critical road map for essays, research papers, or any other type of academic writing makes it easier for readers to follow your line of thought,

Defining the Scope of an Academic Paper

A good thesis statement clearly states what will be discussed. As such, it creates clear boundaries on what will be covered in an academic paper and what will not, thus aiding in managing the reader's expectations.

Creating Coherence

Reflecting the spinal cord analogy, the thesis statement gives birth to topic sentences, the basis of body paragraphs before the conclusion, where the thesis statement is restated. This unifies an academic paper, ensuring that every part of the paper is brought together and contributing to building on the main claim.

Thesis Statement Generator

A thesis statement generator is a series of successive steps essential in writing an effective thesis statement.

The first step is defining your topic, claim, or formulating a question.

This is where you introduce your academic paper's main idea.

For example, "Who's to blame for the social media addiction?"

Establish your position on the topic.

At this point, you state the main idea or your stand on the topic

For example: "Parents should regulate their children's social media usage."

Provide a reason or rationale for your stance.

You must defend your position, and this point allows you to provide the reasons that will become the major building block of your claim. You can introduce about three reasons or examples supporting your claim, often referred to as the subtopics of your thesis statement.

For example: "...because parents are the first socialization agents to teach and model the behavior of their children, including social media usage."

Acknowledge opposing viewpoints.

If, for example, your academic paper is a persuasive or argumentative essay, acknowledging that there are divergent perspectives to your claim is essential.

For example: "...although the public wants to blame the social media platforms for children's usage addiction."

Thesis Statement Generator Formula

Claim + Stance + Rationale (About three reasons/evidences)= Strong Thesis Statement

Mistakes to Avoid when Writing a Good Thesis Statement

Avoid stating what you will do and using personal pronouns like "this essay will" or "I will" and instead focus on the outcomes of the academic paper.
Do not exaggerate and instead base your claim on facts.
Ensure that the thesis statement is clear, specific, and direct.
Avoid the lack of conciseness; ensure it is brief, clear, and direct.
Do not use vague language with words like "may" or "somewhat."
Refrain from general facts and present deep and critical analysis.

Thesis Statement Example

Example 1. The Migrant Mother is a 1936 photo worth more than 1000 words, as it mirrors the detrimental effects of the Great Depression.

Example 2. Parents should regulate their children's social media usage as they are the first socialization agents to teach and model the behavior, even though critics would want to blame social media platforms for children's usage addiction.

A thesis statement is the most important part of your academic paper. Our detailed step-to-step guide helps you write your thesis statement like a pro.