thesis statement for learning style

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

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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.

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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Developing Strong Thesis Statements

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The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.

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Dissertation
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on April 16, 2024.

A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master’s program or a capstone to a bachelor’s degree.

Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation , it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely .

Thesis template

You can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started.

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Thesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses.

You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things.

A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.

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The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as:

Your discipline
Your theoretical approach

Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis.

In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section , results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix .

Thesis examples

We’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started.

Example thesis #1: “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.

The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including:

Your full title
Your full name
Your department
Your institution and degree program
Your submission date.

Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure.

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on.

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Education Thesis Statement

Ai generator.

Crafting a strong thesis statement is essential for any successful educational essay or research paper. This one or two-sentence assertion forms the backbone of your argument, providing a concise summary of the point you intend to make. Whether you’re exploring the impact of technology in classrooms or analyzing the effectiveness of early childhood education, a well-structured thesis statement serves as a roadmap, guiding both.

What is Education Thesis Statement – Definition

An education thesis statement is a concise, focused, and arguable statement that presents the main idea or argument of an essay, research paper, or academic work related to the field of education. It outlines the scope of the study and provides a roadmap for the reader to understand the purpose and direction of the paper.

What is a Good Thesis Statement about Education

A comprehensive integration of technology in classrooms enhances students’ engagement, knowledge retention, and critical thinking skills, ultimately transforming traditional educational paradigms.”

What is an Example of an Education Topic Thesis Statement

“Implementing inclusive education policies in primary schools leads to improved academic outcomes for students with disabilities, fostering a more diverse and supportive learning environment.”

Remember, a good thesis statement is specific, debatable, and gives a clear indication of the focus of your paper. It should also be supported by evidence and analysis throughout the essay.

100 Education Statement Examples

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Crafting effective education thesis statements is pivotal in academic writing. These succinct sentences encapsulate the core concepts of your research, guiding your paper’s trajectory. From dissecting teaching methodologies to examining education’s societal impacts, a well-structured thesis statement is a beacon that illuminates your scholarly journey.

