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Argumentative Writing

The writing process, indefinite and definite articles, 8th -  11th  , academic writing, 9th -  10th  , thesis statements, argumentative texts.

9th - 10th grade

16 questions

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• 1. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What is a thesis statement? A general idea of what the essay is about A summary of the main idea A statement that explains the main idea of an essay A suggestion that you should read the essay
• 2. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt True or False: The thesis statement should express a main idea that links to supporting points in the body paragraphs. True False
• 3. Multiple Choice Edit 1 minute 1 pt Where should a thesis statement appear? first paragraph anywhere in the essay last paragraph the first sentence of every paragraph
• 4. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt How long is a thesis statement? 1-2 sentences 1-2 paragraphs 1-2 words 1-2 pages
• 5. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt How many parts should there be in a thesis statement? Four Three Two  One
• 6. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What three parts make up a thesis statement? identification of topic/focus, the purpose/claim, and at least 3 subtopics/supporting points topic sentence, introduction, and conclusion introduction, a quote or paraphrase, and conclusion why I chose the topic, why it is a great topic, my personal connection to the topic
• 7. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt When creating a thesis statement, it is important to think about your... topic purpose audience all of the above
• 8. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt A formal style and an objective tone will... show a respectful and professional attitude toward your readers help readers focus on your ideas ensure readers take your ideas seriously all of the above
• 9. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt True or False: It is best to use a quote in your thesis statement to support your point of view. True False
• 10. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt True or False: The best thesis statements are formed into a question. True False
• 11. Multiple Choice Edit 20 seconds 1 pt True or False: There is a difference between the thesis statement and the topic sentence. True False
• 12. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Which of the following is not a function of a thesis statement? To announce the topic of your paper to your reader To reflect a perspective on a topic To leave a final impression on your reader To provide a blueprint of your essay to the reader
• 13. Multiple Choice Edit 1.5 minutes 1 pt Which of the following is a strong thesis statement? Violent video games are harmful for young people to play. Violent video games are harmful to young people, and it should be stopped. Violent video games are harmful for young people to play because  it promotes a sedentary lifestyle, encourages violence, and can cause children to become desensitized to death. Violent video games are harmful for young people because they should be reading a book.
• 14. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt Which of the following is a strong thesis statement?  I would like to become a chef when I finish school because I like to cook.  Although both chefs and cooks can prepare fine meals, chefs differ from cooks in   education, professional commitment, and artistry. Both chefs and cooks prepare meals but are different in several ways. A career in the culinary arts is a good choice for many reasons.
• 15. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt Which topic sentence DOES NOT belong with the thesis below? Although there are those who claim otherwise, sports are not overrated because they keep people active, provide entertainment, and instill valuable life lessons in those that play them. To begin with, sports can be an important part of an active lifestyle. Next, sports teams help build a sense of community and pride in a school. Moreover, even if you aren't playing a sport, it is relatively cheap entertainment to watch. Finally, the learning that occurs on the field is as important as that which occurs in the classroom.
• 16. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt Which topic sentence DOES NOT belong with the thesis below? Schools should start later in the day because it would allow for more sleep, aid efforts at better nutrition, and be more convenient for both students and parents. To begin, if school started later, it would also get out later. Also, teens would be able to sleep in longer and feel more rested for the start of the day. Furthermore, it will be easier to eat a healthy breakfast if there is more time to do so. Most importantly, a later start time would be easier for parents and students to plan around.

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Identifying Good Thesis Statements Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which punctuation rule is used to fix the comma splice in the first sentence.

• Comma rule 2
• Comma rule 1 (correct)
• Semicolon rule 2
• Semicolon rule 1

Which punctuation rule is used to fix the comma splice in the second sentence?

• Semicolon rule 2 (correct)
• Comma rule 1

What is the correct way to format the titles of magazines, newspapers, and journals?

• Sentence case and italics
• Title case and bold
• Sentence case and bold
• Title case and italics (correct)

What is the category that magazines, newspapers, and journals fall under?

