how do you write a tentative thesis statement

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Essentials of How To Write a Tentative Thesis in 2023

Do you know that you can write your tentative thesis without stress? Here are expert directions on how you can achieve this task effortlessly.

You will need more than a tentative thesis definition, some words on a paper, and a few hours to have a quality document. Creating a substantial piece requires time, planning, dedication, and above-average writing skills.

For an excellent paper, apt students will google, ‘write my tentative thesis’ to find professional help. You must be one of those desiring top-grades, and that is why you are here. We will provide you with all information you need to know on how to create a tentative thesis that will earn you an A+.

What is a Tentative Thesis?

The statement forms the subject matter’s backbone as contained within a paper by stating something significant and relevant to the reader. The tentative thesis statement summarizes the paper’s main points and says the essay’s necessity to the readers.

The tentative claim is paramount to the essay, and without it, the paper will appear uncontrolled and inadequate. It’s like a plane that is about to land on a runway without lights and a radar. The pilot will only circumnavigate around the airport without landing on the ground.

Now that you can define tentative thesis let us proceed to the basics.

How To Write a Tentative Thesis: Outline

A tentative thesis outline will determine how much time you will invest in your paper. In other words, it will help you develop the topic, reflect on it, and write the Thesis. Since a tentative thesis states your standpoint regarding the subject, it should be clear and to the point.

Let’s look at some of the steps that you will take:

• Select your topic

The key to cracking a tentative thesis statement is evident in the topic from the onset. A good topic should be relevant, practical, and one that contributes to solving a problem. Such a task is not easy, and thus you should be ready for an in-depth, mind-intriguing process.

• Brainstorming on the topic

Once you have your topic set, it is now time to disintegrate it. This will prompt you into a process of brainstorming to develop ideas for your tentative Thesis. You will put on the table various ideas that come to our mind either silently or through reading other sources.

• Developing the tentative thesis statement

It is important to note that the tentative claim is in the introduction of your paper. Since it is a single statement found at the end of the intro, you have to be strategic and approach it precisely.

Parts of a Tentative Thesis

As short as it may seem, a tentative thesis has three crucial parts that you cannot avoid at any cost. Therefore, you will have to be coherent and logical in your approach to this section. Let us look at each of these critical sections in brief:

• Tentative Thesis Introduction

In the intro, you will give the reader a feel of the topic by summarizing the arguments you intend to bring in the body. To achieve this, you should use clear and spot-on statements to hook the reader to your paper.

The first statement that meets the eye of the reader should interest and captivate him/her. It should arouse a sense of curiosity in the reader that makes him want to read your essay more. You should also include background information to put the topic into context.

All these three culminate in the thesis statement, which is the last statement of the introduction paragraph.

• Tentative Thesis Body

It contains statements in support of your claim, and they form the bulk of your paper. These statements should comprise of evidence and facts in support of your stance. The tentative thesis body will fortify your claims and make them viable.

The structure of the body paragraphs is this: topic sentence, explanation, and supporting statements. At the end of each section, there should be a transition sentence that ushers in the next paragraph.

• Tentative Thesis Conclusion

In this section, you will find a summary of the key arguments and claims made in the body. The reader will have a chance to re-visit the discussions in the body in a concise way. You remind him/her of the thesis statement and the conclusions made from it.

While restating the thesis statement, do not merely repeat what you wrote in the introduction, word for word. Instead, summarize it differently while still maintain the original idea. Remember also to include your recommendations, opinion, or final thoughts on the discussion.

An impressive tentative thesis conclusion leaves a strong impression on the reader.

Writing Tips For A Top-Notch Tentative Thesis

• It should be specific and clear – to make it easy to understand
• The tentative thesis statement should be in the introduction (the last sentence)
• It should communicate a single thought or idea rather than a myriad of pictures here and there.
• Write it from scratch. A fresh and original thesis statement will attract top grades rather than a plagiarized one.
• Write it concisely and coherently. It will keep your readers hooked.

Tentative Thesis Statement Samples

Sample 1: “The continued ignorance of people towards the coronavirus prevention guidelines is wanting. This ignorance will likely lead to a second wave of infections.” Sample 2: “Global pandemics threaten the stability of the world in different areas. There are political, social, and cultural implications.”

Tentative Thesis Writing From Profs

As a college or university student, knowing how to write a tentative thesis is crucial because it constitutes the bulk of assignments. From the discussions above, you can note that structure of a tentative thesis is vital.

Disregarding any section may cause your paper to be rejected. Since it forms the first part of your essay, ensure that it is appealing and captivating.

But don’t worry – thesisgeek.com is here to assist you with that! You can use this professional thesis writing service to help you with the topics, structure, and format of a tentative thesis. It will also enable you to have a different understanding of the subject.

Get your thesis paper written by an expert now!

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Tentative Thesis Statement

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In the early stages of research, writers often form tentative thesis statements to guide their exploration and inquiry. These statements, while not set in stone, provide a provisional stance on a topic, helping researchers to focus their reading and data collection. This guide delves into the intricacies of crafting, refining, and understanding the significance of tentative thesis statements , accompanied by illustrative examples and tips for effective formulation. Let’s embark on this enlightening journey.

What is a Tentative Thesis Statement?

A tentative thesis statement, also known as a working thesis, is an initial statement regarding the topic of your research or essay, indicating your perspective and direction, but remaining open to modification as you gather more evidence or shift your focus during the writing process. It provides a preliminary stand on an issue, offering direction for both research and writing, but is open to adjustments based on the information you uncover.Y ou may also be interested to browse through our other hypothesis statement and Strong thesis statement .

What is an example of a Tentative thesis statement?

“While many believe that space exploration is a wasteful expenditure, preliminary research suggests that the technological advancements and potential economic benefits derived from space missions may significantly outweigh the costs. However, further investigation into specific missions and their direct impacts is necessary.”

100 Tentative Thesis Statement Examples

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Crafting a tentative thesis statement can be a challenge, especially when you’re just starting with a topic. These preliminary statements offer a guiding light, showcasing the direction your paper might take. However, remember that as you delve deeper into your research, your thesis may change based on the evidence you uncover. Here are 100 examples to inspire your own writing:

