How do I write a thesis statement?

Question

My teacher says I need to have a thesis statement in the introduction to my persuasive essay. How should I write that?

Answer 1

Put in simple terms:

A thesis needs to argue something. It shouldn't be a statement. It should be a claim or an opinion which the rest of your paper sets out to prove.

For example, if I say, "I like bread" there is nothing to argue or talk about.

Similarly, "Bread is a fluffy food made from dough that usually contains yeast" also leaves nothing to be discussed.

But, if I write, "Bread is a great source of nutrients and has been unfairly villainized by modern marketing"

Now I have a thesis. This is something that can be argued. Something that you can provide supporting evidence to argue for or against.

I recommend re-reading your introduction and asking yourself which sentence you could turn into an argument.

Answer 2

A simple start is to just say something to the effect of, "In this paper, I will argue that [insert the thesis]." The thesis is the claim that you are ultimately trying to convince your reader is true. Of course, you will have to defend a number of claims as true along the way. But ask yourself what the main idea is that you are trying to convey, and then formulate that into a sentence. In other words, think of your reader finishing your essay and saying, "Oh ok, now I see why X is true." What is "X" for your paper? That is your thesis. For instance, as a made up example, you might be trying to convince your reader that dogs make better pets than cats. You will provide some reasons for thinking this throughout the paper (which are your supporting premises for your thesis), and so you will also be trying to convince them that those reasons are true. For instance, you might claim that dogs are more loving and loyal or that cats require more work to train or whatever else. But ultimately, you are trying to convince them of those things only as a means to convincing them of the overall point that dogs make better pets than cats. So your thesis statement would be, "In this paper, I will argue that dogs make better pets than cats." It is also useful to provide a brief statement of the general supporting reasons you will talk about, such as: "I will argue for this by, first, explaining how dogs are more loving and loyal pets to have. Second, I will show how cats require much more work than dogs." So you have a thesis statement (In this paper, I will argue for X) and some brief clarification of how you will argue for it (I will argue for X by showing that A, B, and C are true). Your intro should be relatively short and simple, and straight to the point. It serves as a sort of basic set up and roadmap to the paper, focusing on what your overall point (thesis) will be and how you will defend it. The rest of the paper typically consists of (1) a preliminary explanation of any definitions, concepts, or background assumptions that need to be made clear and/or defined up front, and (2) you doing what you said you would do in the into--defending X by arguing that A, B, and C are true.

Stay away from "Since the beginning of time, people have talked about X," and other similar fluff that doesn't really provide any substance to your paper in general or your actual argument/thesis.

Answer 3

The thesis statement is important because it provides an overview of your claim and your reasons. It helps your readers focus on your topic and suggests how your paper will be structured. Generally, the thesis statement follows a specific formula:

CLAIM + "because" + REASONS = Thesis Statement

First, you need to make a claim. A claim is an arguable statement about the topic. A claim cannot be a fact. For example, if the topic is the death penalty, your claim could be "The death penalty should be abolished."

Two tips for the claim: 1) Do not use first-person ("I")

2) Do not include reasons

Next, you need to list your reasons. The reasons should be listed in the order you will discuss them. In the body of your paper, each reason should be a paragraph.

For example, reasons the death penalty should be abolished could be that 1) it violates the Constitution, 2) it does not prevent crime, and 3) it is more costly than a life sentence.

To write your thesis statement, you will use the word "because" to connect your claim to your reasons:

The death penalty should be abolished because it violates the Constitution, it does not prevent crime, and it is more costly than a life sentence.

Now your reader knows your stance and your reasons and is ready to hear your arguments!