Essays elaborate on a topic. There are many different types of essays, but all benefit from a thesis statement. A thesis statement represents a logical conclusion drawn from reasoning. The online writing lab (OWL) at Purdue University states, “The structure of the expository essay is held together by the following: A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.” Always determine the thesis statement before writing the essay.
Question
Create a question when given a topic to write about. The answer to that question will be a thesis statement. Say the assignment is to write a descriptive essay and the topic is “nature.” Create a question that invites preference or emphasis, such as: What is the most meaningful season? One possible answer: Dark, cold winter encourages deep thinking. That clear, straightforward answer makes an excellent thesis statement for a descriptive essay. If the essay is an argument or a research paper, the question must address some controversy within the topic. With a topic such as “alternative energy sources,” a possible question is: Can alternative energy sources affect global warming? An answer is: Alternative energy sources represent the smartest investment in our future.
Make sure the question invites analysis, evaluation or argument. Also make sure the thesis statement presents a clear, strong position.
Purpose
Good thesis statements connect directly to the purpose of the essay. If the purpose of the essay is to explain, as in a descriptive or narrative essay, the thesis shows what will be described or the main idea of the narrative. If the purpose is to evaluate or judge, the thesis must present a statement that reveals the evaluation or the judgment: Something must be better than, less than, more effective than something else. If the purpose is to convince or persuade, the thesis must present a clear, strong position on one side of the controversy. Revealing the purpose of the essay in the thesis demonstrates critical thinking.
Reason
Add a reason to the thesis statement by using words such as “because” or “since.” Example: Because burning carbon-based fuels affects global warming, we must fund alternative energy sources. Adding a reason makes the thesis statement more sophisticated and shows the conclusion is drawn from reasoning.
Note that it is perfectly correct to begin sentences with words such as “because” and “since,” but it’s not correct to write fragments. Make sure clauses that begin with words such as “because” and “since”–Because burning carbon-based fossil fuels affects global warming–have independent clauses as well–we must fund alternative energy sources.
Qualify
Thesis statements sometimes require qualifiers that limit or modify. Thesis statements can be qualified by adding focus. Here are some examples of how to focus on a specific place: Dark, cold winter encourages deep thinking in Minnesota; Wind power represents the smartest investment in California’s future. Thesis statements can be qualified by adding focus on a specific age group, sub-culture, time or other factor. Qualifying narrows the topic, making it easier to offer specific details and examples for support. Qualifying thesis statements shows off critical thinking skills as well.
Caution
Address any assumptions thesis statements make somewhere in the essay. The thesis statement mentioned above-Because burning carbon-based fuels affects global warming, we must fund alternative energy sources-assumes readers accept that global warming is affected by burning carbon-based fuels. Because that issue remains controversial, the assumption must be explained in the essay.
Tip
There are several ways to write an essay. Some instructors are very conservative and specific in their expectations while others can be quite liberal and creative. Understand the expectations of each assignment before tackling the assignment.