Technology in Education : Integrating personalized digital tools in classrooms enhances collaborative learning, preparing students for a tech-driven world.
Early Childhood Education : High-quality preschool programs significantly improve children’s cognitive development, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning.
Inclusive Education : Adapting curriculum and teaching methods to diverse learning styles fosters equitable and enriching classroom experiences for all students.
Education Policy : Reforms in standardized testing systems promote a more holistic evaluation of students’ abilities and potential.
Online Learning : The surge in online education democratizes access to knowledge, revolutionizing traditional notions of learning environments.
Critical Pedagogy : Empowering students to think critically about societal issues cultivates active citizenship and social change.
STEM Education : Prioritizing STEM subjects in curricula prepares students for the demands of a technology-driven workforce.
Arts Integration : Infusing arts into education not only enhances creativity but also nurtures a deeper understanding of core subjects.
Parental Involvement : Engaged parental participation positively correlates with students’ academic success and overall well-being.
Higher Education Costs : Exploring alternative funding models is crucial to make higher education accessible and affordable for all.
Global Education : Fostering cross-cultural awareness in schools cultivates tolerance, empathy, and a broader worldview among students.
Special Education : Tailoring teaching strategies to the needs of students with disabilities empowers them to achieve their full potential.
Motivation and Learning : Understanding motivational factors improves teaching methods and student engagement in the classroom.
Physical Education : Incorporating regular physical activity into the curriculum promotes not only fitness but also cognitive and emotional development.
Education and Employment : Analyzing the relationship between education levels and job prospects reveals the role of education in economic mobility.
Bilingual Education : Studying the effects of bilingual instruction on cognitive development highlights the benefits of multilingualism in education.
Gender Disparities in Education : Addressing gender biases in curricula and teaching practices contributes to more equitable educational experiences.
Teacher Training : Enhancing teacher preparation programs leads to more effective classroom management and student engagement.
Education and Social Media : Analyzing the impact of social media on students’ learning habits reveals new avenues for interactive and self-directed learning.
Education and Mental Health : Integrating mental health education into the curriculum helps reduce stigma and promotes students’ psychological well-being.
Education and Sustainability : Incorporating environmental education empowers students to become responsible stewards of the planet.
Literacy Development : Investigating early literacy interventions highlights the importance of foundational reading skills in later academic success.
Civic Education : Teaching civics fosters active participation in democratic processes and shapes informed and responsible citizens.
Education for Special Needs Students : Creating individualized education plans (IEPs) enhances the learning experience for students with diverse abilities.
Globalization and Education : Exploring how globalization affects educational policies and practices prepares students for a globalized world.
Education and Poverty : Investigating the link between education and poverty reduction underscores the role of education in breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Character Education : Nurturing qualities like empathy, integrity, and resilience in students contributes to holistic personal and ethical development.
Standardized Curriculum vs. Personalized Learning : Evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of standardized versus personalized learning approaches in classrooms.
Education Technology Ethics : Examining the ethical implications of using student data in educational technology applications.
Education and Immigration : Studying the educational challenges and opportunities faced by immigrant students in host countries.
Critical Thinking Education : Integrating critical thinking skills into curricula prepares students to analyze and evaluate information independently.
Education and Cultural Heritage : Incorporating cultural heritage education preserves traditions and fosters cultural pride among students.
Education Funding Allocation : Investigating the impact of equitable distribution of funding on educational outcomes in different communities.
Education and Neurodiversity : Creating inclusive classrooms that accommodate neurodiverse students promotes a more accepting society.
Sexual Education : Implementing comprehensive sexual education equips students with vital knowledge for making informed decisions.
Education and Democracy : Understanding the role of education in nurturing informed citizenship and active participation in democratic processes.
Education and Indigenous Knowledge : Integrating indigenous knowledge systems into curricula honors diverse worldviews and promotes cultural understanding.
Home Schooling vs. Public Schooling : Comparing the academic and social outcomes of students educated at home versus traditional schools.
Peer-to-Peer Learning : Exploring the effectiveness of peer mentoring programs in enhancing students’ academic performance and social skills.
Education and Artificial Intelligence : Analyzing the potential of AI to personalize learning experiences and address individual student needs.
Vocational Education : Promoting vocational education as a viable pathway to skill development and successful career opportunities.
Education and Ethical Dilemmas : Investigating ethical challenges faced by educators and students in modern educational settings.
Education and LGBTQ+ Inclusivity : Creating safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students through policy changes and awareness programs.
Education and Aging Population : Adapting educational strategies to meet the learning needs of an aging workforce.
Assessment Methods : Exploring innovative assessment techniques that provide a more comprehensive understanding of student learning.
Outdoor Education : Utilizing outdoor and experiential learning to enhance students’ practical skills and environmental awareness.
Education and Artificial Reality : Harnessing the potential of virtual and augmented reality in creating immersive educational experiences.
Emotional Intelligence in Education : Integrating emotional intelligence training in schools contributes to students’ interpersonal skills and emotional well-being.
Education and Gifted Students : Tailoring instruction to meet the unique learning needs of gifted students supports their intellectual growth.
Education and Nutrition : Recognizing the link between proper nutrition and cognitive development for optimal student learning.
Education and Language Acquisition : Examining strategies for effective language acquisition among non-native speakers in educational settings.
Education and Political Socialization : Investigating how education shapes students’ political beliefs and participation in civic activities.
Education and Political Socialization : Investigating how education shapes students’ political beliefs and participation in civic activities
Education and Digital Literacy : Evaluating the importance of teaching digital literacy skills to navigate the information-rich online world.
Teacher-Student Relationships : Investigating the impact of positive teacher-student relationships on academic motivation and achievement.
Education and Social Justice : Analyzing the role of education in addressing societal inequalities and promoting social justice.
Education and Multilingualism : Exploring the benefits of a multilingual approach in education for cognitive development and cultural awareness.
Education and Learning Disabilities : Implementing tailored strategies to support students with learning disabilities enhances their academic success.
Education and Environmental Awareness : Integrating environmental education fosters a generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
Education and Entrepreneurship : Promoting entrepreneurial education equips students with skills for innovation and economic contribution.
Student Engagement Strategies : Investigating effective methods to enhance student engagement and participation in the learning process.
Education and Artificial Intelligence Ethics : Examining ethical considerations when using AI in educational settings to ensure data privacy and equity.
Education and Emotional Well-being : Creating emotionally supportive environments positively impacts students’ mental health and academic performance.
Education and Cultural Assimilation : Analyzing how education can either preserve or dilute cultural heritage among immigrant communities.
Distance Learning Challenges : Exploring the challenges and benefits of distance learning, especially in the context of global events.
Education and Creativity : Fostering creative thinking skills in students through innovative teaching approaches and curricular design.
Education and Student Autonomy : Investigating the benefits of allowing students more autonomy in their learning processes.
Education and Gaming : Exploring the potential of educational games in enhancing learning outcomes and student engagement.
Teacher Burnout : Examining the factors contributing to teacher burnout and strategies to promote educator well-being.
Global Education Disparities : Analyzing the disparities in access to quality education across different regions of the world.
Education and Learning Styles : Tailoring instruction to accommodate diverse learning styles enhances students’ comprehension and retention.
Education and Brain Development : Studying the correlation between educational experiences and brain development in children and adolescents.
Education and Ethics Education : Integrating ethics education cultivates morally responsible decision-making among students.
Education and Socioeconomic Mobility : Examining how education can be a catalyst for upward social mobility in disadvantaged communities.
Education and Peer Influence : Investigating how peer interactions shape students’ attitudes, behaviors, and academic choices.
Education and Indigenous Language Revival : Promoting the revitalization of indigenous languages through education preserves cultural heritage.
Teacher Evaluation Methods : Exploring effective methods for evaluating teacher performance and their impact on educational quality.
Education and Critical Media Literacy : Developing media literacy skills equips students to critically analyze and navigate the digital information landscape.
Education and Online Privacy : Raising awareness about online privacy and digital citizenship in educational settings.
Education and Parental Expectations : Analyzing the effects of parental expectations on students’ academic motivation and achievements.
Education and Gender Stereotypes : Exploring how education can challenge or reinforce traditional gender stereotypes and roles.
Education and Mindfulness : Incorporating mindfulness practices in schools enhances students’ focus, emotional regulation, and well-being.
Education and Aging Workforce : Adapting teaching methods to address the unique learning needs of mature students in continuing education.
Education and Postcolonialism : Analyzing the influence of colonial history on education systems and curriculum development.
Education and Lifelong Learning : Promoting the idea of education as a continuous process that extends beyond formal schooling.

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay

Education is the cornerstone of societal progress, and an argumentative essay thesis statement can explore its multifaceted impact. A thesis statement could be: “Mandatory financial literacy education in schools should be implemented to empower students with essential life skills, promoting responsible financial decision-making.

Mandatory Financial Literacy Education : “Mandatory financial literacy education in schools should be implemented to empower students with essential life skills, promoting responsible financial decision-making.”
Comprehensive Sex Education : “The integration of comprehensive sex education into curricula is imperative to address the rising rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.”
Bilingual Education : “Bilingual education programs positively contribute to cognitive development, cross-cultural understanding, and global communication skills among students.”
Diverse Perspectives in History Education : “The inclusion of diverse perspectives in history education fosters critical thinking and promotes a more accurate understanding of past events.”
Importance of Arts Education : “Arts education should remain a fundamental component of the curriculum, as it enhances creativity, cognitive abilities, and emotional intelligence.”
Media Literacy Education : “Promoting media literacy education equips students to navigate the complexities of the digital age, fostering critical analysis of information sources.”
Restorative Justice in Education : “Implementing restorative justice practices in schools nurtures conflict resolution skills, reduces disciplinary disparities, and creates a more inclusive learning environment.”
Environmental Education : “Environmental education cultivates a sense of responsibility for ecological sustainability, preparing students to address pressing global environmental challenges.”
Mental Health Education : “Education about mental health and emotional well-being should be integrated into curricula to reduce stigma, enhance self-awareness, and support student mental health.”
Coding and Computer Science Education : “Teaching coding and computer science in primary education enhances problem-solving abilities, technological literacy, and prepares students for a technology-driven future.”