• Although preliminary research suggests vegan diets can lead to health benefits, further studies are necessary to determine long-term impacts.
• While some argue online learning is less effective than traditional classroom settings, initial findings indicate its potential in certain educational contexts.
• Early studies hint at the possibility that urban green spaces can significantly affect mental well-being, but comprehensive research is still needed.
• Renewable energy, based on initial research, seems to be a viable replacement for fossil fuels, though the feasibility of widespread adoption remains in question.
• The tentative link between screen time and decreased attention spans in children warrants more in-depth study.
• Preliminary studies suggest a correlation between meditation practices and reduced stress levels, but causation hasn’t been firmly established.
• While many assume that organic foods are nutritionally superior, early research presents mixed results, necessitating further examination.
• Initial findings indicate that corporate social responsibility initiatives might enhance brand loyalty, though concrete evidence is scant.
• The notion that increasing minimum wage always results in reduced employment opportunities is debated, and more comprehensive data is required.
• While many believe artificial intelligence will revolutionize industries, its potential negative impacts on the job market are still under study.
• Preliminary data on intermittent fasting indicates potential health benefits, but long-term effects are yet to be confirmed.
• Early research on gut health hints at its significant role in overall well-being, though more data is required to make definitive conclusions.
• The potential relationship between a country’s cultural values and its economic growth rate is still under examination.
• While some evidence suggests that certain video games can enhance cognitive function, a comprehensive study on various genres is still needed.
• The initial connection between urban planning and crime rates is compelling, but more nuanced studies are necessary.
• Although many point to globalization as a primary driver for economic disparity, its exact role is still being studied.
• Preliminary findings suggest that flexible work hours can boost employee productivity, but the potential drawbacks need exploration.
• While there’s some indication that regular physical activity can delay cognitive decline in the elderly, more specific research is necessary.
• The theory that early music education enhances mathematical skills in children is intriguing, though not universally accepted.
• Initial insights into the microplastics problem hint at its widespread impact on marine ecosystems, but quantifiable data is sparse.
• While some early research suggests that the gig economy offers freedom for workers, further inquiry into job security and benefits is warranted.
• Preliminary studies into augmented reality’s applications in education show promise, but a deeper dive into its practicalities and long-term implications is necessary.
• The tentative assertion that bilingualism delays the onset of Alzheimer’s requires more comprehensive data for validation.
• Initial indications point to telemedicine as a potential solution for healthcare disparities in rural areas, yet its effectiveness remains under examination.
• While there’s preliminary evidence suggesting that mindfulness practices can improve academic performances, more in-depth studies are needed for a definitive stance.
• The early hypothesis that diets high in antioxidants can slow aging processes is yet to be conclusively proven.
• Some initial studies hint that corporate diversity leads to higher innovation, but the specific dynamics remain unclear.
• While there’s emerging evidence that urban farming can significantly reduce food insecurity, its scalability and feasibility need further exploration.
• Preliminary research suggests potential benefits of a four-day workweek, but its impact on overall business productivity remains under study.
• The tentative belief that childhood exposure to multiple languages enhances creativity in adulthood needs more empirical evidence.
• Although early studies show a correlation between green tea consumption and reduced cancer risk, this relationship requires deeper examination.
• The initial hypothesis that social media usage intensifies feelings of loneliness and isolation, especially among teenagers, is a topic of ongoing research.
• While preliminary data indicates potential economic benefits of universal basic income, its broader socio-economic implications remain in the realm of speculation.
• There’s a tentative assertion that the modern open office layout fosters collaboration, but its impact on individual productivity and well-being is still debated.
• Early indications that community involvement programs in schools can reduce youth crime rates are promising, but further validation is essential.
• Initial research into the benefits of pets in elderly care settings suggests improvements in emotional well-being, but more comprehensive studies are required.
• While there’s some early evidence linking forest bathing practices with improved mental health, its long-term benefits and mechanisms are still under study.
• The preliminary idea that cryptocurrency could replace traditional banking systems in the next decade is a topic of intense debate and research.
• There’s a tentative belief that immersive educational technologies can significantly improve learning outcomes for students with learning disabilities.
• Early studies on the impact of climate change on migratory patterns of birds hint at significant disruptions, necessitating further research
• The preliminary assertion that virtual reality can help treat certain phobias is intriguing, yet conclusive evidence is still pending.
• Initial findings suggest that meditation might enhance focus and productivity in workplaces, but a broader spectrum of research is needed for validation.
• Tentative studies propose that urban green spaces could significantly improve residents’ mental health, but the extent of these benefits remains uncertain.
• There’s an emerging perspective that diets rich in fermented foods may improve gut health, though comprehensive studies are still underway.
• The initial idea that digital detox weekends can enhance mental clarity and reduce anxiety is currently being explored further.
• Preliminary research pointing to the therapeutic effects of music on Alzheimer’s patients requires more extensive clinical trials.
• While there’s an initial buzz about the potential of electric cars reducing city pollution levels, the overall environmental impact, including production, needs in-depth analysis.
• The tentative theory that microdosing psychedelics enhances creativity and problem-solving abilities in individuals is under rigorous investigation.
• Early studies suggesting a correlation between screen time and sleep disturbances in teenagers necessitate more nuanced research.
• The provisional hypothesis that urban rooftop gardens can counteract the heat island effect in cities is being evaluated.
• Initial findings hint at the possibility that consuming dark chocolate in moderation can boost cognitive functions; however, the exact mechanisms are still being probed.
• The emerging idea that regular nature walks can substantially reduce symptoms of depression is undergoing more rigorous research validation.
• Tentative observations suggest that gamification in education might enhance student engagement and retention, but its long-term effects are yet to be seen.
• Preliminary reports indicating a potential link between processed meats and certain cancers demand more detailed analysis.
• The hypothesis that community-driven renewable energy projects can substantially reduce carbon footprints is under detailed scrutiny.
• Early data suggesting that intergenerational interactions can combat loneliness in the elderly are promising, but wider-scale studies are essential.
• The idea that sustainable fashion practices might reshape the fashion industry’s environmental impact in the next decade is under review.
• Initial studies on the potential of ocean wave energy as a consistent renewable energy source are optimistic, but technical challenges are still being addressed.
• There’s a tentative belief that AI-driven personalized learning can revolutionize education, but its broader implications are still under exploration.
• Early research pointing to the benefits of intermittent fasting on metabolic health requires more long-term human trials for validation
• The initial proposition that urban beekeeping could reverse the decline in bee populations is currently under review.
• Tentative studies indicate that telemedicine might significantly reduce healthcare costs for rural areas, but implementation challenges remain.
• There’s a growing inclination to believe that pet therapy can benefit patients with chronic illnesses, but definitive clinical trials are needed.
• The preliminary idea that e-learning platforms might eventually replace traditional classrooms has gained traction, though long-term outcomes remain uncertain.
• The hypothesis suggesting that incorporating art therapy in schools can enhance emotional intelligence in students is still under rigorous testing.
• Early data hinting at vertical farming’s potential to address urban food deserts is promising, yet economic feasibility is still being assessed.
• The emerging belief that community-based tourism might be more sustainable than mass tourism is undergoing further investigation.
• Initial studies proposing that listening to binaural beats can improve focus and concentration during tasks demand more in-depth research.
• The tentative theory that blue light exposure from screens might be significantly affecting circadian rhythms is under more comprehensive review.
• Preliminary findings suggest that mindfulness techniques might reduce burnout in healthcare professionals, though larger trials are needed.
• The proposition that blending online and offline shopping experiences can revolutionize retail is currently being evaluated.
• The idea that augmented reality might become the primary mode of digital interaction in the next decade is being critically assessed.
• Early studies on the potential of algae as a biofuel source show promise, but scalability remains a challenge.
• There’s a tentative stance that urban tree planting campaigns could substantially improve air quality, but metrics for quantification are being developed.
• The initial hypothesis suggesting that decentralized work models might become the norm post-pandemic is under analysis.
• Studies hint at the possibility of 3D printed food revolutionizing the culinary world, but the practical and nutritional implications remain uncertain.
• The provisional stance that probiotic supplements can improve mental well-being is undergoing more rigorous scientific validation.
• The emerging perspective that the gig economy might reshape employment norms in the coming years is being debated.
• Initial claims suggesting that digital currencies might replace traditional banking systems are under scrutiny, especially in terms of security and scalability.
• Preliminary evidence that collaborative robot technologies can improve manufacturing efficiency is encouraging, but the full spectrum of implications is still being explored
• There’s an initial belief that blockchain technology might revolutionize supply chain management, though its full implications remain to be explored.
• The tentative idea that virtual reality (VR) could become a primary mode of education has gained some attention, but its effectiveness in the long run is still uncertain.
• Early studies suggest that urban green spaces could have significant mental health benefits, yet quantifiable data is still being collected.
• The proposal that vertical forests in metropolitan areas can combat air pollution is being critically reviewed in light of practical challenges.
• Preliminary investigations indicate that autonomous vehicles might drastically reduce traffic accidents, though safety protocols and regulations are still in development.
• The notion that advances in biotechnology might lead to personalized medicine tailored to individual genetics is currently under evaluation.
• Tentative hypotheses suggest that nanotechnology could play a pivotal role in environmental cleanup, especially for oil spills, but field trials are still ongoing.
• The initial stance that chatbots and AI might replace a significant portion of customer service roles is being weighed against their current limitations.
• The provisional theory that wearable tech, like smartwatches, could aid in early disease detection is gaining traction but requires more rigorous testing.
• The emerging perspective that urban aquaponics might address food security concerns in densely populated areas is being considered.
• Preliminary data suggests that the integration of AI in journalism might transform news production, but ethical considerations are still being debated.
• The notion that renewable energy storage solutions, particularly batteries, might revolutionize the energy sector is under detailed analysis.
• Early insights hint that gamification techniques could enhance corporate training effectiveness, but scalable models are yet to be developed.
• The tentative belief that quantum computing might render current encryption methods obsolete is driving new research in cybersecurity.
• The idea that merging traditional farming with tech innovations can boost crop yields is being critically assessed for long-term sustainability.
• The proposition that holographic technology might reshape live entertainment and events is being explored, especially in the wake of pandemic-induced restrictions.
• Initial studies suggesting that exoskeletons can revolutionize physical rehabilitation for patients are promising, but more patient trials are essential.
• The concept that integrating drones into urban transport systems can alleviate traffic congestion is gaining attention, though regulatory challenges persist.
• Preliminary research posits that microplastics in oceans might have more profound ecosystem impacts than previously believed, driving more extensive studies.
• The tentative stance that merging AI with traditional art forms can birth a new artistic movement is captivating the art world, awaiting more tangible outcomes.

Tentative thesis statements serve as the starting blocks for in-depth research, fostering curiosity and prompting the academic community to seek clarity. Their potential to pivot existing understanding or usher in new paradigms underscores their significance in scholarly pursuits. You may also be interested in our  final thesis statement .

