Constructing a proper thesis statement

All cells must contain text. This will form the heart of your thesis.

They struggle to let go of certain assumptions about how an academic paper should be. Chapter 1 points to the essay portion of the SAT as a representative artifact of the writing skills that K education imparts. Some students who have mastered that form, and enjoyed a lot of success from doing so, assume that college writing is simply more of the same.

The skills that go into a very basic kind of essay—often called the five-paragraph theme —are indispensable. In college you need to build on those essential skills. Your professors are looking for a more ambitious and arguable thesis, a nuanced and compelling argument, and real-life evidence for all key points, all in an organically 1 structured paper.

The five-paragraph theme, outlined in Figure 3. In this idealized format, the thesis invokes the magic number of three: Each of those reasons is explained and justified in the three body paragraphs, and then the final paragraph restates the thesis before gradually getting broader.

Share This Book

This format is easy for readers to follow, and it helps writers organize their points and the evidence that goes with them.

The first key difference is the thesis. Rather than simply positing a number of reasons to think that something is true, it puts forward an arguable statement: An arguable thesis gives the paper purpose.

It surprises readers and draws them in. Why would they come to that conclusion? The body paragraphs, then, build on one another to carry out this ambitious argument.

In the classic five-paragraph theme Figure 3. In the more organic structure Figure 3. What do you, author, make of it?

Why does it matter? Your professors will not be impressed by obvious theses, loosely related body paragraphs, and repetitive conclusions. They want you to undertake an ambitious independent analysis, one that will yield a thesis that is somewhat surprising and challenging to explain.

Ashford Writing

And you also know that all of the key points of the paper should clearly support the central driving thesis. Indeed, the whole model of the five-paragraph theme hinges on a clearly stated and consistent thesis. However, some students are surprised—and dismayed—when some of their early college papers are criticized for not having a good thesis.

So, what makes a good thesis in college?

A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your thesis statement should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep your argument focused. May 15,  · How to Write a Problem Statement. In this Article: Article Summary Sample Problem Statements Writing Your Own Problem Statement Polishing Your Problem Statement Community Q&A A problem statement is a short, succinct explanation of a problem a business is facing and a proposed solution to the problem%(). 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. Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.

A good thesis is non-obvious. High school teachers needed to make sure that you and all your classmates mastered the basic form of the academic essay.

When they can, high school teachers nudge students to develop arguments that are less obvious and more engaging. College instructors, though, fully expect you to produce something more developed. A good thesis is arguable. This arguability criterion dovetails with the non-obvious one: In that way, a good thesis sets an ambitious agenda for a paper.

Thus, the arguable thesis makes the reader want to keep reading. A good thesis is well specified. However, consider movie trailers: In academic papers, too, a well specified thesis indicates that the author has thought rigorously about an issue and done thorough research, which makes the reader want to keep reading.

If you want to argue that a particular claim is dubious or incomplete, say why in your thesis. A good thesis includes implications.

Suppose your assignment is to write a paper about some aspect of the history of linen production and trade, a topic that may seem exceedingly arcane. And suppose you have constructed a well supported and creative argument that linen was so widely traded in the ancient Mediterranean that it actually served as a kind of currency.The three-story thesis: from the ground up You have no doubt been drilled on the need for a thesis statement and its proper location at the end of the introduction.

And you also know that all of the key points of the paper should clearly support the central driving thesis.

	Constructing a Thesis Statement A thesis statement is that sentence or two that asserts your position on a given issue, specifically, the position that you will be arguing for in your paper.
The Best Way to Write a Problem Statement (with Example)	Defining the Thesis Statement What is a thesis statement? Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message.

May 15,  · How to Write a Problem Statement. In this Article: Article Summary Sample Problem Statements Writing Your Own Problem Statement Polishing Your Problem Statement Community Q&A A problem statement is a short, succinct explanation of a problem a business is facing and a proposed solution to the problem%().

Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement. Previous.

Next. Learning Objectives. Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

Your thesis statement is the main point of your paper and should address the paper topic assigned by your instructor. Make sure your thesis statement is clear, specific, declarative, and on-topic. You should be able to provide the thesis statement in one or two sentences (most instructors prefer one, concise sentence) for a fairly short paper.

May 15,  · When you have to write a problem statement for school, rather than for work, the process will be largely the same, but there may be extra items you'll need to take into account to assure a good grade. For instance, many composition classes will require you to include a thesis statement in your problem statement.

As our thesis 86%(). Developing a Research Thesis A research thesis has most of the same thesis characteristics as a thesis for a non-research essay. The difference lies in the fact that you gather information and evidence from appropriate, valid sources to support your perspective on a topic or stand on an issue.