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Thesis Statements

by Hardin, Diana

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Thesis Statements
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Volunteer State Community College
Learning Commons
Introduction



Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion or rhetoric. Persuasion is convincing others that you have a logical point of view on the topic you’re discussing, and you use it all the time. 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.

Many college assignments will ask you to make a persuasive case in your writing. This form of persuasion is called academic argument, and it 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 is designed to be a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper. This form is called the essay. Your thesis statement serves as a roadmap for you and your reader as you both navigate through your argument. 

We hope you enjoy reading this mini ebook about thesis statements!
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What is a thesis statement, and what does it do?
A thesis statement:
*is the direct answer to a question.  Sometimes
your instructor will give you a prompt, but
sometimes you will be answering a question you
asked yourself during the brainstorming process.

*tells the reader what is significant about the topic
under discussion.

*is a roadmap for what is to come in the paper.

*is arguable.

*is usually a single sentence at the end of the
introduction (but not always) that presents your
argument. The rest of the essay (the body) will
present evidence to persuade the reader of the
logic of your argument.
How do you know if you need to include a thesis statement in your writing?
Ellipse;
What a thesis statement is NOT:
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How do you know if you need to include a thesis statement in your writing?
Instructors do not always specifically direct you to write a thesis statement, so how do you know if you need to include one in your writing? 

When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and/or 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. If you’re not sure if a thesis is required, ask your instructor! (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)
How do I create a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a LOT of thinking; thinking is a significant part of the writing process. Writing a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you can develop an argument, you must gather evidence, think about relationships between known facts (differences or similarities), and think about the significance of those relationships. Since a thesis is an answer to a question, coming up with a thesis means asking questions. After you’ve done this, you will likely be able to come up with a working thesis, the statement of an argument you feel you can support with evidence. Once you continue the writing process, it is likely that either the argument or the thesis may need to be revised.
Thinking man
Writers use many different methods to think about their topic, organize the evidence, and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas, see our handout on brainstorming.
As you continue the writing process, it is likely that either the argument or thesis may need to be revised.
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