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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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About Thesis Statements

Emilie Zickel

A thesis serves as the guiding idea of the essay – the one core point that you will make in the essay.

A thesis is provided at the end of the introduction section.

A thesis functions as a guide for the paragraphs that follow. Each body paragraph will, in some way, help to develop, support or elucidate the thesis.

A thesis is often called a “road map” for the rest of the essay. In the thesis, you indicate to your reader the key subtopics that you will address in the rest of the paper. Thus the reader of your paper knows what to expect in the essay.

A thesis does not always have to be an argument; even explanatory papers have thesis statements.

How can you check to see if your thesis is strong?

1.Does your thesis answer the assignment question?

• look over your assignment sheet for this essay/project. What is core assignment question that you need to answer? Where do you see your thesis directly addressing that question?
• Assignment sheet says:  Identify several key themes that arise in critiques of the popular media.
• Your thesis could reuse this wording:  Several key themes that arise in critiques of popular media are the notions of partisanship on the part of the media corporations, partisanship among reporters, and a willingness to publish “fake news” stories.

2. Does your thesis adhere to the type of writing you are being asked to do? (persuasive or explanatory) ?

• Again, the type of writing that you are asked to do should be indicated on the assignment sheet. If you are not sure of what type of writing is expected of you, ask your professor.

3. Does your thesis provide enough material to meet the assignment length and depth requirements?

• See the outlining chapter and try to build your outline if you are unsure of whether or not you have enough information for your thesis.

4. Does the thesis create a roadmap for the rest of the paper?

• Your thesis can be a mini-outline of the body of the essay. If you indicate three ideas in your thesis that you will discuss (ideas 1, 2 and 3), then you should discuss those ideas – in the order that you presented them in the thesis – in your essay.

5. Does the thesis make sense?

• A thesis must make sense as a sentence. Sometimes we get carried away in trying to “answer the assignment” and we end up with a thesis that technically addresses the assignment requirements, but ends up being a sentence that is grammatically unsound or otherwise unclear. A thesis should be a powerful, clear and interesting sentence that makes sense to the reader. If the grammar is off, the thesis will not make as much sense to a reader as it needs to and the thesis loses its power.

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no,’ you need to revise your thesis.

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About Thesis Statements by Emilie Zickel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Thesis Translation: Why? How? When?

Why thesis editing and translation is something you need to think about now.

If you are a graduate student or a postdoctoral fellow at a university outside of the English-speaking world, chances are that you have spent some time thinking about when and whether to translate your research into English. In the humanities and the sciences alike, English is the dominant language of academic scholarship, and few would doubt that there are enormous advantages to producing journal articles and books in English. What younger scholars-in-training increasingly realize is that they also have good reasons to consider taking their first scholarly steps in English, even before their first academic article is published. Indeed, with wise use of thesis translation or thesis editing services, graduate students can get a head start in some very important ways.

Why produce a thesis in English?

Unlike a book or a journal article, a thesis or dissertation only officially needs to be accepted by your university department or your committee. This prevents some graduate students from ‘thinking big’ about the reach of their thesis or dissertation. Many universities outside of the English-speaking world offer the option of submitting a thesis in English, yet some graduate students don’t consider the option seriously. Here are a few reasons why it is worth doing so:

• Wider audience for your thesis itself: While a thesis is not officially a ‘publication’ in the way a book or journal article are, in the 21st century your thesis will be as widely accessible to scholars globally as many academic journals, through ProQuest and other electronic repositories. Scholars looking for the latest research in your field will be much more likely to find – and use – your work if it is available to them online in a language that they can read.
• Future applications: If you are writing an M.A. thesis, chances are that you are thinking about applying to doctoral programs. If you are finishing a doctoral dissertation, you might be thinking about post-doctoral fellowships. Whatever your next step, the application process is likely to require submission of a writing sample. If your best research is already in English, you will be able to use it as part of your application for most programs worldwide.
• Future publication: Of course, most young scholars aspire to eventually publish their research in book or article form. If your thesis is in English, you will have a much wider range of publishers and journals to choose from. And once you are published, your work will be accessible to a wider range of readers.

Thesis translation: How and When?