Importance of Education Thesis Statement Examples

Highlighting the significance of education, a thesis statement like, “Access to quality education equips individuals with the tools to break the cycle of poverty, fosters critical thinking, and cultivates informed citizens essential for a thriving democracy.”

Access to Quality Education : “Access to quality education equips individuals with the tools to break the cycle of poverty, fosters critical thinking, and cultivates informed citizens essential for a thriving democracy.”
Education and Innovation : “Education empowers individuals to challenge societal norms, fostering innovation and progress through the exploration of new ideas and perspectives.”
Early Childhood Education : “Investing in early childhood education yields lifelong benefits, promoting cognitive development, emotional intelligence, and academic success.”
Education for Social Cohesion : “Education plays a pivotal role in promoting social cohesion, bridging cultural divides, and fostering mutual respect and understanding among diverse communities.”
Education and Economic Growth : “An educated workforce drives economic growth by fostering innovation, increasing productivity, and attracting investment in a knowledge-based economy.”
Empowerment through Education : “Education is the foundation of personal empowerment, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their health, finances, and overall well-being.”
Education in a Technological Era : “Quality education equips individuals with the skills to adapt to rapid technological changes, ensuring they remain competitive in a dynamic job market.”
Education and Social Mobility : “Education serves as a catalyst for social mobility, enabling individuals to transcend their socioeconomic backgrounds and achieve upward mobility.”
Education and Public Health : “In societies with higher levels of education, there is a positive correlation with improved public health outcomes, lower crime rates, and overall well-being.”
Right to Education : “Education is a fundamental human right that should be accessible to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographical location.”

Lack of Education Thesis Statement Examples

Examining the consequences of inadequate education, a concise thesis statement might state: “The lack of accessible education perpetuates social inequality, limits economic mobility, and hinders personal and societal development, underscoring the urgent need for educational reforms.”

Impact of Inaccessible Education : “The lack of accessible education perpetuates social inequality, limits economic mobility, and hinders personal and societal development, underscoring the urgent need for educational reforms.”
Cycle of Poverty : “In regions with limited educational opportunities, there is a heightened risk of perpetuating cycles of poverty, resulting in diminished life prospects for generations.”
Lack of Comprehensive Sex Education : “The absence of comprehensive sex education contributes to uninformed decisions, leading to higher rates of unintended pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted infections.”
Educational Inequality and Civic Engagement : “Communities with inadequate educational infrastructure experience reduced civic engagement, hampering their ability to advocate for their rights and interests.”
Challenges in Special Needs Education : “Without inclusive education practices, students with disabilities are often marginalized, denying them opportunities for holistic development and societal contribution.”
Environmental Ignorance : “The lack of emphasis on environmental education results in a lack of awareness about sustainable practices, exacerbating environmental degradation and climate change.”
Mental Health Education Gap : “A dearth of education around mental health perpetuates stigma, preventing individuals from seeking help and contributing to a global mental health crisis.”
Gender Disparities in Education : “In societies where gender equity in education is not prioritized, women and girls face limited opportunities, reinforcing gender disparities in various sectors.”
Education and Ignorance : “Communities without access to quality education struggle to break free from cycles of ignorance and misinformation, hindering progress and social cohesion.”
Digital Literacy Divide : “The absence of education tailored to the digital age leaves individuals vulnerable to misinformation, cyber threats, and challenges presented by rapid technological advancements.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for College

For a college-focused context, a thesis could be: “Integrating practical skills training into higher education curricula prepares students for real-world challenges, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and employability.”

Practical Skills in Higher Education : “Integrating practical skills training into higher education curricula prepares students for real-world challenges, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and employability.”
Interdisciplinary Learning in College : “College education should prioritize interdisciplinary learning, fostering a holistic understanding of complex global issues and encouraging innovative solutions.”
Experiential Learning in College : “Promoting student engagement through experiential learning opportunities in college enhances critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and prepares students for lifelong learning.”
Soft Skills Development in College : “Colleges should emphasize the development of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability, essential for success in diverse professional environments.”
Entrepreneurship Education in College : “Incorporating entrepreneurship education in college equips students with the mindset and skills needed to create and navigate their own career paths.”
Cultural Competence in College : “College education should encourage cultural competence, promoting empathy and understanding in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.”
Technology-Enhanced Learning in College : “Embracing technology-enhanced learning methods in college empowers students to become digitally literate, adaptable, and well-prepared for the modern workforce.”
Research-Oriented College Education : “Fostering a research-oriented approach in college education cultivates critical inquiry, creativity, and advances our understanding of various academic disciplines.”
Mental Health Support in College : “Colleges should prioritize mental health and well-being services to support students during a transformative period, ensuring their holistic success.”
Flexible Learning in College : “Offering flexible learning options, including online and hybrid courses, accommodates diverse student needs and promotes lifelong learning beyond traditional campus settings.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Students

Directing attention to students, a thesis might read: “Implementing personalized learning approaches in schools caters to diverse learning styles, enhances student engagement, and fosters a lifelong love for learning.”

Personalized Learning for Students : “Implementing personalized learning approaches in schools caters to diverse learning styles, enhances student engagement, and fosters a lifelong love for learning.”
Student-Centered Education : “Student-centered education that encourages curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking nurtures independent thought and prepares students for active citizenship.”
Project-Based Learning for Students : “Incorporating project-based learning in schools develops problem-solving skills and empowers students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations.”
Student Agency in Education : “Encouraging student agency in educational decisions fosters a sense of ownership, boosting motivation, and promoting self-directed learning.”
Learning from Failure for Students : “Education that emphasizes the value of failure as a stepping stone to success helps students develop resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset.”
Collaborative Learning for Students : “Promoting collaborative learning experiences in classrooms cultivates teamwork skills, enhances communication, and exposes students to diverse perspectives.”
Extracurricular Involvement for Students : “Student involvement in extracurricular activities and community service fosters character development, empathy, and a sense of responsibility to society.”
Arts and Creative Expression for Students : “Integrating arts and creative expression into education sparks imagination, enhances emotional intelligence, and encourages students to think outside the box.”
Digital Literacy for Students : “Cultivating digital literacy skills equips students to navigate the digital landscape responsibly, critically evaluate information, and contribute positively online.”
Mindfulness in Education for Students : “Education that incorporates mindfulness and well-being practices helps students manage stress, build emotional resilience, and maintain overall mental wellness.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Essay

In the context of an essay, a case study thesis statement could be: “Exploring the evolution of educational technology reveals its role as a transformative force in modern classrooms, reshaping traditional teaching methods and enhancing student outcomes.”

