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Navigating the essay structure: where does the thesis statement belong.

In the quest to master essay writing, understanding where to place the thesis statement is crucial. The thesis statement serves as the compass of your essay, guiding readers through your arguments and claims. This article delves into the strategic placement of the thesis statement within an essay's structure, exploring its role, ideal positioning, and the nuances that can affect its effectiveness. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a student learning the ropes, grasping the concept of thesis statement placement will significantly enhance the clarity and impact of your essays.

Key Takeaways

• The thesis statement is a critical component of an essay, encapsulating its main argument or claim.
• Typically, the thesis statement is positioned at the end of the introductory paragraph, setting the stage for the essay.
• Different essay genres and disciplines may require variations in thesis statement placement for optimal reader engagement.
• A well-crafted thesis statement is concise, clear, and specific, guiding the reader through the essay's content.
• Integrating the thesis statement seamlessly with the essay structure ensures coherence and reinforces the argument.

The Role of the Thesis Statement in Essay Composition

Defining the thesis statement.

A thesis statement serves as the guiding beacon of your essay, succinctly presenting your central argument or claim. It is the core assertion that you intend to prove or explain throughout your writing. Think of it as the compass for your essay , directing the reader's attention to the main point you will explore and support with evidence.

The thesis statement typically appears at the end of the introductory paragraph, setting the stage for the body of the essay. It should be clear, concise, and specific, providing a preview of the structure and direction of your argument. Here are some key characteristics of an effective thesis statement:

• It clearly states the topic of your essay and your position on it.
• It is specific enough to be covered in the scope of your essay.
• It is debatable, meaning someone could potentially disagree with it.
• It provides a roadmap for the essay, hinting at how the argument will be constructed.

Remember, the thesis statement is not just a topic—it is your interpretation or perspective on that topic, which you will defend with logic and evidence throughout your essay.

Functions of the Thesis Statement

The thesis statement serves as the compass of your essay, guiding both you and your readers through the terrain of your arguments and ideas. It articulates the purpose and main point of your essay , ensuring that you stay on course and that your readers understand the direction of your argumentation from the outset.

In crafting your thesis statement, you are doing more than simply stating what you will discuss; you are setting the stage for how you will present your evidence, analysis, and insights. The thesis statement acts as a promise to your readers about the scope, direction, and essence of your paper. Here are some key functions of a thesis statement:

• It establishes the focus of your essay and narrows down the topic to a manageable scope.
• It provides a clear and concise summary of the main points or arguments that you will explore.
• It sets expectations for the reader, offering a preview of what is to come in the body of the essay.

Remember, a well-positioned and effectively communicated thesis statement is pivotal to the success of your essay. It is the foundation upon which all other elements are built, and it should be both specific enough to be meaningful and broad enough to allow for a comprehensive discussion within the confines of your essay.

Positioning the Thesis Statement

Understanding where to position your thesis statement within your essay is crucial for setting the stage for your argument. Typically, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introductory paragraph, serving as a gateway to the body of the essay. This strategic placement allows you to clearly present your main argument or claim before delving into the supporting evidence. It acts as a roadmap for your readers , guiding them through the subsequent discussion and analysis.

In crafting your essay, consider the flow of ideas leading up to the thesis statement. Start with a hook to grab attention, provide some background information, and then introduce your thesis. This progression ensures that by the time your readers encounter the thesis, they have sufficient context to understand its significance. For instance, a website that offers tools like the Thesis Action Plan , Worksheets, and resources can be instrumental in honing your thesis crafting and research strategies.

Remember, the exact position of the thesis statement can vary depending on the length and style of the essay. In longer essays, it may appear after a more extended introduction, while in shorter pieces, it might be more direct. Regardless of its position, the thesis statement should be clear, concise, and well-articulated to effectively anchor your essay's structure.

Strategic Placement of the Thesis Statement

Thesis placement in different essay genres.

The placement of your thesis statement can vary significantly across different essay genres. In a five-paragraph essay , for instance, the thesis typically appears at the end of the introductory paragraph, setting the stage for the arguments to follow. Conversely, in a narrative essay, the thesis may be woven subtly throughout the narrative rather than presented upfront.

Understanding the conventions of each genre is crucial for effective communication. For example, an argumentative essay demands a clear and assertive thesis early on to guide the reader through your points of contention. Below is a list of common essay genres and the typical placement of the thesis statement within them:

• Analytical Essay : Usually at the end of the introduction
• Expository Essay : Often at the end of the first paragraph
• Compare and Contrast Essay : End of the introduction, highlighting the main comparison points
• Persuasive Essay : Close to the beginning, to clearly establish your position

Each genre has its own rhythm and purpose, and the thesis placement should align with the overall structure and intent of the essay. As you write, consider how the placement of your thesis will impact the flow and coherence of your argument.

Cultural and Disciplinary Variations

The thesis statement's placement can be influenced by cultural and disciplinary norms that dictate how an argument should be presented. In some cultures, it is common to state the thesis explicitly at the beginning of an essay to guide the reader. In contrast, other traditions may prefer a more subtle approach, weaving the thesis throughout the discourse. Disciplines also play a role; for example, a literature paper might integrate the thesis more fluidly than a scientific report, which typically states the thesis upfront.

Understanding these variations is crucial for you as a writer. It allows you to tailor your essay to the expectations of your audience, whether they are academics, professionals, or a general readership. To navigate these nuances, it is helpful to engage in how to find literature that exemplifies the conventions of your field or culture. This research can provide insights into the most effective placement of your thesis statement, ensuring that your argument resonates with your intended audience.

Here are some steps to consider when determining the placement of your thesis statement:

• Identify the cultural and disciplinary expectations for thesis placement.
• Analyze exemplar essays and papers within your field to discern patterns.
• Reflect on the purpose of your essay and the impact you wish to achieve.
• Experiment with different placements in drafts to gauge the effectiveness.

By being mindful of these factors, you can enhance the clarity and persuasiveness of your essay, making your thesis statement not just a claim, but a bridge connecting your ideas to the reader's understanding.

Impact of Thesis Placement on Reader Comprehension

The placement of your thesis statement can significantly influence how readers understand and engage with your essay. A strategically positioned thesis statement sets the stage for what is to come and prepares the reader for the arguments and evidence that will follow. Typically, the thesis is located at the end of the introductory paragraph, serving as a bridge to the body of the essay. However, variations exist, and the optimal position may differ based on the essay's purpose and audience.

Consider the following factors when determining the best placement for your thesis statement:

• The genre of the essay and its conventional structure.
• The expectations of your academic discipline or cultural context.
• The complexity of your argument and the need for background information.

By thoughtfully positioning your thesis statement, you enhance the reader's ability to follow your line of reasoning, thereby improving the overall coherence and persuasiveness of your essay. It's essential to weigh these considerations carefully to ensure that your thesis statement fulfills its role as the essay's guiding force.

Crafting an Effective Thesis Statement

Characteristics of a strong thesis.

A strong thesis statement is the backbone of a well-constructed essay. It serves as a beacon, guiding your readers through the arguments and supporting evidence you present. It must be clear and concise , encapsulating your main argument in a way that is easy for readers to grasp. The thesis should be specific enough to give a clear direction to your essay, yet flexible enough to allow for a comprehensive exploration of the topic.

An effective thesis statement also reflects a certain level of complexity, indicating a deep understanding of the subject matter. It should not be a mere statement of fact, but rather an assertion that requires evidence and elaboration. Here are some key characteristics to aim for:

• Arguable: It should invite debate by presenting a viewpoint that can be challenged.
• Supportive: It must be able to be backed up with evidence .
• Focused: It should define the scope of your essay and focus on a specific area of inquiry.
• Insightful: It should provide a unique perspective or imply a new way of understanding the topic.

Common Pitfalls in Thesis Development

As you delve into the intricacies of writing your thesis, it's crucial to be aware of common pitfalls that can undermine the strength of your thesis statement. A thesis may be a single, declarative sentence, yet it can falter if it lacks clarity or specificity. Avoid broad or vague statements that fail to convey the central argument of your essay. Instead, strive for a thesis that is both assertive and focused, providing a clear direction for your essay.

When crafting your thesis, it's essential to how to find research question that is both relevant and compelling. This will serve as the foundation for your argument and guide your research. Here are some steps to ensure your thesis remains robust and effective:

• Begin with a broad exploration of your topic to identify potential angles.
• Narrow down your focus to a specific question that your thesis will address.
• Ensure that your thesis statement directly answers the research question.
• Refine your thesis through multiple drafts, seeking feedback from peers or mentors.

Remember, a well-developed thesis is the cornerstone of a successful essay. It should not only present your argument but also engage your readers, compelling them to read further.

Revising for Clarity and Precision

After drafting your thesis statement, it's crucial to revise for clarity and precision . This process involves stripping away superfluous details and ensuring that your thesis conveys your argument succinctly. Pay particular attention to transition words ; they are the signposts that guide readers through the logic of your argument.

Consider employing the zoom-in-zoom-out technique to balance the big picture with necessary details. Start by zooming out to ensure your thesis addresses the overall argument, then zoom in to refine and articulate the specifics. This technique helps in maintaining the focus and avoiding half-zoomed, abstract statements that lack vividness.

Here are some steps to enhance your thesis statement:

• Organize your thesis to present your ideas logically.
• Revise thoroughly to remove ambiguities.
• Cite sources properly to bolster credibility.
• Seek feedback to polish your thesis journey.

Remember, a well-crafted thesis statement is the cornerstone of an impactful essay. It's worth investing the time to revise and perfect it.

Integrating the Thesis Statement with Essay Structure

Thesis-centric paragraph development.

When constructing your essay, each paragraph should serve as a building block, contributing to the overall argument presented by your thesis statement . Develop paragraphs that revolve around your thesis , ensuring that each one introduces a distinct idea or piece of evidence that supports your central argument. This approach not only strengthens the coherence of your essay but also reinforces the reader's understanding of your thesis as they progress through your writing.

Consider the following structure for each paragraph:

• A topic sentence that clearly relates to the thesis.
• Supporting sentences with evidence, examples, or arguments.
• A concluding sentence that ties the paragraph back to the thesis and transitions smoothly to the next point.

By adhering to this format, you create a logical flow that guides the reader through your essay, making your argument more persuasive and easier to follow. The strategic use of transitions is crucial; they act as signposts that help navigate the reader from one idea to the next, maintaining the momentum of your thesis-driven narrative.

Transitions and Signposting

As you weave your ideas together in your essay, transitions play a pivotal role in maintaining the flow and coherence of your writing. These linguistic signposts guide the reader through your argument, ensuring that each point seamlessly connects to the next. Consider the following list of transition words and phrases to enhance the readability of your essay:

In addition to single words, phrases such as "in light of the foregoing" or "given these points" can also serve as effective transitions. It's important to use these elements judiciously; overuse can lead to a cluttered and repetitive text, while underuse may leave your reader lost in a maze of disjointed thoughts. Striking the right balance is key to a well-structured essay. Remember, transitions are not just decorative; they are essential in articulating the logical structure of your argument and in reinforcing the cohesion of your thesis statement throughout the essay.

Ensuring Coherence and Unity

To ensure that your essay resonates with coherence and unity, it is essential to weave your thesis statement seamlessly throughout your work. Transition words play a pivotal role in this process, as they help to signal connections between ideas, guiding the reader through your argument with ease. Consider using words like however , therefore , and thus to articulate the logical flow of your essay.

In addition to transition words, it is crucial to maintain a consistent voice and tone throughout your essay. Avoid introducing new themes or diverging from your central thesis, as this can disrupt the unity of your composition. Instead, focus on reinforcing your thesis by aligning each paragraph's topic sentence with the overarching argument. This alignment ensures that every section of your essay contributes to the development of your thesis, reinforcing the essay's overall coherence.

Lastly, remember to review your essay for any redundant or off-topic information that may detract from its unity. By removing minor details that do not support your thesis, you can sharpen the focus and strengthen the impact of your argument. The goal is to present a unified piece of writing where each element, from individual words to entire paragraphs, serves the purpose of advancing your thesis.

