where is the thesis statement located in an academic text

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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

• In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
• While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
• Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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Margaret H. Ordoubadian University Writing Center at MTSU

University writing center, com 5: thesis statements.

Dynamic PDF:   Thesis Statements

The  thesis statement  is perhaps the most crucial part of your essay because it presents the main idea or main argument of the piece of writing. In academic essays, your thesis statement is often located in the introductory paragraph; however, this is not always the case. Consider the rhetorical situation and assignment guidelines to determine where to best place your thesis.  

What does a thesis statement do?

• Informs the reader how to interpret the paper’s significance
• Serves as a sign post for the essay, showing where the rest of the paper is headed
• Offers a unique perspective on the topic at hand
• Makes a claim or argument about a topic or issue

Creating a Thesis Statement

Once you have brainstormed about a topic, collected evidence to support your claims, and thought about the significance of your ideas, you should decide what you are arguing about the topic at hand. After this consideration, you’ll likely find yourself with a working thesis statement that expresses your main idea. You may have to write your thesis multiple times before you feel it captures all you want to say about your argument.

Remember, your thesis statement is different from the topic itself. For example, the  topic  of your paper might be “Running” or even “Why People Should Run.” Your  thesis statement , however, will present an argument about running and explain the significance.

There are two types of thesis statements, blueprint and umbrella.

• A  blueprint thesis  lists what will be discussed in your paper (EX: Running is important because A, B, and C.). While blueprint thesis statements are sometimes appropriate, you may find them limiting, especially for longer papers.
• An  umbrella thesis  presents an overview of your argument without listing all of the individual components. An umbrella thesis allows you to express your argument in a condensed, concise way (EX: People who are interested in starting an exercise program should consider running because of the instant health benefits, both physical and mental.) While we know this paper will argue that running provides physical and mental health benefits, the writer does not have to list each one that will be discussed in the essay.

After you craft your thesis statement, ask yourself some questions about what your thesis statement accomplishes. This will help strengthen and clarify your main idea:

• Do I answer the question asked of me by this assignment?
• If this essay is argumentative, have I taken a clear position?
• Is my thesis statement specific enough?
• Does my thesis pass the “so what?” test? How is this idea related to a larger significance?

Remember,  as you continue to develop your paper, your thesis statement may evolve. While your original thesis can serve as a guide, you should feel free to change your thesis based on the research you conduct or the ideas you further develop.

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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 .

Introduction to Academic Reading and Writing: Thesis Statements

• Concept Map
• Select a Topic
• Develop a Research Question
• Identify Sources

Thesis Statements

• Effective Paragraphs
• Introductions and Conclusions
• Quote, Paraphrase, Summarize
• Synthesize Sources
• MLA and APA
• Transitions
• Eliminate Wordiness
• Grammar and Style
• Resource Videos

Use your research question to create a thesis statement that is focused and contains a debatable claim.

After narrowing your topic with your research question, craft an answer that states a position regarding that question. 

Use words such as “should” or “ought to” indicating a claim is being made. 

Keep your thesis as concise as possible. 

Conduct further research to determine the best points of support to include in your thesis statement, if required. 

If you include points of support as part of your thesis statement, make sure that they maintain parallel grammatical structure. 

If a reader’s first response to your thesis statement could be “How?” or “Why?” your thesis statement may not be sufficiently narrow or specific. 

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Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

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Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

An Overview of the Writing Process

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 discover 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 somewhere in your 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 get 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,” a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may 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.
• 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, “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 o.k. 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 19th-century America, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: Compare and contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War. You turn on the computer and type out the following:

The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different.

This weak thesis restates the question without providing any additional information. You will expand on this new information in the body of the essay, but it is important that the reader know where you are heading. A reader of this weak thesis might think, “What reasons? How are they the same? How are they different?” Ask yourself these same questions and begin to compare Northern and Southern attitudes (perhaps you first think, “The South believed slavery was right, and the North thought slavery was wrong”). Now, push your comparison toward an interpretation—why did one side think slavery was right and the other side think it was wrong? You look again at the evidence, and you decide that you are going to argue that the North believed slavery was immoral while the South believed it upheld the Southern way of life. You write:

While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions.

