Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument

We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement. Although this is not the best thesis statement, the aforementioned example is to show how to create and revise a thesis. If this thesis were to be used, it probably would be revised again to make it more specific; the types of art, literature, and film would need clarification. Although the writer is now void from the statement, there is still doubt in this claim. The key is to use words that make the claim stronger and more assertive. Taking out the passive voice in the statement will add strength to the statement. Underfunded arts programs, underpaid teachers, and standardized testing are all factors in underachieving students in public schools.

A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose. Once you have a working thesis, write it down.There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you’ll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have. The complexity of the argument, and therefore the thesis, can be explored in various ways that can help evolve the working thesis into a complex thesis. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Writing Process and Structure

For that reason, it’s good to know what separates a strong thesis from a weak one. A working thesis is often different from a final thesis. Often after you’ve finished writing a complete draft, you will realize that you’ve actually argued something more interesting and complex than your working thesis could express. At that point, you should revise your working thesis into a final thesis that accurately expresses your argument. This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.

If you seek out as many stances on your topic as possible, you might be able to shape your argument in a way that fills a void in the conversation. Get specific – rule out most of the broad material pertinent to your topic and zero in on a clear claim that focuses more narrowly on some specific aspect of your topic. Often, you need to write a paper within a very limited set of parameters — usually a few thousand words at most. Within a prescribed framework, you won’t have space on the page to fully address multiple arguments. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us.

How To Write an Effective Thesis Statement

Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments.

Can prevention and intervention programs stop youth gang activities? ►►► “Prevention and intervention programs can stop youth gang activities by giving teens something else to do.” Here are four ways to begin to develop your thesis. These will not necessarily https://collegeessayhelps.com/dissertation-editing-services/dissertation-proofreading/ result in a finished product, but will give you a place to start. Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matterunder discussion. Read Kayla’s blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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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. When you have a first draft, though, you can tweak your thesis statement to reflect any changes made while drafting . The thesis statement always goes at the start of a paper, so it may be one of the first things you write. But it is worth revisiting your thesis once you have a first draft. Expository – Expository essays explain something, so the thesis statement for a paper like this will summarize the key facts from your research.

• Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper.
• Avoid broad generalizations that your reader may question by appealing to specific evidence.
• Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.
• Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument.

It answers the “what” question (what is the argument?) and it gives the reader a clue as to the “why” question (why is thisargument the most persuasive?). The thesis statement should do more than merely announce the topic; it must reveal what position you will take in relation to that topic, how you plan to analyze/evaluate the subject or the issue. In short, instead of merely stating a general fact or resorting to a simplistic pro/con statement, you must decide what it is you have to say. Is usually making a strong thesis a single sentence somewhere in your 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. 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.

Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument

However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn’t advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should “telegraph” how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay. A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand. For example, does your argument rely on a religious or moral code to prove that it is inherently right? If you are writing a paper for a class in Christian ministry, a dogmatic argument might be appropriate; for a sociology paper, however, such arguments don’t hold water.

” When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more specific. Taken together, a thesis statement explains your subject or position in a sentence . Depending on the kind of essay you’re writing, you’ll need to make sure that your thesis statement states your subject or position clearly. A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that asserts the position a paper will be taking.

Tips for Writing a Good Thesis

State the opposing opinion in an “although” clause. Consider starting with the “magical thesis” template, at least as a working thesis. This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority. This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad . Introduction Do you struggle to stay focused while studying? Summarize the key arguments or points you will make. Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.

Tips for Writing an Effective Thesis Statement

Even worse, without a good thesis statement, you might not know what you’re trying to do in your essay. The Purdue OWL is a great source for writing, and this page goes into detail on the different types of thesis statements. Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be.

You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details. Just as there are two different types of thesis statements , there are two basic styles you can use.

Creating a Thesis Statement & Outline

While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions. Search for concrete subjects and active verbs, revising as many “to be” verbs as possible. A few suggestions below show how specific word choice sharpens and clarifies your meaning. The many scandals of Hoover’s administration revealed basic problems with the Republican Party’s nominating process. In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.

• Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matterunder discussion.
• The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project.
• E.g.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.
• The remainder of your paper will support this thesis.
• Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Next, I explain that my opinion is correct with several key reasons. This persuasive type of thesis can be used in any essay that contains the writer’s opinion, including, as I mentioned above, compare/contrast essays, narrative essays, and so on.

Work Out a Position You Can Defend

Once you’ve done this, you can tailor your thesis statement to match. We’ll give examples of argumentative, expository, and analytical thesis statements below. Composing a thesis statement does take a bit more thought than many other parts of an essay. However, because a thesis statement can contain an entire argument in just a few words, it is worth taking the extra time to compose this sentence. It can direct your research and your argument so that your essay is tight, focused, and makes readers think. Whether you’re writing an argumentative paper, an informative essay, or a compare/contrast statement, you need a thesis.