Academic writing is mandatory in colleges and universities among students pursuing different courses. It entails writing a wide array of research papers, such as essays, proposals, term papers, and dissertations. One aspect that is constant in academic papers is the thesis statement. You must include this statement in your research paper to let the readers know what you will discuss in your essay.
However, not many students know how to craft a good thesis statement. It takes time and research to develop key points that explain the entire essay. Due to these challenges, many end up compromising their paper and getting poor grades.
This article provides great insights into how you can write an effective thesis statement. Read this guide to learn more about the writing process.
What Is a Thesis Statement?
It is imperative to understand what a thesis statement for English is and what it entails before we proceed. A thesis statement is a brief sentence that summarizes the main theme of your essay or research project. It reveals what you will discuss as the main point and usually appears at the end of the introduction section.
The content of the statement might vary depending on the academic paper type you’re working on, but it must clearly convey the central idea you want to convey to your readers. The main arguments of your paper must have a direct link back to the statement. It is usually a one-sentence declaration, but longer papers might require longer statements of two to three brief sentences.
The thesis statement plays a great role in a research paper since it sets the pace for further reading. Your readers will be able to know what you will present in your essay and understand the larger scope of your work. Moreover, it prepares the audience on what to expect from your arguments.
Another benefit of incorporating these statements in essays is to simplify the research process. When you are researching a specific topic in academic writing, you can use the statements to locate similar papers that could help you during citation.
In academic writing, the thesis statement is classified into two main types: explanatory and argumentative. The explanatory statement describes a particular subject to the reader without declaring an arguable stand. It only provides a summary of the main points the writer will expand on in the essay. In contrast, an argumentative statement contains a debatable claim that declares the writer’s position. It notifies the readers of the direction of the arguments.
In addition, you might be tasked to write a DBQ thesis statement for a DBQ essay, also known as a Document Based Question, which is a standardized academic paper. No matter the type of paper, a thesis statement is a fundamental aspect of academic writing.
Therefore, understanding how to craft a good statement is imperative as a student. It will add points to your entire essay and score you top grades. But if you are stuck and don’t know how where to start, you can reach out to our skilled writers for further assistance.
How to Start a Thesis Statement?
As stated above, a thesis statement is a significant declaration in an academic paper. It shows the main points and how you will address your topic. Thus, you must learn how to incorporate it into your essay in the right place to express your position on the topic.
How do you start writing it? Crafting this declaration might seem simple, but it is challenging for many learners. However, formulating one is possible with a proper approach. The first step is to select a great topic and create a question around it and your investigation. Your statement should be related to the answer to your research question. Research extensively and identify the main points to guide your composition. Write down your answer and keep refining it until you get the right statement that is informative to your readers.
Here are a few pointers to help you get started with your paper:
Brainstorm
Conduct a brainstorming session to pick a good essay topic. Note down all the best ideas and create a mind map to guide you during topic selection. Brainstorming is an essential pre-writing phase that impacts the quality of your theory, and eventually, you will craft a remarkable paper.
Understand your topic
To compose a great statement, make sure you understand what your topic is about. Developing an opinion on an unfamiliar theme is challenging. Thus, you must pick a relevant topic of your interest and then formulate a powerful sentence based on it. In addition, it is important to narrow down your topic to get a specific statement. Broad topics often translate into lengthy papers, meaning your proposition might be weak.
Express one idea
Your readers should be able to identify one central point in your academic paper. A thesis statement is what helps your readers know the main point. If your statement has multiple ideas, it can be confusing to your audience.
Take a stand
A powerful thesis should be specific and have a clear stand regarding the topic. Don’t be vague when writing your thesis to avoid making it weak.
Follow the tips above if you want to craft a powerful thesis statement. Pick an appropriate topic and research it profoundly before you formulate any sentence. Remember that your word choice also matters since sentences should be brief. Thus, use the right words for clarity and cohesiveness to compose an effective claim. You can also research extensively online and familiarize yourself with different thesis statement examples to inspire your writing.
How to Structure a Thesis Statement?
Structuring a thesis declaration is a simple task if you understand its elements. It is imperative to note that your readers need to know the direction of your paper before reading the contents. No one will comprehend your essay without a good statement. Besides, understanding its structure helps you organize your thoughts and develop your arguments logically. By reading your thesis, the audience will be able to understand and follow your point of view.