Now you have a working thesis! Included in this working thesis is a reason for the war and some idea of how the two sides disagreed over this reason. As you write the essay, you will probably begin to characterize these differences more precisely, and your working thesis may start to seem too vague. Maybe you decide that both sides fought for moral reasons, and that they just focused on different moral issues. You end up revising the working thesis into a final thesis that really captures the argument in your paper:

While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government.

Compare this to the original weak thesis. This final thesis presents a way of interpreting evidence that illuminates the significance of the question. Keep in mind that this is one of many possible interpretations of the Civil War—it is not the one and only right answer to the question . There isn’t one right answer; there are only strong and weak thesis statements and strong and weak uses of evidence.

Let’s look at another example. 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.

Why is this thesis weak? Think about what the reader would expect from the essay that follows: you will most likely provide a general, appreciative summary of Twain’s novel. The question did not ask you to summarize; it asked you to analyze. Your professor is probably not interested in your opinion of the novel; instead, she wants you to think about why it’s such a great novel— what do Huck’s adventures tell us about life, about America, about coming of age, about race relations, etc.? First, the question asks you to pick an aspect of the novel that you think is 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.

Here’s a working thesis with potential: you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation; however, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal. Your reader is intrigued, but is still thinking, “So what? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?” Perhaps you are not sure yet, either. That’s fine—begin to work on comparing scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions. Eventually you will be able to clarify for yourself, and then for the reader, why this contrast matters. 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 the original version of 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 the latest publications on this topic. 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 .

Anson, Chris M. and Robert A. Schwegler. The Longman Handbook for Writers. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2000.

Hairston, Maxine and John J. Ruszkiewicz. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.

Lunsford, Andrea and Robert Connors. The St. Martin’s Handbook. 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s, 1995.

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1997.

• Thesis Statements. Provided by : The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Located at : http://writingcenter.unc.edu/ . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

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5.2: Identifying Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

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Being able to identify the purpose and thesis of a text, as you’re reading it, takes practice. This section will offer you that practice.

One fun strategy for developing a deeper understanding the material you’re reading is to make a visual “map” of the ideas. Mind maps, whether hand-drawn or done through computer programs, can be fun to make, and help put all the ideas of an essay you’re reading in one easy-to-read format.

Your understanding of what the “central” element of the mind map is might change as you read and re-read. Developing the central idea of your mind map is a great way to help you determine the reading’s thesis.

Figure 2.5. 1

- Hand-drawn Mind Map

Locating Explicit and Implicit Thesis Statements

In academic writing, the thesis is often explicit : it is included as a sentence as part of the text. It might be near the beginning of the work, but not always–some types of academic writing leave the thesis until the conclusion.

Journalism and reporting also rely on explicit thesis statements that appear very early in the piece–the first paragraph or even the first sentence.

Works of literature, on the other hand, usually do not contain a specific sentence that sums up the core concept of the writing. However, readers should finish the piece with a good understanding of what the work was trying to convey. This is what’s called an implicit thesis statement: the primary point of the reading is conveyed indirectly, in multiple locations throughout the work. (In literature, this is also referred to as the theme of the work.)

Academic writing sometimes relies on implicit thesis statements, as well.

This video offers excellent guidance in identifying the thesis statement of a work, no matter if it’s explicit or implicit.

Topic Sentences

We’ve learned that a thesis statement conveys the primary message of an entire piece of text. Now, let’s look at the next level of important sentences in a piece of text: topic sentences in each paragraph.

A useful metaphor would be to think of the thesis statement of a text as a general: it controls all the major decisions of the writing. There is only one thesis statement in a text. Topic sentences, in this relationship, serve as captains: they organize and sub-divide the overall goals of a writing into individual components. Each paragraph will have a topic sentence.

