How to Write a Thesis Statement

When writing a paper or persuasive essay, the main idea of the conclusion of the document will be the thesis statement. This statement is usually found at the end of the first paragraph and will alert the reader to the tone of the paper. The thesis statement will actually answer the question "why" with the rationale behind the argument.

What Type of Paper Is It?

If you are simply breaking down an issue and explaining it to the readers, it is an analytical paper. If you are writing a paper that is meant to start a debate, it is an argumentative paper. If your paper is merely explaining something to the audience, then it is an expository paper. Once you understand your paper's goal, you can begin to draft the paper with the correct tone, including the tone of the thesis statement.

Be Specific

Your thesis statement should not include information that will not be present in your paper. Your paper should only discuss the information related to the thesis statement. If you choose a thesis statement that covers more than one argument, you need to discuss every argument separately in the paper. This can make for a long paper. Instead of your thesis statement being "horrible people like Hitler and Napoleon make the best military leaders, but winning the war is about more than strategy," consider choosing only one of the statements for the main concentration of the paper.

Changing the Thesis Statement

As you draft your paper, your thesis statement is likely to change. What started out as graduates should spend at least one year working before starting college could change into graduates should spend at least one year gaining practical experience in the working world before choosing a major and attending college so they can better understand what career field they would like to enter. While the latter statement is an expansion on the original statement, it is a stronger thesis statement because it explains what the arguments supporting it will state. The more research you do and the arguments you present will help you pinpoint the why of your thesis statement.

Establishing a good, strong thesis statement can be difficult, but thinking about what stand you really want to take with the paper or essay will help you tailor a thesis statement that could spark great debate over your paper.

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