Discovering interesting topics is a critical component of the essay-planning process. But a good topic isn’t enough to guarantee a successful paper!
The goal of the prewriting stage is not to come up with a subject or a topic, per se. Rather, the goal is to identify a controlling idea that will help guide and shape the essay and direct the student’s brainstorming efforts. That’s what developing a strong thesis statement is all about.
Why Write a Thesis Statement?
An essay focuses on a particular concept, idea, or scenario and tries to say something unique about it. It shouldn’t be a sprawling report of all possible facts and details. Instead, essay writing is about choosing and analyzing the most important elements necessary for advancing a particular position.
Therefore, the thesis statement for an essay represents a condensed and carefully thought-out argument that will define, guide, and set the tone for the entire paper.
What Is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement presents, in one or two sentences, the central, controlling argument of an essay. It clearly identifies the purpose of the paper or previews its main ideas. Everything a student writes throughout the essay should in some way reinforce this claim.
A Good Thesis Statement Should:
1. Concisely lay out the central idea of the essay.
2. Guide the direction of the paper and establish priorities
3. Take a definitive stand that justifies the case your student is about to make.
4. Express a specific, arguable point with which people could logically disagree. It helps to ask what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about the topic. If students make a claim or statement that no one would argue against, they’re not saying anything worth reading.
- Incontestable claim: The world would be a better place without war.
- Contestable claim: Christians should not participate violently in war.
- Incontestable claim: Domestic terrorism is on the rise in the United States.
- Contestable claim: The rise of domestic terrorism reflects an increased disillusionment with the United States government.
5. Effectively answer the prompt or question (if given).
6. Be thoughtfully and deliberately worded.
7. Avoid generalizations.
8. Use clear and concrete language.
9. Pass the “so what?” test of significance. A good thesis should be meaty and important, so ask “Who cares?” or “What difference does it make?”
- Insubstantial claim: Students at ABC University have school spirit.
- Substantial claim: The strong sense of community at ABC University is evident in its students’ commitment to campus functions and organizations. This challenges the prevailing characterization of millennials as apathetic, uninvolved, and lazy.
Students should plan to revisit the thesis during editing and revising to fine-tune or tweak it as needed. While it’s good to write as strong a thesis statement as possible up front, it needn’t be set in stone until the essay or term paper is actually finished.