Figure 2.5. 2

It might be helpful to think of a topic sentence as working in two directions simultaneously. It relates the paragraph to the essay’s thesis, and thereby acts as a signpost for the argument of the paper as a whole, but it also defines the scope of the paragraph itself. For example, consider the following topic sentence:

Many characters in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun have one particular dream in which they are following, though the character Walter pursues his most aggressively.

If this sentence controls the paragraph that follows, then all sentences in the paragraph must relate in some way to Walter and the pursuit of his dream.

Topic sentences often act like tiny thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence makes a claim of some sort. As the thesis statement is the unifying force in the essay, so the topic sentence must be the unifying force in the paragraph. Further, as is the case with the thesis statement, when the topic sentence makes a claim, the paragraph which follows must expand, describe, or prove it in some way. Topic sentences make a point and give reasons or examples to support it.

 The following diagram illustrates how a topic sentence can provide more focus to the general topic at hand.

Placement of Topic Sentences

What if I told you that the topic sentence doesn’t necessarily need to be at the beginning? This might be contrary to what you’ve learned in previous English or writing classes, and that’s okay. Certainly, when authors announce a topic clearly and early on in a paragraph, their readers are likely to grasp their idea and to make the connections that they want them to make.

However, when authors are writing for a more sophisticated academic audience—that is an audience of college-educated readers—they will often use more sophisticated organizational strategies to build and reveal ideas in their writing. One way to think about a topic sentence, is that it presents the broadest view of what authors want their readers to understand. This is to say that they’re providing a broad statement that either announces or brings into focus the purpose or the meaning for the details of the paragraph. If the topic sentence is seen as the broadest view, then every supporting detail will bring a narrower—or more specific—view of the same topic.

With this in mind, take some time to contemplate the diagrams in the figure below. The widest point of each diagram (the bases of the triangles) represents the topic sentence of the paragraph. As details are presented, the topic becomes narrower and more focused. The topic can precede the details, it can follow them, it can both precede and follow them, or the details can surround the topic. There are surely more alternatives than those that are presented here, but this gives you an idea of some of the possible paragraph structures and possible placements for the topic sentence of a paragraph.

Consider some of the following examples of different topic sentence placements in a paragraph from a review essay of the beloved children’s book, The Cat in the Hat , by Dr. Seuss. Paragraph structures are labeled according to the diagrams presented above, and topic sentences are identified by red text.

Topic Sentence-Details-Topic Sentence

A good children’s book requires an exciting plot and a problem with which children can sympathize. In The Cat in the Hat there is plenty of action, depicted in the wild antics of the cat, and later in the amazing but dangerous and messy tricks of Thing 1 and Thing 2. All this excitement and action naturally draws children into the story and keeps the plot moving forward at a pace that maintains their interest. There is also tension to be resolved. The fish senses danger and constantly warns the children not to participate in the cat’s perilous stunts. And later, as the mother’s return becomes more imminent, the children begin to heed the fish’s warning and finally wish to contain the chaos and clean up the mess, but how? While this plot is fantastic enough to fuel any child’s imagination, it also contains a problem with which any child can relate: a mess and the threat of a parent’s disapproval. The careful balance of action, tension, and relatability is what makes this book an enduring childhood favorite.

Topic Sentence-Details

The careful balance of action, tension, and relatability is what makes Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat an enduring childhood favorite. In The Cat in the Hat there is plenty of action, depicted in the wild antics of the cat, and later in the amazing but dangerous and messy tricks of Thing 1 and Thing 2. All this excitement and action naturally draws children into the story and keeps the plot moving forward at a pace that maintains their interest. There is also tension to be resolved. The fish senses danger and constantly warns the children not to participate in the cat’s perilous stunts. And later, as the mother’s return becomes more imminent, the children begin to heed the fish’s warning and finally wish to contain the chaos and clean up the mess, but how? While this plot is fantastic enough to fuel any child’s imagination, it also contains a problem with which any child can relate: a mess and the threat of a parent’s disapproval.

You can relocate the topic sentence to the end here, and you’ll have an example of the Details-Topic Sentence method of organizing the paragraph.