Advanced Considerations for Thesis Statements

Thesis statements in complex arguments.

In the realm of complex arguments, the thesis statement serves as the compass that guides the reader through the intricacies of your reasoning. It must be robust enough to unify the various strands of argumentation while remaining clear and concise. When crafting a thesis for a complex argument, consider the following steps:

• Begin by identifying the central question or problem your essay addresses.
• Synthesize the main points that will form the pillars of your argument.
• Ensure that your thesis encapsulates the essence of these points in a single, coherent statement.

Remember, the cohesion of your argument relies heavily on the strength of your thesis. As you delve into detailed evidence and examples, your thesis should remain the steadfast anchor, keeping your essay's purpose in sharp focus. In complex essays, where multiple perspectives and nuances are explored, revisiting and refining your thesis becomes an iterative process. This ensures that as your argument evolves, your thesis accurately reflects the depth and breadth of your analysis.

Balancing Specificity and Scope

In crafting your thesis statement, you must strike a delicate balance between specificity and scope. A thesis that is too broad may lack focus, while one that is too narrow might not allow for a comprehensive exploration of the topic. To achieve this equilibrium, consider the following points:

• Identify the core idea you wish to convey and ensure it is neither too general nor excessively detailed.
• Reflect on the relevance of your thesis to the broader field of study, and whether it contributes new insights or perspectives.
• Adjust the scope of your thesis to align with the length and depth of your essay; a shorter essay will require a more focused thesis, whereas a longer piece can explore a wider range of issues.

Remember, the specificity of your thesis should illuminate the path of your argument, guiding the reader through your essay with clarity and purpose. Conversely, the scope of your thesis determines the breadth of discussion, allowing you to engage with the topic comprehensively without becoming overwhelmed by its complexities.

The Evolving Thesis in the Writing Process

As you embark on the journey of essay composition, it's essential to understand that your thesis statement is not set in stone. The process of writing is dynamic, and your thesis will likely undergo transformation as you gain deeper insights into your topic. This evolution is a natural and beneficial aspect of scholarly work, reflecting your growing expertise and nuanced understanding of the subject matter.

Recognize that your thesis may evolve as you delve deeper into research and analysis, adjusting to new insights. This iterative process can be both exhilarating and daunting, potentially leading to thesis anxiety . However, embracing the fluidity of your thesis can result in a more robust and compelling argument. To manage this evolution effectively, consider the following steps:

• Begin with a provisional thesis that guides your initial research.
• Stay open to new perspectives and evidence that may challenge your assumptions.
• Revise your thesis as necessary, ensuring it remains aligned with your developing argument.

By acknowledging and anticipating changes to your thesis, you can mitigate anxiety and channel your efforts into producing a refined and persuasive essay.

Delving into 'Advanced Considerations for Thesis Statements' can elevate your academic writing to new heights. Our comprehensive guide on the subject is a must-read for any serious scholar. However, if you're encountering access issues, we're here to help. Visit our website for troubleshooting tips and expert advice. Don't let technical difficulties hinder your progress—take the next step in perfecting your thesis statement today!

In conclusion, the thesis statement is a pivotal element of essay structure, serving as the compass that guides the reader through the intellectual journey of the essay. It is typically positioned at the end of the introduction, where it succinctly presents the central argument or claim, setting the stage for the ensuing discussion. The placement of the thesis statement is not merely a matter of formality but a strategic choice that enhances the clarity and coherence of the essay. As we have explored throughout this article, understanding where the thesis statement belongs is crucial for students and scholars alike, as it underpins the effectiveness of their academic writing. By mastering the art of thesis placement, writers can ensure that their essays are well-organized and persuasive, reflecting a clear and logical progression of ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the thesis statement typically belong in an essay.

The thesis statement usually belongs at the end of the introduction paragraph, providing a clear and concise statement of the main argument or claim of the essay.

Can the thesis statement be more than one sentence?

Yes, while often a single sentence, the thesis statement can be extended into two sentences if it improves clarity or allows for a more detailed presentation of the argument.

Is the placement of the thesis statement the same across all disciplines?

No, the placement can vary depending on cultural and disciplinary conventions. It's important to understand the expectations of your specific academic field.

How does the placement of the thesis statement affect reader comprehension?

Strategic placement of the thesis statement at the beginning of the essay sets the tone and provides a roadmap for the reader, enhancing comprehension and engagement.

What are some common pitfalls in thesis statement development?

Common pitfalls include being too vague, too broad, lacking specificity, or not being arguable. A good thesis statement should be clear, focused, and contestable.

Can the thesis statement evolve during the writing process?

Yes, the thesis statement can and often should evolve as you refine your ideas and develop your arguments throughout the writing process.

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. 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.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

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.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. 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.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. 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.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the 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.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• 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.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

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.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write a Good Thesis Statement

Creating the core of your essay

• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In composition and academic writing , a thesis statement (or controlling idea) is a sentence in an essay, report, research paper, or speech that identifies the main idea and/or central purpose of the text. In rhetoric, a claim is similar to a thesis.

For students especially, crafting a thesis statement can be a challenge, but it's important to know how to write one because a thesis statement is the heart of any essay you write. Here are some tips and examples to follow.

Purpose of the Thesis Statement

The thesis statement serves as the organizing principle of the text and appears in the  introductory paragraph . It is not a mere statement of fact. Rather, it is an idea, a claim, or an interpretation, one that others may dispute. Your job as a writer is to persuade the reader—through the careful use of examples and thoughtful analysis—that your argument is a valid one.

A thesis statement is, essentially, the idea that the rest of your paper will support. Perhaps it is an opinion that you have marshaled logical arguments in favor of. Perhaps it is a synthesis of ideas and research that you have distilled into one point, and the rest of your paper will unpack it and present factual examples to show how you arrived at this idea. The one thing a thesis statement should not be? An obvious or indisputable fact. If your thesis is simple and obvious, there is little for you to argue, since no one will need your assembled evidence to buy into your statement.

Developing Your Argument

Your thesis is the most important part of your writing. Before you begin writing, you'll want to follow these tips for developing a good thesis statement:

• Read and compare your sources : What are the main points they make? Do your sources conflict with one another? Don't just summarize your sources' claims; look for the motivation behind their motives.
• Draft your thesis : Good ideas are rarely born fully formed. They need to be refined. By committing your thesis to paper, you'll be able to refine it as you research and draft your essay.
• Consider the other side : Just like a court case, every argument has two sides. You'll be able to refine your thesis by considering the counterclaims and refuting them in your essay, or even acknowledging them in a clause in your thesis.

Be Clear and Concise

An effective thesis should answer the reader question, "So what?" It should not be more than a sentence or two. Don't be vague, or your reader won't care. Specificity is also important. Rather than make a broad, blanket statement, try a complex sentence that includes a clause giving more context , acknowledging a contrast, or offering examples of the general points you're going to make.

Incorrect : British indifference caused the American Revolution .

Correct : By treating their U.S. colonies as little more than a source of revenue and limiting colonists' political rights, British indifference contributed to the start of the American Revolution .

In the first version, the statement is very general. It offers an argument, but no idea of how the writer is going to get us there or what specific forms that "indifference" took. It's also rather simplistic, arguing that there was a singular cause of the American Revolution. The second version shows us a road map of what to expect in the essay: an argument that will use specific historical examples to prove how British indifference was important to (but not the sole cause of) the American Revolution. Specificity and scope are crucial to forming a strong thesis statement, which in turn helps you write a stronger paper!

Make a Statement

Although you do want to grab your reader's attention, asking a question is not the same as making a thesis statement. Your job is to persuade by presenting a clear, concise concept that explains both how and why.

Incorrect : Have you ever wondered why Thomas Edison gets all the credit for the light bulb?

Correct : His savvy self-promotion and ruthless business tactics cemented Thomas Edison's legacy, not the invention of the lightbulb itself.

Asking a question is not a total no-go, but it doesn't belong in the thesis statement. Remember, in most formal essay, a thesis statement will be the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. You might use a question as the attention-grabbing first or second sentence instead.

Don't Be Confrontational

Although you are trying to prove a point, you are not trying to force your will on the reader.

Incorrect : The stock market crash of 1929  wiped out many small investors who were financially inept and deserved to lose their money.

Correct : While a number of economic factors caused the stock market crash of 1929, the losses were made worse by uninformed first-time investors who made poor financial decisions.

It's really an extension of correct academic writing voice . While you might informally argue that some of the investors of the 1920s "deserved" to lose their money, that's not the kind of argument that belongs in formal essay writing. Instead, a well-written essay will make a similar point, but focus more on cause and effect, rather that impolite or blunt emotions.

• 100 Persuasive Essay Topics
• An Introduction to Academic Writing
• How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
• The Introductory Paragraph: Start Your Paper Off Right
• How To Write an Essay
• Tips for Writing an Art History Paper
• The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• What Is Expository Writing?
• Thesis: Definition and Examples in Composition
• How to Write a Persuasive Essay
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
• How to Start a Book Report
• How to Write a Response Paper
• The Five Steps of Writing an Essay

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The Thesis Sentence

The thesis sentence is arguably the most important sentence in an academic paper. Without a good, clear thesis that presents an intriguing arguable point, a paper risks becoming unfocused, aimless, not worth the reader's time.

The Challenge of the Thesis Sentence

Because the thesis sentence is the most important sentence of a paper, it is also the most difficult to write. Readers expect a great deal of a thesis sentence: they want it to powerfully and clearly indicate what the writer is going to say, why she is going to say it, and even how it is that she is going to go about getting it said. In other words, the job of the thesis sentence is to organize, predict, control, and define the paper's argument.

In many cases, a thesis sentence will not only present the paper's argument, it will also point to and direct the course that the argument is going to take. In other words, it may also include an "essay map" - i.e., phrases or clauses that map out for the reader (and the writer) the argument that is to come. In some cases, then, the thesis sentence not only promises an argument, it promises the structure of that argument as well.

The promises that a thesis sentence makes to a reader are important ones and must be kept. It's helpful sometimes to explain the thesis as a kind of contract between reader and writer: if this contract is broken, the reader will feel frustrated and betrayed. Accordingly, the writer must be very careful in the development of the thesis.

Working on the Thesis Sentence

Chances are if you've had trouble following or deciphering the argument of a paper, there's a problem with the thesis. If a tutor's first response to a paper is that he doesn't know what the paper is about, then the thesis sentence is either absent from the paper, or it's hiding. The first thing you might wish to do is to ask the writer what his thesis is. He may point to a particular sentence that he thinks is his thesis, giving you a very good place to start.

Let's say that you've read a paper in which you've encountered this thesis:

Although heterosexuality has long been regarded as the only natural expression of sexuality, this view has been recently and strongly challenged by the gay rights movement.

What's wrong with this sentence? Many things, the most troublesome of which is that it argues nothing. Who is going to deny that the heteronormative view has been challenged by the gay rights movement? At this point, you need to ask the writer some questions. In what specific ways has the gay rights movement challenged heterosexuality? Do these ways seem reasonable to the writer? Why or why not? What argument does he intend to make about this topic? Why does he want to make it? To whom does he want to make it?

After giving the writer some time to think about and talk about these questions, you'll probably want to bring up another problem that is certain to arise out of a thesis like this one: the matter of structure. Any paper that follows a thesis like this one is likely to ramble. How can the reader figure out what all the supporting paragraphs are doing when the argument itself is so ill-defined? You'll want to show the writer that a strong thesis suggests - even helps to create - strong topic sentences. (More on this when we consider matters of structure, below).

But before we move on to other matters, let's consider the problem of this thesis from another angle: its style. We can see without difficulty that the sentence presents us with at least two stylistic problems: 1) this thesis, which should be the most powerful sentence of the paper, employs the passive voice, and 2) the introductory clause functions as a dangling modifier (who regards heterosexuality as the only natural way to express sexuality?).

Both stylistic problems point to something at work in the sentence: the writer obliterates the actors - heterosexuals and homosexuals alike - by using the dangling modifier and the passive voice. Why does he do that? Is he avoiding naming the actors in these sentences because he's not comfortable with the positions they take? Is he unable to declare himself because he feels paralyzed by the sense that he must write a paper that is politically correct? Or does he obliterate the actors with the passive voice because he himself wishes to remain passive on this topic?

