Thesis Statements
A thesis statement presents the main (or CENTRAL) idea or message of a piece of writing, usually in one sentence (but not always). It should focus on just one central point or issue.
A thesis statement always has 2 parts: it presents (1) a subject/topic, and (2) an ASSERTION (a position, an opinion, etc.) about that subject/topic.
A thesis statement can also present the main ideas or sections that a piece of writing will contain -- this is called "forecasting" or "blueprinting."
The thesis statement points you (the writer) in a specific direction, charting an orderly course for the paper, helping you to stay on track and out of tempting byways -- it establishes boundaries and discourages wandering. In short, a thesis statement helps with UNITY.
The thesis statement also tells your reader what to expect as they read your essay -- not only the overall central idea or argument but also the structure or organization: this is called "forecasting" or "blueprinting."
In some ways, the thesis statement is almost like a promise you will make to your readers -- "This is what my essay is going to be about" -- and you must then keep that promise.
A good thesis statement also tailors the scope of the issue to the length of the paper.
A thesis statement can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a piece of writing -- or in more than one place. A thesis often (but not always) appears at the end of the introductory paragraph.
A thesis statement is almost always expressly, explicitly stated. But not all papers have explicit thesis statements -- narratives and descriptions, for example. Nonetheless, a core idea underlies and controls all effective writing. So, a thesis statement can sometimes be implicit or implied, but always done this way for a specific rhetorical reason.
A thesis statement is the most general statement in a piece of writing. It is the summary of that piece of writing -- a summary of the central idea of the paper.
Thesis statements are never set in stone until the final draft. You can revise your thesis statement at any time to reflect new things you have learned or discovered while planning the paper, writing the paper, and/or revising the paper.
In creating a thesis statement, look for a central idea which summarizes the information you have gathered on the subject or the opinion you have about the subject based on the information you have gathered.
A title can often be written after the thesis statement -- a title should be informative, clear, specific, and concise.
The thesis should:
Commit the writer to a single line of argument.
Present something arguable or in need of explanation.
Be manageable.
Be written in specific, precise language.
Be as concise as possible.
Not be a formal announcement.
Not be worded in figurative language.
Not be worded vaguely.
Not be worded as a question.