Convinced? If so, the next question is when and how to go about translating articles into English. There are three main options:

• Thesis Editing: write it in English, then get it edited . If you have good English, you might decide to write your thesis or dissertation in English from the outset. If your supervisor and department give their blessing, this option might be the most efficient. Once your work is completed, you can employ thesis editing services to ensure it has the highest level of polish and clarity.
• Thesis translation before submission . Perhaps you are most comfortable writing in your mother tongue, but still want the advantages of a thesis in English. If so, you can employ thesis translation services as you go along – perhaps on a chapter-by-chapter basis. If your university gives permission, you may be able to submit the English translation as the official version of your thesis.
• Translation after acceptance . Even if your thesis needs to be submitted to your university in another language, it is never too late to produce an English version. When translating an already-accepted thesis into English, you might choose to think about it already as a book manuscript draft (or drafts of a series of articles). In fact, you might even want to edit and alter the original version before sending it for translation, in order to tailor it to your desired publishing house or journals.

In short: A scholarly output in English can be of great benefit, even at the earliest stages of an academic career. And there are many ways to make it happen!

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What Makes a Thesis Statement Spectacular? — 5 things to know

Table of Contents

What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is a declarative sentence that states the primary idea of an essay or a research paper . In this statement, the authors declare their beliefs or what they intend to argue in their research study. The statement is clear and concise, with only one or two sentences.

Thesis Statement — An Essential in Thesis Writing

A thesis statement distills the research paper idea into one or two sentences. This summary organizes your paper and develops the research argument or opinion. The statement is important because it lets the reader know what the research paper will talk about and how the author is approaching the issue. Moreover, the statement also serves as a map for the paper and helps the authors to track and organize their thoughts more efficiently.

A thesis statement can keep the writer from getting lost in a convoluted and directionless argument. Finally, it will also ensure that the research paper remains relevant and focused on the objective.

Where to Include the Thesis Statement?

The thesis statement is typically placed at the end of the introduction section of your essay or research paper. It usually consists of a single sentence of the writer’s opinion on the topic and provides a specific guide to the readers throughout the paper.

6 Steps to Write an Impactful Thesis Statement

Step 1 – analyze the literature.

Identify the knowledge gaps in the relevant research paper. Analyze the deeper implications of the author’s research argument. Was the research objective mentioned in the thesis statement reversed later in the discussion or conclusion? Does the author contradict themselves? Is there a major knowledge gap in creating a relevant research objective? Has the author understood and validated the fundamental theories correctly? Does the author support an argument without having supporting literature to cite? Answering these or related questions will help authors develop a working thesis and give their thesis an easy direction and structure.

Step 2 – Start with a Question

While developing a working thesis, early in the writing process, you might already have a research question to address. Strong research questions guide the design of studies and define and identify specific objectives. These objectives will assist the author in framing the thesis statement.

Step 3 – Develop the Answer

After initial research, the author could formulate a tentative answer to the research question. At this stage, the answer could be simple enough to guide the research and the writing process. After writing the initial answer, the author could elaborate further on why this is the chosen answer. After reading more about the research topic, the author could write and refine the answers to address the research question.

Step 4 – Write the First Draft of the Thesis Statement

After ideating the working thesis statement, make sure to write it down. It is disheartening to create a great idea for a thesis and then forget it when you lose concentration. The first draft will help you think clearly and logically. It will provide you with an option to align your thesis statement with the defined research objectives.

Step 5 – Anticipate Counter Arguments Against the Statement

After developing a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This list of arguments will help you refute the thesis later. Remember that every argument has a counterargument, and if yours does not have one, what you state is not an argument — it may be a fact or opinion, but not an argument.

Step 6 – Refine the Statement

Anticipating counterarguments will help you refine your statement further. A strong thesis statement should address —

• Why does your research hold this stand?
• What will readers learn from the essay?
• Are the key points of your argumentative or narrative?
• Does the final thesis statement summarize your overall argument or the entire topic you aim to explain in the research paper?

5 Tips to Create a Compelling Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a crucial part of any academic paper. Clearly stating the main idea of your research helps you focus on the objectives of your paper. Refer to the following tips while drafting your statement:

1. Keep it Concise

The statement should be short and precise. It should contain no more than a couple of sentences.