These are questions to pose to the writer, though they must be posed gently. In fact, you might gently pose these questions via a discussion of style. For instance, you might also suggest that the writer rewrite the sentence in the active voice:

Although our society has long regarded heterosexuality as the only natural expression of sexuality, members of the gay rights movement have challenged this view strongly.

This active construction helps us to see clearly what's missing:

Although our society has long regarded heterosexuality as the only natural expression of sexuality, members of the gay rights movement have challenged this view strongly, arguing XYZ.

This more active construction also makes it clear that merely enumerating the points the author wants to make is not the same thing as creating an argument. The writer should now be able to see that he needs to go one step further - he needs to reveal his own position on the gay rights movement. The rest of the paper will develop this position.

In short, there are many ways to begin work on a writer's thesis sentences. Almost all of them will lead you to other matters important to the paper's success: its structure, its language, its style. Try to make any conversation you have about thesis sentences point to other problems with the writing. Not only is this strategy efficient, but it also encourages a writer to see how important a thesis is to the overall success of his essay.

Talking Your Way to a Workable Thesis

For the sake of making (we hope) a somewhat humorous illustration of the matter at hand, we offer the following scenario, which shows how tutor and tutee can talk their way to a workable thesis - and, indeed, to a good essay. So sit back, and enjoy this "break" in your training.

Imagine (though it is indeed quite a stretch) that a freshman composition teacher has the audacity to assign a paper on cats (the animals, not the play). The students may write any kind of paper they like - narration, description, compare/contrast, etc. - as long as their essays contain a thesis (that is, that they argue some point) concerning cats. A writer comes to you for help in developing her thesis. You read the assignment, and then you tell the writer that she first must choose the kind of paper she would like to do. She decides to do a narrative because she thinks she has more freedom in the narrative form. Then you ask her what she has to say about cats. "I don't like them," is her reply.

"OK," you say, "that's a start. Why don't you like them?" The writer has lots of reasons: they smell, they're aloof, they shed, they keep you up nights when they're in heat, they're very middle class, they steal food off of the table, they don't get along with dogs (the writer loves dogs), and on, and on. After brainstorming for a while, you tell the writer to choose a few points on which she'd like to focus - preferably those points that she feels strongly about or those which seem unusual. She picks three: cats smell, they steal food, and they are middle class. She offers her thesis: "I don't like cats because they are smelly, thieving, and middle class."

"O.K.," you say, "It's not a very sophisticated thesis but we can use it for now. After all, it defines your stance, it controls your subject, it organizes your argument, and it predicts your strategy - all the things that a thesis ought to do. Now let's consider how to develop the thesis, point by point."

You begin to ask questions about cats and their smell. "What do they smell like?" you say. The writer thinks awhile, and then says, "They smell like dirty gym shorts, like old hamburgers, like my eighth-grade math teacher's breath." The writer laughs, particularly fond of the final simile. Then she adds, "My boyfriend has a cat. A Tom. When he moved into his first apartment, that cat sprayed all over the place, you know, marking his territory. The place stunk so bad that I couldn't even go there for a week. Can you imagine? Your boyfriend gets his first apartment, and you can't even go in the place for a week?"

The writer has sparked your imagination; you think that she can spark her teacher's imagination as well. "Why don't you do your narrative about your boyfriend's cat? You could tell the story - or you could make up a story - about going over there for dinner, hoping for a romantic evening, and being put off by the cat." The writer likes this idea and goes off to write her draft. She returns with the following story about her boyfriend and his cat.

She was hoping for a romantic dinner; he was making her favorite meal. She could smell the T-bone and the apple pie before she even got to his door. But when she opened the door, her appetite was obliterated: the smell of cat spray smelled worse than her eighth-grade math teacher's breath. Of course, because she remained hopeful for a romantic evening, she put on her best face, tried not to grimace, and gave her boyfriend the flowers she'd picked up on the way. They chat; everything is going fine; he goes to the kitchen to check on dinner; she hears his shriek. The cat has stolen all of the food! Upon searching, they find the cat under the sofa, not only with their dinner, but with the writer's wallet, her favorite picture of her mom torn in half, her new leather jacket now full of cat hairs. This cat not only stinks, he's a thief as well. Still, the evening need not be a total waste. They order pizza, have some wine. She and her man talk; their moods improve, and she decides that it might be a nice time to kiss. She pulls the old yawn trick to get her arm around him, and just as she's ready to kiss him the cat jumps into his lap. "Oh, Pookie, Pookie, Pookie," her boyfriend says, giving himself over to the purring cat. "Damn lap cat," the writer says to herself, and leaves it at that. She has written a paper illustrating that cats are smelly, thieving, and middle class. She has fulfilled her thesis.

Now, you like this paper. It's got a great voice, and it's got humor. You feel, however, that the writer should refine the thesis. It has served the writer well in helping her to organize, control, predict, and define her essay; however, she needs now to consider how to choose words and a tone which will hook the reader and reel him in. You explain to the writer that her thesis can be humorous, that she can feel free to be extreme, because a funny, exaggerated thesis would suit this funny, exaggerated paper.

After some doodling and some dialogue, the writer comes up with the following thesis: "All cats should be exterminated because they are the stinking, kleptomaniacal darlings of the bourgeoisie." You laugh; you like it. Moreover, the thesis has given the writer an ending for her essay: she exterminates the cat in her boyfriend's microwave, convinces him to get a goldfish instead, and the two of them live happily ever after. The writer is happy. The tutor is happy. The paper works.

While you will likely not encounter a "cat" assignment at Dartmouth, this sort of experience with writing a thesis is a common one. Even when papers are more sophisticated than this one - even when the subject is Hitler's rise to power, or Freud's treatment of taboo - writers will often write a working thesis, one that guides them through the writing process. Then they will return to the thesis, sometimes several times before their paper is finished, revising it to better fit their paper's increasingly refined argument and tone.

Polishing the Thesis Sentence

Look at the sentence's structure. Is the main idea of the paper placed appropriately in the main clause? If there are parallel points made in the paper, does the thesis sentence signal this to the reader via some parallel structure? If the paper makes an interesting but necessary aside, is that aside predicted - perhaps in a parenthetical element? Remember: the structure of the thesis sentence also signals much to the reader about the structure of the argument. Be sure that the thesis reflects, reliably, what the paper itself is going to say.

As to the style of the sentence: hold the thesis sentence to the highest stylistic standards. Help a writer to make sure that it is as clear and concise as it can be, and that its language and phrasing reflect confidence, eloquence, and grace.

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How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.

Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?

• to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
• to better organize and develop your argument
• to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument

In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.

How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?

Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences answering that question.

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”

A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

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How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned

Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.

A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:

• take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
• deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment
• express one main idea
• assert your conclusions about a subject

Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.

Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.

You start out with a thesis statement like this:

Sugar consumption.

This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.

You change your thesis to look like this:

Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.

This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.

Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.

You revise your thesis statement to look like this:

More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.

This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Use specific language . You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:

Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.

Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:

Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar consumption by children, and who should do it?” 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. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..

Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.

2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.

Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:

My family is an extended family.

This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.

While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.

This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.

3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.

Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:

Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.

This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:

Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.

This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because , since , so , although , unless , and however .

4. A strong thesis statement is specific.

A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say:

World hunger has many causes and effects.

This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:

Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

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.

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7: Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence

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Learning Objectives

This chapter teaches you how to identify the elements of argumentative writing: a thesis statement, claims, and evidence.

Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence

Introduction.

The three important parts of an argumentative essay are:

• A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with. Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct.
• Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement, are not facts. Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence.
• Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true. Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas. The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports.

Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence.

Paragraphs 1-7

Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” It is a thesis statement for three reasons:

• It is the article’s main argument.
• It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education.
• It requires evidence to show that it is true.

Finding Claims. A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement. Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence.

You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”

Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree. For this reason, a claim needs support.

• Question 1. Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence.

Finding Evidence.

Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question. Reread paragraphs 5-7.

• Question 2. Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 8-10

Finding Claims

Paragraph 8 makes two claims:

• “The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.”
• “The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.”

Finding Evidence

Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence:

• “The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.”
• “Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.”

Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)?

Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 11-13

Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that:

• “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement)
• “More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim)

Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story.

Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one?

Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)?

Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence? Does it persuade you to agree with him?

Paragraphs 14-16

Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14. Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16. If you can’t find any evidence, write “none.”

Claim: The more education a person has, the higher their income.

Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.

Paragraphs 17-19

Evaluating Evidence

In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs.

Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far? Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer.

Paragraphs 20-23

Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.”

To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist. One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people.

What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants?

Paragraphs 24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms)

In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions. To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application.

What statistic does he include?

In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid.

What do you think about this assumption? Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions?

The Writing Place

Resources – developing a thesis, what is a thesis.

A thesis is the main point of your paper. Everything else in your paper should contribute to explaining and proving the main point. Your thesis may be a single sentence, but it can be much longer. In a large paper, you might need a paragraph or more to state your thesis. A thesis is more specific than either a subject area or a topic. Here are some examples of subjects and topics, and a thesis statement that could be written about one of the topics.

A Sample Thesis

“Contrary to much public opinion, the growth of the homeless population has not been caused by mass deinstitutionalization of mental patients. Instead, the increase in homelessness has resulted from the combination of two circumstances: the decrease in traditional jobs in industry and destruction of low-income housing.”

Why is this a good example of a thesis?

It is specific:  The thesis focuses on two clearly-stated factors of a narrowly defined topic.

It makes an arguable point.  Unless you are writing a factual report, your thesis should make a point that needs to be further proved or explained.

It prepares the reader for more information.  The thesis helps the reader define his or her expectations. From this thesis, a reader could expect to learn more about why these two factors cause homelessness, how they combine, and why the deinstitutionalization of mental patients is not the primary cause.

Does every paper need a thesis?

Yes. Every paper needs a controlling idea that helps you select and organize the details. However, not every paper needs the same kind of thesis. Here is an example of a thesis that summarizes factual information rather than arguing a position:

Users may search the university library’s catalog by author, title, subject, or keyword. The keyword function is a new addition to the library catalog that allows the user to search for words or combinations of words appearing anywhere in the book’s title. Several specific commands enable users to combine keyword search terms.

This thesis prepares the reader for more information about searching the library catalog using the keyword function. Even though this thesis does not argue a position in the same manner as the previous one, it still organizes and controls the flow of information.

Where does the thesis belong in the paper?

In general, the thesis belongs at the beginning of the paper. If the thesis is at the beginning of a paper, it can set reader expectations and organize the information. Good places for a thesis: the first sentence, the end of the first paragraph, or the end of the opening section.

How do I develop a thesis?

You may find it very valuable to consult with your instructor during the process of formulating a thesis.

• Choose your subject area (the professor may choose it for you).
• Select a topic (the professor may ask you to write on a specific topic).
• What questions in class have interested you the most?
• What points has the professor made that you found intriguing?
• Have you uncovered any controversies in the readings?
• What have you found most surprising about the course material?
• Find a question that you want to answer, or a problem you want to solve. Write down as specific an answer as possible and use that answer as a thesis to organize your details.
• Are these questions and answers relevant to the course material?
• Am I interested developing and supporting my answer to this question?
• Will my readers be interested in my answer?
• Can I find appropriate material to support my answer in the amount of time I have to work on this assignment?
• Can I ask and answer my question in the number of pages asked for?

From Thesis to Paper

• If that person understands what you are talking about and why, your thesis probably makes sense.
• This may help you figure out how to support the claims or promises of information that you make in your thesis.
• You may discover that your thesis needs to be changed or replaced.
• If you write an early draft that doesn’t stick to the main point you have chosen, it may mean that you really want to write about something else. In that case, change your thesis.
• When you are confident your thesis reflects the point you really want to make, review each paragraph of the paper to see how it relates to the thesis.
• Make an outline of the paper’s points and compare it to the thesis. You may decide to add, omit, or rearrange material to make your paper more persuasive and informative

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A thesis statement is usually at the end of an introductory paragraph. The sentences that precede the sentence will introduce it, and the sentences that follow will support and explain it. Just as a topic sentence introduces and organizes a paragraph, a thesis statement helps readers recognize what is to follow.

