Political Science/JSIS/LSJ Writing Center Guide to Writing Thesis Statements Back to Helpful Handouts o Writing Center Home Page Show
Your thesis statement is the central argument of your essay. It must be concise and well-written.
The key difference between an opinion statement and thesis statement is that a thesis conveys to the reader that the claim being offered has been thoroughly explored and is defendable by evidence. It answers the "what" question (what is the argument?) and it gives the reader a clue as to the "why" question (why is this argument the most persuasive?). Examples of good thesis statements:
1. Thesis statements must make a claim or argument. They are not statements of fact. Statement of fact: "A candidates ability to afford television advertising can have an impact on the outcome of Congressional elections." This is essentially an indisputable point and therefore, not a thesis statement.Similarly, the claim "The United Nations was established to promote diplomacy between major powers." is not likely to inspire much debate. 2. Thesis statements are not merely opinion statements. Statement of opinion:"Congressional elections are simply the result of who has the most money." This statement does make a claim, but in this format it is too much of an opinion and not enough of an argument.Similarly, "The United Nations is incapable of preventing war" is closer to a thesis statement than the factual statement above because it raises a point that is debatable. But in this format, it doesn't offer the reader much information; it sounds like the author is simply stating a viewpoint that may or may not be substantiated by evidence. In conclusion, your thesis should make clear what your argument is; it should also provide the reader with some indication of why your argument is persuasive. For example: In the congressional elections example, why is money important (and whose money? The candidates'? Corporations'? Special interests'?), are other factors irrelevant (the candidates' views on the issues?) and for which types of elections is this true (is your argument equally true for Senatorial elections and elections for the House of Representatives? Why or why not?)? In the other example, you will need to think about why the United Nations is not capable of preventing war. Your thesis should indicate that you have an understanding of the relevant historical circumstances and that you are aware of alternative explanations. Of course, one can re-work a thesis statement indefinitely and one can almost always find something at fault with it. The point is that you must be sure that your thesis statement is indicating to your reader that you have an argument to make. Back to handouts 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 . . .
Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one. Identify a topicYour 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.
Generate a topic from an assignmentBelow are some possible topics based on sample assignments. Sample assignment 1Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II. Identified topic
Reason 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 2Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad. Identified topic
Reason 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 informationConsider what your assignment asks you to doYour 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.
Inform yourself about your topicAfter 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. Focus on one aspect of your topicAs 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. Ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your effortsBefore 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 topicOnce 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.
Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement. Example 1TopicFranco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis Evidence
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
Example 2TopicThe relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64. Evidence
Possible conclusion: 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. Purpose statement
Derive purpose statement from topicLook for patterns in your evidenceTo 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. Compose a purpose statementSometimes 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:
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.
Compose a draft thesis statementIf 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. Purpose statementBegin 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-AssertionIf 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.” Main ideaWrite 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. List ideasMake a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.
FormulaUse a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).
Compose a draft thesis statementWhat to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statementBeginning 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 statementTo get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.
Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement. Sample AssignmentChoose 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.
Complete the final thesis statementThe Bottom LineAs you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:
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. What is the first step in crafting a purpose statement quizlet?What is the first step in crafting a purpose statement? Identifying your topic and general goal.
Which of the following will help your listeners pay attention to the body of your speech by identifying ahead?A preview will help your listeners pay attention to the body of your speech by identifying ahead of time what they should listen for.
Which of the following is not a way to prepare for an extemporaneous speech?Which of the following is NOT a way to prepare for an extemporaneous speech? Create an extensive outline.
What is the first step to preparing an effective speech?1. Know your audience. Whether you are presenting a paper or giving a speech, you need to analyze your audience first and foremost. It is easy to alienate an audience by not examining the characteristics of the group, what they know and what they want to know.
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