2. Make it Specific

The statement should be focused on a specific topic or argument. Covering too many topics will only make your paper weaker.

3. Express an Opinion

The statement should have an opinion on an issue or controversy. This will make your paper arguable and interesting to read.

4. Be Assertive

The statement should be stated assertively and not hesitantly or apologetically. Remember, you are making an argument — you need to sound convincing!

5. Support with Evidence

The thesis should be supported with evidence from your paper. Make sure you include specific examples from your research to reinforce your objectives.

Thesis Statement Examples *

Example 1 – alcohol consumption.

High levels of alcohol consumption have harmful effects on your health, such as weight gain, heart disease, and liver complications.

This thesis statement states specific reasons why alcohol consumption is detrimental. It is not required to mention every single detriment in your thesis.

Example 2 – Benefits of the Internet

The internet serves as a means of expediently connecting people across the globe, fostering new friendships and an exchange of ideas that would not have occurred before its inception.

While the internet offers a host of benefits, this thesis statement is about choosing the ability that fosters new friendships and exchange ideas. Also, the research needs to prove how connecting people across the globe could not have happened before the internet’s inception — which is a focused research statement.

*The following thesis statements are not fully researched and are merely examples shown to understand how to write a thesis statement. Also, you should avoid using these statements for your own research paper purposes.

A gripping thesis statement is developed by understanding it from the reader’s point of view. Be aware of not developing topics that only interest you and have less reader attraction. A harsh yet necessary question to ask oneself is — Why should readers read my paper? Is this paper worth reading? Would I read this paper if I weren’t its author?

A thesis statement hypes your research paper. It makes the readers excited about what specific information is coming their way. This helps them learn new facts and possibly embrace new opinions.

Writing a thesis statement (although two sentences) could be a daunting task. Hope this blog helps you write a compelling one! Do consider using the steps to create your thesis statement and tell us about it in the comment section below.

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ESL Classes Offered to BU Dining Services Workers

Dining Services worker Carlos Surillo (left), with his completion certificate, alongside instructor Gina Giamei, a CELOP senior lecturer. Photo by Jake Belcher

Recent graduation ceremony celebrated their hard work and commitment

Amy laskowski.

For the last 12 weeks, during the lull between the lunch and dinner shifts at Warren Towers, BU Dining Services employee Kerrine Tang has been working hard to improve her English. Tang, a native Cantonese speaker from Hong Kong and a 16-year Dining Services employee, enrolled in the relatively new BU Center for English Language & Orientation Programs (CELOP) course English for Dining Services.

The program is designed to teach Dining Services employees the essential English language skills they need to do their jobs more efficiently. These skills include writing, vocabulary around cleanliness and sanitation, enhanced communication about allergies and dietary restrictions with customers (i.e., students) and other staff, and understanding written recipes and instructions, as well as a tutorial in the quirks and rules of the English language.

Consider the “th” sound, which exists in virtually no other language, or how certain English nouns (eyeglasses, salmon) are the same whether they are singular or plural. Although English is the most spoken language in the world , it is also considered one of the toughest to learn.

“I took an English class over 20 years ago at my church, but it was all old ladies,” Tang says during a recent break in the class. She wanted to enroll in this class because she knew it could help her better communicate with her manager at Warren Towers. “And my grandchildren,” she says with a smile.

To date, the free twice-a-week program has graduated nearly 50 students in three cohorts—with more eager to start in the fall. There are also talks about creating a second level of the class during future semesters. Dining Services managers, the CELOP team, and perhaps most important, its students, say the program has been a resounding success. 

When course instructor Gina Giamei , a CELOP senior lecturer, designed the program last year, she shadowed Dining Services workers to see what language skills they needed. The answer was “everything,” she says: listening skills, speaking, reading, writing, building confidence, and new this semester, a digital literacy component. “I’m cocreating these classes with the students, getting the information from them about what they need,” says Giamei, who has been at CELOP for 18 years and teaching ESL courses for 13 years prior to that. “It’s been a joy to teach them. They are so motivated and so grateful. It makes my job easy.”

