How to Write a Thesis Thesis 1

Pick a topic of your choice if it is not designated by your instructor. Narrow your focus if possible .
Define your paper's purpose – whether to inform or persuade (Fastweb, 2009)

Search various references on your subject that include books, journals, encyclopedias, newspapers and
websites. Keep detailed notes. Underline, mark or highlight the most significant information that
supports your argument. Research is the foundation for a well-defined and explicit thesis statement.

Find a copy of the most current edition of the APA Publication Manual, and read the applicable parts to
familiarize yourself with writing style guidelines (Fastweb, 2009). Read and review your resources so
you can compose a reference citation list according to the APA guidelines. List among your notes your
research journals, books, and web sites according to most recent edition of the APA Publication
Manual.

What Are the Two Parts of an Effective Thesis?

A thesis statement informs the reader the point of your composition. An effective thesis contains two
parts – your argument proposal and support for your claim. The first part declares your argument, and
the second part states the point of the paper (Writing Center, 1999), Your thesis argument statement lets
the reader know that you are trying to persuade him to your point of view. The reader is not convinced
yet but interested to understand how he might be persuaded (Writing Center). Writing down your solid
thesis statement idea will force you to think of the thesis in more logical, succinct and clear terms. The
final draft form of this thesis statement will take shape as your paper evolves.

Place the most significant concept of your expository writing, the thesis statement, at the end of the
introductory paragraph to focus your paper ideas (Writing Center, 1999). An effective two-part thesis
argument statement offers the reader your viewpoint or insight in a mere sentence or two that reflects
your main idea (Empire State, 1996). Not only does the thesis allow the reader a good grasp of the
paper's intent, but it helps the writer fully comprehend the thesis concept to demonstrate the logical
structure and order for support that follows (Empire State).

Identify the two basics of an effective thesis: what the composition's ideas concern – indicating the type
of required support – and what the composition's ideas are, which include the order of that support with
problems explained. The thesis proposal informs the reader what you are arguing about, and the thesis
angle ascertains what your ideas are about this proposal (Empire State, 1996).

Assure that the thesis expresses the main idea of your paper and answers all questions posed by your
essay. A thesis is not a fact, opinion or topic that can be answered with simply yes or no (Writing
Center, 1999). An effective thesis has an arguable, well-thought-out and definable claim that refrains
from overused general terms and abstractions.

Revise the adjustable working thesis as you write the composition while maintaining the thesis'
significant characteristics (Empire State, 1996.) If you come up with a fundamental, essential or
organizing question about your composition, an effective two-part thesis must answer that question.
The two parts of an effective thesis provide a definable and arguable claim that simply incorporate
discussion relevant to your paper supported with specific evidence.

Thesis 2
How to Evaluate Thesis Statements

During the process of research for your composition, you may change and revise your thesis statement
as long as it reflects your paper's discussion. Your thesis statement is comprised of your side of the
argument and its analysis, including your assertion or claim with supportive evidence. It allows the
reader to know the point of your argument or insight in one or two sentences – like a road map for the
reader and yourself. When evaluating your thesis statement make sure it is practical and original. The
thesis statement's potential as a search tool also reigns paramount in your evaluation. Discover in your
evaluation if a variety of books or journals cover your thesis statement adequately to reveal stimulating
and novel insights (Gale Cengage, 2011).

Research appropriate sources to determine if your thesis statement clarifies your position and finds a
direction for your paper (Gale Cengage, 2011).

Revise your thesis statement so it is not too broad for focused research – but broad enough to promote
various resources. Make sure it is narrow enough for in-depth research. Ascertain that your thesis
statement is original enough to keep you and your reader interested. Make sure it offers insights and
information substantive enough to be worthy (Gale Cengage, 2011).

Evaluate to determine if your thesis statement acts as a working hypothesis: an idea statement or
approach in regards to its ability as a source to form the foundation of your thesis (Gale Cengage,
2011).

Put your thesis statement on paper to help you see your proposal in clearer and more logical terms.
Others must be able to disagree with your assertion or claim statement.

Focus on a thesis statement consisting of two parts: the analysis and explanation of your proposed
insight or argument – and your assertion supported by evidence. Evaluate your thesis statement to make
sure it is well defined and relates only to your essay's discussion that remains supported by precise
evidence. It must prepare the reader for your paper's body and hint at its conclusion (Gale Cengage,
2011).

Evaluate your ability to convince the reader that your claim is valid by giving reasons and evidence.
Determine the order you offer evidence and the reasons behind your thesis statement. For example,
exterminators should not get rid of bats at City Hall because bats aid in the elimination of mosquitoes
and rats in the city. The reader of this thesis statement expects your argument and evidence why
exterminators should not get rid of bats at City Hall (Metropolitan State, 2011).