Details-Topic Sentence-Details

In The Cat in the Hat there is plenty of action, depicted in the wild antics of the cat, and later in the amazing but dangerous and messy tricks of Thing 1 and Thing 2. All this excitement and action naturally draws children into the story and keeps the plot moving forward at a pace that maintains their interest. The careful balance of action, tension, and relatability is what makes Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat an enduring childhood favorite. There is definitely tension to be resolved here. The fish senses danger and constantly warns the children not to participate in the cat’s perilous stunts. And later, as the mother’s return becomes more imminent, the children begin to heed the fish’s warning and finally wish to contain the chaos and clean up the mess, but how? While this plot is fantastic enough to fuel any child’s imagination, it also contains a problem with which any child can relate: a mess and the threat of a parent’s disapproval.

Explicit and Implicit Topic Sentences

Similar to thesis statements, topic sentences may be explicit or implicit.

Consider the following paragraph from an essay titled “The Bothersome Beauty of Pigeons,” by author and Boise State writing professor, Bruce Ballenger. It’s important to note that this is a personal narrative essay rather than a more traditional academic essay, but the paragraph provides a good example of an implied topic. In this essay Ballenger takes the time to consider the beauty of pigeons, a bird that’s usually thought of as nothing more than a nuisance. Just prior to this paragraph, Ballenger talks about how he used a fake owl to scare away pigeons on his property. He goes on to explain,

My pigeons moved next door where an elderly couple feed them bird seed and have the time and willingness to clean up after their new charges; so it seems, in this case, things have worked out for everyone. But the large flocks still haunt the piazzas in Florence and Venice, the squares in London, and similar places in nearly every city across the globe. Despite their ability to distinguish between a Van Gogh and a Chagall, pigeons still deposit droppings that deface the great marble statues and facades–the works of art and architecture that are part of our human heritage–and yet people still buy bags of seed for about a dollar and pose for photographs, drenched in doves. Meanwhile, officials in these cities continue, sometimes quietly, to wage war against the birds (“Introduction”).

Here, Ballenger seems to be saying that in spite of the attempts of so many to rid themselves of the pigeons, others are still drawn to them and will feed them and encourage them to come back. His main idea seems to be that the battle against pigeons is a losing proposition, but he doesn’t come out and say so. His message in this paragraph is implied. Do you think this paragraph would be improved with an explicit topic sentence?

EXERCISE 1: Identify the Topic and Focus

Choose a piece of writing, perhaps an essay or some news articles found online, and for each paragraph identify (1) the topic and (2) the more focused idea. Remember, the topic sentence applies more focus to the broader topic to help narrow the scope of the paragraph. For example, the topic of a paragraph might be school lunches. The more focused idea of that same paragraph might be the idea of having students plant school gardens as a way to help incorporate more fresh produce in the menu.

License and Attributions:

CC licensed content, Previously shared:

Basic Reading and Writing. Authored by: Lumen. Located at:  https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Composition/Book:_Basic_Reading_and_Writing_(Lumen)/ Module_2:_Critical_Reading/2.05:_Identifying_Thesis_Statements   License: CC BY: Attribution.

Adaptions: Reformatted, some content removed to fit a broader audience.

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 Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

• A thesis is the main idea of your essay and includes your stance (opinion).
• A good thesis statement will direct the structure of your essay and will allow the reader to understand the ideas to be discussed within your paper.
• A thesis is usually stated in the opening paragraphs of a paper, most often in the last sentences of the introduction.
• Overall, a thesis should include the words from the essay question (if given one) , the key topics in the main body of the essay and your stance (opinion).

Thesis Statement Video

A short 7-minute video on what a thesis statement is and the key components of a thesis statement.

Thesis Statements: How to write a thesis statement

This lesson / worksheet presents the key sections to an academic introduction. It focuses on different writing structures using words like however, although, despite and then includes a writing task. Students write three thesis statements using the introduction models.  Example   Level: ** *** [B1/B2/C1]   / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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An introduction structure with a thesis statement.

