The Art of Writing a Thesis Statement: Templates and Techniques
Thesis Statement Essay Write Templates: How to Craft a Strong Thesis for Your Essay
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your essay. It usually comes near the end of your introduction and tells the reader what you are going to argue and why. A good thesis statement is essential for writing a clear, coherent, and persuasive essay.
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But how do you write a strong thesis statement for your essay? What are the different types of thesis statements? And what are the steps to follow when crafting one?
In this article, we will answer these questions and provide you with some templates and examples to help you write your own thesis statement. Whether you are writing an argumentative, informative, or analytical essay, you will find a template that suits your needs.
Types of thesis statements
Before you start writing your thesis statement, you need to know what type of essay you are writing. Different types of essays have different purposes and require different types of thesis statements.
Here are the three main types of essays and their corresponding thesis statements:
Argumentative essay: An argumentative essay makes a claim about a topic and supports it with evidence and reasoning. The thesis statement of an argumentative essay should clearly state your position on the issue and the reasons behind it.
Informative essay: An informative essay educates the reader about a topic by providing facts, definitions, explanations, or examples. The thesis statement of an informative essay should summarize the main idea or purpose of your essay without expressing your opinion or argument.
Analytical essay: An analytical essay analyzes a topic by breaking it down into its components or elements. The thesis statement of an analytical essay should state what you are analyzing and how you are going to do it.
Here are some examples of thesis statements for each type of essay:
Type of essay
Thesis statement
Argumentative
Despite Oscar Wildes Aestheticist claims that art needs no justification or purpose, his work advocates Irish nationalism, womens suffrage, and socialism.
Informative
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect on education by facilitating easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment.
Analytical
The Great Gatsby uses color symbolism to explore the themes of class, wealth, and corruption in the American dream.
How to write a thesis statement in four steps
Now that you know what type of thesis statement you need, you can start writing it. Here are four simple steps to follow:
Start with a question
Write your initial answer
Develop your answer
Refine your thesis statement
We will explain each step in detail and provide some examples to illustrate the process.
Step 1: Start with a question
The first step to writing a thesis statement is to identify the main topic and question of your essay. This will help you narrow down your focus and generate ideas for your thesis statement.
To start with a question, you can use one of these strategies:
Look at the essay prompt or assignment instructions and ask yourself what the main goal or purpose of the essay is.
Brainstorm some possible topics or subtopics related to your essay and ask yourself what you want to say about them.
Do some preliminary research on your topic and see what questions or issues emerge from the literature.
Here are some examples of good and bad questions for different types of essays:
Type of essay
Good question
Bad question
Argumentative
What is the impact of social media on democracy?
Is social media good or bad?
Informative
How does photosynthesis work?
What is photosynthesis?
Analytical
How does Shakespeare use irony in Macbeth?
What is Macbeth about?
A good question is specific, focused, and relevant to your essay. A bad question is too broad, vague, or irrelevant to your essay.
Step 2: Write your initial answer
The next step is to formulate a tentative thesis statement based on your question. This is your initial answer to the question, which you can later develop and refine in the following steps.
To write your initial answer, you can use one of these templates:
Argumentative essay: [Your position] because [your reasons].
Informative essay: The main [idea/purpose] of this essay is to [explain/describe/define/inform] [your topic].
Analytical essay: In [your topic], [author name] uses [analytical method] to [analytical purpose].
Here are some examples of good and bad answers for different types of essays:
Type of essay
Good answer
Bad answer
Argumentative
Social media has a negative impact on democracy because it promotes misinformation, polarization, and echo chambers.
Social media is bad for democracy.
Informative
The main purpose of this essay is to explain how photosynthesis works by describing its stages, components, and outcomes.
This essay will talk about photosynthesis.
Analytical
In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses irony to reveal the corruption and downfall of the main characters.In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses irony.
A good answer is clear, concise, and contentious. It states your main point and the reasons behind it. A bad answer is vague, general, or unarguable. It does not state your main point or the reasons behind it.Step 3: Develop your answer >The third step is to support your thesis statement with evidence and analysis. This will help you make your answer more convincing and credible. You will also need to do this in the body paragraphs of your essay, but it is a good idea to have some supporting points in mind before you start writing.To develop your answer, you can use one of these strategies:Add more details or examples to your reasons or evidence.Add more reasons or evidence to support your main point.Add a counterargument or concession to acknowledge a possible objection or limitation to your claim.