<p>Periodicals</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good thesis statement?

<p>Sticks to factual information</p> Signup and view all the answers

How should chapter titles on reference pages be formatted and capitalized?

<p>Title case with double quotation marks</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the only thing that never changes capitalization and format in APA referencing?

<p>Books</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct abbreviation for DOI?

<p>Digital Object Identifier</p> Signup and view all the answers

In reference pages, how can you distinguish between a book and a webpage according to the text?

<p>Webpages have a year, month, and day OR n.d., whereas books only have a year</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct abbreviation for APA in APA referencing?

<p>APA</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which phrase correctly describes how chapters appear in an essay or on the title page according to the text?

Study notes, general guidelines.

• There are 2 authors in the example given (Jones and Smith)

Thesis Statement

• A good thesis statement lists topics, provides something to argue, and doesn't stick to factual information
• Example of a bad thesis statement: "There are many types of ocean fish" (factual and doesn't list topics)
• Example of a bad thesis statement: "This essay will explore the roles of influencers during Covid times..." (statement of purpose)

Formatting and Capitalization

• Titles of chapters on reference pages are formatted and capitalized in sentence case
• Periodicals (magazines, newspapers, and journals) are formatted and capitalized in title case and italics
• Chapters in an essay or title page appear in title case with double quotation marks
• Periodicals are the only thing that never changes in capitalization and format (regular text or italics) whether on the title page, in the essay, or on the references page

APA Guidelines

• APA stands for American Psychological Association
• DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier
• Rule number 1 in a class: use the robot but never trust it
• The 7th edition of APA is used

Writing and Grammar

• Concise writing is important
• Fixing comma splices: use a comma to separate clauses (e.g., "The mood was tense, and we thought it would be difficult.")
• Fixing comma splices: use a semicolon to separate clauses (e.g., "I studied hard; however, I did well.")
• Adding commas to separate clauses (e.g., "Jogging down the street, the man suddenly tripped on the curb")

References and Citations

• Webpages have a year, month, and day (or n.d.) on the references page
• Books have only a year on the references page
• Hanging indentation is used in the references section
• The spacing for a normal assignment is 2.0

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This quiz assesses the ability to identify good thesis statements. It includes multiple examples and requires determining whether each statement is true or false, with explanations provided for the answers.

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Thesis Statement

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• Q 1 / 11 Score 0 A thesis statement communicates the main point of an essay and expresses the writer's position. For many academic essays, a thesis statement should be one sentence long. You'll usually place your thesis at the end of your first paragraph, which will be your introductory paragraph. What is a thesis statement? 29 A sentence written at the begininning of a paragraph A sentence found in the introduction A one sentence long position The main point of an essay that expresses the writer's position