For example, consider the following thesis statement:

The Battle of Vicksburg changed the course of the Civil War, leading to the success of the Union.

This statement defines the subject, limits it (one battle, not the entire Civil War), and sets up a cause and effect pattern for the essay that follows.

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Research Tips and Tricks: Constructing an Essay

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• Constructing an Essay

Writing the Introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph of your essay or the first part of your presentation.  An introduction begins with general information and ends with specifics (your thesis statement). 

How do I write an introduction?

1.  Always start with a Grabber.  Grabbers can be leads, hooks, quotations, wow facts, or a very short story or anecdote.  The Grabber will show your voice and personality.  You want to make your paper or presentation interesting and lively.  You want your reader/audience to be interested in what you have discovered and get excited about what they will learn through reading your essay or listening to your presentation.

2.  Introduce your topic to your reader/audience.

Answer basic Skinny or informational questions like who, what, where, when.  Pretend you you are talking to a younger sibling and you just want to give him brief background or overview about your topic in a couple of sentences. 

Introduction Triangle. Digital image. How to Start an Essay: No Magic Solutions for Your Papers . Custom-Writing.com, 2013. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.

Generating a Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement?

• It is the answer to your Fat Question
• It presents your opinions or thoughts on a subject with your reasons as to why your thesis is valid (arguments)
• It is the position you intend to prove

What does a thesis statement do?

• ties the whole essay together
• serves as a map for the writer and reader to follow throughout the essay
• provides a reference point for your topic sentences which support your thesis and argument
• keeps the reader focused on and engaged with your argument or reasoning
• offers enough detail for the reader to grasp the reasons for your thinking

Do I have to have a thesis statement?

Yes.  You cannot write an essay without one.

What does a good thesis statement look like?

• It should only be one sentence, regardless of essay length
• It should use clear, strong language
• A good thesis statement is a declarative sentence with no qualifiers (might, maybe, perhaps , etc.):
• A thesis statement should always be written in the third person.
• It states only one main idea with reasons

Position: ____________________________________ because (state three reasons why your thesis is valid)

1. _________________________________ 

2. _________________________________ 

3. _________________________________.

What a thesis statement should NOT look like:

It should never include phrases like: in my opinion, I think, I believe , etc.

However, it may be helpful to write a rough draft of a thesis statement with this phrases to make sure you are expressing your thoughts or arguments clearly.  Be sure to delete these phrases when writing the final draft of your thesis statement.

Where does my thesis statement belong in my essay?

• It is the closing sentence in the first paragraph of your essay
• It should also be re-written in new language as part of your conclusion

Lorcher, Trent. "How to Write a Thesis Statement: High School English Lesson Plan." Bright Hub Education . Bright Hub, Inc., 2012. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.

• How to Write a Strong Thesis

Writing the Conclusion

What is the purpose of a conclusion?

• Shows the reader that you have proved your thesis
• Summarizes the points in your essay
• It demonstrates to the reader that you have accomplished what you set out to do
• Shows your readers why this paper was important, meaningful and useful because it makes a memorable statement about the topic that will convince the reader to think or act differently
•  Includes a call to action in a sentence or two that states the change you have argued for in the essay
• It gives the essay a sense of closure and completeness

Why is a conclusion important?

• Because it is the last thing the reader sees, It is often what a reader remembers best. Your conclusion should be the best part of your paper.
• It gives your reader something to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic. 
• It allows you to consider broader issues and elaborate on the importance of your findings.

What is the structure of a conclusion?

• The conclusion begins specific and moves to the general
• Your topic sentence of your conclusion should summarize what you said in your thesis statement
• Do not simply restate your thesis statement, as that would be redundant.  Instead, rephrase your thesis statement with deeper understanding.  You can do that now that the reader has read your essay and understands your argument and position.
•  For example, use what you’ve written to help you write your conclusion by rephrasing your thesis.  If you began with, "The colors of autumn make it my favorite season," then you can include a similar sentence in your conclusion. For example, "It is the orange, red, and brown of the leaves that make me love the fall."
• Your topic for each body paragraph should be summarized in the conclusion so wrap up the main points
• Your closing sentence should help the reader feel a sense of closure
• Your closing sentence is your last word on the subject; it is your "clincher"
• Demonstrate the importance of your ideas
• Share with your reader a new view of the subject

What is a good outline for a conclusion?

• Topic sentence
• Fresh rephrasing of thesis statement
• Supporting sentences
• Summarize or wrap up the main points in the body of the essay
• Explain how ideas fit together
• Closing sentence
• Final words
• Connects back to the introduction
• Can include a zinger or a call to action
• Provides a sense of closure

What should NOT happen in the conclusion?

• Do not start with
• "in summary"
• "in closing"
• "as shown in the essay"
• Do not introduce new facts or evidence
• Do not simply repeat word for word what you already wrote in your thesis or in the essay

Conclusion Paragraph Graphic Organizer. "Foolproof Essay Conclusion Tricks." Jimmie's Collage RSS . N.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2013.

"Writing a Conclusion." Time4Writing . VKidz, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Aug. 2013. <http://www.time4writing.com/learning-how-to-write/writing-a-conclusion>.

What else do I need to know?

Avoid using informal language (texting language, slang, vernacular, contractions). Use specific, descriptive words. Do not use the words “thing” or “stuff.”

   Examples to correct:

• Anne does a lot of stuff that’s hard.
• Bob almost pees his pants when he sees Shane’s gun.
• There are many things that make Ponyboy a good MICDS student.

Use third person in formal writing. Do not use the pronouns “you,” “we,” “I,” “me,” etc.  in your essay.

• I think Francie lives up to the MICDS Mission Statement because she is such a nice person.
• You could tell that Shane was responsible because he gave Bob awesome advice.

Avoid repeating the same words of phrases in the same sentence or in sentences near each other.

• Francie values education, and Francie works hard to go to school.
• Shane is brave when he agrees to help Joe Starrett. Shane is also brave when he takes on the fight with Fletcher.

Writing the Body of the Essay

How do I write the body paragraphs of my essay?

At MICDS we use the TEE format for writing the body paragraphs in essays.  Remember, the topic sentences, explanation and evidence all must relate to and tie back to your thesis statement.  

T = Topic Sentence - A clear sentence that tells the reader the main idea of your paragraph.  It should tie back to one of the points in your thesis.

E = Explanation - Explain its significance or importance and how it supports your thesis

E = Example or Evidence - Several sentences with supporting details that illustrate your point

What do the body paragraphs do in my essay?

• correspond to one of the reasons you stated in your thesis
• start with a topic sentence
• have an explanation of why your reason stated in your thesis is true
• examples or evidence of why your reason stated in your thesis is true
• details to show why your evidence should be believed

What is the structure for my first body paragraph?

• The topic sentence should state your first reason as to why you believe your thesis is true
• The next sentences should be your thinking or analysis or explanation of why this is important
• The next sentences should present your examples or evidence for why you believe your thinking or argument is true
• The next sentences should provide details related to this evidence to convince your reader that your argument is true and valid

Then, follow this same formula for all your other body paragraphs.

The Basic Essay Outline

Graphic organizer.

The Research Paper Graphic Organizer . Digital image. Advanced Essay Writing, n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2013. <http://lgimages.s3.amazonaws.com/data/imagemanager/82689/research_organizer.png>.

• Paragraph Organizer

Pursuasive and Convincing Words

How do I persuade someone that my thesis and ideas are valid?

1.  Make sure your opinion is supported by well-researched facts.  Use ideas from experts to validate your opinion. 

2.  Convince your readers that your opinion is valid but, you don't want them to feel lectured at, critcized or insulted if they disagree with your ideas.  Explain your point of view, but allow your reader the freedom to make up their own minds as to whether they agree with you based on the evidence you presented.

3.  Look at the issue from various viewpoints.  Acknowledge the opposing viewpoint and present information to support your viewpoint.  Making a Pro/Con list will help you structure your ideas.

4.  Use signalling words.  These transition words help make your argument clearer, stronger and more interesting.  Here are some examples:

Chronological - words about the order of things

• First, second, third

Cause and Effect - words about things which make other things happen

• Consequently

Using an Example - words to show what a thing is

• For instance
• For example

Addition - words that add more information

• Additionally

Opposition - words that signal a conflict or problem

• But, though, however
• On the other hand
• Nonethe less, nevertheless

Writing Hints

• The title should give the reader some inkling of what the paper is about
• Make the title catchy.

Create Flow

• Make sure your arguments are organized in a logical order.
• Provide proper transitions between paragraphs.  Use "signpost" words like "secondly," "another reason," "furthermore," or "on the other hand."  If these transitions are difficult to write, perhaps you need to work on the order of your paragraphs (and your thoughts).  In other words, revise!
• Use parallel structure , or format each part in a series in the same way.  Instead of writing "she liked to play soccer, drawing, and when she went to watch tennis," write "she liked to play soccer, to draw pictures, and to watch tennis."

Word Choices

• Avoid ambiguous words like "stuff" or "thing" or "whatever"
• Make sure all pronouns (he, she, it, they) have clear antecedents (the word or words replaced  by the pronoun).  In other words, make it clear what "it" is or who "they" are.  
• Words like "this" and "that" should not stand alone, as in "This is good."  Always follow "this" or "that" with a noun, as in "This plan..." "This law..." "That idea...."
• Write in the third person . 
• Do not use "I," "we" or "you."Use formal language .  A void slang or conversational language.  Don't say "the U.S. blew it," "Bill Clinton wimped out," or "I mean, are you kidding??"

Verb Tenses

• Use the simple past tense or simple present tense
• Be consistent with your verb tenses.
• Use active voice , not passive voice.  For example: Better to say "President Clinton signed the bill" (active voice) than "the bill was signed by President Clinton" (passive voice). 
• Introduce the speaker of quotes in your text.
• Examples: Attorney General Janet Reno said, "Mistakes were made," or Newsweek columnist, Joe Klein, said, "The campaign will run down to the wire." 
• Identify all people who might not be known to the average reader such as, "Secretary of State Madeline Albright" or " Newsweek columnist, George Will."

Capitalization

• When using proper names, state the full name of the person the first time you use it:
• For example, "President Bill Clinton" or "Bill Clinton," not just "Clinton" (certainly not "Bill"). 
• After the first mention of someone use their last name only
• print out your essay
• read through your whole text out loud (you may feel silly doing this, but it works so get over it)
• write changes and corrections 
• do not rely on spell checker or grammar checker exclusively·  

Multiple Drafts

Your essay gets better with every draft so work on it may times over the course of many days.  You need to be able to look at it with fresh eyes so you need a new day to do this!

Hint:  If you try to do write your essay all in one night you will get tired and your writing will not be as good.

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4d. Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs

Introductions: getting readers to bite.

The first sentence of every essay, poem, or novel is perhaps the most important because a reader will immediately use the first sentence to develop impressions and make assumptions about a writer’s style, voice, and purpose. Thoughtful writers begin every piece of writing with a unique lure (or hook) that will attract the attention of readers and entice them to “bite” (read an essay or listen to an idea). Startling examples, surprising statistics, and sophisticated questions are a few effective strategies for opening sentences of academic essays. Quotations can be useful if they are relevant to the topic and will be referenced elsewhere in the essay. Generic statements like “Throughout history,” and other clichés like “according to the dictionary” should be avoided for most essays unless you are using them to make a specific point for a specific audience and purpose.

Beginning with your first sentence, the goal of an introduction is to guide readers toward your thesis. You can effectively guide readers from your opening sentence to your working thesis summarizing your topic, identifying important authors or sources you will be analyzing or referencing, and sharing the question at issue that your thesis seeks to answer.

Introductions: Developing Context and a Thesis

A thesis is a focused sentence that provides your reader with your interpretation of a topic or text and the primary reasoning or evidence that supports your position. Context is information about your topic that you want to make sure your audience knows upfront so they can understand the argument you are trying to make in your thesis. Consider the audience and purpose of your writing task and whether you are writing to a general, specialized, or very specific set of readers. Developing context forms a connection between the creative flourish of your opening lines and the clarity and concision of your thesis.