An introduction example on CSR  

Thesis Statement Writing Structures

Notice the different structures and grammar

Thesis statement (Although): Although it may not always be possible for every business to focus on CSR due to financial limitations, it should be a top priority for SMEs andlarge corporations if they want to improve their reputation, attract investment and maximise profitability.

Thesis statement (However):   It may not always be possible for every business to focus on CSR due to financial limitations. However, it should be a top priority for SMEs and large corporations if they want to improve their reputation, attract investment and maximise profitability.

Thesis statement (Despite) :  Despite not always being possible for every business to focus on CSR due to financial limitations, it should be a top priority for SMEs and large corporations if they want to improve their reputation, attract investment and maximise profitability.

Thesis + outline combined

Thesis Statements: How to write a thesis statement  

Introductions: How to write an academic introduction

This lesson / worksheet presents the key sections to an academic introduction. It then focuses on highlighting those key sections in three model introductions with particular attention to the thesis (question / topics / stance) and finally finishes with writing an introduction using a range of titles.  Example   Level: ** *** [B1/B2/C1]    / Website link / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Click on the picture – this will take you to an online thesis statement generator – here

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College of Engineering

Academic advising.

First Year and Undeclared

Advising for first year and undeclared engineering students takes place in the Student Development Center. Students are required to sign up for a time to meet with a professional advisor before early registration for the upcoming semester begins. Appointments can be made either through MyUI (Student Information - Advising Appointment), or by contacting the Student Development Center at [email protected] or 319-335-5763 or 3612 Seamans Center.

Undeclared engineering majors should declare their program of study no later than the start of the spring semester of their sophomore year.

Advising expectations for students

Faculty and Advising

Currently enrolled, declared engineering students are required to meet with their faculty academic advisor at least once a semester prior to registering for the next semester's courses, generally the week before early registration begins. Students will be able to schedule an appointment with their advisor through  MyUI  to meet and discuss their upcoming semester courses; alternatively, faculty will place a sign-up sheet outside their office door with available times. Typically, students can begin scheduling online or by sign-up sheet two weeks prior to early registration. If a student is unable to meet with their faculty during the times listed, it is the student's responsibility to contact the faculty member and set up a time that will fit within their schedule.

Students can find out who their academic advisor is by logging into  MyUI  and going to "Student Information" then "Program of Study and Advisors." Students wishing to change their academic advisor may do so by completing the  Change of Academic Advisor  form.

Advising expectations for students : 

• To meet with their faculty advisor at least once a semester, although it is highly recommended to meet more frequently
• To arrive on time as scheduled
• To come prepared to the appointment with list of future courses, questions and concerns
• Students with questions regarding the pre-requisite check and policies should refer to the  Pre-Requisite Q & A .
• See here for more advising expectations for students . 

Peer Advising

The Peer Advisor program is a resource developed by students, for students. They offer advice on their respective majors, course combinations, course loads, and share their personal journeys to a career in engineering. Additionally, they provide support to their peers through workshops and outreach.

Come to the Student Development Center, 3612 Seamans Center, for assistance with your questions about majors, general education courses, or policies and procedures. The peer advisors work closely with the professional academic advising staff.

Meet our peer advisors

Pre-Professional Advising

Students who have declared a pre-professional major have the opportunity to meet with an additional advisor in the Academic Advising Center, C210 Pomerantz Center, throughout their undergraduate career. The pre-professional advisors will help students as they prepare for their application to graduate or professional school. These programs include pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-physical therapy, and other pre-health programs.

If you are interested in pursuing a pre-professional major in addition to your degree in engineering, email you advisor to declare.

Pre-Health Resources Pre-Law Resources

'Something More' Advising

In the College of Engineering, we hope that students will take advantage of numerous opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom to become an “Engineer and something more.” If you are interested in learning more about the opportunities below, you are welcome to schedule an appointment by contacting the Student Development Center at [email protected] , 319-335-5763 , or 3612 Seamans Center.