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• Q 1 A thesis statement communicates the main point of an essay and expresses the writer's position. For many academic essays, a thesis statement should be one sentence long. You'll usually place your thesis at the end of your first paragraph, which will be your introductory paragraph. What is a thesis statement? A sentence written at the begininning of a paragraph A sentence found in the introduction A one sentence long position The main point of an essay that expresses the writer's position 30 s
• Q 2 Having a good thesis statement is useful for you, as it will help you stay on track as you write the rest of your essay. If a point doesn't support or relate to your thesis statement, you'll know you'll need to cut that point out. A good thesis also helps your reader. If your thesis statement is clear, a reader can know what to expect in your paper right from the start. What do you need to do if a point doesn't support or relate to your thesis statement? Write about something else Cut that point out Leave it and make it work Revise the thesis statement 30 s
• Q 3 You can pull the fundamental components for your thesis statement from your writing prompt or the topic idea that you've come up with. Because a thesis statement - particularly for a persuasive essay - should clearly present your position on a debatable topic, we can approach this in a straightforward way and try to answer the key question clearly. In order to formulate our answer, we should refer back to our prewriting, in which we generated some ideas for this particular prompt. As we determine how to answer the key question from our writing prompt, we'll first need to create a PRO and CON list. How do you begin developing a thesis statement? Brainstorm ideas, and make a PRO and CON list Write your thesis statement and check to see if it matches the prompt Begin with the prompt, refer to your prewriting, and make a PRO and CON list Make a PRO and CON list 45 s
• Q 4 Though it's certainly not a required format, some students - and writing instructors - like to use a should ... because structure for thesis statements for persuasive essays. This approach allows you to state your position clearly as well as your reasoning for that position. Add a because clause to your thesis statement. You won't need to make up your because reasoning on the fly. Instead, you can draw your reasoning directly from your brainstorming ideas. What does your best thesis statement need? a because clause enough words for a sentence evidence structure 45 s
• Q 5 There are a few things that a thesis statement should accomplish. Your thesis will be the central point of your essay; everything else that you write in your paper should revolve around and directly support your thesis. Here are two key points to remember: Don't make any points in your thesis that won't be in the rest of your paper. Don't make your thesis so vague that it doesn't really communicate anything of substance. What does your thesis statement accomplish? It is what the reader is looking for to read the paper. It is the central point of the essay that everything else revolves around and supports It is the sentence that lets the reader know you have strong reasoning skills It directs the reader to your conclusion. 45 s
• Q 6 Your thesis statement should be specific, but not so overly detailed that it can't be one concise sentence. If you end up with a thesis statement that is so overly detailed that it's a bit cumbersome, it may be a good idea to edit it. You don't need to include every major point from your paper in your thesis statement - just the major point or points that make up the heart of your argument. Remember that your thesis should serve as a guide for both you and your reader. A good thesis can help you stay on track. As you write your body paragraphs, you can ask yourself whether each point directly supports your thesis. Your thesis will also help guide the reader so that he or she knows where your essay is headed and won't be confused about your main point. Do you need to include every major point in your thesis statement? Yes No 45 s
• Q 7 What is a similarity between an overly detailed thesis statement and a vague thesis statement? There is no similarity, they are two completely different types of thesis statements. In both cases, you will need more than the required one sentence. In both cases, it will make constructing your arguments more difficult. In both cases, the thesis statement would make it more difficult for the reader to follow your arguments. 30 s
• Q 8 How does a well-written thesis statement help the reader? It succinctly summarizes the points made in the essay. It helps to introduce the sources to be used in the essay. It introduces the points to be made in the essay. It articulates both sides of the issue being discussed. 30 s
• Q 9 Why is a thesis statement the most important component of an essay? It introduces the topic to be covered in the essay. It tells the main point of the essay as well as the writer's position. It summarizes the issues raised in the essay. It effectively explains both sides of a particular issue. 30 s
• Q 10 A should ... because format for thesis statements in persuasive essays _____. allows you to state your position clearly as well as your reasoning for that position allows you to reach a conclusion on your position allows you to place your thesis statement later in your essay without causing confusion allows you to explore both sides of a given topic 30 s
• Q 11 You can make use of ideas that you generated during prewriting/brainstorming _____. to decide how to order your body paragraphs to interpret the writing prompt to write your concluding paragraph to draft the because clause in your thesis statement 30 s

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Thesis Statement Study Guide

Thesis Quiz: required task support

Even though doctors did not believe a person could survive without 1/4 of their brain, Phineas Gage is neuroscience's most famous patient because he was the first in recorded history to survive a traumatic brain injury because his open brain injury proved that harmful bacteria causes infection and the destruction of his frontal lobe proved that this part of the brain controls personality.

What is a thesis statement choose all that apply:.

It makes a claim that other people may dispute, challenge, or oppose.

It is an answer in response to the writing assignment.

It is a road map for a paper; it tells the reader what the paper will focus on.

All of the above

Rate this question:

The first thing you should do after receiving your writing prompt is to write your thesis statement.

True, just start writing

False, create a thick question to answer

A good thesis statement is both researchable and factual.

A strong thesis statement is mostly based on your opinion about your topic., a thesis statement should reflect the main idea of an essay., a strong thesis statement is usually found:.