Type of essay
Good development
Bad development
Argumentative
Social media has a negative impact on democracy because it promotes misinformation, polarization, and echo chambers. Misinformation refers to the spread of false or inaccurate information that can influence public opinion and behavior. Polarization refers to the division of society into opposing groups that have extreme and incompatible views. Echo chambers refer to the phenomenon of people only consuming and sharing information that confirms their existing beliefs and biases.
Social media has a negative impact on democracy because it promotes misinformation, polarization, and echo chambers. Misinformation is bad. Polarization is bad. Echo chambers are bad.
Informative
The main purpose of this essay is to explain how photosynthesis works by describing its stages, components, and outcomes. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen. There are two main stages of photosynthesis: the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reactions take place in the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplasts, where water is split into hydrogen and oxygen. The light-independent reactions take place in the stroma of the chloroplasts, where carbon dioxide is fixed into glucose.The main purpose of this essay is to explain how photosynthesis works by describing its stages, components, and outcomes. Photosynthesis is a process that plants do. There are two stages: one with light and one without light. The components are water, carbon dioxide, glucose, and oxygen.AnalyticalIn Macbeth, Shakespeare uses irony to reveal the corruption and downfall of the main characters. Irony is a literary device that creates a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. Shakespeare uses three types of irony in Macbeth: verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony. Verbal irony occurs when a character says something that contradicts what they really mean or feel. Situational irony occurs when an event or outcome is opposite to what was intended or expected. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not.In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses irony to reveal the corruption and downfall of the main characters. Irony is when something is different from what you think it is. Shakespeare uses irony in Macbeth.Step 4: Refine your thesis statement >The final step is to revise your thesis statement to make it clear, concise, and contentious. This will help you avoid common pitfalls and errors that can weaken your thesis statement.To refine your thesis statement, you can use one of these tips:Check if your thesis statement answers the question you started with.Check if your thesis statement expresses one main idea or argument.Check if your thesis statement is specific and focused enough.Check if your thesis statement is relevant and interesting to your audience.Here are some examples of good and bad refinement for different types of essays:Type of essay
Good refinement
Bad refinement
Argumentative
Social media has a negative impact on democracy because it promotes misinformation, polarization, and echo chambers that undermine informed and rational decision-making.
Social media has a negative impact on democracy because it does many bad things.
Informative
The main purpose of this essay is to explain how photosynthesis works by describing its stages, components, and outcomes in detail.
The main purpose of this essay is to explain how photosynthesis works somehow.
Analytical
In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses verbal, situational, and dramatic irony to reveal how the main characters ambition leads them to corruption and tragedy.In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses irony to show stuff.Conclusion >In conclusion, a thesis statement is a crucial part of any essay. It summarizes the main point and the reasons behind it, and guides the reader through the rest of the essay. To write a strong thesis statement, you need to follow four steps:Start with a questionWrite your initial answerDevelop your answerRefine your thesis statementBy following these steps, you can craft a thesis statement that is clear, concise, and contentious. You can also use the templates and examples provided in this article to help you write your own thesis statement.If you need more guidance or feedback on your thesis writing, you can check out these resources:How to Write a Thesis Statement 4 Steps & Examples - ScribbrDeveloping A Thesis - Harvard College Writing CenterThesis and Dissertation Writing Guides - ScribbrFAQs >Where should I place my thesis statement? >The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction. This is a good, standard place for your thesis statement because it signals to the reader what the essay will argue and why.How long should my thesis statement be? >A good thesis statement is short and sweetdont use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences. A longer thesis statement might lose the readers attention or confuse them with too much information.Can I use a question as a thesis statement? >No, a question is not a good thesis statement. A thesis statement should state your position or claim, not ask a question. A question can be used as a hook to draw the readers interest, but it should be followed by a clear and direct thesis statement that answers the question.How do I know if my thesis statement is strong enough? >A strong thesis statement is one that is clear, concise, and contentious. It states your main point and the reasons behind it, and it can be supported and explained in the rest of your essay. To check if your thesis statement is strong enough, you can use these questions:Does it answer the question you started with?Does it express one main idea or argument?Does it state your position or claim?Does it provide reasons or evidence for your claim?Is it specific and focused enough?Is it relevant and interesting to your audience?What if my thesis statement changes during the writing process? >It is normal and expected that your thesis statement might change as you write your essay. As you do more research, gather more evidence, or develop more ideas, you might find that your initial answer is no longer accurate or sufficient. In that case, you should revise your thesis statement to reflect your new insights or arguments. Just make sure that your final thesis statement matches what you actually write in your essay. 71b2f0854b