Describe in your thesis statement what your ideas are about, and what your ideas are (your angle).
Assure your thesis statement concentrates on these two basic elements. For example, in the
aforementioned thesis statement your ideas are about the extermination of bats at City Hall, and your
angle is that bats help eliminate city pests like mosquitoes and rats (Metropolitan State, 2011).

Pinpoint individual insight about your thesis statement with your angle – which reflects your own
ideas, argument, analysis and interpretation of the topic.

Thesis 3
How to Create a Thesis Objective

After the introduction to a thesis – or the main point you are trying to make with support – create the
thesis objective, also called purpose or hypothesis, by trying to produce the optimal argument for the
thesis statement. To create a thesis objective make a case so you can persuade any logical reader the
reasonableness of your thesis (Writing Center, 1998). Begin with a deductive argument structure that
offers a supported assertion to create a strong thesis objective, or provide reviewed inductive supportive
facts or observations to follow with a conclusion (Writing Center).

Focus on the question of why you offer or suggest the thesis argument, or the result that you want to
attain in the investigation to create a thesis objective (Thesisworks, 2011). When creating a thesis
objective realize there are two types of objectives in your examination – a general study objective that
reflects your thesis or proposal purpose, and specifics dealing with smaller investigation objectives
(Thesisworks). A thesis objective states the paper's direction with unbiased information offering a
critical review of analysis – including examples and evidence presenting a balanced and concise
viewpoint summarizing thesis research.

Compose each body paragraph with the same basic structure by writing one of your main ideas as the
paragraph's first sentence. Write all the substantial supporting ideas in sentence format, omitting a few
lines in between each main point. Return and fill in these omissions with relative support to associate
smaller though (Fastweb, 2009). Assure that every individual paragraph makes sense if it stands alone,
but ties in with each combined relative thesis paragraph (Fastweb). Inspect paragraph order to make
sure the strongest points are in the first and last paragraphs, with all other supporting paragraphs in the
body's middle section (Fastweb).

Add phrases within paragraphs to link thoughts, ideas and emphasize sentence flow. Order of difficulty,
order of significance and time order are logical and basic ways to shape thoughts that help follow the
the flow of ideas (Empire State, 1996). Thesis objective creation shows the points to be examined in
the composition, assuring all divisions written in sequence coordinate and parallel each another. The
key topic sentence of each division provides support for every paragraph, and represents a separate
section within the composition (Empire State). Try to formulate reasonable counter-arguments to refute
in the thesis before composing the introduction (Writing Center, 1996).

How to Construct Subproblems and Objectives in a Thesis

The clear structure of a thesis –an argument proposal supported by a claim – plays a paramount role to
set the stage for persuasion, context and the revelation of evidence with proper constructive objectives
and subproblems (Writing Center, 1998). Split a thesis problem into one or more sequences of smaller
problems to help determine the decomposition of thesis objectives crucial to the paper's structural
process. The thesis statement requires gathering primary resources to support solving subproblems to
determine interpretation and processing information. All subproblems directly establish the thesis'
validity (Writing Center).

Concentrate on why you suggest the thesis statement argument, or the consequence that you want to
achieve in the examination to construct a thesis objective (Thesisworks, 2011). There are two kinds of
objectives in your investigation – a general study objective that demonstrates your proposal's
expectation, and characteristics associated with smaller research objectives (Thesisworks). A thesis
objective offers the paper's direction with unbiased data presenting a critical evaluation review. This
Thesis 4
objective encompasses examples and evidence furnishing a brief and balanced point of view
summarizing thesis exploration.

Diagram on paper ideas to explore the composition's shape of ideas, organize thoughts and
subproblems representing the thesis' basis. Write your thesis statement in the middle of a piece of paper
to construct a diagram, and draw three to five lines branching off the thesis statement. At the end of
those lines write down your objectives or main ideas, and draw more lines off the main ones to
establish related subproblems (Fastweb, 2009). Each objective drawn on the diagram represents a
separate section within your paper's body with an adjacent subproblem. Note overall the dependency of
subproblems and the order in which the subproblems are solved (Fastweb).

Construct all body paragraphs with a consistent fundamental structure by writing the first sentence of
the paragraph with one of your main objectives. Fabricate all the significant supporting objectives in
sentence format, leaving out a a few lines in between each main objective. Go back and fill in support
for associated smaller subproblems. The sequence of accumulation of solutions to contingent
subproblems leads to the resolution of the thesis' main objectives. (Fastweb, 2009). Be certain that
each separate paragraph makes sense if it stands by itself, but connects with all united thesis-related
paragraph (Fastweb).