A thesis provides your reader a controlling idea and main point of focus as they read through the body paragraphs and conclusion of an essay.  What makes a thesis focused?

A thesis is focused when it is:

• Specific . A thesis for a book may consider a broad topic but multi-paragraph essays require writers to concentrate on narrow topics in order to develop depth in their reasoning and evidence. Considering the audience and purpose of your task and developing questions at issue can help you pinpoint the one thing you really want your readers to take away from your essay.
• Concise . A thesis statement must be concise enough to develop a complex and intellectually rigorous perspective on your topic in a coherent and efficient sentence or two. Concision in a thesis can become a tool for the writer to help them stay organized while developing arguments and counterarguments.
• Debatable . A thesis must present a position or point of view on topic rather than a restatement of fact or observation. Ask yourself, could any reasonable reader within my discourse community reasonably disagree with my thesis? Supporting the claim of your thesis with reasoning and evidence will help you develop its debatable aspects. Sharing your working thesis with classmates and others will help you determine whether everyone already agrees with you or not.
• Demonstrable . For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to show the reader the primary reason and evidence that supports your position or interpretation. Worthy arguments are backed by examples and details. Be sure you can demonstrate each reason you use to support your claim within the required length of your essay or writing task.
• Assertive . Remember that making an argument in an essay does not prevent you from shifting your perspective at a later date. Write with the confidence that you belong and are welcome in the conversation you are entering. Take a stance that provokes your readers to shift their perspective on this topic and show that you care about your topic.
• Readers appreciate directness and sincerity. When writing academic essays, there is no need to use phrases like I feel , I believe , or in my opinion because the they are unnecessary and may irritate your audience. Please note that this advice is not intended to discourage you from using personal examples in your essays if appropriate for your writing task.

Dog lovers, get your counterarguments ready. The three examples below provide a basic example of how to develop a focused thesis:

• Not a thesis : Cats are smarter than dogs.

The example sentence is a claim but not a thesis because it provides no reasoning or evidence to support the claim. Opinions like “I think everyone should take the bus to work twice a week” only become thesis statements when they are supported with reasoning or evidence.  Without reasoning or evidence, a person reading this example thesis would have very little sense of how the writer will defend this claim or why the writer thinks that cats are smarter than dogs

• Unfocused thesis : Cats are smarter than dogs because they can learn how to use a litterbox, rarely run away from home, and are less clingy and more independent than dogs.

The second example sentence is off to a better start than the first example because it makes a claim and also provides reasoning and evidence to support the claim. However, there are too many reasons to develop in a relatively short essay and some of the evidence may be difficult to research or defend.  Developing a working thesis, even at the preliminary stages of a writing project, can provide you with purpose and a place to start as you begin to outline and draft your essays.

• A Focused Thesis: Cats are smarter dogs because they can learn how to use a litterbox.

The third example may not be perfect but presents a position on the topic and narrows the focus of the topic sufficiently to continue the writing process. In this case, there will certainly be dog-lovers ready to provide counterarguments and alternative perspectives.

Power words

Power words like because , although , therefore , since , despite , rather than , more than , less than , along with , and considering that are all examples of transitional and metacognitive word and phrases that can be used to create specificity and complexity in a thesis. Try using different kinds of power words as you draft your thesis statement to help you connect your claim with your primary reason or evidence for making the claim. While there is no singular method or formula for writing the perfect thesis for every paper, developing a solid working thesis for an academic essay can help you be more efficient while researching, outlining, drafting, and revising. A great thesis will crystalize your idea for you reader and help them remember the most important thing you want them to take away from your essays.

Conclusions

Conclusions merit consideration right alongside introductions because the two types of paragraphs (or sections of longer essays) perform similar functions. Conclusions and introductions both summarize, contextualize, condense, and synthesize the main ideas you hope to convey to your readers. Conclusions discuss the implications of the thesis, defend the organization of the essay, and leave the reader with something to mull over without distracting them with new information about the topic. Writers often reach the final paragraph and feel tired or stressed as the clock ticks away toward a deadline.  Having composed your introduction and body paragraphs to demonstrate your thesis, what is left to say but “That’s all folks! Thanks for reading!”  Writing effective conclusions that do not simply restate but demonstrate the significance and implications of your thesis statement can help you to leave a lasting impact on any audience. Here are some tips for ensuring that lasting impact is positive.

Effective conclusions:

• Tie together the threads of body paragraph reasoning and evidence to help readers understand how a writer has demonstrated their thesis
• Rephrase rather than directly restate the thesis (especially in relation to any alternative or opposing perspectives you explored)
• Consider the broader implications and/or limitations of assertions, reasoning, and evidence
• Circle the reader back to the opening sentence to create a sense of closure

Ineffective Conclusions:

• Contradict or change a thesis (this can occur through awkward transition sentences or mean that you need to revise your thesis and introduction to reflect your final thoughts)
• Restate the thesis word for word without explaining how it has been demonstrated
• Introduce new lines of reasoning and sources of evidence
• Demonstrate disregard for alternative or opposing perspectives on the topic
• Begin with generic transition statements like “in conclusion”

Key Takeaways

• Introductions and conclusions create your first and last impression on readers.
• Academic essays require a thesis statement to provide your audience with a clear sense of your position, opinion, perspective on a topic, rather than a summary of the topic.
• A focused thesis is specific, precise, debatable, demonstrable, assertive, and direct.
• An effective conclusion helps your audience understand how your essay had demonstrated the thesis and fulfilled the purpose of the writing task.

Writing as Inquiry Copyright © 2021 by Kara Clevinger and Stephen Rust is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Finding a place to belong

 The Class of 2024 had a rough start to their college experience because of the pandemic, but that made them soak up every opportunity they could — from study abroad trips, to research experiences, to creative pursuits and sunsets on the slope. They formed strong bonds with professors and advisors and made memories with friends they say they will have forever.

Photos by Chris Kitchen

'A small seed of curiosity can grow and mature into a full-fledged thesis project'

"I learned how to critically examine the things I see and learn, rather than take them at face value and accept the status quo. I came into college accustomed to the type of learning that consisted of knowing facts and successfully regurgitating them on a test or essay."

Valerie Hu: Biology & Society

'Being able to relate with architects, actresses and activists was a function of my A&S education'

"I was probably more involved in that class than I had ever been in the past, partly because I was re-energized to learn after being on leave the previous semester, but also because I could feel the entire class learning ."

Obioha Chijioke: Information Science & Africana Studies

'Choose the path that makes you smile when you think about it'

"Take the class that's out of your discipline. The knowledge that you don't think will do you any good in the future will affect you in the most profound way when you least expect it."

Peter Levine: Performing and Media Arts & College Scholar

'I've formed a multifaceted view that I will take with me out into the world'

"I was able to have time to explore other interests outside of A&S because I was able to finish my requirements on time. A&S’s emphasis on diverse experiences not only enhanced my academic journey but also helped me to form a multifaceted view that I will take with me out into the world. "

Precious Oyewole: Biological Sciences

Each subset of chemistry is fascinating and intriguing in its own way

"For each lab, it’s like following a well-made recipe from a cookbook, except the cookbook says to use some corrosive or toxic ingredients with caution."

Julian Morales: Chemistry and Chemical Biology

'I learned that I loved journalism and storytelling' 

"Connecting with people has widened the world for me and has opened my mind to appreciating everyone’s uniqueness and experiences. The best way to learn about the world, and to learn about yourself, is to have conversations with and to appreciate the people around you."

Rebecca Sparacio: English & Government

Extraordinary journeys: the class of 2024

'I have felt a sense of belonging'

'It was rewarding to build something that people from the community enjoyed and learned from'

'I dream of investigating virtual reality and making an impact on the world'

'Applicable Algebra reshaped my understanding of math'

'A small seed of curiosity can grow and mature into a full-fledged thesis project'

'I learned to push the boundaries of what I could accomplish'

'I've learned from amazing professors who study the social impact of technology'

'I learned how to translate theoretical concepts into practical policy interventions'

'The orchestra program was the first home I found in college'

'Act with intention, live with an open mind'

'Our team's research contributes directly to scalable solutions for global environmental issues'

'In our divided world, much can be changed through dialogue'

'I learned that my interests in history and finance are not mutually exclusive'

'Science has a wide community and you can always find people to help'

'I studied why miscommunication and ambiguity are so prevalent in human language'

'The mythical allure of "Ithaca" reminded me of Odysseus’ epic return home'

'I learned that I loved journalism and storytelling'

'I uncovered a passion for subjects I hadn't previously explored'

'I've formed a multifaceted view that I will take with me out into the world'

'Choose the path that makes you smile when you think about it'

'I am proud to have continued the cultivation of The Lodge'

'My ability to explore was instrumental in forming my academic consciousness'   

'Being able to relate with architects, actresses and activists was a function of my A&S education'

'One of my first art history courses helped me discover my passion for Indigenous studies'

'My research in New Zealand boosted my confidence as a global citizen'

'Real world issues often don’t fit into the neat boxes of disciplines'

'It's my dream to simultaneously address climate change and global poverty'

'I discovered my major by taking classes that I found fascinating'

'I've developed great connections with faculty and have been inspired by their insights'

'I learned how to ask the right questions'

'I conducted global health and policy research in Moshi, Tanzania'

'Learning Spanish has restructured how I see the world around me'

'Each subset of chemistry is fascinating and intriguing in its own way'

'Taking Portuguese was one of the most enriching experiences of my college journey'

'I've never been more clear on my professional goals and aspirations'

'The academic freedom fueled my own critical thinking and curiosities'

'I am researching the intersections of mental health and the capital punishment system'

'My research made me realize how fascinating psychology is'

'I'm a researcher in Cornell's Play and Learning Lab'

'I've met a variety of people with a wide range of interests'

'I want to keep learning, about people, about culture, about myself'

'Universities play a substantial role in fostering the civic responsibility of students'

'I learned to build expertise in new sub-fields from scratch'

'I strive to practice bravery and authenticity'

'I made a major contribution to my research group’s software'

'My purpose in life is to tell stories'

'I never imagined a degree in philosophy could have such broad application'

'The informal education I received truly enriched my learning experience'

'I felt more empowered as a student and a woman'

'Be persistent, be passionate, and be true'

'It was incredibly rewarding to tackle such difficult problems'

'Performance has the ability to reshape our understanding of migration and citizenship'

'Having the opportunity to make your voice heard is essential to democracy'

'All of these wonderful people have always advocated for me, believed in me and encouraged me'

'Entertain the notion that your "requirements" are actually opportunities'

'I started a YouTube channel to help people learn higher mathematics'

'I have met people from all different backgrounds'

'Be open to change and the unpredictable'

'I learned how research can be applied to settings outside the lab'

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Germany convicts five men for Dresden jewel heist worth over $100 million

BERLIN — A court in the eastern German city of Dresden found five family members of a criminal gang guilty of a $129 million (113 million euro) jewelry heist Tuesday and sentenced them to more than four years in prison.

It was one of Europe’s most notorious and daring jewel heists when members of Berlin’s Remmo clan broke into the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) museum at Dresden’s Royal Palace in the early hours of Nov. 25, 2019, in a smash-and-grab operation that made off with some of Europe’s most valuable jewels.

The stolen pieces included a breast star of the Polish Order of the White Eagle, a jewel-encrusted sword and an ornate headpiece. The entire hoard was covered with in 4,300 diamonds in total. Authorities fear some of the items will never be recovered.

Watch: The moment some of Europe’s most valuable jewels were stolen

The five men, all in their 20s, were sentenced Tuesday to between four and six years in prison. A Dresden regional court found them guilty of “particularly serious arson” in combination with dangerous bodily harm, theft with weapons, property damage and “intentional arson” to cover up a criminal offense. A sixth defendant and family member was acquitted after providing an alibi.

In January, the defense, prosecution and the court reached a plea bargain after most of the 21 stolen pieces of jewelry were returned in December 2022. However, some of the most important pieces featuring large diamonds — including the 50-carat Saxon White Diamond — remain missing, Dresden prosecution confirmed.