How to Write a Tentative Thesis Statement: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Understand Your Assignment : Before you begin, it’s vital to thoroughly understand the requirements of your assignment. Are you supposed to analyze, compare, discuss, or argue? The nature of the assignment will guide your tentative thesis.
• Choose a Topic : Decide on a topic that interests you and is relevant to your assignment. A tentative thesis is more effective when you’re genuinely curious about the subject.
• Conduct Preliminary Research : Before settling on a tentative thesis, gather some basic information about your topic to understand its complexities and primary issues.
• Ask a Question : Formulate a question about your topic. This helps in focusing your research and forms the basis of your tentative thesis. For instance, if you’re writing about renewable energy, your question might be, “How effective are solar panels in reducing carbon footprints?”
• Draft a Statement : Answer the question you posed in a clear and concise statement. Using the above example, a tentative thesis could be, “Solar panels have the potential to significantly reduce carbon footprints.”
• Stay Flexible : Remember, it’s a tentative thesis. As you conduct further research, be prepared to adjust or even change your thesis to reflect more accurate or comprehensive findings.
• Avoid Being Too Broad or Too Narrow : Your statement should be specific enough to cover in detail but broad enough to find sufficient information. For instance, “Solar panels are good” is too broad, while “Solar panels in X town on Y street” might be too narrow.
• Seek Feedback : Discuss your tentative thesis with peers, instructors, or mentors. They might offer a fresh perspective or point out aspects you haven’t considered.
• Refine and Revise : As your research progresses, continually revisit and tweak your thesis. The more you learn, the better you can make your thesis.
• Finalize : Once your research supports your tentative thesis or provides a more precise direction, solidify your thesis statement. It should now be clear, concise, and supported by the evidence you’ve gathered.

A tentative thesis acts as a compass for your research, providing direction and focus. However, it’s essential to approach it with an open mind. As new information comes to light, your thesis may evolve, leading to a more enriched and accurate conclusion. In addition, you should review our  thesis statement for research paper .

Tips for Writing a Tentative Thesis Statement

• Start Broad, Then Narrow Down : Begin with a general topic or idea and then narrow it down based on your research findings and assignment requirements.
• Stay Open-Minded : A tentative thesis is just that – tentative. Be willing to adjust, refine, or even entirely change your thesis as you delve deeper into your research.
• Keep It Clear and Concise : Even though it’s a preliminary statement, clarity is crucial. Avoid jargon and ensure that your statement can be understood by someone not familiar with the topic.
• Avoid Absolutes : Words like “always,” “never,” and “all” can be tricky in a tentative thesis. Since you’re still in the research phase, it’s wise to avoid making absolute claims.
• Make It Arguable : A good thesis statement is not a plain statement of fact. Instead, it should present a point that others might agree or disagree with.
• Ensure It’s Specific : While you don’t want to be too narrow, it’s essential that your thesis isn’t too broad either. It should provide a clear focus for your research.
• Seek Feedback Early : Sharing your tentative thesis with classmates, instructors, or mentors can provide valuable insights and may highlight areas for improvement.
• Write Multiple Versions : Don’t settle on the first thesis you draft. Write a few different versions and choose the one that best aligns with your research direction.
• Keep Revisiting : As you research, periodically come back to your thesis. Does it still align with what you’re finding? If not, adjust as necessary.
• Stay Organized : As you adapt your thesis, make sure to adjust your research notes and outline accordingly to maintain cohesion in your writing process.

Remember, a tentative thesis statement is a tool to help guide your research and writing process. It’s not set in stone. As you become more informed about your topic, allowing your thesis to evolve will lead to a more robust and accurate final paper.  You should also take a look at our  case study thesis statement .

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

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What is a Tentative Thesis and How to Write One? A Step-by-Step Guide

A college or university thesis is considered the best achievement for students because of their hard work. In short, the thesis is the highest point after several years of study in the field of business, history, or literature.

Your tentative thesis can be the basis of your career as a researcher. Hence, it should show the depth of your knowledge of the field. It is important to understand what a tentative thesis is and what steps are involved in writing a perfect thesis.

This article will guide you on what a tentative thesis is, its examples, and how to write one. If you are not sure about your writing or research skills or are short on time, acquire  thesis writing services online  and get help for your paper from a professional.

If you are sure about your skills and that your studies, health, and social life will not be compromised while writing this thesis, continue reading the guide to get good advice.

What Is a Tentative Thesis?

A tentative thesis is a lengthy paper that involves a person’s research paper written for a university degree, as Oxford Languages states. It is called a tentative thesis because the initial thesis statement is always unsure and may change upon further study. The idea of developing a tentative thesis statement is to make the process easy and start writing the thesis instead of getting stuck on the first step.

How to Write a Tentative Thesis?

Research is the best tool for gathering information that will help you understand the topic. It is the most important part of thesis writing, as it allows you to develop an in-depth understanding of the subject and be certain that you are well-informed.

1. Research the Topic Thoroughly

To solve problems or gain more knowledge, a systematic and planned study/investigation of a subject or topic is research. Research can help you gather the information that will help you understand the topic. Develop an in-depth understanding of the subject, and be certain that your decisions are well-informed.

The resources for your research have to be credible, peer-reviewed articles, government agencies, and professional organisations. The credibility of the sources can be checked by, implementing a CRAAP method. CRAAP represents

Here are the credible sources that will be helpful in your research process:

• Congress Library
• Google Scholar
• Google Books
• Commons Network
• Research gate

According to the topic, select a related research method, such as mixed methods, qualitative research, quantitative research, or questionnaire.

2. Construct a Detailed Plan/Structure for the Writing

Once you're done with the research, it's time to move to the planning and structuring part. While planning your dissertation, ensure that you fulfil the important requirements. Manage your time well and be mentally prepared for obstacles. It is also better to document the process, such as databases, search queries, and sources.

After planning your thesis, move to the structure of the thesis. The structure of your thesis generally remains the same and includes these sections: 

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methods
• Findings/Results
• Discussions
• Citation List

Planning and structuring your content well will give direction to your writing and make you more focused on the paper.

3. Formulate a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a line or two that conveys the central idea of the dissertation. The essential thing to start writing your thesis is a perfect thesis statement. A thesis statement has to focus on the main idea of the text. It's important to convey the central idea in a few sentences because the reader can understand easily and it remains on their mind.

As we know, writing a thesis statement can be a tiring task. You can make it super easy by dividing it into chunks.

• State the topic sentence to show the basic idea. "  The world war was fought over Hitler's invasion. "
• Use transition words to build a connection between the topic and details. " Adolf Hitler's invasion was the main cause of World War II. "
• Conclude with a statement that summarises the central ideas of a text. " Adolf Hitlers invasion was the major reason for World War II, Hitler was defeated by the world "

4. Decide and Write Body Text and Arguments

The body text helps you to prove your research question. If the topic is simple, you don’t need a lot of text, but if the topic is complex, you might need a lot of text. Plus, building the arguments logically is important. Examiners don’t like their concentration to be broken.

It has to be an argument, and its evidence must be presented perfectly so a reader doesn’t need to stop and read the text or reread it. The reader should read the text in a flow. It will turn out to be ugly if your marker has to stop and try to understand the argument if it’s logical and makes any sense. Keep the argument and evidence sustainable to ensure the flow of the thesis from introduction to conclusion.

5. Provide the References and Bibliography

Both the reference list and bibliography provide a list of sources cited in the text throughout. However, what bibliography includes are the sources or data you consulted during the project and decided not to cite.

To build the credibility of your academic writing, it’s important to provide a reference list or bibliography as required by the institute. It is required so the marker can easily check your reference and validate the information. There are different types of referencing styles available. Including

You need to collect all the information about the sources that will be used in referencing, like the author, publication date, book name, and publisher information. For journals, you need to include the journal title, volume, issue, and page number. Overall, different information from different types of sources is required.

6. Proofread and Submit Your Thesis

To ensure the technical accuracy of a text, you need to proofread the text for any technical or grammatical errors. After you have completed all of your content editing, you can move to the proofreading stage.

First, proofread the thesis for technical requirements, such as sections, structure, and word count allocated to the task. Then again, proofread the text for information provided, grammatical errors, and referencing.

It is important because you’re working on an academic writing task and these types of mistakes have no place in academic writing.

7. Prepare Oral Presentation

After you’ve completed and submitted your tentative thesis, it is time to start preparations for the oral defence presentation. This step is as important as researching the information or writing the thesis. Once the thesis is submitted, you should start preparing the defence presentation.

In your defence presentation, you can be asked questions outside the thesis, so it is a better idea to prepare yourself for that also. Identify the purpose and goals of the thesis, know your audience’s information, arrange the materials and compose the presentation. Preparing for the presentation is also a very tiring task if you don’t want to stress yourself so much, hand over your thesis to a  professional thesis writer ,  who can write a perfect paper in a short time.

The most important preparation for the thesis presentation is to practice your presentation with some class fellows or thesis advisors. After all, it's not all about the information; it's about how you present that information.

Tentative Thesis Example

We have provided an example of a tentative thesis from Kathmandu University for your reference. This can provide you with a better idea of what a great thesis seems like and how you can write one as well.

How Long Should a Tentative Thesis Be?

