While writing an essay, you will surely face the need to come up with a thesis statement, as it is the main core of any academic piece. Crafting a compelling and powerful thesis statement might not seem like a big deal when you have the idea of the essay in mind. However, in reality, it becomes a pretty challenging task. That’s why we created this complete guide that will help you create a powerful thesis statement each time with no difficulties.
The Essence of a Thesis Statement
What is a thesis statement, and why does every academic piece need it? A thesis statement is the core idea of the essay; it’s the main point of the argument. It is usually placed at the very beginning of the essay, providing a preview of what the essay will be about and what its goal is. Sometimes, a thesis statement is a theory that should be proved later or not, depending on the results of the research.
In the majority of cases, a thesis statement should be one sentence with a clear and understandable point. That is where many students face one of the difficulties of the writing process, as it is hard to word a bigger idea in a persuasive and concise manner.
A high-quality essay is impossible without a proper thesis statement, not only because it is a requirement at any learning institution. A thesis statement allows one to clarify the point of an essay because the following parts are more focused on the arguments and proof rather than on an idea and point itself.
The Three Elements of a Powerful Thesis Statement
There are three things that need to be present in a high-quality thesis statement:
- A thesis statement should be carefully worded so that it clearly states the main idea or point of view. A reader should get a proper understanding of the content of an essay and the author’s opinion or hypothesis.
- A powerful thesis statement provides a space for debate and further development rather than stating a simple fact. That is because debatable issues are more complicated and interesting to a reader.
- The purpose of any thesis statement is to provide a short glance at the further work, true. But it also has to provide the direction of the argument and even choose the tone of the essay, depending on what you do in your thesis statement – claiming, analyzing, or proposing.
These three elements, if present, usually help a lot in creating a powerful and precise thesis statement – a solid base for the piece and for the argument.
Here are a few great examples of a powerful thesis statement:
“Beyond just being entertaining, literature has the ability to change society norms, confront biases, and promote empathy by presenting a range of viewpoints that advance the development of collective awareness.”
“Reevaluating privacy standards is necessary to navigate the digital era, with a focus on protecting personal data, promoting open data practices, and enabling people to secure their digital identities.”
“Maintaining cultural identity in the age of globalization necessitates striking a careful balance between accepting interconnection and defending the distinctive customs, languages, and values that set communities apart globally.”
Crafting Your Perfect Thesis Statement
Many suggest starting your essay with a thesis statement. It makes sense because it helps you to move on with your thoughts and points, picking the most fitting proof and finding the most persuasive words. However, we would suggest a slightly different strategy: start with a sketch of your thesis statement. Later, after you finish the whole essay, come back and word your thesis statement in the best possible way.
Here are the steps that you can take to craft a powerful thesis statement with some important clues.
Understand the Assignment
In order to come up with a powerful thesis statement, it’s crucial to know the purpose of your essay; thus, you have to understand the task. Read the assignment carefully and pay attention to the following:
- The essay type that is required from you. There are many essay types: compare and contrast, argumentative, persuasive, etc. Know which type you need to work on.
- The wording of the prompt. Sometimes, you might not get the point of your prompt or interpret it in the wrong way due to complicated wording. Be sure that you don’t miss any words while reading the prompt.
- Additional and/or specific requirements. Sometimes, you are required to use particular sources or research results while crafting your essay. Be sure to follow the guidelines to get the best results and grades.
Conduct Your Research
Starting your research before you come up with the final topic of your essay is actually pretty useful. You can find a lot of interesting facts or intriguing arguments that will help you pick the topic and also get an idea of your future thesis statement. That’s why we suggest to start browsing and trying different keywords/topic specifics/points even before you pick the topic for your piece.
Draft Your Future Thesis Statement
As it was said earlier, once you have an understanding of what your piece will be about, you can draft your thesis statement. The first draft can change a lot after you come back to it; it’s not surprising at all.
While writing your first draft, be sure not to forget the key elements of a powerful thesis statement – clarity, perspective, and focus. If you can’t put your thoughts into a complete sentence, don’t worry. You can start with a few bullet points written down and later put them in a sentence.
Revisit Your Statement
Once the main part of the work on your essay is done, you can revisit your thesis statement to:
- Evaluate the thesis statement
- Narrow and refine the focus
- Ensure the statement is specific enough
- Ensure the statement corresponds to and reflects the aim and the arguments of the essay in the right way
This is the step of the process where you should thoroughly inspect the content of your essay and make sure that everything works together. For example, your thesis statement reflects your main point of view and also aligns with the arguments and proofs presented in the main part of the essay.
You can later edit the final draft of your essay and the thesis statement specifically in order to polish the wording and tone so that it matches the whole piece.
Karen Palmer
