The Thesis Statement The heart of an essay resides in its thesis.

The thesis is the claim, or argument, around which the whole essay hangs. It shouldnt be confused with the topic, which is simply the essays general subject. The thesis is much more specic than the topic, and also contains the writers position on the subject. A good thesis statement has a few major characteristics. We will look at each in detail later. 1. A good thesis is specic. 2. A good thesis is debatable. 3. A good thesis has attitude. Sometimes, when trying to dene a thesis, it is also helpful to think of what a thesis does not do. 1. A thesis is not a question. 2. A thesis is not a title. 3. A thesis is not a statement of fact. 4. A thesis is not neutral. 5. A thesis is not merely an opinion; it is a position that will be supported with evidence. A good thesis is specic. Beginning writers struggling to dene their topic often use very general, vague thesis statements. For a working thesis statement, this might be okay. As the writer drafts the essay, he or she may come up with ways to clarify and narrow the thesis statement. The thesis statement in its nal form, however, needs to be specic and focused. Too general: In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain criticizes mid-nineteenth century American society. What aspect of mid-nineteenth century society? How does Twain critique it? Better: Because Huckleberry Finn is a nave narrator, his comments on conventional religion function ironically at every turn, allowing Twain to poke fun at empty piety. Although it still needs tweaking, this thesis is much improved. We know that Twain is critiquing conventional religion, and does so through his use of a nave narrator. (Hacker)

A good thesis is debatable.

Sometimes, beginning writers worry about being wrong, and the result is a wishywashy thesis statement. A good thesis statement puts forth an argument. There may be counterarguments, but the condent writer makes his claim and then backs it up with evidence. Wishy-washy: Pollution is bad for the environment. Theres nothing to debate here. This is something everyone can agree on. Debatable: Americas anti-pollution efforts should focus on privately owned cars. There is a lot of disagreement about the best focus for environmental laws, so this is a debatable thesis. The writer is stating a debatable position. (OWL)

A good thesis has attitude. A strong thesis clearly expresses the writers position, and it does so with condence. Weakening phrases like I think, and In my opinion should be avoided as these only undermine the writers attitude. Further a good thesis addresses the question of So what? Why should the reader care about the writers position? A thesis with attitude is original and fresh.

For further information, try these resources: A list of common pitfalls in thesis statements. Tips on developing a thesis statement. Online exercises for writing thesis statements.

This information is adapted from Diana Hacker, Writing About LiteratureA Supplement to Accompany A Writers Reference. Boston: Bedford, 2003 and the OWL-Purdue Writing Center (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/).

Source: The Writing Insight Blog