Clear Thesis Statemen

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Chapter 9

Writing Essays: From Start to Finish 9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

L E A R N I N G O B JE C T I V E S

1. Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.

2. Revise your thesis statement.

Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble

following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in

places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element.

Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the

middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was

over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being

out of order and confusing. That is why writers need athesis statement to provide a specific focus for

their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire

essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that

point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you

begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen

or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general

topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then

articulate that into a controlling idea—the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For

whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking

and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on

one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the

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content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis

statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.

Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall,

the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts

until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper

thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health

care coverage.

Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to

remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage,

then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist

for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss

regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual

statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can

be supported with evidence.

Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide

reasons and examples for your opinion. 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.

Forcefulness. 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.

Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your

claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because

these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance

has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have

faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

Tip