4.3: Thesis & Topic Sentences

This chapter brought to you by Sybil Priebe and edited pieces of this Wikibook⁵⁶.

A thesis statement is a statement that expresses the main idea of your paper. It is usually one sentence, but it can be longer if necessary. Think of a thesis statement as a topic sentence for your entire paper.

General v. Specific Thesis Statements

Naturally, you want your thesis to be very specific in the sense that it exactly states your main idea. However, how specific or general you make that idea can be very important to the outcome of the paper. A thesis that is too broad will not provide enough direction, and a thesis that is to narrow may keep you from discussing some key issues related to the topic.

• Example A: Television has had a negative impact on American society.
• Example B: Violent television has caused some teenagers to change the way they perceive violence in real life.
• Example C: South Park has influenced some teenagers to commit violent acts.

Unless you are planning on writing a book, Example A simply covers too much territory. Example B is probably ideal for a longer research paper. Example C, on the other hand, might be too restrictive if you were aiming to write a longer paper because it only allows you to discuss one negative effect of one specific television program, but just right for a short essay. Essentially, there is no such thing as “too general” or “too specific.” It is simply a matter of matching the thesis to the ideal length.

If the scope changes or your focus shifts (or even if you change your mind completely) while you are researching or writing, it is fine to change your thesis statement so it better reflects what you want to say about the topic, but you must be sure that all the information in the final draft supports the new thesis.

Example Thesis Statements from Various Disciplines

It is probably worth noting that the above examples are probably a bit too simple to be representative of actual thesis statements, but the following are examples of reasonable thesis statements one might use to address a wide variety of topics and for a variety of purposes:

• Math/Natural Science (to explain): Although Fibonacci sequences are most often applied to mathematical contexts, the sequences play an interesting role in nature as well.
• Art (to explain): Pablo Picasso’s innovative approach to art led to a new movement, not only in art, but in music and literature as well.
• Psychology/Criminal Justice (to persuade): It is unethical to sentence serial killers to the death penalty because they are essentially mentally ill.
• Literature (to analyze): A different aspect of the American dream motivates each of the main characters in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
• Agriculture (to persuade): The USDA’s current procedure for detecting mad cow disease in cattle earmarked for human consumption is grossly inadequate.
• Astronomy (to analyze): There are valid arguments on both sides of the controversy regarding the recent reclassification of Pluto.
• Business (to explain): The quantity theory of money emphasizes the positive relationship of overall prices with the quantity of money.

Topic Sentences

So, thesis statements tell us the goal of the entire writing assignment, and topic sentences tell us the goal of a particular paragraph. Essentially, the CEO is the thesis statement, and the topic sentences are the managers. If you were to return to the Prewriting method of Outlining in the previous chapter, you’d easily see how topic sentences are created.

TIPS⁵⁷

• Often, writing an introductory paragraph is the most difficult part of writing an essay. So, don’t start there if you don’t want to. Go back to your brainstorming and find a different starting point.
• When writing an essay for a class assignment, make sure to follow your teacher or professor’s suggestions. Most teachers will reward creativity and thoughtful organization over dogmatic adherence to a prescribed structure. If you are not sure how your teacher will respond to a specific structure, ask.
• Transitions connect the paragraphs together by using key words to draw the reader from one paragraph (idea) to the next.
• Each body paragraph is something like a miniature essay in that they each need an introductory sentence that sounds important and interesting, and that they each need a good closing sentence in order to produce a smooth transition between one point and the next. Body paragraphs can be long or short. It depends on the idea you want to develop in your paragraph. Depending on the specific style of the essay, you may be able use very short paragraphs to signal a change of subject or to explain how the rest of the essay is organized.
• As with all writing, it is important to know your audience. Place yourself in your teacher’s position and try to imagine reading one formulaic essay after another. If you want yours to stand out, capture your teacher’s attention and make your essay interesting, funny, or compelling.

Assignments or Questions to Consider

(Insert ideas from students or teacher here.)

56 “Basic Writing/Print version.” Wikibooks, The Free Textbook Project. 9 Sep 2008, 16:02 UTC. 11 May 2016, 18:08 . Licensed CC-BY-SA.

57 “How to Write an Essay/Parts.” Wikibooks, The Free Textbook Project. 22 Apr 2016, 07:12 UTC. 16 May 2016, 14:59 . Licensed CC-BY-SA.