• Internships and co-ops
• Study abroad
• Student organizations

Advising Frequently Asked Questions

How do i add a course.

• You can add most courses on MyUI without any required approvals until  Monday, January 22 at 11:59 pm . Search for the course on the “Course Type” search on  MyUI  ̶  Courses and Registration , located below the List View of your current courses. Once you identify an open section that works in your schedule, you can enroll instantly by clicking on the blue “ Enroll ” link on the right side.  
• For assistance, review a step-by-step tutorial of the add process.
• If you do not receive the permissions by the next business day after your initiated request, call the department offering the course and your academic department or academic advisor.
• You will be able to access the course’s ICON site the following day.
• The last day to add most academic courses without Dean’s approval (which requires extenuating circumstances) is  Monday, January 29 at 4:30 pm . 
• See the Registrar's website for more information about adding courses .

HOW DO I CHANGE SECTIONS?

You can change sections on your own on MyUI without any required approvals until Monday, January 22 at 11:59 pm . Log into  MyUI  ̶  Courses and Registration . On the List View of your courses, scroll to the section you would like to change and click the “Change” link on right side. Select “Change Section” and choose your desired section from the list of available options. Click to confirm the change.

• Starting  Tuesday, January 23 , you will need to request permissions from the instructor of the new section. You can initiate a section change through email following the process outlined on the Change of Registration Form webpage . 
• See the Registrar's website for more information about changing sections. 

HOW DO I ADD MYSELF TO A WAITLIST?

• First, check to see if there are open seats in any sections of the course you are interested in - seat availability changes frequently in the first two weeks of the semester. Search for the course on the “Course Type” search on  MyUI  ̶  Courses and Registration , located below the List View of your current courses. Once you identify an open section that works in your schedule, you can enroll instantly by clicking on the blue “ Enroll ” link on the right side. 
• If all sections that work with your current course schedule are closed, select a section and click on the blue “ Join Waitlist ” link on the right side of the page. To increase your chances of enrolling, add yourself to any and all waitlists for sections that will work with your schedule.
• Continue to monitor email and text messages closely. If a waitlist seat is offered to you, you must follow the email/text instructions to fully add the course on MyUI. Waitlist seat offers expire after 24 hours.
• MyUI waitlists are only active until Monday, January 22   at 11:59 pm . Waitlists will no longer be used for filling seats that open up in a given course after that date. To add the course, you will need to initiate an add request and receive the instructor’s permission.
• See the Registrar's website for more information about waitlists .

HOW DO I DROP A COURSE?

• Most students can drop a class on MyUI without any permissions/authorizations until Monday, January 22  at 11:59 pm.  Log into  MyUI  ̶  Courses and Registration . On the List view of your courses, scroll to the course you would like to drop and select the blue “Drop” link on right side of the page. Ensure that you click through all of the required screens to confirm the drop.  International students and athletes may need to request  additional permissions  for a drop; specific instructions will be provided when initiating the drop process.
• Note that your academic advisor is  not  automatically notified of your request, so you should email them to request they authorize your drop.  I t is your responsibility to obtain the required permissions in a timely manner, so if you do not have the requested authorization by the deadline, call your academic department to ensure that the drop is processed in time.
• Monday, April 15 by 4:30 pm  is the last day to drop a class without a ‘W’ on your transcript. A ‘W’ on the transcript means you withdrew from a course. Please contact your academic advisor with any questions. 
• The last day to drop most semester-length academic courses without Dean’s approval (which requires extenuating circumstances) is Monday, April 15 at 4:30 pm. 
• If you are thinking of dropping all your courses, often referred to as ‘ withdrawing ’ from the University, contact your academic advisor or call the Student Development Center at 319-335-5763 to review the withdrawal process.
• See the Registrar's website for more information about dropping courses. 

HOW DO I RESOLVE COURSE CONFLICTS?

