Thesis Statements

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!

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?

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.

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.

How do I know if my thesis statement is strong?

You can ask your instructor or bring it by the Learning Commons so a tutor can give you some feedback. If you don’t have time to ask someone else, you can evaluate your own thesis statement by using the following checklist:

◼ Does it answer a question?
Reread the prompt (if there was one) or review the question you are answering to confirm your argument is focused and headed in the appropriate direction.

◼ Is it arguable?
Would (or could) anyone disagree with what I'm saying or oppose or challenge my argument? If the answer is no, then your thesis statement is probably a fact or a summary.

◼ Is it specific?
If your thesis statement is vague, the argument may not be strong enough. If your thesis contains vague words like “good” or “bad,” try to revise your thesis to be more specific: Why is something good or bad?

◼ Does it pass the "how" and "why" test?
If your reader’s first response is to ask “how” or “why,” your thesis may be weak. See if you can revise it to answer the “how” and “why” questions so your reader doesn’t need more information to be clear about your position.

◼ Does it pass the "so what" test?
If your reader’s first response is to ask “how” or “why,” your thesis may be weak. See if you can revise it to answer the “how” and “why” questions so your reader doesn’t need more information to be clear about your position.

◼ Does my essay support my thesis?
If the two don’t match perfectly, without wandering, one will need to be revised. This is okay! In fact, it’s good. Reassessment and revision are a part of the writing process, not something that happens when you’ve not done a good job the first time.

A Classroom Scenario

Reassessment and revision are part of the writing process.

A Classroom Scenario

Here is a possible three-point thesis from “The Mask of the Red Death,” by Edgar Allen Poe:

In the thesis statement above, we are told what the author is doing, but we don’t know how or why. The points in this thesis are disconnected examples that have been inserted into a formula, and examples are “what” components which ignore the more interesting “how” and “why” components your audience really cares about.

1. It is okay to “give away” your argument.
A thesis statement should not be obscure or vague. It should be clear. Some writers feel as though they need to maintain a little mystery in the thesis statement. College-level thesis statements make their argument completely transparent.

2. College-level essays won’t run out of material.
Some writers worry if they talk about the “how” and “why” in their thesis statement they may not have enough to talk about in the body paragraphs. In college writing, a thesis statement will be longer and more complex than it was in high school. You will be digging deeper into your analysis in college writing than you did in high school. You will be incorporating

evidence and analysis from outside sources and your own observations and making connections between them, relevant theories in other areas of study, and the broader context of the world.

Your argument will be complex, multi-faceted, and often controversial. As such, you will need to address counterarguments and refutations. All of this will provide you with more than enough material for your body paragraphs.

1. College-level writing is imaginative and creative.
There is a difference between essay writing and creative writing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use creativity in your essay. In order to make connections between your analysis and the human condition, for example, you may need to imagine yourself in a different time or place.

Your argument will be founded in logic and fact, but it will require creativity and imagination to make it interesting.

2. A thesis doesn’t need to have three points. In fact, a college-level thesis statement often has only one point.

Here is an example of a better thesis statement on the same topic as above:

By featuring color throughout the story, which he does so consistently as to make it feel like a dominant force, Poe effectively portrays death as an inevitable outcome, equalizing all of humanity in the process.