Does not have to be clearly stated.

Is found at the beginning of each paragraph.

Is the first sentence of your conclusion.

Is found in the introduction.

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Practice in Identifying Effective Thesis Statements

Adrian Samson/Getty Images

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

This exercise will help you understand the difference between an effective and ineffective thesis statement , ie a sentence that identifies the main idea and central purpose of an essay .

Instructions

For each pair of sentences below, select the one that you think would make the more effective thesis in the introductory paragraph of a short essay (approximately 400 to 600 words). Keep in mind that an effective thesis statement should be sharply focused and specific , not just a general statement of fact.

When you're done, you may want to discuss your answers with your classmates, and then compare your responses with the suggested answers on page two. Be ready to defend your choices. Because these thesis statements appear outside the context of complete essays, all responses are judgment calls, not absolute certainties.

• (a) The Hunger Games is a science fiction adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. (b) The Hunger Games is a morality tale about the dangers of a political system that is dominated by the wealthy.
• (a) There is no question that cell phones have changed our lives in a very big way. (b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time.
• (a) Finding a job is never easy, but it can be especially hard when the economy is still feeling the effects of a recession and employers are reluctant to hire new workers. (b) College students looking for part-time work should begin their search by taking advantage of job-finding resources on campus.
• (a) For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat. (b) Cooking oil is plant, animal, or synthetic fat that is used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking.
• (a) There have been over 200 movies about Count Dracula, most of them only very loosely based on the novel published by Bram Stoker in 1897. (b) Despite its title, Bram Stoker's Dracula , a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes considerable liberties with Stoker's novel.
• (a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic integrity and curtail cheating in their classes. (b) There is an epidemic of cheating in America's schools and colleges, and there are no easy solutions to this problem.
• (a) J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who directed the building of the first atomic bombs during World War II, had technical, moral, and political reasons for opposing the development of the hydrogen bomb. (b) J. Robert Oppenheimer often referred to as "the father of the atomic bomb," was born in New York City in 1904.
• (a) The iPad has revolutionized the mobile-computing landscape and created a huge profit stream for Apple. (b) The iPad, with its relatively large high-definition screen, has helped to revitalize the comic book industry.
• (a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in personal relationships. (b) Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem in the world today, and many people suffer from it.
• (a) When I was a child I used to visit my grandmother in Moline every Sunday. (b) Every Sunday we visited my grandmother, who lived in a tiny house that was undeniably haunted.
• (a)  The bicycle was introduced in the nineteenth century and rapidly grew into a worldwide phenomenon. (b) In several ways, bicycles today are better than they were 100 or even 50 years ago.
• (a) Although many varieties of beans belong in a healthy diet, among the most nutritious are black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans. (b) Although beans are generally good for you, some kinds of raw beans can be dangerous if they're not well cooked.

Suggested Answers

• (b)   The Hunger Games  is a morality tale about the dangers of a political system that is dominated by the wealthy.
• (b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time.
• (b) College students looking for part-time work should begin their search by taking advantage of job-finding resources on campus.
• (a) For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat.
• (b) Despite its title,  Bram Stoker's Dracula , a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes considerable liberties with Stoker's novel.
• (a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic integrity and curtail cheating in their classes.
• (a) J. Robert Oppenheimer , the American physicist who directed the building of the first atomic bombs during World War II, had technical, moral, and political reasons for opposing the development of the hydrogen bomb.
• (b) The iPad, with its relatively large high-definition screen, has helped to revitalize the comic book industry.
• (a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in personal relationships.
• (b) Every Sunday we visited my grandmother, who lived in a tiny house that was undeniably haunted.
• (b) In several ways, bicycles today are better than they were 100 or even 50 years ago.
• (a) Although many varieties of beans belong in a healthy diet, among the most nutritious are black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans. 
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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. 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. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, 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 serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and 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. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Knowledge Base
• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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• Sunk cost fallacy

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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