A thesis statement is arguably the most important piece of an essay. It sets the stage the essay by declaring the intention of the paper. Thesis statements vary in size and structure depending on the essay, but they all have the same key components- the topic of the essay, the main points, the counter argument (if applicable), and some reasoning. The statement should always be included in the introduction of the paper, and should be restated in the conclusion.
In a research paper, a thesis statement can be hard to construct. In a scientific research paper, the thesis statement can be as simple as declaring the hypothesis. A hypothesis should start by stating the question, followed by the prediction, and then closed with the reasoning behind the prediction. For example, "In this experiment, seagulls flying over a fast food restaurant were observed, and it was assumed that they would land in the parking lot because the smell of food should attract them there." If the hypothesis was incorrect, this should be shown in your thesis statement with an explanation: "In this experiment, seagulls flying over a fast food restaurant were observed, and it was assumed that they would land in the parking lot because the smell of food should attract them there; however, they did not land in the parking lot because they were focused on reaching their destination. In another form of a research paper, the thesis statement should state the topic of the paper followed by the main discoveries/points.
For an argumentative essay, there is a standard format for a thesis statement. It should include the opinion of the paper, the main reasons/points behind the argument, then a potential counter argument. An example of an argumentative thesis statement is "Although some argue Sprite is the best type of pop, Pepsi is the best because it is more flavorful, and the the bottle itself has a very creative design." Another way to phrase the statement might be: "Pepsi is the best type of pop because it is the most flavorful, and the bottle has a creative design; however, some argue that Sprite is the best."
Here are more great resources for creating a strong thesis statement:
Comments