Effective Study Habits : “Exploring effective study habits and time management strategies equips students with the tools to optimize their learning experience and achieve academic success.”
Role of Teachers in Student Motivation : “Analyzing the pivotal role of teachers in motivating students through innovative teaching methods and supportive mentorship enhances the learning journey.”
Educational Technology Integration : “Examining the integration of educational technology in classrooms highlights its potential to enhance engagement, collaboration, and personalized learning.”
Impact of Standardized Testing : “Investigating the impact of standardized testing on curriculum, instruction, and student stress provides insights into the complexities of assessment-driven education systems.”
Importance of Early Literacy : “Highlighting the significance of early literacy development in shaping future academic achievements emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and support.”
Holistic Assessment Approaches : “Exploring alternative assessment methods beyond exams, such as project-based assessments and portfolios, offers a comprehensive view of student learning.”
Cultural Competence in Education : “Analyzing the importance of cultural competence in educators for creating inclusive classrooms and fostering diverse student perspectives.”
Critical Thinking in Education : “Investigating the cultivation of critical thinking skills through interdisciplinary learning encourages students to question, analyze, and form independent viewpoints.”
Ethics Education : “Examining the integration of ethics education across disciplines prepares students to navigate ethical dilemmas and make informed moral decisions.”
Education and Sustainable Development : “Exploring the role of education in promoting sustainable development addresses its contribution to environmental awareness, social responsibility, and global citizenship.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples about Online Learning

Regarding online learning, a thesis might state: “The rapid expansion of online education presents opportunities for global access to quality learning, yet challenges persist in ensuring equitable access and maintaining educational rigor.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples about Online Learning:

Rise of Online Education : “The rapid expansion of online education presents opportunities for global access to quality learning, yet challenges persist in ensuring equitable access and maintaining educational rigor.”
Hybrid Learning Models : “Examining the effectiveness of hybrid learning models highlights the potential of combining online and in-person elements to enhance engagement and flexibility in education.”
Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Interactions : “Investigating the role of synchronous and asynchronous online interactions in virtual classrooms reveals their impact on student engagement, peer collaboration, and instructor feedback.”
Online Assessment Methods : “Analyzing the role of online assessments in measuring student performance raises questions about the fairness, security, and authenticity of remote evaluation methods.”
Digital Divide in Online Learning : “Exploring the digital divide’s impact on online learning access emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to bridge technological disparities among students.”
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) : “The rise of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) challenges traditional education paradigms by offering large-scale, accessible learning experiences to diverse global audiences.”
Artificial Intelligence in Online Education : “Examining the role of artificial intelligence in personalized online education sheds light on its potential to adapt content, pacing, and assessment to individual student needs.”
Virtual Communities and Online Learning : “Investigating the social aspects of online learning environments explores the ways virtual communities, discussions, and collaborations contribute to a sense of belonging.”
Online Simulations and Virtual Labs : “Analyzing the benefits of online simulations and virtual labs in science education showcases their role in providing experiential learning opportunities outside traditional labs.”
Long-Term Effects of Online Learning : “The exploration of online learning’s long-term effects on students’ social skills, time management, and self-regulation offers insights into the broader impacts of digital education.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Parental Involvement

Focusing on parental involvement, a thesis could be: “Active parental engagement in a child’s education significantly impacts academic performance, creating a collaborative learning environment and fostering holistic development.”

Active Parental Engagement : “Active parental engagement in a child’s education significantly impacts academic performance, creating a collaborative learning environment and fostering holistic development.”
Early Childhood Parental Involvement : “Investigating the influence of parental involvement in early childhood education emphasizes its role in shaping cognitive, emotional, and social foundations for lifelong learning.”
Parent-Teacher Partnerships : “Analyzing the impact of parent-teacher partnerships on student motivation and behavior management highlights the importance of consistent communication and shared goals.”
Parental Involvement in Remote Learning : “Exploring strategies to involve parents in remote and online learning environments addresses the need for adaptable approaches to maintain strong home-school connections.”
Parent-Led Initiatives in Schools : “Examining the impact of parent-led initiatives in schools reveals their potential to enhance school facilities, resources, and extracurricular opportunities for all students.”
Challenges of Parental Involvement : “Investigating the challenges faced by parents from diverse backgrounds in engaging with school activities emphasizes the importance of culturally sensitive communication and support.”
Parent Education Workshops : “Analyzing the role of parent education workshops in enhancing parenting skills, communication, and support systems contributes to positive student outcomes.”
Parental Involvement and Absenteeism : “Exploring the impact of parental involvement on reducing absenteeism, dropout rates, and disciplinary issues underscores its potential as a preventive measure.”
Parental Involvement in Curriculum Decisions : “Investigating the effects of parent participation in curriculum decisions and policy-making highlights their valuable insights and contributions to shaping educational priorities.”
Technology and Parental Involvement : “Exploring the intersection of technology and parental involvement unveils the potential of digital platforms to facilitate communication, updates, and collaboration between parents and educators.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Special Needs

Addressing special needs education, a thesis might read: “Inclusive education practices empower students with diverse abilities by providing tailored support, promoting social integration, and challenging stigmas surrounding disabilities.”