The word limit of the tentative thesis depends on the institute-provided word limit. It varies from institute to institute and course to course. The general word count for:

• Undergraduate thesis is typically 8,000-15,000 words.
• Master’s thesis is 12,000-50,000 words.
• PhD thesis is book-length, typically 70,000-100,000 words.

Why Is a Tentative Thesis Important?

To get the degree from your university, it's important to write a well-researched tentative thesis. These are the common benefits of writing a thesis.

• Adds information to the knowledge base.
• Increase discipline.
• It helps academics to make informed decisions.
• Through the thesis, information was recorded and can be held for the future.

To conclude the guide, a tentative thesis is not very different from a simple thesis. In a tentative thesis, you just need to keep the thesis statement a bit uncertain, which can be changed as the research and writing process goes on. We have also answered the common questions about thesis writing, like why it is important and what the length of your thesis should be. An example is provided for your ease. 

In this article, we have guided you through seven steps on how to write a tentative thesis. If you have any sort of difficulty writing your thesis, you can feel at ease, as you can get the  thesis writing help online  from an expert who can handle your thesis writing worries very well.

Developing a Thesis Statement

Many papers you write require developing a thesis statement. In this section you’ll learn what a thesis statement is and how to write one.

Keep in mind that not all papers require thesis statements . If in doubt, please consult your instructor for assistance.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement . . .

• Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic.
• Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper.
• Is focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper.
• Is generally located near the end of the introduction ; sometimes, in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or in an entire paragraph.
• Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.

Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one.

Identify a topic

Your topic is the subject about which you will write. Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic; or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper.

Consider what your assignment asks you to do

Inform yourself about your topic, focus on one aspect of your topic, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts, generate a topic from an assignment.

Below are some possible topics based on sample assignments.

Sample assignment 1

Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II.

Identified topic

Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis

This topic avoids generalities such as “Spain” and “World War II,” addressing instead on Franco’s role (a specific aspect of “Spain”) and the diplomatic relations between the Allies and Axis (a specific aspect of World War II).

Sample assignment 2

Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad.

The relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64.

This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad ( warfare being a major theme in that work).

Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information

Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic, or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper. You’ll want to read your assignment carefully, looking for key terms that you can use to focus your topic.

Sample assignment: Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II Key terms: analyze, Spain’s neutrality, World War II

After you’ve identified the key words in your topic, the next step is to read about them in several sources, or generate as much information as possible through an analysis of your topic. Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument. For the sample assignment above, you’ll want to look at books and articles on World War II in general, and Spain’s neutrality in particular.

As you consider your options, you must decide to focus on one aspect of your topic. This means that you cannot include everything you’ve learned about your topic, nor should you go off in several directions. If you end up covering too many different aspects of a topic, your paper will sprawl and be unconvincing in its argument, and it most likely will not fulfull the assignment requirements.

For the sample assignment above, both Spain’s neutrality and World War II are topics far too broad to explore in a paper. You may instead decide to focus on Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis , which narrows down what aspects of Spain’s neutrality and World War II you want to discuss, as well as establishes a specific link between those two aspects.

Before you go too far, however, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts. Try to avoid topics that already have too much written about them (i.e., “eating disorders and body image among adolescent women”) or that simply are not important (i.e. “why I like ice cream”). These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times . Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Derive a main point from topic

Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be. This point, the “controlling idea,” becomes the core of your argument (thesis statement) and it is the unifying idea to which you will relate all your sub-theses. You can then turn this “controlling idea” into a purpose statement about what you intend to do in your paper.

Look for patterns in your evidence

Compose a purpose statement.

Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement.

• Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis
• Franco turned to the Allies when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from the Axis

Possible conclusion:

Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: Franco’s desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power.

Purpose statement

This paper will analyze Franco’s diplomacy during World War II to see how it contributed to Spain’s neutrality.

• The simile compares Simoisius to a tree, which is a peaceful, natural image.
• The tree in the simile is chopped down to make wheels for a chariot, which is an object used in warfare.

At first, the simile seems to take the reader away from the world of warfare, but we end up back in that world by the end.

This paper will analyze the way the simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64 moves in and out of the world of warfare.

Derive purpose statement from topic

To find out what your “controlling idea” is, you have to examine and evaluate your evidence . As you consider your evidence, you may notice patterns emerging, data repeated in more than one source, or facts that favor one view more than another. These patterns or data may then lead you to some conclusions about your topic and suggest that you can successfully argue for one idea better than another.

For instance, you might find out that Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis, but when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from them, he turned to the Allies. As you read more about Franco’s decisions, you may conclude that Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: his desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power. Based on this conclusion, you can then write a trial thesis statement to help you decide what material belongs in your paper.

Sometimes you won’t be able to find a focus or identify your “spin” or specific argument immediately. Like some writers, you might begin with a purpose statement just to get yourself going. A purpose statement is one or more sentences that announce your topic and indicate the structure of the paper but do not state the conclusions you have drawn . Thus, you might begin with something like this:

• This paper will look at modern language to see if it reflects male dominance or female oppression.
• I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority.

At some point, you can turn a purpose statement into a thesis statement. As you think and write about your topic, you can restrict, clarify, and refine your argument, crafting your thesis statement to reflect your thinking.

As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

Compose a draft thesis statement

If you are writing a paper that will have an argumentative thesis and are having trouble getting started, the techniques in the table below may help you develop a temporary or “working” thesis statement.

Begin with a purpose statement that you will later turn into a thesis statement.

Assignment: Discuss the history of the Reform Party and explain its influence on the 1990 presidential and Congressional election.

Purpose Statement: This paper briefly sketches the history of the grassroots, conservative, Perot-led Reform Party and analyzes how it influenced the economic and social ideologies of the two mainstream parties.

Question-to-Assertion

If your assignment asks a specific question(s), turn the question(s) into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or reasons for your opinion.

Assignment : What do Aylmer and Rappaccini have to be proud of? Why aren’t they satisfied with these things? How does pride, as demonstrated in “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” lead to unexpected problems?

Beginning thesis statement: Alymer and Rappaccinni are proud of their great knowledge; however, they are also very greedy and are driven to use their knowledge to alter some aspect of nature as a test of their ability. Evil results when they try to “play God.”

Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write.

Main idea: The reason some toys succeed in the market is that they appeal to the consumers’ sense of the ridiculous and their basic desire to laugh at themselves.

Make a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.

• nature = peaceful
• war matériel = violent (competes with 1?)
• need for time and space to mourn the dead
• war is inescapable (competes with 3?)

Use a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).

• although most readers of _______ have argued that _______, closer examination shows that _______.
• _______ uses _______ and _____ to prove that ________.
• phenomenon x is a result of the combination of __________, __________, and _________.

What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement

Beginning statements obtained through the methods illustrated above can serve as a framework for planning or drafting your paper, but remember they’re not yet the specific, argumentative thesis you want for the final version of your paper. In fact, in its first stages, a thesis statement usually is ill-formed or rough and serves only as a planning tool.

As you write, you may discover evidence that does not fit your temporary or “working” thesis. Or you may reach deeper insights about your topic as you do more research, and you will find that your thesis statement has to be more complicated to match the evidence that you want to use.

You must be willing to reject or omit some evidence in order to keep your paper cohesive and your reader focused. Or you may have to revise your thesis to match the evidence and insights that you want to discuss. Read your draft carefully, noting the conclusions you have drawn and the major ideas which support or prove those conclusions. These will be the elements of your final thesis statement.

Sometimes you will not be able to identify these elements in your early drafts, but as you consider how your argument is developing and how your evidence supports your main idea, ask yourself, “ What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? ” and “ How will I convince the reader that this is true? ” When you can answer these questions, then you can begin to refine the thesis statement.

Refine and polish the thesis statement

To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.

• Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
• Question each part of your draft thesis
• Clarify vague phrases and assertions
• Investigate alternatives to your draft thesis

Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement.

Sample Assignment

Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your essay should cause the reader to think critically about the society which produces and enjoys that activity.

• Ask The phenomenon of drive-in facilities is an interesting symbol of american culture, and these facilities demonstrate significant characteristics of our society.This statement does not fulfill the assignment because it does not require the reader to think critically about society.

Drive-ins are an interesting symbol of American culture because they represent Americans’ significant creativity and business ingenuity.

Among the types of drive-in facilities familiar during the twentieth century, drive-in movie theaters best represent American creativity, not merely because they were the forerunner of later drive-ins and drive-throughs, but because of their impact on our culture: they changed our relationship to the automobile, changed the way people experienced movies, and changed movie-going into a family activity.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast-food establishments, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize America’s economic ingenuity, they also have affected our personal standards.

While drive-in facilities such as those at fast- food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize (1) Americans’ business ingenuity, they also have contributed (2) to an increasing homogenization of our culture, (3) a willingness to depersonalize relationships with others, and (4) a tendency to sacrifice quality for convenience.

