How to write a thesis statement for an essay (definition ,examples)

Writing great thesis statements is something that literary scholars and philosophy majors do instinctively, but is something many other students struggle with. This guide will show you how to write a thesis statement for any paper assignment, from an essay, research paper, to a dissertation.

Don’t worry: the more complicated and long-winded your subject is, the easier it will be to turn into a great thesis statement. All you need is some patience and the willingness to work hard on your argumentative writing skills. If you pay attention and put in the time, we guarantee that by the end of this guide you’ll be able to write powerful thesis statements without even breaking a sweat!

A proper introduction always tells readers what they’re about to read! So before we get down to business, we have to warn you that this article is going to be rather long and wordy. If you’re pressed for time, feel free to check out our thesis statement examples listed at the end of this article.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement can be defined as a sentence or group of sentences that presents the main point or argument of an essay. It is usually placed at the beginning of the essay, and it provides a focus for the writer’s thoughts. The thesis statement should be clear and concise, and it should be supported by evidence from the text.

So what is a thesis statement in an essay? In essay writing, a thesis statement is a sentence that presents an argument. It is the main point of your essay and, as such, it appears at the end of the first paragraph and serves as a “road map” for the rest of your paper. Here is a example:

Although some people may think that personal growth can be achieved through hard work and careful planning, I believe that true self-knowledge comes from life’s unexpected challenges.

I believe that true self-knowledge comes from life’s unexpected challenges.

This statement tells us what we are going to be discussing in this essay. In fact, everything mentioned after this statement should be used to support its truthfulness.

The thesis does not necessarily need to be debatable; rather, it must simply relate to your central idea—the subject that you are writing about. You can write about many different things, but there must be one central idea to which all your ideas relate.

How do you determine what your thesis should be?

Your thesis results from an understanding of the assignment and careful planning. It represents a claim that you want to support with evidence. The following questions may help in determining an effective statement:

What is the purpose of my paper?
Why am I interested in this topic? (Be specific.)
How can I demonstrate my knowledge or skill on this subject? (This may be different than the first question; think of it as “What is my plan for demonstrating…”
Who will be reading my paper and what do I want them to think or do as a result?

All of these questions should be answered before you can craft a successful thesis statement for your essay.

Once you have a strong, debatable thesis statement, everything in your paper should support it. This means that your evidence must be relevant and organized in a way that makes sense.

Your essay must also be well-written and formatted correctly. If your thesis is weak or if your evidence is not properly organized, your paper will likely be unsuccessful.

The best way to ensure success is to plan ahead, write effectively, and revise diligently.

Thesis statements are important because they provide a roadmap for your readers. They let your readers know what to expect from your essay, and they help you stay on topic.

How do I write a thesis statement?

The thesis statement should be clear and concise, and it should be supported by evidence from the text.

So what is a thesis statement in an essay? In essay writing, a thesis statement is a sentence that presents the main point of an essay. It is usually placed at the beginning of the essay, and it provides a focus for the writer’s thoughts.

Thesis statements can take many different forms, but they all serve the same purpose. In some cases, the thesis statement will be a single sentence. In others, it may be a paragraph or even a series of paragraphs. The important thing to remember is that the thesis statement should summarize the main point of the essay.

So how do you create a strong thesis statement?

There are several things to consider when writing a thesis statement:

Tip #1: First, make sure that your thesis statement is clear and concise. It should be easy for the reader to understand what the essay is about.

Tip #2: Second, make sure that your thesis statement is narrow enough to merit an entire essay, but broad enough so that the reader is not confused.

Tip #3: Finally, remember that there are different kinds of essays. For example, descriptive essays describe people or places in detail; compare and contrast essays show how items are similar or different; cause-and effect essays explain why something happened; argumentative essays attempt to persuade readers to agree with a particular point of view.

So what should be included in the thesis statement?