Inclusive Education Practices : “Inclusive education practices empower students with diverse abilities by providing tailored support, promoting social integration, and challenging stigmas surrounding disabilities.”
Assistive Technology in Special Education : “Examining the impact of assistive technology in special education classrooms showcases its role in enhancing communication, learning experiences, and independence for students.”
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) : “Analyzing the effectiveness of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) emphasizes their significance in providing personalized learning pathways for students with special needs.”
Parental Experiences in Special Education : “Exploring the experiences of parents of children with disabilities within the education system sheds light on the challenges they face and the importance of collaborative partnerships.”
Educator Training for Inclusive Classrooms : “Investigating the training and professional development needs of educators in inclusive classrooms addresses the necessity of equipping teachers with diverse teaching strategies.”
Peer Support Programs : “Analyzing the benefits of peer support programs in fostering positive relationships between students with and without disabilities underscores their role in promoting empathy and understanding.”
Accessible Learning Materials : “Examining the impact of accessible learning materials, such as Braille, a resources, and captioning, highlights their contribution to equitable educational experiences.”
Sensory-Friendly Environments : “Investigating the role of sensory-friendly environments in schools demonstrates their ability to create inclusive spaces that accommodate the needs of students with sensory sensitivities.”
Transition from School to Post-School Life : “Analyzing the transition process for students with special needs from school to post-school life underscores the importance of vocational training and community integration.”
Mental Health Support in Special Education : “Exploring the intersection of mental health support and special education reveals the need for comprehensive strategies that address the unique emotional needs of students with disabilities.”

Education Thesis Statement Examples for Gender Equity

Exploring gender equity in education, a thesis statement could be: “Implementing gender-sensitive policies and curriculum reforms is essential to eliminate gender disparities in education, empowering all students to fulfill their potential regardless of gender.

Gender-Sensitive Education : “Implementing gender-sensitive policies and curriculum reforms is essential to eliminate gender disparities in education, empowering all students to fulfill their potential regardless of gender.”
Gender Bias in Educational Materials : “Examining the impact of gender bias in textbooks and educational materials underscores the importance of representation and accurate portrayals of diverse gender identities.”
Gender-Responsive Pedagogy : “Analyzing the role of gender-responsive pedagogy in promoting equitable learning experiences challenges traditional teaching practices that perpetuate gender stereotypes.”
Teacher Expectations and Gender : “Exploring the influence of teacher expectations on student performance highlights the need to address unconscious biases that can hinder gender-equitable educational outcomes.”
Single-Sex Education vs. Coeducation : “Investigating the impact of single-sex education versus coeducation on academic achievement and personal development offers insights into the effects of different learning environments.”
LGBTQ+ Students in Educational Settings : “Analyzing the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in educational settings emphasizes the importance of creating safe, inclusive spaces that respect and celebrate diverse identities.”
Gender-Balanced Leadership : “Examining the impact of gender-balanced leadership and decision-making in schools addresses the need for role models and equitable representation at all levels of education.”
Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Schools : “Investigating the effects of gender-based violence prevention programs in schools emphasizes their role in fostering respectful relationships and safe learning environments.”
Parental Attitudes and Gender Roles : “Analyzing the influence of parental attitudes toward gender roles on children’s educational and career aspirations underscores the need for comprehensive family and community involvement.”
Culture, Gender Equity, and Education : “Exploring the intersection of cultural norms, gender equity, and education in diverse societies reveals the complex factors that shape educational opportunities and challenges for different genders.”

What is a Good Thesis Statement about the Lack of Education?

A strong thesis statement about the lack of education should succinctly capture the essence of the issue while outlining its significance and potential consequences. Here’s a guide to crafting a powerful thesis statement on this topic:

Example Thesis Statement: “The pervasive lack of accessible education in underserved communities perpetuates cycles of poverty, limits economic mobility, and hampers societal progress, necessitating urgent reforms to ensure equitable learning opportunities for all.”

Identify the Issue : Clearly state the problem you’re addressing – in this case, the lack of education.
Highlight Significance : Express why the issue matters by emphasizing its impact on individuals and society as a whole.
Show Consequences : Indicate the adverse effects of the lack of education, such as perpetuating poverty and hindering progress.
Mention Urgency : Communicate the importance of addressing the issue promptly, as well as the need for reform.

What is an Example of a Thesis Statement in Inclusive Education?

A thesis statement on inclusive education should emphasize the importance of creating learning environments that cater to diverse learners’ needs. Here’s a guide to crafting such a thesis statement:

Example Thesis Statement: “Inclusive education, through its emphasis on diverse learning styles, individualized support, and community engagement, fosters a holistic and equitable learning experience that empowers all students to reach their fullest potential.”

State Inclusion as a Goal : Clearly mention that the thesis is about inclusive education.
Highlight Diverse Learning Styles : Emphasize the importance of accommodating various learning styles and needs.
Emphasize Individualized Support : Stress the role of personalized assistance and adaptations in inclusive education.
Mention Community Engagement : Indicate how involving the community contributes to a successful inclusive education environment.
Discuss Empowerment : Express how inclusive education empowers all students to achieve their best outcomes.

How Do You Write a Thesis Statement for Education? – Step by Step Guide

Identify Your Topic : Determine the specific aspect of education you want to address.
Understand the Issue : Gain a deep understanding of the topic’s significance, challenges, and potential impact.
Craft a Clear Idea : Develop a concise and focused main idea or argument related to education.
Make It Debatable : Ensure your thesis statement presents an argument or perspective that can be debated or discussed.
Address Significance : Highlight why the topic is important and relevant in the context of education.
Consider Counterarguments : Acknowledge potential opposing viewpoints and consider incorporating counterarguments.
Keep It Concise : Your thesis statement should be a single, clear, and well-structured sentence.
Reflect Your Essay’s Scope : Make sure your thesis aligns with the scope of your essay or paper.
Revise and Refine : Review and revise your thesis statement to ensure its clarity and accuracy.
Seek Feedback : Share your thesis statement with peers or instructors for feedback and suggestions.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement on Education Topics

Be Specific : Clearly state what your paper will address within the broad topic of education.
Avoid Generalizations : Avoid overly broad or vague statements that lack focus.
Express a Strong Position : Your thesis should convey a clear stance on the issue.
Consider Your Audience : Tailor your thesis to resonate with your intended audience.
Use Precise Language : Choose words that convey your message concisely and accurately.
Make It Unique : Craft a thesis that sets your essay apart by presenting a unique perspective.
Reflect Your Essay Structure : Your thesis should mirror the overall structure of your essay.
Be Open to Revisions : Be willing to adjust your thesis as your research and writing progress.
Proofread Carefully : Ensure your thesis statement is free of grammatical and typographical errors.
Revise as Needed : It’s okay to revise your thesis as you refine your arguments and analysis.