How to Make the Body of a Thesis

The task to make the body of a thesis – your argument proposal and support for your claims – often
proves to be an overwhelming undertaking if not broken down into more manageable steps. Outline
clear research questions and objectives that precisely define proposed research-planned outcomes.
Research for the body of your thesis stays contingent on a well-thought-out, unambiguous,
straightforward and arguable thesis statement supported by the composition's body (Essay Town, 2011).
In your thesis body's evaluation address how your plain, restrictive and explicit thesis statement
substantiates the interpretations and observations of the argument presented (Essay Town).

Outline or diagram on paper ideas to show the essay's shape of ideas and organize thoughts that clearly
represent the body of the paper's foundation. To construct a diagram write your thesis statement in the
middle of a piece of paper and draw three to five lines branching off the thesis statement. At the end of
those lines write down your main ideas, and draw more lines off the main ones to reflect other thoughts
and see how bits of information relate to one another (Fastweb, 2009). Each main idea drawn on the
diagram represents a separate section within your paper's body (Fastweb).

Compose each body paragraph with the same basic structure by writing one of your main ideas as the
paragraph's first sentence. Then compose all the substantial supporting ideas in sentence format,
omitting a few lines in between each main point – to return and fill in with relative support to associate
smaller thoughts together (Fastweb, 2009). Make sure that each individual body paragraph makes
sense if it stands alone, but ties together with each combined paragraph relating to the thesis.
(Fastweb). Try to formulate reasonable counter-arguments to prove false in the body's composition
before composing the introduction (Writing Center, 1999).

Check paragraph order in the paper's body to assure the strongest points lie in the first and last
paragraphs, with all other supporting paragraphs in the body's middle section (Fastweb, 2009). Add
phrases within those paragraphs to link thoughts and ideas and accentuate sentence flow. Order of
difficulty, order of significance and time order are fundamental and logical ways to form thoughts that
Thesis 5
help the reader follow the body's flow of ideas (Empire State, 1996).

How to Sum Up Your Thesis

A thesis statement – a summation of your entire paper's argument or analysis in one or two sentences –
consists of two parts: your argument proposal and substantiated evidence for your claim (Writing
Center, 1999). After a thesis statement narrows the subject to a single, central focus and supports your
specific argument with evidence throughout the paper, you must sum up your findings. Your conclusion
must relate and answer to your thesis statement.

Each diagram idea represents a main point to help summarize your paper. Associate each combined
paragraph in the summary to relate to the thesis. Be careful not to simply repeat the introduction but
sum up the thesis with different words in a restated manner that clarifies the subject and ties up any
loose ends.

Avoid introducing new points and keep the summary short and simple with a reasonable ending that
reflects advantageously on your argument and claim's backup evidence. Offer another example of your
argument's main idea that makes a favorable impact on the reader. Conclude the thesis illustrating your
capability to proficiently plan, evaluate, validate and present the decisions of original research for an
important research paper (Fastweb, 2009). Be aware of the last impression you want the reader to have
and any assumptions or consequences of your paper's final perspective.

Retweak, rewrite and rethink thoroughly the explicit intention of the thesis when editing your
summary's final draft. Compose a retrospective ending that offers the reader a thesis statement that
reaches beyond information offered, and refrains from using overused general terms and abstractions.

Thesis 6
 References

Essay Town Academic Writing Blog; Art Thesis; 2011

http://www.essaytown.com/writing/art-thesis

Empire State College; Shaping Information; Cathy Copley, et al.; 1996

http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/a7d296c64bdf1c6f852569c3006b4fbf?
OpenDocument

Fastweb; Essay Tips: 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay; 2009

http://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/158-essay-tips-7-tips-on-writing-an-effective-essay

Gale Cengage Learning; How to Write a Term Paper; 2011

http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/term_paper/index.htm

Metropolitan State College of Denver; Writing Resources; 2011

http://www.mscd.edu/~women/resources/writing/thesis.shtml

SAIC Graduate Thesis Abstracts; Master of Arts in Arts Administration; 2004

http://www.saic.edu/webspaces/gradthesis/maaa_intro.html

Thesisworks; How to Write Chapter 1 of a Thesis: Basic Guide, 2011

http://thesisworks.com/2011/case-study/2011/thesis/write-chapter-1-thesis-basic-guide/

Writing Center at Harvard University; Developing a Thesis; Maxine Rodburg, et al.; 1999
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/Thesis.html

Writing Center at Harvard University; Overview of an Academic Essay; Kathy Duffin; 1998
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/Overvu.html