6.1: Thesis Statements

Introduction: Persuasive Writing in College

Writing essays in college is often about persuasion. This means convincing your reader that your idea is interesting and makes sense. You use persuasion every day—you may convince a roommate to clean, a parent to let you borrow something, or a friend to support your opinion. In college essays, you try to convince the reader to agree with your point of view. This is called academic argument. You start with a short introduction, then write your main idea (called a thesis statement). The thesis is a summary of your argument for the whole essay.

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What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement:

• Tells the reader how you will explain the importance of the topic.

• Acts as a road map for your essay, showing what the reader should expect.

• Answers the main question from your assignment; it is your interpretation, not just the topic.

• Makes a claim that others could disagree with.

• Is usually one sentence in the first paragraph.

• The body of your essay gives evidence to prove your thesis to the reader.

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How Do I Write a Thesis Statement?

A thesis comes from thinking and planning. You don’t always write your thesis immediately. First, gather and organize facts, look for connections, and think about their meaning. Then, write a “working thesis”—an idea you can use but change later if needed. Writers use brainstorming, lists, and questions to help find their thesis statement.

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How Do I Know If My Thesis Is Strong?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I answer the essay question?

• Is my thesis a position others can disagree with?

• Is my thesis clear and specific, not vague or general?

• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? (Why does it matter?)

• Does my essay support my thesis without getting off topic?

• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? (Do I explain enough for readers to understand?)

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Examples

Weak thesis:
The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different.

This does not give a clear reason or explain the differences.

Better thesis:
While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons, and the South fought to protect its way of life.

Best thesis:
While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government.

Compare this strong thesis to the weak one. The strong thesis gives clear reasons and helps readers understand the argument.

Another example (Huckleberry Finn):

Weak thesis:
Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

This thesis is not specific—it only gives an opinion.

Better thesis:
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

Best thesis:
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

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Strong thesis statements give readers a clear idea of what the essay will argue and help guide your writing.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing the original version of this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

Anson, Chris M. and Robert A. Schwegler. The Longman Handbook for Writers. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2000.

Hairston, Maxine and John J. Ruszkiewicz. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.

Lunsford, Andrea and Robert Connors. The St. Martin’s Handbook. 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s, 1995.

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1997.