Witness statements in the trial transcripts detailed the damage to some of the recovered items. During a witness hearing, one restorer from the Dresden State Art Collections, Eve Begov, described pieces that were broken and deformed as well as damaged by moisture. Others were scratched or marred by rust.

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Two of the five defendants are already serving sentences for the theft of an enormous gold coin from Berlin’s Bode Museum in 2017 — another daring heist that rocked the museum world. The coin was never recovered.

Closed-circuit TV footage released a day after the audacious heist showed how the museum and the neighboring area were plunged into darkness after the thieves set fire to a circuit breaker near the museum.

They then entered the building through a window. Prosecutors said the men had damaged the bars on the window ahead of the heist and reattached them to enable quicker access.

Within five minutes, they broke a display with an ax, took 21 objects covered in thousands of jewels and left in a getaway car. The vehicle was later set alight in an underground parking lot.

Dozens of people are still wanted in relation to the meticulously planned heist. Authorities say they believe about 40 people were involved.

Barbara Klepsch, regional culture minister of Saxony — the state of which Dresden is the capital — said Tuesday she was grateful that investigators had been able to secure a large part of the stolen jewelry.

“A part of the wound in our treasury has been closed again and the perpetrators were lawfully convicted,” she said.

Brazen heist caught on video amid major global arts fair

The minister also said that security measures had been adjusted as a result of the heist, which shed light on shortcomings in security at one of Europe’s oldest museums.

The eastern state of Saxony has claimed damages amounting to almost 89 million euros for the stolen items, as well as for damage caused by the break-in.

The stolen jewels are part of a collection amassed by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, in the 18th century. In 1723, Augustus opened Dresden’s Green Vault to display his treasure trove. Located in Dresden’s Royal Palace, the museum remained closed for decades after suffering extensive damage during World War II. It was restored and reopened in 2006.

• Open access
• Published: 11 May 2024

Nursing students’ stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates

• Jacqueline Maria Dias 1 ,
• Muhammad Arsyad Subu 1 ,
• Nabeel Al-Yateem 1 ,
• Fatma Refaat Ahmed 1 ,
• Syed Azizur Rahman 1 , 2 ,
• Mini Sara Abraham 1 ,
• Sareh Mirza Forootan 1 ,
• Farzaneh Ahmad Sarkhosh 1 &
• Fatemeh Javanbakh 1  

BMC Nursing volume  23 , Article number:  322 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Understanding the stressors and coping strategies of nursing students in their first clinical training is important for improving student performance, helping students develop a professional identity and problem-solving skills, and improving the clinical teaching aspects of the curriculum in nursing programmes. While previous research have examined nurses’ sources of stress and coping styles in the Arab region, there is limited understanding of these stressors and coping strategies of nursing students within the UAE context thereby, highlighting the novelty and significance of the study.

A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Overall 30 students who were undergoing their first clinical placement in Year 2 at the University of Sharjah between May and June 2022 were recruited. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed for themes.

During their first clinical training, nursing students are exposed to stress from different sources, including the clinical environment, unfriendly clinical tutors, feelings of disconnection, multiple expectations of clinical staff and patients, and gaps between the curriculum of theory classes and labatories skills and students’ clinical experiences. We extracted three main themes that described students’ stress and use of coping strategies during clinical training: (1) managing expectations; (2) theory-practice gap; and (3) learning to cope. Learning to cope, included two subthemes: positive coping strategies and negative coping strategies.

Conclusions

This qualitative study sheds light from the students viewpoint about the intricate interplay between managing expectations, theory practice gap and learning to cope. Therefore, it is imperative for nursing faculty, clinical agencies and curriculum planners to ensure maximum learning in the clinical by recognizing the significance of the stressors encountered and help students develop positive coping strategies to manage the clinical stressors encountered. Further research is required look at the perspective of clinical stressors from clinical tutors who supervise students during their first clinical practicum.

Peer Review reports

Nursing education programmes aim to provide students with high-quality clinical learning experiences to ensure that nurses can provide safe, direct care to patients [ 1 ]. The nursing baccalaureate programme at the University of Sharjah is a four year program with 137 credits. The programmes has both theoretical and clinical components withs nine clinical courses spread over the four years The first clinical practicum which forms the basis of the study takes place in year 2 semester 2.

Clinical practice experience is an indispensable component of nursing education and links what students learn in the classroom and in skills laboratories to real-life clinical settings [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. However, a gap exists between theory and practice as the curriculum in the classroom differs from nursing students’ experiences in the clinical nursing practicum [ 5 ]. Clinical nursing training places (or practicums, as they are commonly referred to), provide students with the necessary experiences to ensure that they become proficient in the delivery of patient care [ 6 ]. The clinical practicum takes place in an environment that combines numerous structural, psychological, emotional and organizational elements that influence student learning [ 7 ] and may affect the development of professional nursing competencies, such as compassion, communication and professional identity [ 8 ]. While clinical training is a major component of nursing education curricula, stress related to clinical training is common among students [ 9 ]. Furthermore, the nursing literature indicates that the first exposure to clinical learning is one of the most stressful experiences during undergraduate studies [ 8 , 10 ]. Thus, the clinical component of nursing education is considered more stressful than the theoretical component. Students often view clinical learning, where most learning takes place, as an unsupportive environment [ 11 ]. In addition, they note strained relationships between themselves and clinical preceptors and perceive that the negative attitudes of clinical staff produce stress [ 12 ].

The effects of stress on nursing students often involve a sense of uncertainty, uneasiness, or anxiety. The literature is replete with evidence that nursing students experience a variety of stressors during their clinical practicum, beginning with the first clinical rotation. Nursing is a complex profession that requires continuous interaction with a variety of individuals in a high-stress environment. Stress during clinical learning can have multiple negative consequences, including low academic achievement, elevated levels of burnout, and diminished personal well-being [ 13 , 14 ]. In addition, both theoretical and practical research has demonstrated that increased, continual exposure to stress leads to cognitive deficits, inability to concentrate, lack of memory or recall, misinterpretation of speech, and decreased learning capacity [ 15 ]. Furthermore, stress has been identified as a cause of attrition among nursing students [ 16 ].

Most sources of stress have been categorized as academic, clinical or personal. Each person copes with stress differently [ 17 ], and utilizes deliberate, planned, and psychological efforts to manage stressful demands [ 18 ]. Coping mechanisms are commonly termed adaptation strategies or coping skills. Labrague et al. [ 19 ] noted that students used critical coping strategies to handle stress and suggested that problem solving was the most common coping or adaptation mechanism used by nursing students. Nursing students’ coping strategies affect their physical and psychological well-being and the quality of nursing care they offer. Therefore, identifying the coping strategies that students use to manage stressors is important for early intervention [ 20 ].

Studies on nursing students’ coping strategies have been conducted in various countries. For example, Israeli nursing students were found to adopt a range of coping mechanisms, including talking to friends, engaging in sports, avoiding stress and sadness/misery, and consuming alcohol [ 21 ]. Other studies have examined stress levels among medical students in the Arab region. Chaabane et al. [ 15 ], conducted a systematic review of sudies in Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Pakistan, Oman, Palestine and Bahrain, and reported that stress during clinical practicums was prevalent, although it could not be determined whether this was limited to the initial clinical course or occurred throughout clinical training. Stressors highlighted during the clinical period in the systematic review included assignments and workload during clinical practice, a feeling that the requirements of clinical practice exceeded students’ physical and emotional endurance and that their involvement in patient care was limited due to lack of experience. Furthermore, stress can have a direct effect on clinical performance, leading to mental disorders. Tung et al. [ 22 ], reported that the prevalence of depression among nursing students in Arab countries is 28%, which is almost six times greater than the rest of the world [ 22 ]. On the other hand, Saifan et al. [ 5 ], explored the theory-practice gap in the United Arab Emirates and found that clinical stressors could be decreased by preparing students better for clinical education with qualified clinical faculty and supportive preceptors.

The purpose of this study was to identify the stressors experienced by undergraduate nursing students in the United Arab Emirates during their first clinical training and the basic adaptation approaches or coping strategies they used. Recognizing or understanding different coping processes can inform the implementation of corrective measures when students experience clinical stress. The findings of this study may provide valuable information for nursing programmes, nurse educators, and clinical administrators to establish adaptive strategies to reduce stress among students going clinical practicums, particularly stressors from their first clinical training in different healthcare settings.

A qualitative approach was adopted to understand clinical stressors and coping strategies from the perspective of nurses’ lived experience. Qualitative content analysis was employed to obtain rich and detailed information from our qualitative data. Qualitative approaches seek to understand the phenomenon under study from the perspectives of individuals with lived experience [ 23 ]. Qualitative content analysis is an interpretive technique that examines the similarities and differences between and within different areas of text while focusing on the subject [ 24 ]. It is used to examine communication patterns in a repeatable and systematic way [ 25 ] and yields rich and detailed information on the topic under investigation [ 23 ]. It is a method of systematically coding and categorizing information and comprises a process of comprehending, interpreting, and conceptualizing the key meanings from qualitative data [ 26 ].

Setting and participants

This study was conducted after the clinical rotations ended in April 2022, between May and June in the nursing programme at the College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. The study population comprised undergraduate nursing students who were undergoing their first clinical training and were recruited using purposive sampling. The inclusion criteria for this study were second-year nursing students in the first semester of clinical training who could speak English, were willing to participate in this research, and had no previous clinical work experience. The final sample consisted of 30 students.

Research instrument

The research instrument was a semi structured interview guide. The interview questions were based on an in-depth review of related literature. An intensive search included key words in Google Scholar, PubMed like the terms “nursing clinical stressors”, “nursing students”, and “coping mechanisms”. Once the questions were created, they were validated by two other faculty members who had relevant experience in mental health. A pilot test was conducted with five students and based on their feedback the following research questions, which were addressed in the study.

How would you describe your clinical experiences during your first clinical rotations?

In what ways did you find the first clinical rotation to be stressful?

What factors hindered your clinical training?

How did you cope with the stressors you encountered in clinical training?

Which strategies helped you cope with the clinical stressors you encountered?

Data collection

Semi-structured interviews were chosen as the method for data collection. Semi structured interviews are a well-established approach for gathering data in qualitative research and allow participants to discuss their views, experiences, attitudes, and beliefs in a positive environment [ 27 ]. This approach allows for flexibility in questioning thereby ensuring that key topics related to clinical learning stressors and coping strategies would be explored. Participants were given the opportunity to express their views, experiences, attitudes, and beliefs in a positive environment, encouraging open communication. These semi structured interviews were conducted by one member of the research team (MAS) who had a mental health background, and another member of the research team who attended the interviews as an observer (JMD). Neither of these researchers were involved in teaching the students during their clinical practicum, which helped to minimize bias. The interviews took place at the University of Sharjah, specifically in building M23, providing a familiar and comfortable environment for the participant. Before the interviews were all students who agreed to participate were provided with an explanation of the study’s purpose. The time and location of each interview were arranged. Before the interviews were conducted, all students who provided consent to participate received an explanation of the purpose of the study, and the time and place of each interview were arranged to accommodate the participants’ schedules and preferences. The interviews were conducted after the clinical rotation had ended in April, and after the final grades had been submitted to the coordinator. The timings of the interviews included the month of May and June which ensured that participants have completed their practicum experience and could reflect on the stressors more comprehensively. The interviews were audio-recorded with the participants’ consent, and each interview lasted 25–40 min. The data were collected until saturation was reached for 30 students. Memos and field notes were also recorded as part of the data collection process. These additional data allowed for triangulation to improve the credibility of the interpretations of the data [ 28 ]. Memos included the interviewers’ thoughts and interpretations about the interviews, the research process (including questions and gaps), and the analytic progress used for the research. Field notes were used to record the interviewers’ observations and reflections on the data. These additional data collection methods were important to guide the researchers in the interpretation of the data on the participants’ feelings, perspectives, experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. Finally, member checking was performed to ensure conformability.

