How to Construct a Thesis Statement

Writing a thesis statement helps organize your paper.

Writing a research or persuasive paper requires you to begin with a convincing statement of what you are studying and what you believe true. Creating a paper begins with a brief introduction of a specific topic as well as a statement of your point of view. A thesis statement states a position on a specific issue and reflects the scope of your paper.

Instructions

1. Carefully review your assignment so you understand the writing prompt or requirements for your paper. The prompt may include specific words that will prove crucial to the success of your document, such as "analyze," "argue" or "describe."

2. Read articles, books, journals and other material to help you formulate your paper's thesis. and carefully review facts about the subject matter. Do not create a thesis statement until you read both and secondary sources of information.

3. Ask questions as you read, and draw conclusions. Do additional research if the questions you have remain unanswered after thorough consideration.

4. Collect any material and evidence to look for relationships among the facts. Compare and contrast when looking at different sets of information.

5. Refine the direction of your ideas into a working thesis by figuring out the main idea of your paper. Ask yourself what you want to communicate, what is your paper about, what will you try to prove and what is the most important thing you want the reader to know.

6. Write your thesis statement by including what subject you want to deal with and how you plan to deal with it. State whether you will argue, prove, demonstrate or contrast a specific book or subject. For example, you may state that the start of the Civil War was influenced by the economy, politics and social beliefs or that the struggles teens face may stem back to growing up with Barbie dolls. You would then need to demonstrate how this is true throughout your paper.

7. Test your thesis statement by having someone read it to find out if it inspired her to ask questions like "how" or "why" or if the reader reacted by stating that he already knows this or he doesn't care. Check to see if the thesis avoids general phrases like "none," "all" or "every." Does the thesis help the reader understand why you chose specific subtopics and is the thesis adequately developed in the paper?

8. Review the entire essay once finished, and make sure that each section supports your thesis statement. Then revise any areas that may need a clearer format or additional information. Cut out any areas that do not pertain to your thesis statement.

Tips & Warnings

• A thesis statement should help you organize your essay and allow you to format your paper with specific points.

• Do not write your thesis statement so that you seem indecisive. Be firm and clear about your opinion and subject matter.

• Avoid using weak terminology, like "I hope" or "I want."

References

• Purdue Online Writing Lab : Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
• Harvard University : Developing a Thesis
• University of Toronto : Using Thesis Statements