The answer depends on what kind of essay you are writing. Some basic guidelines can help you write an effective thesis statement for any type of essay:

In a descriptive essay, the thesis statement should describe the person, place, or thing that is being described.
In a compare and contrast essay, the thesis statement should identify the similarities and differences between two items.
In a cause-effect essay, the thesis statement should explain how one event caused another event to happen.
In an argumentative essay, the thesis statement should state the position of the writer on a particular issue.

Once you have a strong thesis statement, it will be easier to write the rest of your essay. Remember to always support your arguments with evidence from the text!

How can you create a strong thesis statement?

A strong thesis statement should be able to answer all of the following questions:

What is this essay about?
What are some supporting facts or reasons?

In order to create a strong thesis statement, the writer needs to think critically about what they want their essay to convey. In other words, it is important for the writer to have a clear idea of what they want to say before they begin writing. Once they have a good understanding of their argument, they can then craft a thesis statement that will be strong and concise.

Can a thesis statement be changed when writing an essay?

Yes, a thesis statement can be changed if the writer discovers new information or if their argument changes. If the writer finds new evidence to support their old claim, they may want to rethink their thesis statement. A good thesis statement should remain relevant even if the information changes or evolves.

How does a thesis statement compare with an essay’s topic sentence?

Although the two are very similar, there is one key difference between them: a thesis statement presents the main argument of the essay, while a topic sentence introduces that argument.

For example, consider this prompt for an English assignment: “Should schools ban junk food?”

If someone were writing about this prompt and their opinion was that junk food shouldn’t be banned from all schools, then they might write a strong thesis statement that says: “Junk food should not be banned from all schools because it is a source of nutrition for many students.”

This statement would introduce the main argument of the essay, and it would be supported by evidence from the text.

In contrast, a topic sentence might say something like: “Many students rely on junk food for their daily calorie intake.” This sentence would introduce the argument but wouldn’t serve as the thesis statement.

A thesis statement is important because it provides focus for the writer’s thoughts and helps to organize an essay. It should be clear and concise, and it should be supported by evidence from the text. A thesis statement can be changed if new information or arguments are discovered, and it should remain relevant even if the information changes or evolves. Although similar, a thesis statement differs from a topic sentence in that a thesis statement presents the main argument of the essay, while a topic sentence introduces that argument.

Interesting thesis statement examples

Now that you know what a thesis statement is and how to create one, let’s take a look at some examples. The following statements are all strong thesis statements for academic essays:

The United States should adopt a policy of isolationism.
Schools should ban junk food from campus.
The media has a negative impact on society.
Guns should be banned in the United States.
The death penalty should be abolished in the United States.
Illegitimate children should be given the same rights as legitimate children.
Children should not be exposed to violence on television.
I feel that a woman should be able to terminate a pregnancy during the first trimester.
The government of South Africa’s new laws are not effective in ending apartheid.
All students should be required to complete an internship before they graduate from high school or college.”

Now let’s take a look at some example thesis statements and make revisions:

Thesis statement example 1: “This essay is about the United States’ policy toward Cuba.”

This thesis statement is not clear because it does not answer any key questions: What is this essay about? What are some supporting facts or reasons? If someone wrote this thesis statement, then they would need to revise it so that it provides focus for their argument.

A strong thesis statement for this prompt might be: “The United States should end the embargo against Cuba.” Although it is not very specific, it directly answers the prompt and tells readers what kind of essay to expect.

Thesis statement example 2: “This essay will discuss the primary causes of World War I.”

This thesis statement is too broad because it does not answer any key questions: What are some supporting facts or reasons? If someone wrote this thesis statement, then they would need to revise it so that it provides focus for their argument. A strong thesis statement for this prompt might be: “One of the main causes of World War I was militaristic and aggressive foreign policies adopted by European nations before 1914.” This thesis statement specifies why those policies were a problem and provides readers with a specific focus for the essay.

Thesis statement example 3: “Illegal immigrants should be deported.”

This thesis statement is too simplistic and it does not provide any supporting evidence. A strong thesis statement for this prompt might be: “Illegal immigrants who are convicted of serious crimes should be deported, but those who are contributing members of society should be allowed to stay.” This thesis statement takes a nuanced position on the issue and provides readers with reasons why that position is supported. It also leaves room for further argument and discussion.