This statement is now specific and fulfills all parts of the assignment. This version, like any good thesis, is not self-evident; its points, 1-4, will have to be proven with evidence in the body of the paper. The numbers in this statement indicate the order in which the points will be presented. Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.

Complete the final thesis statement

The bottom line.

As you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:

• Context matters! Think about your course materials and lectures. Try to relate your thesis to the ideas your instructor is discussing.
• As you go through the process described in this section, always keep your assignment in mind . You will be more successful when your thesis (and paper) responds to the assignment than if it argues a semi-related idea.
• Your thesis statement should be precise, focused, and contestable ; it should predict the sub-theses or blocks of information that you will use to prove your argument.
• Make sure that you keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Change your thesis as your paper evolves, because you do not want your thesis to promise more than your paper actually delivers.

In the beginning, the thesis statement was a tool to help you sharpen your focus, limit material and establish the paper’s purpose. When your paper is finished, however, the thesis statement becomes a tool for your reader. It tells the reader what you have learned about your topic and what evidence led you to your conclusion. It keeps the reader on track–well able to understand and appreciate your argument.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• Effective Thesis Statements

What is a Thesis Statement?

• A thesis statement tells a reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. Such a statement is also called an “argument,” a “main idea,” or a “controlling idea.”
• A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should “telegraph” how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay
• A standard place for your thesis is at the end of the introductory paragraph.
• A thesis is an interpretation of a subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel that others might dispute.
• A strong thesis not only grabs the interest of your reader, who now wants to see you support your unique interpretation, it also provides a focus for your argument, one to which every part of your paper refers in the development of your position.
• A thesis keeps the writer centered on the matter at hand and reduces the risk of intellectual wandering. Likewise, a thesis provides the reader with a “road map,” clearly laying out the intellectual route ahead.
• A thesis statement avoids the first person (“I believe,” “In my opinion”).

A simple equation for what a thesis might look like this:

What you plan to argue + How you plan to argue it = Thesis Specific Topic+ Attitude/Angle/Argument=Thesis

Steps To Write Effective Thesis Statement

• Choose a prompt or, if appropriate, select a topic: television violence and children
• What are the effects of television violence on children?
• Violence on television increases aggressive behavior in children.
• Avoid general phrasing and/or sweeping words such as “all” or “none” or “every”.
• Lead the reader toward the topic sentences (the subtopics needed to prove the thesis).
• While poor parenting and easy access to weapons may act as contributory factors, in fact when children are exposed to television violence they become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, are more fearful of the world around them, and are more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways toward others.

The Components of an Effective Thesis Statement

• You can’t just pluck a thesis out of thin air. Even if you have a terrific insight concerning a topic, it won’t be worth much unless you can logically and persuasively support it in the body of your essay. A thesis is the evolutionary result of a thinking process, not a miraculous creation. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment .
• Substantial – Your thesis should be a claim for which it is easy to answer every reader’s question: “So what?”
• Supportable – A thesis must be a claim that you can prove with the evidence at hand (e.g., evidence from your texts or from your research). Your claim should not be outlandish, nor should it be mere personal opinion or preference (e.g., “Frederick Douglass is my favorite historical figure.”) It tackles a subject that could be adequately covered in the format of the project assigned.
• Precise – It is focused and specific. A strong thesis proves a point without discussing everything. It clearly asserts your own conclusion based on evidence. Note: Be flexible. It is perfectly okay to change your thesis!
• Arguable – It should be contestable, proposing an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree.
• Relevant – If you are responding to an assignment, the thesis should answer the question your teacher has posed. In order to stay focused, pay attention to the task words in the assignment: summarize, argue, compare/contrast, etc.
• Aware of Counters – It anticipates and refutes the counter-arguments.

The best thesis statement is a balance of specific details and concise language. Your goal is to articulate an argument in detail without burdening the reader with too much information.

Questions To Review Your Thesis

• “Do I answer the question?” This might seem obvious, but it’s worth asking. No matter how intriguing or dazzling, a thesis that doesn’t answer the question is not a good thesis!
• “Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose?” If not, then you probably do not have a strong argument. Theses that are too vague often have this problem. If your thesis contains vague words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what makes something “successful”?
• Would anyone possible care about this thesis? So What? Does your thesis present a position or an interpretation worth pursuing? If a reader’s first response is, “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• “Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering?” Just as a thesis that doesn’t answer the question ultimately fails, so does a thesis that isn’t properly supported with evidence and reasoning.
• Does my thesis statement adequately address the direction words of the prompt: summarize, argue, compare/contrast, analyze, discuss, etc.?

Myths about Thesis Statements

• Every paper requires one . Assignments that ask you to write personal responses or to explore a subject don’t want you to seem to pre-judge the issues. Essays of literary interpretation often want you to be aware of many effects rather than seeming to box yourself into one view of the text.
• A thesis statement must come at the end of the first paragraph . This is a natural position for a statement of focus, but it’s not the only one. Some theses can be stated in the opening sentences of an essay; others need a paragraph or two of introduction; others can’t be fully formulated until the end.
• A thesis statement must be one sentence in length , no matter how many clauses it contains. Clear writing is more important than rules like these. Use two or three sentences if you need them. A complex argument may require a whole tightly-knit paragraph to make its initial statement of position.
• You can’t start writing an essay until you have a perfect thesis statement . It may be advisable to draft a hypothesis or tentative thesis statement near the start of a big project, but changing and refining a thesis is a main task of thinking your way through your ideas as you write a paper. And some essay projects need to explore the question in depth without being locked in before they can provide even a tentative answer.
• A thesis statement must give three points of support . It should indicate that the essay will explain and give evidence for its assertion, but points don’t need to come in any specific number.

Progressively Complex Thesis Statements

• Effective Thesis Statements. Provided by : Writing Guide Wikispaces. Located at : https://writingguide.wikispaces.com/Effective+Thesis+Statements . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• How to Write a Definition Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• How to Write a Summary
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

• Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

• Introduction to Argument Essay
• Rogerian Argument
• "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
• "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
• How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
• Writing for Success: Argument
• Student Sample: Argument Essay
• Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
• Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
• Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
• Mini-lesson: Fragments I
• Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
• Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
• Mini-lesson: Parallelism
• Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
• Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
• Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
• De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
• Style Exercise: Voice

Introduction

Background on the Course

CO300 as a University Core Course

Short Description of the Course

Course Objectives

General Overview

Alternative Approaches and Assignments

(Possible) Differences between COCC150 and CO300

What CO300 Students Are Like

And You Thought...

Beginning with Critical Reading

Opportunities for Innovation

Portfolio Grading as an Option

Teaching in the computer classroom

Finally. . .

Classroom materials

Audience awareness and rhetorical contexts

Critical thinking and reading

Focusing and narrowing topics

Mid-course, group, and supplemental evaluations

More detailed explanation of Rogerian argument and Toulmin analysis

Policy statements and syllabi

Portfolio explanations, checklists, and postscripts

Presenting evidence and organizing arguments/counter-arguments

Research and documentation

Writing assignment sheets

Assignments for portfolio 1

Assignments for portfolio 2

Assignments for portfolio 3

Workshopping and workshop sheets

On workshopping generally

Workshop sheets for portfolio 1

Workshop sheets for portfolio 2

Workshop sheets for portfolio 3

Workshop sheets for general purposes

Sample materials grouped by instructor

Developing a Tentative Thesis

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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

• In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
• While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
• Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

Related Resources

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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Research Paper: A step-by-step guide: 3. Thesis Statement & Outline

• 1. Getting Started
• 2. Topic Ideas
• 3. Thesis Statement & Outline
• 4. Appropriate Sources
• 5. Search Techniques
• 6. Taking Notes & Documenting Sources
• 7. Evaluating Sources
• 8. Citations & Plagiarism
• 9. Writing Your Research Paper

About Thesis Statements

Qualities of a thesis statement.

Thesis statements:

• state the subject matter and main ideas of a paper.
• appear in the first paragraph and announces what you will discuss in your paper.
• define the scope and focus of your essay, and tells your reader what to expect.  
• are not a simple factual statement.  It is an assertion that states your claims and that you can prove with evidence.
• should be the product of research and your own critical thinking.
• can be very helpful in constructing an outline for your essay; for each point you make, ask yourself whether it is relevant to the thesis.

Steps you can use to create a thesis statement

1. Start out with the main topic and focus of your essay.

youth gangs + prevention and intervention programs

2. Make a claim or argument in one sentence.  It can be helpful to start with a question which you then turn into an argument

Can prevention and intervention programs stop youth gang activities?  How?  ►►►  "Prevention and intervention programs can stop youth gang activities by giving teens something else to do."

3. Revise the sentence by using specific terms.

"Early prevention programs in schools are the most effective way to prevent youth gang involvement by giving teens good activities that offer a path to success."

