Know What is a Thesis Statement and how you can Write one

What is a thesis statement?

The first step to writing an excellent thesis is knowing what is a thesis statement. Simply put, thesis statement refers to that one or two sentences in your essay text that contains focus of the essay and tells readers what the essay is about. Usually, the thesis statement will appear towards the end of the introduction paragraph of your essay and provides a brief summary of the claim or main point of the research paper or essay. The thesis statement must be developed, explained and supported in the paper by evidence and provision of examples.

A thesis statement helps in developing and organizing arguments as well as serving as signal to readers regarding the essay topic. In essence, it is an essential component of scholarly papers. While it is possible to write an essay devoid of a thesis statement, lack of one is often an indication that the essay lacks focus. For the majority of writers, this statement is an umbrella under which they can carry everything regarding the essay. This means you must write a thesis statement that befits the topic of your essay.

Why the thesis statement is so important

The importance of a thesis statement cannot be overlooked. It is an excellent test for what the reader should expect and your intent. The most important thing to remember when writing a thesis statement is that when you attempt to accomplish too much, you end up with less or nothing. A good example of an essay where a thesis statement is applied well is The Holocaust.

When trying to understand what is a thesis statement, it is important to note it should remain flexible till you actually complete the paper. As a matter of fact, in the process of writing, a thesis statement should be the last thing you worry about.

If you come across new information in the course of writing your paper, you should include the same in the statement. If at the end of writing your paper you realize it has adequate information but your thesis statement includes aspects that are not covered, you should limit the statement.

In the event you needed approval to write your thesis statement, it is ideal to seek permission from your instructor or the thesis committee first. This is important as it ensures you do not end up submitting a paper that attempts to do so much or one that claims more than it accomplishes.

Important points to always remember in order to understand what is a thesis statement include:

• The statement makes argumentative assertion regarding a topic, it states conclusions reached regarding your topic.
• A thesis statement gives the reader a promise regarding the purpose, direction and scope of the paper.
• The statement should be focused and specific to the boundaries of the paper written.
• Generally, a thesis statement is found towards the end of the papers introduction, this is especially true in long papers. The thesis can be expressed in numerous sentences or entire paragraph.
• It should identify the relationship that exists between pieces of evidence you use to support your papers argument

Note that not all papers need a thesis statement therefore, it is advisable to consult with your instructor in case you doubt whether or not you need one.

Tips for writing a thesis statement

Identify the topic

To develop a thesis statement, you must first identify the topic you intend to write about. The assignment might suggest a couple of ways of looking at the topic or it might be a general concept that explores and analyzes the paper.

Therefore, you need to:

• Consider what is expected from you
• Be informed regarding your topic
• Focus on a singular aspect of the topic
• Ask whether the topic is worth your efforts

Derive the main point from the topic

Once you establish your topic, make a decision on what the main point of the paper is going to be. This is known as the “controlling idea” and it becomes the center of your argument. You need to keep an open eye for patterns in the evidence you provide as well as write a purpose statement.

Compose draft statement

If you are having a hard time writing your thesis statement, there are a couple of things you need to take into consideration to write one.

• Write a sentence summarizing the idea of the essay you intend to write
• Come up with a list of ideas you intend to include in the essay

As you write the paper, you might discover there is evidence that fails to fit your ‘working thesis’ and in other instances, you will find the statement is too complicated to match the evidence you have. In such instances, you should be willing to omit or reject some evidence so as to keep the reader focused and your paper cohesive.

Ensure you read the draft carefully, note conclusions you have made and major ideas that support or prove your conclusions. These are going to be elements for your final thesis statement. While working on your thesis, bear in mind the rest of your paper. There are instances when you must evolve your thesis as part of developing new insights, finding new evidence or taking a diverse approach to the topic.

Refine then polish the thesis statement

In order to get the final thesis, it is important to refine the draft so as to make it arguable and specific.

• Ask whether the draft thesis has addressed the assignment
• Question each section of the draft thesis
• Clarify assertions and phrases that are vague
• Investigate options to the draft thesis

Important things to note in writing a thesis statement

As you complete drafting your thesis statement, there are a couple of things you need to remember:

• Context is important-Think of your lectures and course materials and attempt to relate these to the ideas of your thesis statement
• Always bear in mind the kind of assignment you are working on. Your chances for success are higher if your thesis is in response to the assignment and if it makes an argument of semi-related ideas
• The thesis statement needs to be focused, contestable and precise. It is supposed to predict blocks of information or sub-theses that you can use for purposes of proving your argument
• Ensure you keep the paper at the fore of your mind always. As the paper evolves, change the thesis statement since you do not want to have a thesis that promises more than what the paper actually delivers.

At the start, the thesis statement is a tool that helps you in sharpening your focus, limiting material ad establishing the purpose of the paper. However, once your paper is complete, it becomes a reliable tool for your readers. This is attributed to the fact it tells them what you have learned regarding the topic as well as the evidence leading to your conclusion.

In addition to this, it keeps the reader right on track by making it possible for them to understand and appreciate the argument you make. It is also important to remember your thesis statement will be a reflection of the type of paper you are working on. Basically, there are three types of papers which include argumentative, analytical and expository. The kind of thesis statement you come up with will differ in accordance to which of these three types of papers you are working on.

The very first paragraph serves as some form of funnel opening to writing and it invites readers into a discussion. Often, this is focused on thesis statement before the actual work of writing the essay commences. There are readers who delay articulation of the focus of the paper, the thesis to the end. This can be achieved, if the readers are thoughtful and understand what the paper is about.

Always make sure you do not announce the thesis statement as if it were one. This means avoiding use of phrases like “The aim of this paper is….” or “In this paper, I will try…” It is such phrases that make your work appear to be that written by an amateur. Always make sure your thesis statement does not have this bald assertion.

Now that you know what is a thesis statement and how you can write one;

We hope that drafting up a good thesis will not be a problem because you now know  what is a thesis statement from the above guidelines on writing a thesis statement.

Take a look at this essay on Top Priorities for the Government to Focus On, which has an example of a good statement.

However if you are finding it challenging to handle your dissertation regardless of the fact that you now know how to write good thesis, get in touch with us today for assistance. You can also visit our homepage for more information about our custom writing services. Alternatively you can continue reading more essay writing guidelines and samples on our blog.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis_statement

https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/thesis_complete.html

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/thesis.htm