Now it’s your turn! Try writing a strong thesis statement for one of the following essay writing prompts:

Should school cafeterias only serve healthy food?
Is technology making us smarter or dumber?
What impact do video games have on children?
Do parents have a responsibility to monitor their children’s media consumption?
Should the United States end the embargo against Cuba?
Illegitimate children should be given the same rights as legitimate children.
Children should not be exposed to violence on television.

What is the purpose of a thesis statement?

The purpose of a thesis statement is to give your reader a “roadmap” for the paper. It tells your reader what the paper is about. It also tells them how you will be writing it and gives them a better idea of what to expect.

What does a thesis statement do?

A thesis statement explains or clarifies an idea, and usually follows the introduction paragraph (which introduces your topic). If two or more ideas are being compared or contrasted, then there should be at least two different thesis statements in your work. This helps the reader understand your points of view on a certain issue without “getting lost” in a confusing landscape of information. A good thesis statement should help everyone understand exactly what point you are trying to make, but still leave room for exploration later on in the piece when finding supporting evidence from other directions becomes necessary.

What are the different types of thesis statements?

There are three different types of thesis statements: analytical, argumentative, and informative.

An analytical thesis statement breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts. It presents the facts so that the reader can come to their own conclusions.
An argumentative thesis statement takes a stand on an issue. It presents the writer’s opinion and argues for it using evidence from reliable sources.
An informative thesis statement provides information about a certain topic. It is not opinion-based and does not argue for a particular point of view.

How do I choose which type of thesis statement to use?

The type of thesis statement you should use depends on your assignment instructions and on what you will be presenting to the reader. If you are writing an informational paper, your thesis statement will be “informative.” If you are writing a persuasive essay (i.e., one that presents a point of view and argues for it), then your thesis statement is likely to be argumentative. However, if you will present evidence from many sources in order to make your case, then your thesis statement may also be “analytical” because it gives the reader information about what they will expect to read.

What is a good thesis statement for an academic essay?

There is no single answer to this question as the best thesis statement for an academic essay will vary depending on the topic and purpose of the assignment. However, there are some general characteristics that all good academic essay thesis statements share. These are the characteristics of a good thesis statement for an academic essay writing assignment:

Debatable – A good thesis statement should be something that can be argued for or against. It should not be a fact that is not up for debate.
Clear and Concise – The thesis statement should be clear and concise. Avoid lengthy descriptions or fluff words.
One main idea – A good thesis statement expresses a single main idea that is backed up by the supporting evidence in the body of the essay. It should not be a collection of related ideas strung together to form a point.
No rambling – The thesis statement should not ramble on about multiple topics because your professor will award points based on what you write in the body, not the introduction! Keep it focused and relevant to get better grades for your assignment!

Now you know what is a thesis statement in writing and how to create a good thesis statement while writing essays for college assignments.

A List of 50+ Sample Thesis Statements Examples:

Here is a list of 50+ sample thesis statements examples that you can use while learning how to create perfect thesis for your essay writing help needs.