4. Further revise the sentence to cover the scope of your essay and make a strong statement.

"Among various prevention and intervention efforts that have been made to deal with the rapid growth of youth gangs, early school-based prevention programs are the most effective way to prevent youth gang involvement, which they do by giving teens meaningful activities that offer pathways to achievement and success."

5. Keep your thesis statement flexible and revise it as needed. In the process of researching and writing, you may find new information or refine your understanding of the topic.

You can view this short video for more tips on how to write a clear thesis statement.

An outline is the skeleton of your essay, in which you list the arguments and subtopics in a logical order. A good outline is an important element in writing a good paper. An outline helps to target your research areas, keep you within the scope without going off-track, and it can also help to keep your argument in good order when writing the essay.  Once your outline is in good shape, it is much easier to write your paper; you've already done most of the thinking, so you just need to fill in the outline with a paragraph for each point.

To write an outline: The most common way to write an outline is the list format.  List all the major topics and subtopics with the key points that support them. Put similar topics and points together and arrange them in a logical order.    Include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. 

A list outline should arrange the main points or arguments in a hierarchical structure indicated by Roman numerals for main ideas (I, II, III...), capital letters for subtopics (A, B, C...), Arabic numerals for details (1,2,3...), and lower-case letters for fine details if needed (a,b,c...). This helps keep things organized.  

Here is a shortened example of an outline:

Introduction: background and thesis statement

I. First topic

1. Supporting evidence 2. Supporting evidence

II. Second Topic

III. Third Topic

I. Summarize the main points of your paper II. Restate your thesis in different words III. Make a strong final statement

You can see examples of a few different kinds of outlines and get more help at the Purdue OWL .

• << Previous: 2. Topic Ideas
• Next: 4. Appropriate Sources >>
• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2023 12:12 PM
• URL: https://butte.libguides.com/ResearchPaper

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

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While writing academic essays or papers, you have to pay microscopic attention to your train of thought. Whether it’s a college essay or a research paper, a strong thesis statement can either make or break your document. But how to write a thesis statement that best represents your work? 

In this article, we’ll answer this and other questions related to a thesis statement for essays, papers, or longer documents. We will discuss all aspects of a thesis, its importance, and its types. We’ll also provide a few thesis statement examples so you understand how to write a strong thesis.

Before we begin, we should have clarity on one question: What is a thesis statement?

What is a thesis statement?  

A thesis statement sums up the central point of your paper or essay in the span of a few sentences. It is usually placed near the end of your introduction. The rest of your essay builds upon the thesis statement by addressing different aspects of it.

The opening thesis statement serves as an assertion that the rest of your essay can validate and align with. Further, it serves as a roadmap to the entire essay. As such, it should heavily draw upon your unique understanding of the subject.

Since the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction, take your time introducing the subject. Structuring an introduction that conveniently leads to your thesis statement is a good practice.

A strong thesis statement:

• introduces the subject,
• makes an assertion, and
• provides reasoning for it.

Take a look.

Let’s go through some guidelines to help you come up with a strong thesis for your essay.

How to write a thesis statement 

Here are some basic guidelines for writing a thesis statement:

• Present your point of view in two sentences.  
• Clearly indicate the logical progression of your research.
• Always take a case-by-case approach. Based on your research, you may also opt for a 3-part thesis statement.
• Clearly dictate your assertion on the topic. 
• Create a thesis statement that is debatable, but can be proven with evidence and reasoning. 
• Place your thesis statement as a conclusion to the Introduction section of your paper.  

We can only give you some tips on how to write a thesis statement, but a strong thesis only comes out of strong research and reading. So, make sure to read your sources carefully before you begin to write your essay.

Follow these tips to write a strong thesis statement:

#1 Formulate your research question. 

Filtering your line of research is the first step while writing a strong thesis. Conduct targeted research in your area of interest to formulate your research question. Be as specific as possible here, since it adds to the credibility of your research. Your research question should display the amount of research you’ve undertaken. 

As a continuation of the climate change thesis statement example we’ve cited above, a pertinent research question would be along these lines: “ How does climate change affect different countries in the world? “

#2 Create a tentative thesis statement.

Answer your research question and shape it into a broad statement that sums up your topic. This should give you the first draft of the thesis statement outline wherein multiple changes will definitely be in order. 

A lot of effort goes into drafting your tentative thesis statement. You need to locate a general your area of interest and then conduct precise research activities. Revisit your tentative thesis statement and revise it as you invest more time, research, and resources in the project.

If your assignment requires you to argue a certain take on the subject, you’ll have to sharpen your tentative thesis with the help of evidence. Here’s such a thesis statement example for an argumentative essay: “The proletarian movie, The Grapes of Wrath , perfectly captures the psyche of the American labor class during the Great Depression.”

#3 Supplement reasoning with evidence.

Your tentative thesis serves as a dependable guide to entering the next critical phase of thesis writing. This phase demands the most attention since it requires you to critically engage with already-established literature. You must gather enough relevant information as evidence so you can support your ideas and arguments. 

The more exhaustive the research process is, the more prepared you will be. This is of substantial importance since your academic expertise will come in handy during the viva in which you will be required to firmly defend your arguments. 

So, pursue your research extensively and work hard to make your thesis foolproof. After all, academic work is worth nothing without sound evidence! 

#4 Anticipate counterarguments.

Counterarguments serve a significant purpose: They help you prepare stronger arguments. Anticipating counterarguments is a window into the broader scope of your research and how it fits into the larger discourse.

Counterarguments from your peers, cohort, supervisor, and others provide a learning curve for you as a scholar. You can always filter what aligns with your interest, but having a non-expert colleague can help you better prepare for your presentations and defense. 

Types of thesis statements

Every essay or paper is built upon two essential elements: a topic and an angle. The topic is the subject matter you’re writing about and the angle is your primary idea or opinion on the subject. Based on these, your essay falls under one of three types: expository essay, descriptive essay, or argumentative essay.

Your thesis statement varies depending on the type of essay you’re writing. There are three main types of thesis statements, so let’s go through them one by one. 

#1 Expository thesis

Also known as the explanatory thesis, this type of thesis statement requires you to explain a given opinion, idea, or concept. As the name indicates, this type of thesis applies to expository essays in which you are not required to provide your unique opinion on the matter.  

Thesis structure for expository essays

• Introduce the topic.
• Explain the categories that best represent the topic.
• Determine the order of the categories to present the topic as it is.

Thesis statement example for expository essays

This essay looks closely at Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the reasons why it increases the incidence frequencies of fibrillation and cardiac stroke.

#2 Analytical thesis

The analytical thesis statement requires you to break down a larger idea into its basic components. You can further analyze the individual components to present the final assessment to your readers.

This thesis statement requires you to present various topics in the order in which your essay discusses them. So, it can apply to both persuasive and descriptive essays.

Analytical thesis structure

• Introduce the core element(s) you are analyzing. 
• Deconstruct the topic into its constituent categories.
• Determine the order of the categories to best represent your findings.

Example of an analytical thesis 

John Steinback’s classic, The Grapes of Wrath , captures the Westward migration of the labor class to the promised land of California during the Great Depression. This paper attempts to revisit the proletarian novel through the political lens of new working conditions, poverty, and social change.

#3 Argumentative thesis

In this type of thesis statement, you make a claim and provide evidence to back it up. These are some common types of claims that you can make in an argumentative thesis statement:

• Comprehension
• Cause-and-effect solutions

Naturally, this type of thesis works best for an argumentative essay, where you take a position on your topic and then reason it with substantial evidence.

Thesis structure for argumentative essays

• Make your claim.
• Present your reasons or pieces of evidence to support the claim.
• Determine the order of the categories to best represent your claim.

Thesis statement example for an argumentative essay

The execution of proper legislation that will regulate gun ownership can substantially reduce gun violence in America. Such laws can re-establish the core democratic ideal that freedom is subject to accountability in the purview of public interest. This can significantly reduce the fatality rate as a result of open mass shootings, suicides, and domestic abuse.

Examples of a strong thesis statement

As academic editors , the most common type of queries we come across are in essays about global warming and climate change. So, we’ll demonstrate how you can write a strong thesis statement on these topics.

In the table below, you’ll find some examples of strong thesis statements compared to weak ones. Compare the two to understand how to write a thesis statement that perfectly sums up your take on the subject.

To sum up: place the thesis statement toward the end of your introduction, state your angle on the topic, and provide your reasoning with evidence. Since you only get 20–50 words to work with, make sure to use them wisely!

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How long is a thesis statement , where is the thesis statement located , can a thesis statement be two sentences, how to make a good thesis statement , can a thesis statement be a question.

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Tentative Thesis Guide

At some time during their academic careers, every student is faced with the challenge of writing a thesis. And this is why it is important for students to learn how to write a thesis. But there are lots of things that go into writing a thesis. You have to understand topic selection, thesis statement construction, and never lose sight of your audience.  

