Developing a Thesis

Statement
Athesis statementusually appears at the
beginning of the introductory paragraph of a
paper, and it offers a concise summary of the
main point or claim of the essay, research
paper, etc. Athesis statementis usually one
sentence that appears at the beginning, though
it may occur more than once.
In general, athesisstatement expresses
thepurposeor main point of your essay.
Additionally, thethesismay include the
significance of or your opinion on this topic. It is
your commitment to the reader about the
content,purpose, and organization of your
paper.
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.
How long does it need to be?

A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one

or two sentences. It should present the topic
of your paper and also make a comment about
your position in relation to the topic. Your
thesis statement should tell your reader what
the paper is about and also help guide your
writing and keep your argument focused.
Where is your thesis statement?

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.
Tip: In order to write a successful thesis statement:
Avoid burying a great thesis statement in the middle
of a paragraph or late in the paper.
Be as clear and as specific as possible; avoid vague
words.
Indicate the point of your paper but avoid sentence
structures like, The point of my paper is
Is your thesis statement specific?

Your thesis statement should be as clear and

specific as possible. Normally you will continue
to refine your thesis as you revise your
argument(s), so your thesis will evolve and
gain definition as you obtain a better sense of
where your argument is taking you.
Your thesis should be limited.
 Original thesis:
There are serious objections to today's horror
movies.

Revised theses:
Because modern cinematic techniques have
allowed filmmakers to get more graphic, horror
flicks have desensitized young American viewers to
violence.
The pornographic violence in "bloodbath" slasher
movies degrades both men and women.
Today's slasher movies fail to deliver the emotional
catharsis that 1930s horror films did.
 The blueprint determines the shape of
your paper.

If your thesis statement introduces three

reasons, the reader will expect a section on
reason 1, a section on reason 2, and a section
on reason 3. For a single paragraph, you might
only spend one sentence on each reason.
 Heres an easy example:

The Snickers bar(limited subject) is the best choice for an

on-the-go snack for active teenagers(precise opinion)
because of its high level of energy-inducing proteins,
satisfying sweetness, and all-around portability(blueprint
of reasons).
 The task is what you have to do, and is usually at the end
of the rubric. For example, look at this IELTS essay
question:

As global trade increases, many goods including those

we use on a daily basis are produced in other countries
and transported long distances.

Do the benefits of this trend *outweigh the drawbacks?

Due to the increase in global trade, many of the
goods that we consume every day are made in a
different country and then transported over a
long distance in order to reach us.In my
opinion, this trend has more
disadvantages than advantages.
 Writing about Two Opinions
Some questions ask you specifically to discuss two opinions and
to give your opinion.

Some people think that young children should be allowed to do

paid work, while others think that this should be illegal.

Discuss both opinions and give your opinion.

At present, more and more young children are
becoming involved in paid work.Whilst some
people are of the opinion that this is an
entirely acceptable practice, others
believe that this is completely wrong and
should be made illegal.
 Agreeing or Disagreeing
Another type of question is when you are asked
toagree or disagreewith one opinion.

Currently there is a trend towards the use of

alternative forms of medicine. However, at best
these methods are ineffective, and at worst they
may be dangerous.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this

statement?
 A thesis statement thatagrees with the
opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted

that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is
still used by many people all over the
world.However, I strongly believe that this
form of medicine does not work and is
possibly a danger to those using it.
 A thesis statement thatdisagrees with the opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it

pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by
many people all over the world.I am unconvinced
that it is dangerous, and feel that both
alternative and conventional medicine can be
useful.
 A thesis statement thatpartly agrees with the
opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it

pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by
many people all over the world.I agree that for
certain conditions this type of medicine is
ineffective and could even be dangerous, but for
some illnesses it is a good alternative choice.
 Problems and solutions:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous

problems.
Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that
governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Sample thesis in bold:

Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems
caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas.Both
governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to
overcome these problems.
 Causes and Effects:

The percentage of overweight children in western

society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years.
Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.

Sample thesis in bold:

Over the last ten years, Western societies have seen close to a
20% rise in the number of children who are overweight.There
are a lot of reasons why this has occurred, so definitely
the consequences of this worrying trend affects the
society.
 Advantages and Disadvantages:
In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax
private car owners heavily and use the money to improve
public transportation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a

solution?

Sample thesis in bold:

Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One
possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car
drivers and use this money to make public transport better.Both
its benefits and drawbacks are vital of such a measure.