Below are the elements of an effective thesis declaration:
- A debatable subject matter.
- Express one essential and specific idea.
- Give supporting reasons.
- Present a stand.
Let us take a look at the structure that will help you formulate a strong thesis statement:
- State the topic. An effective statement is dependent on the topic since it forms the primary subject. So, you should mention the topic briefly to summarize the major subject. Be specific to make your declaration clear and avoid confusion.
- Write down the main idea. Next, you must figure out what you want your research to prove regarding the topic. It is essential to state the central idea that will persuade your readers to agree with your stand. This phase uncovers your personal angle on the subject and what you think about it. Thus, ensure you choose a stand that has supporting evidence with factual information.
- Supporting evidence. In this section, you must present reasons that support the major idea in your thesis. Ensure that you have at least three supporting examples. Write the factual examples clearly to avoid ambiguity.
- Conclusion. Finally, compose a conclusive sentence that summarizes the entire information to convey an accurate depiction of your research paper.
How to End a Thesis Statement
After completing your introduction and body, it is now time to end your thesis declaration. Many learners often underestimate the significance of writing a good conclusion, but they should ensure it is memorable since it is the last section that connects with their readers.
So, end your sentence by paraphrasing the thesis using different words. Ensure you alter the sentence structure to avoid copying the initial sentence.
Another important aspect is to be clear, concise, and firm when crafting the conclusion. Make it certain what your paper wants to achieve without sounding vague. Address what your paper covered and whether your research is complete or needs further analysis. The conclusion lets the audience know that they have reached the last part.
Thesis Statement Outline
An outline is a crucial aspect of academic writing. Before you formulate the sentence, you must be sure of what you want to convey to your readers. An outline is a skeleton that will help you know what to write in each section. It covers the main ideas and sub-topics to help you organize your thoughts. Creating a good outline is a critical aspect of crafting a remarkable academic paper. Besides, it assists you in targeting vital research areas and keeping you within the scope. Once you have a proper outline, composing your proposal becomes simple and organized. All you have to do is fill in the content for each point.
A standard outline comprises an introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is an overview of a proper outline:
- Introduction
- Background information
- Thesis statement
- Main Body
- 1st Topic – Supporting evidence
- 2nd Topic – Supporting evidence
- 3rd Topic – Supporting evidence
- Conclusion
- Summarize main points
- Restate thesis statement
Thesis Statement Introduction
When writing this declaration, start with a relevant question derived from the topic. It is important to understand your specific subject and what you want to write about. What will your essay achieve? Being vague will compromise your entire paper since the readers need a clear direction. Ensure your sentences convey a particular perspective that you will elaborate on later on in the main body.
No matter the type of academic paper you are composing, your sentence should align with the main research idea.
First, you need to draft an initial theory, known as a working thesis, when you start your composition. After settling on a relevant topic, you should figure out what you want to write about it. Be clear in your expression to give your essay a proper direction and organization.
As mentioned above, the best approach is to come up with a question relating to your topic. Sometimes, your tutor might provide a research question. If not, you can formulate your own question. Reflect on what you would like your research to uncover about the topic to help you start.
Thesis Statement Body
The main body carries the weight of your thesis and your main points. After comprehensive research, you will have answers to your research question. In this phase, the writing process is easier since you have the right content to add to your thesis.
Make sure you understand the research answers and how you will persuade your readers to agree with your stand. Thus, continue refining your answer to get a more detailed declaration.
This section entails supporting evidence that backs up your central point. It reveals your position about the research topic and outlines major arguments to support the main point.
Thesis Statement Conclusion
Concluding a thesis is simple and should not stress you up. Keep in mind that a good thesis should inform the readers of your perspective on the topic, what they will learn, and the main points of your essay. Thus, you must review the major points in your conclusion and explain their relevance to the readers. Are the points applicable in the real world in general? Ensure you present a conclusive paragraph that leaves a lasting impression on your readers. So, you need to dedicate enough time to write a great conclusion that summarizes the proposal. However, don’t add any new information in this section because you might confuse your readers.
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