A thesis statement is made up of one sentence. And it usually appears in the first paragraph of an academic essay to showcase the purpose of the entire essay. Think of a thesis statement as a summary that helps the reader know what our essay is all about. Instead of writing your essay like a complex puzzle to keep the reader in suspense about your thoughts and opinions, you can use your thesis statement to give your readers a sense of direction. Let them know your thoughts in advance.
After conducting extensive research and finding sources, you should come up with a thesis statement that shows the direction that you’ll take. While writing, think of every paragraph that is linked to your statement. If you are having a hard time understanding how an idea is linked to the thesis statement, it’s a clear sign that you’ve diverged from your essay’s purpose.
Defining a thesis statement
As we said earlier, a thesis statement is a single sentence that declares your intentions. It’s a summary of the main idea that your essay will explain in detail. A good thesis statement will answer an important question clearly or make a unique claim.
Formulating a good thesis statement
Specificity
Every essay that you work on should be supported by a specific argument. Look at your thesis statement to figure out if the main idea is too vague. If you focus on a general idea, you’ll try to conquer lots of ideas simultaneously. And this will be bad for you. You need to focus on refining your argument for specificity. When your claims are narrow, you’ll get strong evidence to support your central idea.
Come up with clear arguments
In most instances, you’ll need to write an essay with limited parameters – in most instances, a few hundred or thousand words. Within such a framework, you won’t have adequate space to address several arguments. If your readers have a hard time knowing the direction that your essay will take from reading your thesis statement, you’ll have to revise it to ensure that your point is stated clearly. If you are having a hard time making your argument clear, you should formulate it using various online templates. Since most instructors don’t allow the use of first-person in academic papers, you might be forced to change your statement later. Using cheap essay writing service uk and online templates will help you focus on your arguments.
Take a stance
As you come up with your thesis statement, you need to figure out whether it can be argued with. For instance, if your statement is, “Laptops are popular forms of technology in our world,” your piece will not advance your position. Instead, it will be stating a fact. Most essays require a stand. And not an observation. You need to come up with a thesis statement that has a unique perspective.
Focus on your assumptions
While formulating a thesis statement, you need to figure out the assumptions that your argument is focused on. In short, you need to know what your readers assume before they can accept the argument that you are putting forth. You need to be aware of your audience. For instance, is your argument based on a moral or religious code to prove that it is right? Think of how your argument does not hold up for people who don’t accept your viewpoints. Look at your thesis statement to ensure that your argument is not based on assumptions.
Avoid hiding your thesis
Your thesis statement should always appear at the beginning of your paper. Essay experts recommend that it should appear before the first paragraph ends. The positioning will vary depending on the length of your introduction. You should avoid obsessing over your thesis statement. Don’t use fancy language or act clever when presenting your argument. These strategies will make your central thesis weak. Your readers will appreciate it when you put your ideas across clearly.
Popular types thesis statements
Argumentative essays
Argumentative essays require students to make a case for a specific perspective. Or to challenge the reader to accept your views by the time they read the conclusion. Your thesis statement should be clear to make your entire essay easy to read.
Analytical essay
Writers have to communicate their interpretations while writing analytical essays. In this type of essay, your central statement will focus on the conclusion of your analysis. It’s important to forecast your analysis by focusing on the points that you’ll be examining.
Expository essay
These essays provide a breakdown of a particular topic to educate readers using particular details. You should always include a controlling statement in your essay’s intro to summarize your key points.
Conclusion
A thesis statement is the most important part of your essay. It captures every important aspect of your essay in one sentence. It helps the reader know what your essay is about. Effective thesis statements always seek to answer important questions. There are a lot of thesis templates online that will help you come up with a good one.