What is a thesis statement?
Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message. The argument(s) you make in your paper should reflect this main idea. The sentence that captures your position on this main idea is what we call a thesis statement, which should be both specific and debatable. Your thesis statement should tell your reader what the paper is about, where you stand, and what issues are at stake. They also help guide your writing, keep your argument focused, and often reflect your subclaims.
Questions to ask when formulating your thesis statement:
1. Where is it?
You should provide a thesis early in your essay — in the introduction, or in longer essays in the second paragraph — in order to establish your position and give your reader a sense of direction. The introduction provides background on the issue and its controversies to set up the topic explored by the thesis. Your thesis statement should also provide and reflect the structure of your essay.
A purpose statement, which announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper, sometimes precedes a thesis statement. Example of a purpose statement with a thesis statement:
“The goal of this paper is to examine the role of character development in delivering Black Panther’s social messages. . . Race, gender, and class are essential components of Black Panther’s thematic and cinematic elements. The film successfully uses these elements to unpack the implications of gender but lacks critical engagement with race and class analysis.”
2. Is your thesis clear and specific enough?
Avoid vague words such as “interesting,” “negative,” “exciting,” “unusual,” and “difficult.”
Avoid abstract words such as “society,” “values,” or “culture.”
These words tell the reader next to nothing if you do not carefully explain what you mean by them. Never assume that the meaning of a sentence is obvious. Check to see if you need to define your terms (“socialism,” “conventional,” “commercialism,” “society”), and then decide on the most appropriate place to do so. Do not assume, for example, that you have the same understanding of what “society” means as your reader. To avoid misunderstandings, be as specific as possible.
3. Is your thesis too general?
Your thesis should be limited to what can be accomplished in the specified number of pages. Shape your topic so that you can get straight to the “meat” of it. Being specific in your paper will be much more successful than writing about general things that do not say much. Don’t settle for three pages of just skimming the surface.
4. Does it take a position on the issue at hand?
The thesis statement should do more than merely announce the topic; it must reveal what position you will take in relation to that topic, how you plan to analyze/evaluate the subject or the issue. In short, instead of merely stating a general fact or resorting to a simplistic pro/con statement, you must decide what it is you have to say.
Example of a factual statement: “Black Panther contains messages related to gender, race, and class.”
Example of a thesis statement: “Black Panther uses character development and dialogue to deliver an intersectional feminist message.” It’s debatable, specific, and also includes subclaims.
5. Does it offer an argument that will be supported by evidence and analysis (sub-claims)?
The thesis statement should also have enough detail that it leaves the reader ready to understand your following subclaims that you’ll later support with evidence and analysis.
Example of a thesis statement that doesn’t include subclaims: “The rise of consumerism in America is well-documented in the 21st century.”
Example of a thesis statement that includes subclaims: “The almost constant exposure of the average American to advertising on the Internet and television has given rise to an increased level of consumerism in the 21st century.”
6. Is it original?
Crafting an original, insightful, and memorable thesis makes a distinct impression on a reader. A well-crafted thesis statement reflects well-crafted ideas. It signals a writer who has intelligence, commitment, and enthusiasm.
Search for concrete subjects and active verbs, revising as many “to be” verbs as possible.
Tips for creating a complete thesis from your working thesis
You’ll likely begin with a working thesis, which describes your thoughts, but lacks the “so what?”
Example: “I think that Black Panther talks about the intersections of gender and class well but could have engaged the intersection of class and race more critically.”
- To strengthen your thesis, consider the stakes & implications. How should a reader understand your topic differently after reading your essay?
- Get specific! Choose 1 term to refine or define.
- Return to (or imagine) a research question, then answer that question.
How to organize with your thesis
An introduction provides background on the issue and its controversies to set up the topic explored by the thesis. Your thesis statement provides and reflects the structure of your essay. The order of your paragraphs should demonstrate and explain how your sub-claims inform and advance your thesis.
Your thesis is the preview; your essay is the movie.
Questions to ask when organizing your essay around your thesis:
- Are you making a historical argument? Theory-based (e.g., feminist, critical race theory, eco-criticism, etc.)? Challenging or illustrating a belief or approach at the time?
- How much background do you need to provide?
- What sub-arguments will you make? Use those to determine topic sentences and a logical paragraph sequence.
- Which primary materials need to be discussed where? What secondary materials need to be paired with certain parts of your argument or primary source analysis?
- How does your analysis build on secondary materials?
- Are you in tension or debate with other viewpoints?
From prewriting to planning:
Brainstorm: List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper, without getting bogged down by how they all fit together yet.
Organize: Group related ideas together and visualize how potential subclaims could fit together.
Order: Arrange material in subsections in a logical structure. It’s also helpful to have this logic reflected in your thesis statement.
Label: Create main and subheadings and/or topic sentences. Topic sentences are a great place to include your subclaims.