Data analysis

The study used the content analysis method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman [ 24 ]. According to Graneheim and Lundman [ 24 ], content analysis is an interpretive technique that examines the similarities and differences between distinct parts of a text. This method allows researchers to determine exact theoretical and operational definitions of words, phrases, and symbols by elucidating their constituent properties [ 29 ]. First, we read the interview transcripts several times to reach an overall understanding of the data. All verbatim transcripts were read several times and discussed among all authors. We merged and used line-by-line coding of words, sentences, and paragraphs relevant to each other in terms of both the content and context of stressors and coping mechanisms. Next, we used data reduction to assess the relationships among themes using tables and diagrams to indicate conceptual patterns. Content related to stress encountered by students was extracted from the transcripts. In a separate document, we integrated and categorized all words and sentences that were related to each other in terms of both content and context. We analyzed all codes and units of meaning and compared them for similarities and differences in the context of this study. Furthermore, the emerging findings were discussed with other members of the researcher team. The final abstractions of meaningful subthemes into themes were discussed and agreed upon by the entire research team. This process resulted in the extraction of three main themes in addition to two subthemes related to stress and coping strategies.

Ethical considerations

The University of Sharjah Research Ethics Committee provided approval to conduct this study (Reference Number: REC 19-12-03-01-S). Before each interview, the goal and study procedures were explained to each participant, and written informed consent was obtained. The participants were informed that participation in the study was voluntary and that they could withdraw from the study at any time. In the event they wanted to withdraw from the study, all information related to the participant would be removed. No participant withdrew from the study. Furthermore, they were informed that their clinical practicum grade would not be affected by their participation in this study. We chose interview locations in Building M23that were private and quiet to ensure that the participants felt at ease and confident in verbalizing their opinions. No participant was paid directly for involvement in this study. In addition, participants were assured that their data would remain anonymous and confidential. Confidentiality means that the information provided by participants was kept private with restrictions on how and when data can be shared with others. The participants were informed that their information would not be duplicated or disseminated without their permission. Anonymity refers to the act of keeping people anonymous with respect to their participation in a research endeavor. No personal identifiers were used in this study, and each participant was assigned a random alpha-numeric code (e.g., P1 for participant 1). All digitally recorded interviews were downloaded to a secure computer protected by the principal investigator with a password. The researchers were the only people with access to the interview material (recordings and transcripts). All sensitive information and materials were kept secure in the principal researcher’s office at the University of Sharjah. The data will be maintained for five years after the study is completed, after which the material will be destroyed (the transcripts will be shredded, and the tapes will be demagnetized).

In total, 30 nursing students who were enrolled in the nursing programme at the Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, and who were undergoing their first clinical practicum participated in the study. Demographically, 80% ( n  = 24) were females and 20% ( n  = 6) were male participants. The majority (83%) of study participants ranged in age from 18 to 22 years. 20% ( n  = 6) were UAE nationals, 53% ( n  = 16) were from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while 20% ( n  = 6) hailed from Africa and 7% ( n  = 2) were of South Asian descent. 67% of the respondents lived with their families while 33% lived in the hostel. (Table  1 )

Following the content analysis, we identified three main themes: (1) managing expectations, (2) theory-practice gap and 3)learning to cope. Learning to cope had two subthemes: positive coping strategies and negative coping strategies. An account of each theme is presented along with supporting excerpts for the identified themes. The identified themes provide valuable insight into the stressors encountered by students during their first clinical practicum. These themes will lead to targeted interventions and supportive mechanisms that can be built into the clinical training curriculum to support students during clinical practice.

Theme 1: managing expectations

In our examination of the stressors experienced by nursing students during their first clinical practicum and the coping strategies they employed, we identified the first theme as managing expectations.

The students encountered expectations from various parties, such as clinical staff, patients and patients’ relatives which they had to navigate. They attempted to fulfil their expectations as they progressed through training, which presented a source of stress. The students noted that the hospital staff and patients expected them to know how to perform a variety of tasks upon request, which made the students feel stressed and out of place if they did not know how to perform these tasks. Some participants noted that other nurses in the clinical unit did not allow them to participate in nursing procedures, which was considered an enormous impediment to clinical learning, as noted in the excerpt below:

“…Sometimes the nurses… They will not allow us to do some procedures or things during clinical. And sometimes the patients themselves don’t allow us to do procedures” (P5).

Some of the students noted that they felt they did not belong and felt like foreigners in the clinical unit. Excerpts from the students are presented in the following quotes;

“The clinical environment is so stressful. I don’t feel like I belong. There is too little time to build a rapport with hospital staff or the patient” (P22).

“… you ask the hospital staff for some guidance or the location of equipment, and they tell us to ask our clinical tutor …but she is not around … what should I do? It appears like we do not belong, and the sooner the shift is over, the better” (P18).

“The staff are unfriendly and expect too much from us students… I feel like I don’t belong, or I am wasting their (the hospital staff’s) time. I want to ask questions, but they have loads to do” (P26).

Other students were concerned about potential failure when working with patients during clinical training, which impacted their confidence. They were particularly afraid of failure when performing any clinical procedures.

“At the beginning, I was afraid to do procedures. I thought that maybe the patient would be hurt and that I would not be successful in doing it. I have low self-confidence in doing procedures” (P13).

The call bell rings, and I am told to answer Room No. XXX. The patient wants help to go to the toilet, but she has two IV lines. I don’t know how to transport the patient… should I take her on the wheelchair? My eyes glance around the room for a wheelchair. I am so confused …I tell the patient I will inform the sister at the nursing station. The relative in the room glares at me angrily … “you better hurry up”…Oh, I feel like I don’t belong, as I am not able to help the patient… how will I face the same patient again?” (P12).

Another major stressor mentioned in the narratives was related to communication and interactions with patients who spoke another language, so it was difficult to communicate.

“There was a challenge with my communication with the patients. Sometimes I have communication barriers because they (the patients) are of other nationalities. I had an experience with a patient [who was] Indian, and he couldn’t speak my language. I did not understand his language” (P9).

Thus, a variety of expectations from patients, relatives, hospital staff, and preceptors acted as sources of stress for students during their clinical training.

Theme 2: theory-practice gap

Theory-practice gaps have been identified in previous studies. In our study, there was complete dissonance between theory and actual clinical practice. The clinical procedures or practices nursing students were expected to perform differed from the theory they had covered in their university classes and skills lab. This was described as a theory–practice gap and often resulted in stress and confusion.

“For example …the procedures in the hospital are different. They are different from what we learned or from theory on campus. Or… the preceptors have different techniques than what we learned on campus. So, I was stress[ed] and confused about it” (P11).

Furthermore, some students reported that they did not feel that they received adequate briefing before going to clinical training. A related source of stress was overload because of the volume of clinical coursework and assignments in addition to clinical expectations. Additionally, the students reported that a lack of time and time management were major sources of stress in their first clinical training and impacted their ability to complete the required paperwork and assignments:

“…There is not enough time…also, time management at the hospital…for example, we start at seven a.m., and the handover takes 1 hour to finish. They (the nurses at the hospital) are very slow…They start with bed making and morning care like at 9.45 a.m. Then, we must fill [out] our assessment tool and the NCP (nursing care plan) at 10 a.m. So, 15 only minutes before going to our break. We (the students) cannot manage this time. This condition makes me and my friends very stressed out. -I cannot do my paperwork or assignments; no time, right?” (P10).

“Stressful. There is a lot of work to do in clinical. My experiences are not really good with this course. We have a lot of things to do, so many assignments and clinical procedures to complete” (P16).

The participants noted that the amount of required coursework and number of assignments also presented a challenge during their first clinical training and especially affected their opportunity to learn.

“I need to read the file, know about my patient’s condition and pathophysiology and the rationale for the medications the patient is receiving…These are big stressors for my learning. I think about assignments often. Like, we are just focusing on so many assignments and papers. We need to submit assessments and care plans for clinical cases. We focus our time to complete and finish the papers rather than doing the real clinical procedures, so we lose [the] chance to learn” (P25).

Another participant commented in a similar vein that there was not enough time to perform tasks related to clinical requirements during clinical placement.

“…there is a challenge because we do not have enough time. Always no time for us to submit papers, to complete assessment tools, and some nurses, they don’t help us. I think we need more time to get more experiences and do more procedures, reduce the paperwork that we have to submit. These are challenges …” (P14).

There were expectations that the students should be able to carry out their nursing duties without becoming ill or adversely affected. In addition, many students reported that the clinical environment was completely different from the skills laboratory at the college. Exposure to the clinical setting added to the theory-practice gap, and in some instances, the students fell ill.

One student made the following comment:

“I was assisting a doctor with a dressing, and the sight and smell from the oozing wound was too much for me. I was nauseated. As soon as the dressing was done, I ran to the bathroom and threw up. I asked myself… how will I survive the next 3 years of nursing?” (P14).

Theme 3: learning to cope

The study participants indicated that they used coping mechanisms (both positive and negative) to adapt to and manage the stressors in their first clinical practicum. Important strategies that were reportedly used to cope with stress were time management, good preparation for clinical practice, and positive thinking as well as engaging in physical activity and self-motivation.

“Time management. Yes, it is important. I was encouraging myself. I used time management and prepared myself before going to the clinical site. Also, eating good food like cereal…it helps me very much in the clinic” (P28).

“Oh yeah, for sure positive thinking. In the hospital, I always think positively. Then, after coming home, I get [to] rest and think about positive things that I can do. So, I will think something good [about] these things, and then I will be relieved of stress” (P21).

Other strategies commonly reported by the participants were managing their breathing (e.g., taking deep breaths, breathing slowly), taking breaks to relax, and talking with friends about the problems they encountered.

“I prefer to take deep breaths and breathe slowly and to have a cup of coffee and to talk to my friends about the case or the clinical preceptor and what made me sad so I will feel more relaxed” (P16).

“Maybe I will take my break so I feel relaxed and feel better. After clinical training, I go directly home and take a long shower, going over the day. I will not think about anything bad that happened that day. I just try to think about good things so that I forget the stress” (P27).

“Yes, my first clinical training was not easy. It was difficult and made me stressed out…. I felt that it was a very difficult time for me. I thought about leaving nursing” (P7).

I was not able to offer my prayers. For me, this was distressing because as a Muslim, I pray regularly. Now, my prayer time is pushed to the end of the shift” (P11).

“When I feel stress, I talk to my friends about the case and what made me stressed. Then I will feel more relaxed” (P26).

Self-support or self-motivation through positive self-talk was also used by the students to cope with stress.

“Yes, it is difficult in the first clinical training. When I am stress[ed], I go to the bathroom and stand in the front of the mirror; I talk to myself, and I say, “You can do it,” “you are a great student.” I motivate myself: “You can do it”… Then, I just take breaths slowly several times. This is better than shouting or crying because it makes me tired” (P11).

Other participants used physical activity to manage their stress.

“How do I cope with my stress? Actually, when I get stressed, I will go for a walk on campus” (P4).

“At home, I will go to my room and close the door and start doing my exercises. After that, I feel the negative energy goes out, then I start to calm down… and begin my clinical assignments” (P21).

Both positive and negative coping strategies were utilized by the students. Some participants described using negative coping strategies when they encountered stress during their clinical practice. These negative coping strategies included becoming irritable and angry, eating too much food, drinking too much coffee, and smoking cigarettes.

“…Negative adaptation? Maybe coping. If I am stressed, I get so angry easily. I am irritable all day also…It is negative energy, right? Then, at home, I am also angry. After that, it is good to be alone to think about my problems” (P12).

“Yeah, if I…feel stress or depressed, I will eat a lot of food. Yeah, ineffective, like I will be eating a lot, drinking coffee. Like I said, effective, like I will prepare myself and do breathing, ineffective, I will eat a lot of snacks in between my free time. This is the bad side” (P16).

“…During the first clinical practice? Yes, it was a difficult experience for us…not only me. When stressed, during a break at the hospital, I will drink two or three cups of coffee… Also, I smoke cigarettes… A lot. I can drink six cups [of coffee] a day when I am stressed. After drinking coffee, I feel more relaxed, I finish everything (food) in the refrigerator or whatever I have in the pantry, like chocolates, chips, etc” (P23).

