Thesis

I.

A thesis is a broad claim about what the correct interpretation of something is and what the reader should think about the topic.

A thesis does not state an already obvious fact. Rather, it takes an assertive position on something that could be argued in a different direction by offering a compelling interpretation of how the topic should be interpreted.

A good thesis is:
– a clearly stated assertion, narrow and specific in focus, expresses one main claim–usually about a cause-effect relationship
– arguable–someone could disagree with it and use evidence to try to falsify it (prove it wrong)
– requires evidence and research (to prove it right)
– is about something important

II.

If you are having trouble figuring out your thesis statement, use the following prompts to help you get started. Answer them on a separate sheet of paper, and then reformulate your answers in the form of a thesis statement.

Helping prompts:
– Hey reader, I want to convince you that… (most essential point about your topic)
– The main reasons you should be persuaded are… (main claims of project)
– You should care about this topic because… (why it is relevant, important, significant)

III.

Your thesis is a core argument that, done correctly, generates your entire project. It is like the roof under which the rest of your project lives, or the guiding star that directs your research.

Your thesis is a working piece of writing, meaning that you will continue to modify it as you hammer out your project. It’s like a clay sculpture–it’s not done until it looks just like you want it to; you’ll keep touching it up until it’s perfect.

You’ll know you’re getting close when your thesis connects all the threads of your research project. In the picture below of the Dog Whisperer walking dogs, the thesis is the Dog Whisperer and the dogs are the projects main topics–they are all following him. When your thesis is properly fitted to your project, it will tie together all of your topics.

IV.

Here are some sample thesis statements for your perusal:

Thesis Examples