It’s been a joy to teach them. They are so motivated and so grateful. It makes my job easy. Gina Giamei

“To learn a language while also working at the same time, as well as managing families and personal lives? It’s really difficult,” says Maria Arruda , CELOP managing director. “Some [students] even have two jobs. It’s an amazing accomplishment.” Arruda says that CELOP would love to offer similar ESL workplace programs to other staff departments at BU in the future. 

Increasing confidence

The program’s spring cohort had 18 Dining Services employees, whose native tongues included Spanish, Burmese, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, and Amharic. Many of the students, who need their manager’s approval to enroll, say they found out about the program through word-of-mouth.

CELOP’s placement tests are usually digital, but while designing this high beginner–low intermediate level course, Giamei realized many students had issues with digital literacy, so she incorporated some lessons into the classes. These included topics like how to write an email and set up voicemail, using digital menus, and using a translation app on a phone.

She says she’s been impressed with the workers’ dedication (some even asked for extra homework) and their commitment to building community and helping each other. “Their managers have said how they have noticed increased confidence,” says Giamei, beaming. “That was really important to me.”

In one recent class, they talked about shopping, covering topics like when to use the articles “a” or “an,” the difference between the verbs “need” and “want,” and how to use color as an adjective. Giamei says that sometimes students are more challenged by language points (like grammar and pronunciation) in English that vary only slightly in their native tongues. For instance, in Spanish, an adjective usually follows a noun (“a dress blue”), but in English, the adjective comes first (“a blue dress”). 

Giamei reads the phrase “a purple skirt” out loud. “Skerrrrrt,” she says, and the class repeats. “That’s better,” she replies.

They then review the differences between “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”

“What is that ?” she asks.

“ That is a blue dress,” a student calls out.

“Good!” Giamei says. “He used ‘that’ because it is far away.” 

Now, the lesson gets trickier. “What are these?” she says, pointing to pants, a plural noun, although in this case the word refers to only one item. “Aye-aye-aye,” a student responds, and the class laughs. They move on to practicing conversational English—asking and answering questions, handling money, how to talk about receipts. 

Pomp and Circumstance

CELOP and Dining Services organized a small graduation ceremony for the employees on May 3 to celebrate the end of the course. The organizers invited students’ families, managers, and supporting staff to attend. 

Jon Webster, director of Dining Services, says the ceremony is one of his favorite things his team does during the year. “I think lowering the barrier of communication so that we can all talk to each other is a great way to make friends, and a way to make a great and more productive work environment,” he said at the ceremony. “It’s not necessarily the most comfortable thing to learn a new language. So we’re really celebrating you guys taking the opportunity to do that.” 

“We’re delighted this program is here,” says Paul Riel, associate vice president of Auxiliary Services, which oversees Dining Services. “We love the results of this program and like the way that people are able to do their work and get the opportunity to also study,” and take full advantage of the fact that BU is an educational institution. 

Mark Yates, food service director at Warren Towers, says he’s seen a “tremendous improvement” in the English skills of his employees who’ve taken the class. “It’s not just a benefit to me as their manager, it has helped them communicate with students. For example, they can answer questions about the menu. They’ve also told me it has helped them feel a lot more comfortable in their daily lives, like at the grocery store.”

Graduate Witney Chow, who is from Myanmar, says she learned about the class from her manager and wanted to sign up to improve her English. Before, she says, “I was nervous, afraid to speak. Now, people can understand me more.” 

Classmate Tang volunteered to deliver a short speech at the ceremony and worked with Giamei to help translate it. “This course is a turning point in my life,” Tang said, as she read carefully from a piece of paper in front of the audience. “Now, I dare to speak. I learned English grammar, and I am confident to take further steps to improve my English skills. Thank you for opening doors.”

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There are 3 comments on ESL Classes Offered to BU Dining Services Workers

im glad that dinning services and celop helped the workers learn english, hopefully the program will be offered to dining service workers who wish to continue to learn further english will continue

How wonderful to read about BU’s effort to make learning English available to the staff. It was so exciting to see the confidence in the faces of these graduates after feeling more at home in their environment. CONGRATULATIONS to all for their effort and accomplishment!

This is a terrific service provided by BU! Learning languages late in life can be intimidating, but is possible in a welcoming, caring environment. Congratulations to the students and to the CELOP team for opening this door for our BU co-workers. This should be offered to all BU employees interested in developing their English proficiency.

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