Remember, a strong thesis statement sets the tone for your entire essay and guides your readers in understanding the focus and direction of your work. You may also be interested in our thesis statement for informative essay .

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9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

Learning objectives.

Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.
Revise your thesis statement.

Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.

Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.

Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.

Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.

Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

Even in a personal essay that allows the use of first person, your thesis should not contain phrases such as in my opinion or I believe . These statements reduce your credibility and weaken your argument. Your opinion is more convincing when you use a firm attitude.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.

Texting while driving
The legal drinking age in the United States
Steroid use among professional athletes

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements

Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the following requirements:

Specificity
Ability to be argued
Ability to be demonstrated
Forcefulness
The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

You can find thesis statements in many places, such as in the news; in the opinions of friends, coworkers or teachers; and even in songs you hear on the radio. Become aware of thesis statements in everyday life by paying attention to people’s opinions and their reasons for those opinions. Pay attention to your own everyday thesis statements as well, as these can become material for future essays.

Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look at the pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis:

A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.

Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.

A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.

Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.

A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.

Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.

A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.

Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.

Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the requirements of a strong thesis.

The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.
Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to support civil rights legislation.
Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.
My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.

Writing at Work

Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an e-mail. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your e-mail request. While your e-mail will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.

Thesis Statement Revision

Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that your thesis statement begins as a working thesis statement , an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.

Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the paper.

The best way to revise your thesis statement is to ask questions about it and then examine the answers to those questions. By challenging your own ideas and forming definite reasons for those ideas, you grow closer to a more precise point of view, which you can then incorporate into your thesis statement.

Ways to Revise Your Thesis

You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:

1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people , everything , society , or life , with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness.

Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.

Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.

The revised thesis makes a more specific statement about success and what it means to work hard. The original includes too broad a range of people and does not define exactly what success entails. By replacing those general words like people and work hard , the writer can better focus his or her research and gain more direction in his or her writing.

2. Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis.

Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.

Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.

A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience. By asking questions, the writer can devise a more precise and appropriate explanation for joke . The writer should ask himself or herself questions similar to the 5WH questions. (See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information on the 5WH questions.) By incorporating the answers to these questions into a thesis statement, the writer more accurately defines his or her stance, which will better guide the writing of the essay.

3. Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs are forms of the verb to be , a verb that simply states that a situation exists.

Working thesis: Kansas City schoolteachers are not paid enough.

Revised thesis: The Kansas City legislature cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are . Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Rather, they connect words and phrases to the second half of the sentence. Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:

Who is not paying the teachers enough?
What is considered “enough”?
What is the problem?
What are the results

4. Omit any general claims that are hard to support.

Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.

Revised thesis: Teenage girls who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a woman’s worth depends on her sensuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behavior.

It is true that some young women in today’s society are more sexualized than in the past, but that is not true for all girls. Many girls have strict parents, dress appropriately, and do not engage in sexual activity while in middle school and high school. The writer of this thesis should ask the following questions:

Which teenage girls?
What constitutes “too” sexualized?
Why are they behaving that way?
Where does this behavior show up?
What are the repercussions?

In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you determined your purpose for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently experienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three methods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.

Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revision to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. Using the techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.

Key Takeaways

Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated.
A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence.
A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.

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Thesis Statements

Thesis statements establish for your readers both the relationship between the ideas and the order in which the material will be presented. As the writer, you can use the thesis statement as a guide in developing a coherent argument. In the thesis statement you are not simply describing or recapitulating the material; you are taking a specific position that you need to defend . A well-written thesis is a tool for both the writer and reader, reminding the writer of the direction of the text and acting as a "road sign" that lets the reader know what to expect.

A thesis statement has two purposes: (1) to educate a group of people (the audience) on a subject within the chosen topic, and (2) to inspire further reactions and spur conversation. Thesis statements are not written in stone. As you research and explore your subject matter, you are bound to find new or differing points of views, and your response may change. You identify the audience, and your thesis speaks to that particular audience.

Preparing to Write Your Thesis: Narrowing Your Topic

Before writing your thesis statement, you should work to narrow your topic. Focus statements will help you stay on track as you delve into research and explore your topic.

I am researching ________to better understand ________.
My paper hopes to uncover ________about ________.
How does ________relate to ________?
How does ________work?
Why is ________ happening?
What is missing from the ________ debate?
What is missing from the current understanding of ________?

Writing a Thesis Statement

Thesis statements typically consist of a single sentence and stress the main argument or claim of your paper. More often than not, the thesis statement comes at the end of your introduction paragraph; however, this can vary based on discipline and topic, so check with your instructor if you are unsure where to place it.

Thesis statement should include three main components:

TOPIC  – the topic you are discussing (school uniforms in public secondary schools)
CONTROLLING IDEA  – the point you are making about the topic or significance of your idea in terms of understanding your position as a whole (should be required)
REASONING  – the supporting reasons, events, ideas, sources, etc. that you choose to prove your claim in the order you will discuss them. This section varies by type of essay and level of writing. In some cases, it may be left out (because they are more inclusive and foster unity)

A Strategy to Form Your Own Thesis Statement

Using the topic information, develop this formulaic sentence:

I am writing about_______________, and I am going to argue, show, or prove___________.

What you wrote in the first blank is the topic of your paper; what you wrote in the second blank is what focuses your paper (suggested by Patrick Hartwell in Open to Language ). For example, a sentence might be:

I am going to write about senior citizens who volunteer at literacy projects, and I am going to show that they are physically and mentally invigorated by the responsibility of volunteering.

Next, refine the sentence so that it is consistent with your style. For example:

Senior citizens who volunteer at literacy projects are invigorated physically and mentally by the responsibility of volunteering.

Here is a second example illustrating the formulation of another thesis statement. First, read this sentence that includes both topic and focusing comment:

I am going to write about how Plato and Sophocles understand the proper role of women in Greek society, and I am going to argue that though they remain close to traditional ideas about women, the authors also introduce some revolutionary views which increase women's place in society.

