Purpose of a Thesis Statement

Think about the last time you went on a vacation. More than likely, a lot of planning went into your trip. You might have purchased airline tickets, made hotel or car rental reservations, or researched your destination. Completing tasks like these in advance can ensure that your trip goes smoothly and is an enjoyable experience.

Just as you would likely not embark on a major trip without proper planning, you also want to intentionally plan for your essay. Before launching into the draft, it is wise to have a solid plan and direction for your paper. A significant part of this plan is your thesis statement. Your thesis will serve as a road map for your entire essay, giving the reader both the organizational framework and evaluative stance of the essay.

You have learned the importance of having a focused idea for your paragraphs, which is evidenced through the topic sentence. When those paragraphs are put together into an essay, you will need a statement that will appropriately express the entire paper’s central topic and stance. Your journey will now take you to learning about the thesis statement, which is the controlling statement for the entire essay.

Structure of a Thesis Statement

A well-constructed thesis statement serves both the reader and the writer. For the writer, it is the organizational framework of the paper, forecasting the paper’s development. Creating a thesis will make your drafting process easier because you will have a clear direction for the paper. For the reader, the thesis shows the reader the paper’s development and the writer’s viewpoint on the topic.

So how does a writer pull together an entire essay’s content and purpose in one sentence? To begin, look at the paragraph below. This is the introductory paragraph of an essay, and the thesis is the last sentence:

Once isolated, Arizona has become incredibly popular in the last few years. The name alone evokes visions of [Native Americans] and cowboys, snowcapped peaks and arid deserts, howling coyotes, cattle drives, wild rivers, and long sunsets. World-class resorts, golfing in the desert, and ultramodern resorts also adorn the landscape. Despite areas of major development, the rugged contours of the land have not changed much. Arizona still resists massive development though it cannot be denied that once inhospitable places are today’s pleasure spots. The enormity of Arizona provides space that cannot be found in urban areas. And even if one is not accustomed to the outdoors, there are few places where there are so many diverse geological, historical, and cultural features (Morris & Cohen, 1996).

Why is the thesis at the end of this paragraph? The introduction serves as a general orientation for the reader; the opening content should be slightly broader than the essay topic to provide a perspective for the reader. In this example, the writer first introduces the reader to Arizona, and then provides interesting information about the state before stating the thesis, which narrows the focus. Think of your introduction as a funnel—a broad opening that narrows into the thesis, showing the paper’s specific topics. The thesis statement should reflect the main topics of the essay, provide the evaluative stance of the essay, and serve as a guide for the essay's main topics.

The sample thesis statement in the introduction above shows that the paragraph topics will expand on diverse geological, historical, and cultural features. How did the writer come up with these topics? A thesis is formed, ideally, after the prewriting process has begun. Because the first stage of the writing process is prewriting, you will initially form an outline or a concept map of ideas. Your paragraph topics will emerge from your prewriting, and those topics can then formulate the thesis. As an example, here is an outline, with the writer’s main ideas:

From the topic sentences, the writer then extracts the main topics:

For longer essays or research papers, you will have more than three body paragraphs, so your statement would have broader terms that encapsulate all your topics.

These three topics will then serve as the basis for your thesis statement, forming a clear organizational structure. These topics should be:

1. Balanced in scope. Remember that your topics need to be covered in your paragraphs, so they should not be too broad or too narrow, and should have the same amount of weight. Do not have one topic significantly broader than the other two.
2. Balanced in perspective. Your topics should work together to promote a single direction for the paper. In the case of our example, the writer has selected all positive elements about the topic. The writer may have also encountered a rough spot on the trail, a scorpion, or fatigue, but throwing one of these topics into the mix would not have promoted the paper’s overall direction consistently.
3. Balanced in grammatical construction. The topics are all expressed in parallel construction, which means they share the same grammatical form. In this case, all are listed with adjectives and nouns, creating a sentence that is accurate and palatable.

Practice Exercise

Once you have three topics in mind, it is time to consider the stance of the paper. Beyond merely expressing your topics, the thesis should also reveal your particular views on a topic. Your thesis may express concern, generate awareness, or may illustrate a contrast. In the case of this essay on hiking in Sedona, the topics all express positive elements about hiking, so the evaluative stance comes through: Hiking in Sedona is unparalleled because of the dramatic views, crisp weather, and light crowds.

Here, the word unparalleled reflects the writer’s stance, while the three topics show the content of the paragraphs.

Review the thesis statements below and notice how the underlined words express the evaluative stance.

1. The new education policy’s unfortunate consequences could include lower graduation rates, disproportionate teacher-student ratios, and parent frustrations.
2. The causes of devastating accidents on that freeway include poor visibility, wildlife, and lack of barriers.
3. Dutch Bros. coffee shop is strongly preferred over Starbucks for their roasting process, customer service, and value.

The evaluative stance may be shown through descriptive terms or a verb choice that shows readers your perspective on the topic.

Your thesis statement is now your commitment to the paper; it forecasts the paper’s development. This means that once someone has read your thesis, he or she has a good idea of what the paper will address.

Consider this: If you had the privilege of hearing the president speak and he approached the podium and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight, we will discuss the economy, health care, and immigration reform.” You would, of course, expect to hear these three items discussed, and in that exact order. If the president then proceeded to discuss his campaign strategies, foreign affairs, and the first lady’s visit to China, you would be confused, indeed. Likewise, your reader should expect no less of you—a clear relationship between the thesis and the paragraph topics.