To get a captivating tentative thesis topic and mold it into a captivating tentative thesis, it is important to first clarify what a tentative thesis is. In this article, you will learn what a tentative thesis is and how to write a superior tentative thesis. Keep reading to see all you need to know about writing a tentative thesis and check out the tentative thesis example!

What Is a Tentative Thesis?

A tentative thesis is a strong provisional idea that keeps the writer’s attention on the paper. It reveals the author’s strategy, clarifies the subject, and emphasizes the key concepts that will be explored throughout the piece.

A tentative thesis describes what you will be arguing in your paper. It is also often referred to as a working hypothesis. It is the first draft (short version) of your paper, meant to give you an idea of what your final thesis will look like.

With the tentative thesis, you can think about your topic, figure out how to approach it, and think about what kind of writing style you want in your final thesis. The tentative thesis is not supposed to be perfect; it’s just an outline of the ideas that will go into your final paper and a way to test your ideas and see how they hold up.

You should write down your tentative thesis before you start writing your paper, so that you can see how your ideas are developing and how they relate to one another.

Tentative Thesis Statement Examples

One of the most important parts of a tentative thesis is a tentative thesis statement. This statement is always placed towards the conclusion of the introduction paragraph in a typical tentative thesis example.

A strong tentative thesis statement will be helpful while looking for additional facts to include in the article. You must have a firm understanding of the subject and the issues that will be covered in the thesis before drafting a tentative thesis statement.

Here are some tentative thesis statement examples to give you a clearer understanding of what a tentative thesis statement looks like.

“It is disappointing that people continue to disregard the recommendations for preventing coronavirus. A second wave of illnesses will probably result from this ignorance.”

“Trade issues between the US and China have significantly decreased sales of Apple products in China. In China, a market with close to 2 billion people, Huawei smartphones have gradually gained popularity, leaving Apple devices in that region of Asia playing catch-up.”

“Financing women’s businesses helps release them from tight economic yokes. It creates additional chances for them in the predominantly male workforce.”

Example 4:  

“Global pandemics present many threats to world stability. They can threaten the political, social, and cultural ramifications that exist.”

How to Write a Tentative Thesis

You need a strong tentative thesis to steer your arguments regardless of whether you are writing a research paper or just an ordinary assignment that does not involve much research. Here are some steps about how to write a tentative thesis.

Choose a topic

Any tentative thesis should have a good topic that is expressed as clearly as possible. So, you should be clear on the subject or the issue before you start to frame a tentative thesis. Here are a few tips for choosing your topic.

• The topic must provide the answer to a tentative thesis statement right away.
• A good topic should be timely and help resolve an issue.
• Your chosen topic must be useful and capable of contributing to knowledge in your research area.
• You should be familiar with the topic and at least have basic knowledge about it.

After choosing a topic, you should expand your knowledge about it. To organize what you know about a potential thesis topic, brainstorm and write down the ideas or information that come to mind.

Discuss the subject

After you have chosen your topic, you should expound on it and generate ideas for your tentative thesis. During the brainstorming session, you should note as many concepts that occur to you while thinking aloud or reading other sources.

Write a draft of the thesis statement

It’s important to remember that your paper’s introduction should have a tentative thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be bold as it is a single remark that provides a more in-depth explanation of the thesis. A thesis statement should be thorough, precise and unambiguous, reflect the true nature of the topic, and be supported by facts.

Write the body

The main body of a tentative thesis contains the argument in the thesis. This section is typically divided into sentences that reflect the subject, sentences that provide evidence for it, and summing statements. Your sentences and paragraphs in this section should be logical, cohesive, and supported by facts and evidence.

Write the conclusion

The final component of a tentative thesis is the conclusion. The conclusion should contain a summary of the argument in the main paragraph of the tentative thesis. Usually, this will follow the format of the introduction paragraph closely. It should also include an overview of the article’s main concepts and points.

Important Tentative Thesis Parts

A tentative thesis comprises three important parts that must not be omitted. You must include all parts to ensure your paper is logical and coherent. Let’s take a quick look at each of these crucial sections:

• The Introduction
• The Conclusion

Tentative Thesis Writing Help

While you may know how to write a tentative, you may not have all the time in the world to do the necessary research and put down all your thoughts. For example, you may have lots of extracurricular activities that you have no time to brainstorm the right topic or what your tentative thesis statement should be. If this is the case, it’s only logical to get someone to help you write your tentative thesis for you.

Also, if you have gone through this article but you’re still unsure about how to write a tentative thesis, you can always seek help from tentative thesis writing help websites. You absolutely don’t have to wing it and end up with a bad score. So, get a reliable tentative thesis help today to help you write the perfect tentative thesis!

There you have it! Here’s all you need to know about writing a superior tentative thesis. With this guide, you should now know how to write a tentative thesis statement by taking cues from the tentative thesis statement examples. If you follow all these steps, you’ll be able to write a better thesis paper.

If you’re not sure whether you can write a tentative thesis or you need some help with your tentative thesis for one reason or another, seek help from expert thesis writers!

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Using Thesis Statements

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When you are asked to write an essay that creates an argument, your reader will probably expect a clear statement of your position. Typically, this summary statement comes in the first paragraph of the essay, though there is no rigid rule about position. Here are some characteristics of good thesis statements, with samples of good and poor ones. Note that the better examples substitute specific argumentative points for sweeping general statements; they indicate a theoretical basis and promise substantial support. (See Some Myths About Thesis Statements, below, for a discussion of times not to use a thesis statement. See also the file General Advice on Essay Writing .)

1. It makes a definite and limited assertion that needs to be explained and supported by further discussion:

2. It shows the emphasis and indicates the methodology of your argument:

3. It shows awareness of difficulties and disagreements:

Some Myths about Thesis Statements

• Every paper requires one . Assignments that ask you to write personal responses or to explore a subject don’t want you to seem to pre-judge the issues. Essays of literary interpretation often want you to be aware of many effects rather than seeming to box yourself into one view of the text.
• A thesis statement must come at the end of the first paragraph. This is a natural position for a statement of focus, but it’s not the only one. Some theses can be stated in the opening sentences of an essay; others need a paragraph or two of introduction; others can’t be fully formulated until the end.
• A thesis statement must be one sentence in length, no matter how many clauses it contains . Clear writing is more important than rules like these. Use two or three sentences if you need them. A complex argument may require a whole tightly-knit paragraph to make its initial statement of position.
• You can’t start writing an essay until you have a perfect thesis statement . It may be advisable to draft a hypothesis or tentative thesis statement near the start of a big project, but changing and refining a thesis is a main task of thinking your way through your ideas as you write a paper. And some essay projects need to explore the question in depth without being locked in before they can provide even a tentative answer.
• A thesis statement must give three points of support . It should indicate that the essay will explain and give evidence for its assertion, but points don’t need to come in any specific number.

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Thesis statement tips: helpful hacks for how to write a thesis for academic essays.

Jerz >  Writing > Academic     [ Argument | Title  | Thesis |  Blueprint  | Pro/Con | Quoting |  MLA Format ]

• Precise Opinion : the book challenges a stereotype (a good thesis is debatable, so a good paper would also cover ways that this book perpetuates this same stereotype)
• A strong blueprint would hint at why these three details add up to support the thesis statement.
• A less impressive blueprint might simply list the main points the essay will cover.

There is nothing magically “correct” about a thesis on challenging a cultural stereotype. Instead of claiming that a book “ challenges a genre’s stereotypes ,” you might instead argue that some text “ provides a more expensive but more ethical solution than X ” or “ undermines Jim Smith’s observation that ‘[some quote from Smith here]’ ”. (Don’t automatically use “challenges a genre’s stereotype” in the hopes of coming up with the “correct” thesis.)

A more complicated thesis statement for a paper that asks you to demonstrate your ability engage with someone else’s ideas (rather than simply summarize or react to someone else’s ideas) might follow a formula like this:

For a short paper (1-2 pages), the thesis statement is often the first sentence. A complex thesis statement for a long paper may be part of a thesis paragraph. But it’s hard to go wrong if you put your thesis first.

Useful Formulae for Thesis Statements

If you’re not sure whether you have a good thesis statement, see whether you can fit your ideas into one of these basic patterns.

If you are just starting out, and you are still developing an original, evidence-based claim to defend, a simpler formula is probably best. Once you have done the research, and you understand the subject, then a formula like the following won’t look like random words; it will suggest a way to frame a nuanced, complex argument that goes beyond making non-controversial factual statements.

Academic Argument: Evidence-based Defense of a Non-obvious Position

• Unlike a personal essay , which can rely on personal experience and general observations, a research paper must draw on evidence — usually in the form of direct quotations or statistics from peer-reviewed academic journals .
• You have no reason to “defend” a position unless some expert has presented credible evidence that challenges  a claim you want to make. (Finding, quoting, and engaging with that evidence is part of your task as an academic writer.)
• An academic argument is not a squabble, a difference of opinions, or an attorney’s courtroom statement. The author of an academic argument is more like the judge, who, after hearing out the best arguments in favor of various possible solutions, supports the best one. An academic argument is part of a discussion that respects multiple viewpoints (as long as those viewpoints are backed by credible evidence).