Now read the refined sentence, consistent with your style:

When examining the role of women in society, Plato and Sophocles remain close to traditional ideas about women's duties and capabilities in society; however, the authors also introduce some revolutionary views which increase women's place in society.

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The relationship between learning styles and academic performance: consistency among multiple assessment methods in psychology and education students.

1. Introduction

1.1. learning styles: experiential learning theory, 1.2. assessment method, academic performance and learning dimensions, 1.3. present study, 2. materials and methods, 2.1. participants, 2.2. instruments.

Multiple choice questions (MCQ). The contents were evaluated through multiple choice tests. Using this closed question method, students had to identify a single valid response among four alternatives. The following is an example of an MCQ used in the assessment: “The increase in explicit memory in children is associated with: (a) the autonomy of the child when learning to walk and handle objects; (b) an increase in the density of synapses at four months; (c) an increase in the density of synapses at eight months (correct answer); (d) the importance of holophrases in children to store memory”. A total of 30 MCQ were used with a final score of 0 to 10.
Short questions (SQ). This method used short and closed questions. In this test, the student is given a statement in order to identify a concept. An example is given below: “Identify the developmental theory that states that the zone of proximal development refers to the distance between the actual level of development and the level of potential development”. In this case, the correct answer would be: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory. A total of 10 SQ were used with a final score ranging from 0 to 10.
Creation-elaboration questions (CEQ). In this open-ended question, students must create a practical activity based on the contents studied in the developmental psychology course. This method involves mainly a practical question. The CEQ used in the tests was: “Create an activity to work on the understanding other people’s emotions in a class of 5-year-olds”. With a score between 0 and 10 points, the structure of the activity, creativity, and suitability with the contents of the course were used as criteria to evaluate performance on the CEQ.
Elaboration Questions on the Relationship between Theory and Practice (EQRTP). In this open-ended assessment question, students must link theoretical concepts to practical application. A video is used to illustrate a teaching-learning process between children and an expert, and various interactions between children. After watching the video, students must analyze its content using theoretical concepts. Below is the examination question and a link to the video used ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/xux6p9di5pj885m/Sustainability.mp4?dl=0 ) (accessed on 29 January 2021) [ 48 ] “Associate the following video with theoretical contents of the Developmental Psychology course”. The number of associations between practical aspects and theoretical contents, coherence between concepts, presentation of theory and clarity in the written composition were used as criteria to assess performance from 0 to 10.

2.3. Procedure

2.4. data analysis, 3.1. learning styles according to personal and educational dimensions, 3.2. assessment methods: academic performance and consistency and their relation to learning dimensions and styles, 3.3. influence of learning dimensions on performance consistency in the different assessment methods, 4. discussion, 5. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Click here to enlarge figure


				Test

		M (SD)	M (SD)		M (SD)	M (SD)	M (SD)
Perception	r = −0.032, p = 0.590	4.89 (9.79)	6.66 (10.50)	t (287) = −1.20, p = 0.232	8.77 (11.66)	3.99 (8.75)	4.35 (9.42)	F (2,286) = 5.39, p = 0.005
CE	r = 0.066, p = 0.272	25.91 (5.64)	25.66 (6.38)	t (287) = 0.28, p = 0.777	25.36 (6.83)	30.56 (5.98)	28.72 (5.14)	F (2,286) = 0.62, p = 0.536
AC	r = 0.009, p = 0.877	30.79 (5.80)	32.32 (6.70)	t (287) = −1.71, p = 0.087	34.13 (6.40)	29.56 (5.42)	30.57 (5.69)	F (2,286) = 12.09, p < 0.001
Processing	r = −0.038, p = 0.522	4.97 (9.35)	4.23 (10.79)	t (287) = 0.52, p = 0.605	3.98 (10.74)	3.75 (9.71)	5.76 (9.04)	F (2,286) = 1.41, p = 0.244
AE	r = −0.068, p = 0.253	34.14 (5.50)	33.13 (7.30)	t (287) = 1.15, p = 0.249	32.25 (6.36)	34.31 (5.38)	34.48 (5.84)	F (2,286) = 3.47, p = 0.033
RO	r = −0.005, p = 0.931	29.16 (28.89)	28.89 (5.95)	t (287) = 0.32, p = 0.748	28.27 (6.01)	30.56 (5.98)	28.72 (5.14)	F (2,286) = 3.68, p = 0.027

				Test				Test

Diverging	F (3,280) = 0.52, p = 0.668	74 (r = 0.9)	14 (r = −0.9)	χ (3) = 0.47, p = 0.470, V = 0.09	11 (r = −2.6)	28 (r = 1.3)	49 (r = 1)	χ (6) = 15.77, p = 0.015, V = 0.16
Assimilating		53 (r = −1.3)	17 (r = 1.3)		26 (r = 3.5)	16 (r = −0.8)	28 (r = −2.2)
Converging		35 (r = −0.6)	10 (r = 0.6)		11 (r = −2.6)	9 (r = −1.1)	25 (r = 0.6)
Accommodat.		72 (r = 0.8)	14 (r = −0.8)		16 (r = −0.9)	24 (r = 0.3)	46 (r = 0.5)