These supporting excerpts for each theme and the analysis offers valuable insights into the specific stressors faced by nursing students during their first clinical practicum. These insights will form the basis for the development of targeted interventions and supportive mechanisms within the clinical training curriculum to better support students’ adjustment and well-being during clinical practice.

Our study identified the stressors students encounter in their first clinical practicum and the coping strategies, both positive and negative, that they employed. Although this study emphasizes the importance of clinical training to prepare nursing students to practice as nurses, it also demonstrates the correlation between stressors and coping strategies.The content analysis of the first theme, managing expectations, paves the way for clinical agencies to realize that the students of today will be the nurses of tomorrow. It is important to provide a welcoming environment where students can develop their identities and learn effectively. Additionally, clinical staff should foster an environment of individualized learning while also assisting students in gaining confidence and competence in their repertoire of nursing skills, including critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills [ 8 , 15 , 19 , 30 ]. Another challenge encountered by the students in our study was that they were prevented from participating in clinical procedures by some nurses or patients. This finding is consistent with previous studies reporting that key challenges for students in clinical learning include a lack of clinical support and poor attitudes among clinical staff and instructors [ 31 ]. Clinical staff with positive attitudes have a positive impact on students’ learning in clinical settings [ 32 ]. The presence, supervision, and guidance of clinical instructors and the assistance of clinical staff are essential motivating components in the clinical learning process and offer positive reinforcement [ 30 , 33 , 34 ]. Conversely, an unsupportive learning environment combined with unwelcoming clinical staff and a lack of sense of belonging negatively impact students’ clinical learning [ 35 ].

The sources of stress identified in this study were consistent with common sources of stress in clinical training reported in previous studies, including the attitudes of some staff, students’ status in their clinical placement and educational factors. Nursing students’ inexperience in the clinical setting and lack of social and emotional experience also resulted in stress and psychological difficulties [ 36 ]. Bhurtun et al. [ 33 ] noted that nursing staff are a major source of stress for students because the students feel like they are constantly being watched and evaluated.

We also found that students were concerned about potential failure when working with patients during their clinical training. Their fear of failure when performing clinical procedures may be attributable to low self-confidence. Previous studies have noted that students were concerned about injuring patients, being blamed or chastised, and failing examinations [ 37 , 38 ]. This was described as feeling “powerless” in a previous study [ 7 , 12 ]. In addition, patients’ attitudes towards “rejecting” nursing students or patients’ refusal of their help were sources of stress among the students in our study and affected their self-confidence. Self-confidence and a sense of belonging are important for nurses’ personal and professional identity, and low self-confidence is a problem for nursing students in clinical learning [ 8 , 39 , 40 ]. Our findings are consistent with a previous study that reported that a lack of self-confidence was a primary source of worry and anxiety for nursing students and affected their communication and intention to leave nursing [ 41 ].

In the second theme, our study suggests that students encounter a theory-practice gap in clinical settings, which creates confusion and presents an additional stressors. Theoretical and clinical training are complementary elements of nursing education [ 40 ], and this combination enables students to gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide nursing care. This is consistent with the findings of a previous study that reported that inconsistencies between theoretical knowledge and practical experience presented a primary obstacle to the learning process in the clinical context [ 42 ], causing students to lose confidence and become anxious [ 43 ]. Additionally, the second theme, the theory-practice gap, authenticates Safian et al.’s [ 5 ] study of the theory-practice gap that exists United Arab Emirates among nursing students as well as the need for more supportive clinical faculty and the extension of clinical hours. The need for better time availability and time management to complete clinical tasks were also reported by the students in the study. Students indicated that they had insufficient time to complete clinical activities because of the volume of coursework and assignments. Our findings support those of Chaabane et al. [ 15 ]. A study conducted in Saudi Arabia [ 44 ] found that assignments and workload were among the greatest sources of stress for students in clinical settings. Effective time management skills have been linked to academic achievement, stress reduction, increased creativity [ 45 ], and student satisfaction [ 46 ]. Our findings are also consistent with previous studies that reported that a common source of stress among first-year students was the increased classroom workload [ 19 , 47 ]. As clinical assignments and workloads are major stressors for nursing students, it is important to promote activities to help them manage these assignments [ 48 ].

Another major challenge reported by the participants was related to communicating and interacting with other nurses and patients. The UAE nursing workforce and population are largely expatriate and diverse and have different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Therefore, student nurses encounter difficulty in communication [ 49 ]. This cultural diversity that students encounter in communication with patients during clinical training needs to be addressed by curriculum planners through the offering of language courses and courses on cultural diversity [ 50 ].

Regarding the third and final theme, nursing students in clinical training are unable to avoid stressors and must learn to cope with or adapt to them. Previous research has reported a link between stressors and the coping mechanisms used by nursing students [ 51 , 52 , 53 ]. In particular, the inability to manage stress influences nurses’ performance, physical and mental health, attitude, and role satisfaction [ 54 ]. One such study suggested that nursing students commonly use problem-focused (dealing with the problem), emotion-focused (regulating emotion), and dysfunctional (e.g., venting emotions) stress coping mechanisms to alleviate stress during clinical training [ 15 ]. Labrague et al. [ 51 ] highlighted that nursing students use both active and passive coping techniques to manage stress. The pattern of clinical stress has been observed in several countries worldwide. The current study found that first-year students experienced stress during their first clinical training [ 35 , 41 , 55 ]. The stressors they encountered impacted their overall health and disrupted their clinical learning. Chaabane et al. [ 15 ] reported moderate and high stress levels among nursing students in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Another study from Bahrain reported that all nursing students experienced moderate to severe stress in their first clinical placement [ 56 ]. Similarly, nursing students in Spain experienced a moderate level of stress, and this stress was significantly correlated with anxiety [ 30 ]. Therefore, it is imperative that pastoral systems at the university address students’ stress and mental health so that it does not affect their clinical performance. Faculty need to utilize evidence-based interventions to support students so that anxiety-producing situations and attrition are minimized.

In our study, students reported a variety of positive and negative coping mechanisms and strategies they used when they experienced stress during their clinical practice. Positive coping strategies included time management, positive thinking, self-support/motivation, breathing, taking breaks, talking with friends, and physical activity. These findings are consistent with those of a previous study in which healthy coping mechanisms used by students included effective time management, social support, positive reappraisal, and participation in leisure activities [ 57 ]. Our study found that relaxing and talking with friends were stress management strategies commonly used by students. Communication with friends to cope with stress may be considered social support. A previous study also reported that people seek social support to cope with stress [ 58 ]. Some students in our study used physical activity to cope with stress, consistent with the findings of previous research. Stretching exercises can be used to counteract the poor posture and positioning associated with stress and to assist in reducing physical tension. Promoting such exercise among nursing students may assist them in coping with stress in their clinical training [ 59 ].

Our study also showed that when students felt stressed, some adopted negative coping strategies, such as showing anger/irritability, engaging in unhealthy eating habits (e.g., consumption of too much food or coffee), or smoking cigarettes. Previous studies have reported that high levels of perceived stress affect eating habits [ 60 ] and are linked to poor diet quality, increased snacking, and low fruit intake [ 61 ]. Stress in clinical settings has also been linked to sleep problems, substance misuse, and high-risk behaviors’ and plays a major role in student’s decision to continue in their programme.

Implications of the study

The implications of the study results can be grouped at multiple levels including; clinical, educational, and organizational level. A comprehensive approach to addressing the stressors encountered by nursing students during their clinical practicum can be overcome by offering some practical strategies to address the stressors faced by nursing students during their clinical practicum. By integrating study findings into curriculum planning, mentorship programs, and organizational support structures, a supportive and nurturing environment that enhances students’ learning, resilience, and overall success can be envisioned.

Clinical level

Introducing simulation in the skills lab with standardized patients and the use of moulage to demonstrate wounds, ostomies, and purulent dressings enhances students’ practical skills and prepares them for real-world clinical scenarios. Organizing orientation days at clinical facilities helps familiarize students with the clinical environment, identify potential stressors, and introduce interventions to enhance professionalism, social skills, and coping abilities Furthermore, creating a WhatsApp group facilitates communication and collaboration among hospital staff, clinical tutors, nursing faculty, and students, enabling immediate support and problem-solving for clinical situations as they arise, Moreover, involving chief nursing officers of clinical facilities in the Nursing Advisory Group at the Department of Nursing promotes collaboration between academia and clinical practice, ensuring alignment between educational objectives and the needs of the clinical setting [ 62 ].

Educational level

Sharing study findings at conferences (we presented the results of this study at Sigma Theta Tau International in July 2023 in Abu Dhabi, UAE) and journal clubs disseminates knowledge and best practices among educators and clinicians, promoting awareness and implementation of measures to improve students’ learning experiences. Additionally we hold mentorship training sessions annually in January and so we shared with the clinical mentors and preceptors the findings of this study so that they proactively they are equipped with strategies to support students’ coping with stressors during clinical placements.

Organizational level

At the organizational we relooked at the available student support structures, including counseling, faculty advising, and career advice, throughout the nursing program emphasizing the importance of holistic support for students’ well-being and academic success as well as retention in the nursing program. Also, offering language courses as electives recognizes the value of communication skills in nursing practice and provides opportunities for personal and professional development.

For first-year nursing students, clinical stressors are inevitable and must be given proper attention. Recognizing nursing students’ perspectives on the challenges and stressors experienced in clinical training is the first step in overcoming these challenges. In nursing schools, providing an optimal clinical environment as well as increasing supervision and evaluation of students’ practices should be emphasized. Our findings demonstrate that first-year nursing students are exposed to a variety of different stressors. Identifying the stressors, pressures, and obstacles that first-year students encounter in the clinical setting can assist nursing educators in resolving these issues and can contribute to students’ professional development and survival to allow them to remain in the profession. To overcome stressors, students frequently employ problem-solving approaches or coping mechanisms. The majority of nursing students report stress at different levels and use a variety of positive and negative coping techniques to manage stress.

The present results may not be generalizable to other nursing institutions because this study used a purposive sample along with a qualitative approach and was limited to one university in the Middle East. Furthermore, the students self-reported their stress and its causes, which may have introduced reporting bias. The students may also have over or underreported stress or coping mechanisms because of fear of repercussions or personal reasons, even though the confidentiality of their data was ensured. Further studies are needed to evaluate student stressors and coping now that measures have been introduced to support students. Time will tell if these strategies are being used effectively by both students and clinical personnel or if they need to be readdressed. Finally, we need to explore the perceptions of clinical faculty towards supervising students in their first clinical practicum so that clinical stressors can be handled effectively.

Data availability

The data sets are available with the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all second year nursing students who voluntarily participated in the study.

No funding was received. Not applicable.

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Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, POBox, Sharjah, 272272, UAE

Jacqueline Maria Dias, Muhammad Arsyad Subu, Nabeel Al-Yateem, Fatma Refaat Ahmed, Syed Azizur Rahman, Mini Sara Abraham, Sareh Mirza Forootan, Farzaneh Ahmad Sarkhosh & Fatemeh Javanbakh

Health Care Management, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Syed Azizur Rahman

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Contributions

JMD conceptualized the idea and designed the methodology, formal analysis, writing original draft and project supervision and mentoring. MAS prepared the methodology and conducted the qualitative interviews and analyzed the methodology and writing of original draft and project supervision. NY, FRA, SAR, MSA writing review and revising the draft. SMF, FAS, FJ worked with MAS on the formal analysis and prepared the first draft.All authors reviewed the final manuscipt of the article.

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Correspondence to Jacqueline Maria Dias .

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The Research Ethics Committee (REC) under) the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies UOS approved this study (REC 19-12-03-01-S). Additionally, a written consent was obtained from all participants and the process followed the recommended policies and guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Not applicable.

Competing interests

Dr Fatma Refaat Ahmed is an editorial board member in BMC Nursing. Other authors do not have any conflict of interest

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Dias, J.M., Subu, M.A., Al-Yateem, N. et al. Nursing students’ stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates. BMC Nurs 23 , 322 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01962-5

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Received : 06 January 2024

Accepted : 22 April 2024

Published : 11 May 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01962-5

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