6 Principles of Good Thesis Statement Writing

Most students dread thesis statement writing. It’s hard enough to understand the question and then come up with a workable answer, let alone organize all of that into a coherent essay outline. And you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way. Several simple principles of good thesis statement writing can help you create an effective and persuasive paper outline in no time at all.

Why It’s Important to Think About Your Thesis Statement Early

When writing a paper, it’s important to think about your statement early on. A thesis statement is a one-sentence summary that can help you to better shape your paper. Think about what your paper is about, what you want to say, and what your main idea is. In the table of contents below, you’ll find some sample continuation questions and different ways to structure them. Remember that your thesis statement should answer the question, “What?” It should also build upon previous significant points you want to mention throughout your paper. In case you are wondering whats thesis, That is the definition of thesis statement.

Here are some general ideas for structure and format. This is the best approach and serves as a great thesis generator.

The introduction of your paper should always leave something to be desired. For yours, each point should also lead to a new question, so it’s always interesting to revisit your specific idea. Your conclusions should defend your major points as well.

Sample outlines are below. Read through the introduction carefully, incorporating the previous points and clarifying anything that may be unclear. Then look for places to add additional points or new ideas.

Sample python continuation questions:

Where a part refers to a section of a larger text, use section-based names (such as the part with the intro, the next section, etc).

What Makes A Good Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is the most important sentence in your entire paper. It is the backbone of the entire paper. The thesis statement must be debatable. It must be controversial enough that people will want to argue about it. People will not want to argue about a thesis statement that they think is true. They want to argue about a thesis statement that they think is false. This is where all of your ideas and biases play out. You have to be able to justify and define thesis statement.

While you set out to write your initial draft, it’s important to keep some things in mind. First of all, the wider the scope of your research, the wider the scope of your thesis statement. This means that thesis statement writing must be as specific and focused as possible. As opposed to writing a personal essay, talking about your personal experiences, taking a topic from recent events, or a more impersonal abstract, you can’t write a broad thesis statement like, “there is a negative relationship between X and Y.”

Most research papers and dissertations contain a limited number of sources. If your thesis statement is too broad, it might be impossible to cite all of the relevant sources — or to cite any sources at all. Read through your existing sources carefully. Is anything worth re-examining or amending? Does anything seem out of place or is only barely followed? As you read through, pick the sections that you think should be the focus of your paper and paste them into your outline, then summarize each section in your summary.

How will different sections of your paper interrelate with one another? Most sections contain ideas that are related but not necessarily directly related. These interrelated ideas can be phrased in a variety of ways. You must be able to prove why one idea is more important than another idea.

Break down your ideas into reasonably small, logically connected ideas. If pieces of an idea are not connected, it can be challenging to decide which one should be given more weight when writing a thesis statement for your paper.

What Should You Include In Your Thesis Statement?

You should include these ideas in your thesis statement:

• the subject (the topic of your paper),
• the goal (your answer to the question you’ve chosen to answer), and
• the reason (the connection between your thesis and your research).

These qualities are all interrelated. The science here is that effective thesis statement writing drives home these three distinct points, puts them in an easy-to-read font, and showcases the sentiment and tone you’re trying to convey. And even if your paper doesn’t have a thesis, a good thesis statement can still prompt others to start discussing the ideas contained within your paper.

So set aside some time during your prep session or during actual class to craft a well-crafted thesis statement. While you might need to modify your paper outline to incorporate some of the ideas in your thesis, these overarching themes will serve you well in any topic you write about.

Now you’ve got your essay outline, here are a few additional tips to make it even better:

I’m Darren Hardy of ConvertKit. We help people turn ideas into action. If you have an idea you think might spark a conversation, get in touch here.

How to Write Stronger Thesis Statements With the “Sensory Detail” Technique

A thesis statement is a sentence that states the main idea of your paper. It typically appears at the end of the introductory paragraph. It’s one sentence that will encompass the rest of your paper. A strong thesis statement will not only state your main idea but also should include your position on the idea and your reasons for holding that position. Good thesis statement writing is a combination of synthesis — coming up with a single concise sentence that summarizes your entire argument — and argument — explaining the merits of your position and its relevance to your reader. Simply put, a good thesis statement is like a mini-manifesto — it should cover all of the bases. I know — I suck at writing them, But you have to start somewhere. So grab that notepad, and get started!

The format of a good thesis statement varies depending on the type of paper you’re reviewing. These are the three main sections that appear in most thesis statements: facts, statements, and conclusions. Again, I’ll give you examples of thesis statements to help you focus on these elements.

The Facts

The facts should detail the essential information necessary to make your thesis clear and concise. They should clearly state whether or not your paper addresses a new research topic, what other published works that you’ve cited support your position, and what research/methodology biases you’re drawing from.

One warning here, while many universities require a professor to inform the reader of the research/methodology background of their paper, it’s not required to do so in your paper. This means that your summary statements and endnotes may omit relevant references. But make sure your summary statement and endnote address the importance of the background information. And please be sure that your paper addresses the most important research questions in the piece. Again, use those notches to brainstorm relevant facts to include in your summary statement.

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement for Any Paper in Any Subject

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement for Any Paper in Any Subject. A thesis statement is a single sentence, or sometimes two short sentences, that gives the reader an idea of what the rest of the essay is going to be about. A thesis statement can be used to write an argumentative essay, a persuasive essay, or even a descriptive essay.

Removing the unnecessary word “the” from a thesis statement will help you better communicate your points. You will also avoid confusing or associating unrelated ideas in your reader’s mind. Another way your thesis statement can be improved is through avoiding words like “prove” or “proved”. The psycho-linguist Carl Jung explains that “prove” and “proved” put listeners in a situation where they have to choose one or the other. They have to decide if one thing is true or false. Using these words creates an impasse and could make readers disengage from your paper.

One way to avoid using such words or what Carl Jung calls “ idée fixe” is to put at least one radical or counterintuitive idea at the top of your paper. Doing this has the added benefit of making your paper more engaging. This is despite the lack of scientific or typically accepted methods in your research. Try putting: “Evidence shows that [X probed] and [X is true].” or “Due to [X, Y is happening].” Before submitting, ask yourself whether or not your idea is radical or counterintuitive. Also, check the date of your paper and the type of paper that you have already submitted. Using these suggestions can help ensure your readers are immediately engaged in reading your paper and you ultimately get more traction in those reviews or discussions.

Having a writing background will help you withstand rejection and realize your potential to deliver more of such brilliant pieces to your readers. It’s impossible to teach writing principles to someone who doesn’t already have writing abilities. You can check out some writing resources based on your interests and needs: from personal essays and articles to business reports and trends.