Assessment Method and Performance	Learning Dimensions				Learning Style
	Perception (AC—CE)	ANOVA	Processing (AE—RO)	ANOVA	Divergent	Assimilating	Convergent	Accommodating	Test χ
	M (SD)	ANOVA	M (SD)	ANOVA	Divergent	Assimilating	Convergent	Accommodating	Test χ
MCQ
Low	2.09 (11.02)	F (2,134) = 4.96, p = 0.008	4.30 (11.09)	F (2,134) = 0.12, p = 0.885	18 (r = 2)	8 (r = −2.2)	4 (r = −1.2)	16 (r = 1.2)	χ (6) = 8.85, p = 0.182, V = 0.18
Medium	7.84 (10.35)		3.89 (9.50)		9 (r = −1.5)	16 (r = 1.1)	8 (r = 0.9)	12 (r = −0.3)
High	7.80 (8.69)		3.28 (9.18)		12 (r = −0.4)	16 (r = 1)	7 (r = 0.3)	11 (r = −0.8)
SQ
Low	2.42 (8.74)	F (2,165) = 1.63, p = 0.199	4.50 (9.30)	F (2,165) = 1.07, p = 0.344	22 (r = 1)	10 (r = −0.5)	4 (r = −1.1)	16 (r = 0.2)	χ (6) = 6.24, p = 0.397, V = 0.13
Medium	4.02 (8.97)		2.80 (9.49)		22 (r = 0.7)	14 (r = 1)	5 (r = −0.7)	13 (r = −1.1)
High	5.31 (7.83)		5.37 (9.76)		18 (r = −1.6)	12 (r = −0.5)	11 (r = 1.8)	21 (r = 0.9)
Activity
Low	4.62 (9.42)	F (2,176) = 0.39, p = 0.678	4.68 (10.90)	F (2,176) = 0.43, p = 0.650	19 (r = 0)	13 (r = −1.4)	10 (r = 1.1)	21 (r = 0.6)	χ (6) = 8.70, p = 0.191, V = 0.16
Medium	5.10 (11.32)		3 (10.46)		18 (r = 0)	20 (r = 1.4)	2 (r = −2.6)	20 (r = 0.5)
High	6.27 (10.36)		4.16 (9.13)		17 (r = 0)	15 (r = 0)	10 (r = 1.5)	14 (r = −1.1)
EQRTP
Low	5.27 (9.26)	F (2,229) = 2.54, p = 0.081	3.19 (10.11)	F (2,229) = 0.80, p = 0.451	26 (r = 0.7)	22 (r = 0.6)	4 (r = −2.5)	23 (r = 0.5)	χ (6) = 14.19, p = 0.028, V = 0.18
Medium	3.70 (10.21)		4.18 (9.32)		33 (r = 2)	18 (r = −1.3)	12 (r = 0.4)	20 (r = −1.1)
High	7.18 (9.35)		5.23 (10.22)		14 (r = −2.8)	22 (r = 0.7)	15 (r = 2.1)	23 (r = 0.6)

Medium-High	7.18 (9.75)	F (2,216) = 3.60, p = 0.029	4.79 (8.90)	F (2,216) = 0.12, p = 0.887	20 (r = −1.4)	20 (r = 0)	17 (r = 2.6)	21 (r = −0,6)	χ (6) = 10.13, p = 0.119, V = 0.15
Medium-Low	2.96 (10.32)		4.34 (9.70)		29 (r = 1.7)	16 (r = −1)	5 (r = −2.1)	24 (r = 0.7)
Inconsistency	5.28 (8.90)		4 (10.87)		20 (r = −0.4)	20 (r = 1)	8 (r = −0.5)	19 (r = −0.2)

		Nagelkerke’s R2	B	Wald χ	OR
Model		0.061 *
Perception			−0.04	6.49 **	0.957
Processing			−0.01	0.39	0.989
		Predicted n		% of Correct Classifications
	Classification
Observed n	Medium-High	51	27	65.4%
Observed n	Medium-Low	35	39	52.7%
				59.2%

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Maya, J.; Luesia, J.F.; Pérez-Padilla, J. The Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic Performance: Consistency among Multiple Assessment Methods in Psychology and Education Students. Sustainability 2021 , 13 , 3341. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063341

Maya J, Luesia JF, Pérez-Padilla J. The Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic Performance: Consistency among Multiple Assessment Methods in Psychology and Education Students. Sustainability . 2021; 13(6):3341. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063341

Maya, Jesús, Juan F. Luesia, and Javier Pérez-Padilla. 2021. "The Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic Performance: Consistency among Multiple Assessment Methods in Psychology and Education Students" Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3341. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063341

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Thesis Statements
A thesis statement has two purposes: (1) to educate a group of people (the audience) on a subject within the chosen topic, and (2) to inspire further reactions and spur conversation. Thesis statements are not written in stone. As you research and explore your subject matter, you are bound to find new or differing points of views, and your ...
The Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic ...
Universities strive to ensure quality education focused on the diversity of the student body. According to experiential learning theory, students display different learning preferences. This study has a three-fold objective: to compare learning styles based on personal and educational variables, to analyze the association between learning styles, the level of academic performance, and ...
(Pdf) a Study of The Preferred Learning Styles of Students Taking the
More specifically, the study aims to identify the most preferred learning styles of students learning the 1119 English paper according to gender and academic streams (Pure Science and Account).
Thesis On Learning Style
Satisfactory Essays. 1003 Words. 5 Pages. Open Document. Statement of problem: Learning style is an important to consideration in the educational process of the academic world which is also supported by literature. Among other variables, differences in learning styles may be influenced by language, culture, educational department and gender.
The Effect of Students' Learning Styles to Their ...
This study was aimed to evaluate the learning styles of education faculty students and to determine the effect of their success and relationship between their learning styles and academic success.
Early identification of Schizophrenia using multi-view learning model
The impeccable results of deep learning techniques in handling classification and predictive modeling make them a valuable source for analyzing and identifying Schizophrenia. To handle these complex symptoms, we propose a methodology in which multiple data formats are handled using a multi-view learning representational model.

What is a thesis statement?

Identify a topic

Consider what your assignment asks you to do

Sample assignment 1

Sample assignment 2

Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information

Derive a main point from topic

Look for patterns in your evidence

Purpose statement

Derive purpose statement from topic

Compose a draft thesis statement

Question-to-Assertion

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

Refine and polish the thesis statement

Sample Assignment

Complete the final thesis statement

Writing Process and Structure

Getting Started with Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Working with Sources

Drafting Your Paper

Revising Your Paper

Finishing Your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Thesis Statements

Introduction

What is a thesis statement?

How do I create a thesis?

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

Works consulted

What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chancing factors

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

What’s Covered:

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

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

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

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

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Being Specific

Making a Unique Argument

Creating a Debate

Choosing the Right Words

Leaving Room for Discussion

Thesis Mad Libs

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

Related Resources

Walden Resources

Centers and Offices

Student Resources

Developing Strong Thesis Statements

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

The thesis needs to be narrow

Types of claims

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What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Thesis template

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Table of contents

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Thesis examples

Theoretical framework

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Tegan George

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