Parts of a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement has 3 main parts : the limited subject , the precise opinion , and the blueprint of reasons .

1. Limited Subject

Make sure you’ve chosen a subject that meets your instructor’s requirements for the assignment. (It never hurts to ask.)

2. Precise Opinion

The precise opinion gives your answer to a question about the subject. A good precise opinion is vital to the reader’s comprehension of the goal of the essay .

3. Blueprint of Reasons

A blueprint is a plan. It lets the builder know that the foyer will be here, the living room will be to the east, the dining room to the west, and the family room will be north.The blueprint of an essay permits you to see the whole shape of your ideas before you start churning out whole paragraphs.While it’s okay for you to start writing down your ideas before you have a clear sense of your blueprint, your reader should never encounter a list of details without being told exactly what point these details are supposed to support. (For more details on the reasoning blueprint, see Blueprinting .)

If your thesis statement introduces three reasons A, B and C, the reader will expect a section on reason A, a section on reason B, and a section on reason C.

For a single paragraph, you might only spend one sentence on each reason. For a 2-3 page paper, each reason might get its own paragraph. For a 10-page paper, each reason might contain its own local thesis statement, with its own list of reasons, so that each section involves several paragraphs.To emphasize the structure of your essay, repeat keywords or paraphrased ideas from the blueprint as you introduce the sections in which you expand on each point. Crafting good transitions is a skill that takes time and practice. ( See Transitions and Reminders of Thesis ).

Note : If you repeat your blueprint phrases and your thesis statement robotically (“The third point I want to talk about is how Black Elk Speaks accurately represents the Indian lifestyle through its direct quotes from Black Elk.”), your writing will be rather dry and lifeless. Dull writing is probably better than aimless rambling, although neither is terribly effective. |

Note : A thesis statement amounts to nothing if the paper is not completely focused on that main point . Blueprinting helps create the coherency of the thesis throughout the entire essay, which makes it a necessary part of the thesis statement.

17 Oct 2000 — originally posted by Nicci Jordan, UWEC Junior 08 Dec 2000 — first posted here. Maintained by Prof. Jerz. 13 Dec 2003 — links updated 22 Sep 2006 — moderate revisions by Jerz 29 Oct 2011 — updated by Jerz 14 June 2015 — minor adjustments

Blueprinting: Planning Your Essay A blueprint is a rough but specific  plan , or outline, which defines the structure of your whole essay. The blueprint, usually located within the thesis statement, is a brief list of the points you plan to make, compressed into just a few words each, in the same order in which they appear in the body of your paper.

Hochstein, Jordan, and Jerz Thesis Reminders A thesis reminder is a direct  echo of the thesis statement . In a short paper, the topic sentence of each paragraph should repeat words or phrases from the thesis statement.

Dennis G. Jerz Timed Essays: Planning and Organizing in a Crunch

222 thoughts on “ Thesis Statement Tips: Helpful Hacks for How to Write a Thesis for Academic Essays ”

this did not help at all

I can’t win them all.

Gibberish person may be skimming too fast. This always helps. I’m in the middle of replying to a student email on how to rework her thesis statement and I use your explanation as a clear explanation.

This has helped a lot, thank you.

I find this page helpful. Thank you!

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please I want some more examples of how to construct a very good acedamic essays

From this class，I kind of know what is thesis statement.It is a strong support of a whole passage，it can inform people of what the passage is telling，only by using a few words .It should have the keywords and a good organization to make itself brief but rich.After learning this class，I think I will be better at writing the thesis statement.Thanks

I am doing a project for my MST…but iam finding it difficult in putting up my paragraphs which needs to include my subject and limited subject…..pliz advice me on how to put up my paragraph

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I am doing preparation of ielts exam . but I faface difficulty in grammar and especially in thesis line which I confuse that what should i write in thesis line among all kinds of essay …plz tell me but should I do to improve it.

I think you should read more and write more.After writing,you can ask someone that is good at English learning to help you know what your mistakes are.

Vehicles has become a essential part of human being life. People used to bicycle but by the time mode of commute has been replaced by car .however, still in some cities people prefer to ride bicycle for travelling.

Plz tell me how can I impressive to my intro and how can I improve my writing skill

Jonu, I’d say the most important helpful thing you can do is expose yourself to English as spoken by native English speakers, talking with people who know the language well enough that they can correct you immediately, in casual conversation, when you make one of the word-level errors that only an expert user of the language would spot. There is no shortcut — exposing yourself to a language is the only way to learn it.

I happened to come across this video, which is geared towards a young audience, but is written for English language learners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqxuNrhKhMc

Hi i am doing the preparation of competitive exam , i have to write an Essay of 2500-2800 words, data should be critical and researched base, for example there is Essay on Climate change , then please tell me how i develop a thesis statement, and how we write thesis statement, is it is written in the start of Essay or in the end of introduction, some people said that thesis satement should be written in start other say that this written in end of introductory paragraph. please help me with example thanks

Rab, if you are looking for my advice on thesis statements, you have found the right page. If you have any specific questions or comments about the content of this page, I’d be happy to address them. I’ve already put lots of time into this page, and at the moment I can’t think of a way to present my advice any more clearly.

Although you did say “please,” even so, “tell me how I develop a thesis statement” is asking for quite a lot.

What is your college major or your area of professonal expertise? If I asked you to tell me, right here on my blog, what I need to know in order to succeed in a competitive exam in your field, what would you say?

If I went to a doctor and said “Tell me how to diagnose a patient,” or I went to a judge and said “Tell me how to interpret the law,” or I went to an artist and said “Tell me how to be creative,” do you think they would be able give me a few sentences that completely answer my question and prepare me for professional work as a doctor, judge, or artist? If they had spent years as students learning their subject matter, and additional years teaching or writing a textbook on their specialty, they might be very good in their professions but I’d bet they’d all find it tough to answer such a question in any meaningful way.

I won’t be evaluating your submission, so my opinion on debatable topics such as where the thesis should go won’t be of any specific use to you.

thesis statement should be the last statement in your introductory paragraph, it will consist of a short explanation as to why you are writing the essay and what is involved.

That’s certainly a valid place to put a thesis statement, jentar. If your instructor tells you to put a thesis statement in a certain place, then putting it anywhere else is risky. But it’s also possible to start with a paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention with a gripping example that illustrates what’s at stake, and then give the thesis statement in the second paragraph.

This is great stuff. I wonder if you didn’t mean expansive rather than expensive in the following sentence. “Instead of claiming that a book “challenges a genre’s stereotypes,” you might instead argue that some text “provides a more expensive but more ethical solution than X” or “challenges Jim Smith’s observation that ‘[some quote from Smith here]’” instead.

Thanks for your feedback. I’m glad you found the page useful. I really did mean “expensive” in that example, though I am simply suggesting that considering cost is worth exploring in an argument, depending on the kind of argument you are making.

I found the information to be very informative and easy to understand. Thank you

Hi. I began an essay on the topic ; reasons why pursuing college education is important. I had it started off this way… Aristotle said it best when he stated, “Education is the best provision for life’s journey.” Pursuing a college education provides individuals with career pportunities, higher income and experiences necessary in the journey of life. Please do you think I started off good or too weak? I need your help as this is a great assignment for me to make up for my mid semester examination which I was unable to attend!

Your instructor is the one who will grade the assignment, so he or she is the best source of feedback. Without knowing what grade/level you are, or what kind of class you are taking, I can’t really advise you. However, unless you have read Aristotle’s works yourself and can place that quote in its context, I would not recommend pulling a random quote from a website and using it to start a paper. The complete quote is “Education is the best provision for the journey to old age,” but what does that mean?

The word “best” means there is at least a “good” and a “better,” and that by some measurement or judgement, a third thing is “best.” What are the two other sayings (at least) that you have compared to Aristotle, and what are the two other things (at least) that Aristotle thinks are not as good provision for life’s journey to old age? Why does your opinion (on at least three different sayings, of which the best is Aristotle’s), and at least three different provisions for old age (of which the best is education) help you to answer your instructor’s prompt about the reasons for pursing a college education?

What we think of as “college” is very different from the education that Aristotle would have received (or provided). I suggest you look into ways that a college education encourages critical thinking, which is a different way of thinking than “Did I get the right answer? Will my teacher approve? What’s the secret ‘correct’ answer in the back of my instructor’s book that I should memorize and spit back?” Maybe your instructor wants you to determine for yourself whether you feel gaining a college education is worth the intellectual effort.

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How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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