The American dream is still an achievable goal for anybody who is willing to work hard enough for it.
Racism continues to be a problem in the United States, even though people like to believe that it doesn’t exist anymore.
The role of men and women in society has changed dramatically over the past century and there is still more progress to be made.
War can and has changed the world in many ways, not all of them positive.
The idea that we cannot control our own destiny is terrifying and it’s something that everybody should consider when they think about the future.
Many people like to think of history as a series of events that could not be changed or altered in any way, but this is simply untrue.
There are currently major social issues around the world which no one person could ever hope to address alone; working together with others who care about the same things will be the key to making lasting change happen.
The United States is supposed to be a country where everyone lives free from persecution and unfair treatment by virtue of their race, color, or creed, but this is not always the case.
The media plays a huge role in our lives and it’s important to be aware of the way that it can be manipulated.
Our world is changing faster than ever before and we need to find new ways to deal with the challenges that come along with it.
Patriotism can be a good thing, but it can also lead to dangerous and destructive behavior.
We need to find ways to reconnect with nature if we want to save our planet from destruction.
The teenage years are a time of great upheaval and change – for both the individual and society as a whole.
We should never forget about the importance of having a sense of humor in our lives.
Modern technology has made it possible for us to communicate with each other on a global scale, but we still need to find better ways to resolve our differences and prevent future conflicts from arising.
It is important that we stop and reflect on the past if we want to make progress as individuals and as a society.
If you really want something, you absolutely will NOT give up until you get it (even if somebody tells you that what you’re trying to do isn’t possible).
The most rewarding things in life are always worth waiting for – no matter how long it takes.
Humans have an amazing capacity to adapt and overcome the obstacles that are placed in their way.
The history of humanity can be divided into distinct eras, each with its own unique characteristics and ways of life.
It’s important to always try new things – even if they don’t turn out how you expected them to.
There is no better investment than an investment in yourself – your education, your development, and your future.
We all spend so much time trying to create something unique but it’s impossible for anyone who has ever existed on this planet not to have had some influence on our lives somehow.
Human beings are capable of great acts of kindness towards one another; we just need more examples of people acting selflessly and putting other people’s needs before their own.
Getting older and more mature is all about seeing things from a different perspective and not taking anything for granted anymore.
Technology has given us access to unlimited information; we just need to be willing to learn how to use it properly.
Our world is full of questions that no one person could ever answer alone – as such, it’s important that we take the time to listen and share our knowledge with those around us.
We live in a world which has been shaped by past events; we should never take them for granted or forget where we came from.
There are many ways in which the environment can benefit everyone if we know how to take advantage of them.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with someone else is that you can’t expect them to see things from your perspective – so the only way to have a productive conversation is to learn how to listen properly.
Our world has been shaped by thousands of years of human history; it’s important that we take the time to understand our past if we want ours to be a better future.
Anyone can make a difference in this world no matter who they are or where they come from, but it takes real commitment and dedication towards making things right for everyone around you.
No one person can do everything on their own, so working together as part of a community will make the biggest difference of all.
Conflicts are inevitable in life, but they are also necessary for us to grow stronger and wiser as individuals, communities, countries, and entire continents.
There is no greater achievement than fighting through your fears and achieving your dreams.
The choices that you make today will determine what kind of future you will have tomorrow – so don’t ignore them or take them for granted.
We all need time to relax after a long day’s work if we want to be prepared to face tomorrow’s challenges head on.
Humans have always had an instinctive desire to explore new lands; it’s just part of who we are as a species.
There are many things in life that can make us feel like we’re wasting our time, but the truth is that every experience makes us wiser and more experienced for the next challenge.
We should all take some time to learn about history if we want to know what mistakes not to repeat again.
Our lives will always be defined by the choices that we make; it’s important that we learn from our past mistakes so that they don’t keep repeating themselves.
One of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself is an education; it opens doors to opportunities which would otherwise stay locked forever.
There are no shortcuts to achieving your goals – only hard work and dedication will set you on the right path.
We owe it to future generations to protect our planet and take care of its resources; we only have one Earth, and we need to make sure that it lasts for as long as possible.
We are all capable of greatness if we set our minds to it – so don’t be afraid to try something new, because you never know where it might lead you.
It’s never too late to learn and grow; in fact, the older we get, the more wisdom we tend to accumulate.
Life is full of surprises, both good and bad – but we can only appreciate the good ones if we’re willing to accept the bad ones too.
We should always be willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it, because that’s what makes us human.
No one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes – but it’s the way we learn from them that counts.
Our world is constantly changing, and we need to be prepared for anything that comes our way – so never stop learning and expanding your horizons.

As you can see from the 50 sample thesis statements above, there are many ways to create a thesis statement for your essay assignment. You just need to find a topic that you’re passionate about and start writing!

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How to write a thesis statement for an essay