• A red asterisk (*) on your schedule indicates that there is a conflict between course times. Take a close look at the class times and ensure that none of your lectures, labs, or discussions overlap. To resolve these conflicts, follow the instructions to  change sections  or stop by 3612 SC   to speak with an academic advisor for assistance.
• If you cannot spot overlapping course times, the conflict may be a mid-term exam that is scheduled during the regular meeting time for another course. You should plan to attend your regularly scheduled course and email the professor giving the exam to set-up an alternative testing time. This is quite common, so do not stress, but make sure you make arrangements with your professor well in advance.

HOW DO I MEET WITH AN ACADEMIC ADVISOR?

• During the first two weeks of the semester, academic advisors in the Student Development Center, 3612 SC, offer drop-in hours from 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm. These times are mostly for new, incoming students as they make adjustments to their first semester schedules at Iowa, but these can also be a good first stop if you are unsure who to contact. 
• Beginning Monday, January 29 , and continuing through the entire semester, log into MyUI to see if your advisor offers online scheduling through the Advising Appointment tile. If you do not see appointments available, email your advisor directly to request an appointment.  You can also contact your academic department  with questions. 
• Peer Advisors are available daily between 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 12:30 – 3:00 pm in 3612 SC. If you prefer to meet with a Peer Advisor virtually, sign up for an appointment on their website . Visit the Peer Advisor  website  for more information including bios, schedule by major, and the option to schedule an individual appointment with a peer advisor. 

HOW DO I ADD A MINOR, CERTIFICATE and/or PRE-MED DESIGNATION?

• You can add most minors and certificates on your own on  MyUI  ̶  Student Information  ̶  Programs of Study & Advisor . You can then request a new degree audit to review the course requirements.
• Pre-health : Contact the  Academic Advising Center  directly by emailing  [email protected]  or calling (319) 353-5700 and request a pre-health advisor.

HOW DO I CHANGE MY MAJOR?

• WITHIN ENGINEERING :  Complete the “Change of Major /Program of Study” form on the  Academic Forms page . Your major will be changed and a new advisor assigned (if needed) within one week.
• OUTSIDE of ENGINEERING : Stop by the Student Development Center, 3612 SC, to meet with a professional advisor  to review the process of changing colleges. If you are making the decision during the first week of the semester, stop by as soon as possible as it may be possible to make the change effective immediately. 

WHAT DO I DO IF I AM SICK?

• The health of our community is important. Advisors in the Student Development Center are offering both virtual and in-person academic advising appointments. If you are feeling less than 100%, we encourage you to take advantage of virtual academic advising appointments or reschedule your in-person appointment for a later date.
• Specific guidance for what to do if you are sick, test positive for COVID-19, or may have been exposed, is available on the “What to do if you’re sick”  UI Coronavirus website .
• If you feel sick and have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, stay home and isolate yourself as much as possible. If you develop symptoms while in class or on campus, go home or return to your dorm room. Call a health care professional who can assess your symptoms and risk factors and determine whether you need testing. Visit the  Student Health website  for information about how to request a test. If you need to speak to a nurse, contact Student Health by calling the Nurseline ( 319-335-9704 ). If you test positive, follow the instructions on the UI Coronavirus website . Self-report via the university's online system  using this link  and monitor your email for additional instructions.
• If you need to miss class, review the  standard university absence from class policies and contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss how to make up work.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS RESOURCES

• The College of Engineering offers a wide range of  academic support resources  for students. You are encouraged to visit  Engineering Tutoring , Sunday – Thursday from 6:00 – 9:00 pm, in-person in 3612 SC. Tutoring will begin on Sunday, January 21 . 
• Additional University of Iowa campus resources are listed  here  – we encourage you to try different resources to find the one(s) that will work best for you!

Quick Links

Office of the Registrar

Taking Summer Courses

Academic Support and Tutoring

University Counseling Service

Filmscene | Common Ground

Writing Workshop (Narrative structure, Clarity, Cohesion) (Engineering Thesis Summer Camp)

Managing Anxiety/Stress/Procrastination (Engineering Thesis Summer Camp)

Questions? Talk to an Advisor