Writing Center: Thesis Statements

A thesis statement or thesis is a single sentence that asserts the central idea of what you are writing about. A thesis statement states the purpose of the paper: what the paper is arguing or the information the paper is providing. Thesis statements typically appear at the end of an introduction paragraph. A thesis should take a risk, require support, and briefly capture the argument of your paper.

A Thesis statement MUST address the prompt and include all essential ideas. 

To formulate a thesis statement, answer each of these questions for your given topic:

1. What are you trying to say?
2. How are you going to prove it?
3. Why is it important?

Then, put this information into ONE sentence. 

An effective thesis ...

States a debatable position: Can a reasonable person disagree with your position?

Uses concrete language: Are you using words that are clear and understandable?

Is the right scope: Is this thesis statement the right scope for the length requirement (not too broad or too narrow)?

Passes the "So What?" test: See box to the right.

Example of an Effective Thesis:

Athletes who boost their performance through biotechnology should be banned from competition because biotechnology gives athletes an unfair advantage and disrupts the sense of fair play. 

Adapted from A Writer's Reference (pg. 8-9). 

• Writing a working thesis statement (pg. 8-9)
• Common problems with thesis statements (pg. 10-11)
• Drafting an analytical thesis statement in response to a text (pg. 63-64)
• Drafting a thesis statement for an argument (pg. 85-87)
• Writing a thesis in MLA (pg. 137-139), APA (pg. 211), or CMS (pg. 266) style

Consider the following questions to help you revise your thesis statement:

Why would readers want to read an essay with this thesis?

How would you respond to a reader who reads your thesis and asks “So what?” or “Why does it matter?”

Is your thesis debatable? Can you imagine counterarguments (objections) to it?

Adapted from A Writer's Reference (pg. 9).