Once your thesis is in place, the paper’s development should correspond to it. As you revise your draft and make any changes, be sure to also revise your thesis, so that there is a clear correspondence between the paragraph topics and this statement.

Characteristics of Thesis Statements

An important defining characteristic of a thesis statement is that it expresses a claim. Your claim is an assertion or belief on a topic. A claim should be contestable, meaning that it has controversy. In forming the claim of your thesis statement, you might ask yourself if your position could be argued. It may help to imagine a reader with an oppositional viewpoint to ensure that you have a contestable statement.

Practice Exercise

A simple question to ask yourself as you formulate your thesis is, “So what?” In other words, do your topic and claims matter? Asking this question will help you determine which statements have claims, and which are merely facts. Passing the "So What?" test ensures that your thesis is meaningful.

Thesis Is Predictive of Paper’s Development

You have learned how to use the paragraph topics to formulate the thesis, how to make sure the topics are balanced, and how the thesis should show your claim. Now it is time to think about how to shape your thesis according to the assignment.

Think about your assignment. Will you be informing, persuading, entertaining, exposing, defining, or analyzing? These are some common purposes you will address in your academic career. For other assignments, you will be comparing or contrasting and writing essays on causes and effects. Therefore, it is important for you to shape your thesis to reflect the assignment purpose. Here are sample thesis statements for both types of essays:

The causes of poverty in that school district include lack of education, substance abuse, and repeated generational cycles.

Camping differs from staying in a hotel in cost, amenities, and preparation.

These statements have clear topics, are claim-based, and show the reader the purpose or genre of the paper. The first clearly shows that the writer will address causes, while the second indicates that the paper will contrast.

As you choose words that will express the assignment purpose, you may find the following word banks helpful. They can serve as a resource for transitions or words to include in your thesis.

Obstacles to Writing a Good Thesis Statement

As you work to create good thesis statements, you may run into some roadblocks. Here are some of the most common mistakes students make when preparing their statements.

Do not phrase your thesis statement as a question. Elsewhere in the paragraph or essay, a question may make your paper interesting, but because the primary purpose of a thesis is to state a claim, be sure it is in the declarative form. As the writer, think of yourself as the boss of the paper, and boldly state your claim.

Question: Do you prefer an electric car for its low maintenance, savings on gas, and lessened impact on the planet?

Better: An electric car is preferred due to its low maintenance, savings on gas, and lessened impact on the planet.

Stated as a question, the claim is not clear and it poses demands upon the reader. The same content expressed in a declarative form is preferred.

Your three topics should be specific and suitable for distinct body paragraphs. Avoid vague or clichéd writing that does not clearly state your topics.

Vague: Being a twin means I have a best friend for life, someone to share memories with, and someone who is always there for me.

Better: Tom is more than my brother; because we are twins, we share our own language, mental telepathy, and a range of emotions.

In the first sentence, the writer was clearly trying to demonstrate the bond with his sibling, but the paragraph topics are vague and overlap in concept. The last topic is a clichéd and tired sentiment, and the writer would struggle to expand on this in a paragraph. The revision shows more concrete and specific topics.

A well-placed quote can generate interest or fortify your claim within paragraphs, but it should not be included in your thesis statement. Instead, think about how a quote might provide evidence later in the paper.

Quote: Abraham Lincoln once said, “I don’t like that man. I need to get to know him better."

Better: Abraham Lincoln’s character was evidenced in his familial relationships, his views on slavery, and his writings about his fellow man.

Although the quote about Lincoln is memorable, it does not serve to show the paper’s development. The preferred statement shows the claim and the topics.

An aptly placed fact or statistic can support your claim effectively, but remember that a thesis needs to show controversy, and simply expressing a fact does not leave room for argument or discussion.

Fact: Only one third of male college students will graduate in four years.

Better: Lower graduation rates among males can be blamed on slackened attendance policies, maturational issues, and peer pressure on campus.

The first fact is compelling; however, it does not serve as a working thesis statement, because it does not express the stance or topics. The second sentence is an improved choice.

Good writing will always show, rather than tell, something. In your thesis statement, avoid the temptation to announce the topic.

Announcement: In this essay, I will write about how war, poverty, and unemployment cause thousands to immigrate to the United States.

Better: War, poverty, and unemployment cause thousands to immigrate to the United States.

In the first sentence, the writer specifically announces the topic, which is not necessary. The use of first-person point of view is not recommended in academic settings, and the paper’s topic can be revealed by stating it directly, as seen in the second example.

Critical-Thinking Applications

The thesis has application within and beyond the classroom. As the framework for your essay, its primary role is to provide readers with a blueprint of the paper’s development. With this statement as your anchor, your instructor and readers will know that the paper is organized. This kind of thinking and communication will carry over into your workplace and professional communications. For example, a busy supervisor would appreciate seeing the framework of your concern early in an email message. This respects his or her time and shows that your message has a clear focus and intent. Any presentation or meeting should have a clear agenda; your co-workers appreciate knowing the topics and what will be covered during meetings. Finally, the concepts you are learning here will help you move into more advanced and lengthier writing.

Chapter Review

Conclusion

In the same manner a travel guide aids travelers by listing major attractions and helpful tips, this chapter helps you by listing key points that must be included in your thesis and hints on how to create a well-written statement. Your thesis is not only one of the most important components of the paper, it is a capsule of the paper, so let these principles guide you in making it a success.

References

Morris, E., & Cohen, S., (1996). Adventure guide to Arizona. Edison, N.J.: Hunter.