Writing Analytical Essays

Thesis Statements
A thesis statement is your main argument that answers the question posed. If you are writing an essay, your
thesis statement should include the reasons that will make up the key arguments of each paragraph. Your reader
should be able to fully understand your argument without seeing the question.
Example
Question: Should voting remain a civic responsibility?
Needs Improvement: Yes, I think it should stay a civic responsibility.

In order to improve this answer, the author should:

♦ NEVER begin a thesis with yes or no
♦ Eliminate “I” statements (they inherently weaken your argument)
♦ Your subject “it” is unclear without the question. This should never be the case.
♦ Restate the question in your thesis statement for added clarity
♦ Explain why you believe voting should be a civic responsibility; this keeps your response narrow and
specific, rather than vague

Strong Thesis: Voting should remain a civic responsibility because America does not need uninformed or
disinterested voters.

Body Paragraphs
Your body paragraphs will provide your evidence and reasoning for the argument in your thesis statement. Each
body paragraph should include at least three pieces of specific evidence and explain why each piece of evidence
supports your argument.

Your body paragraph should have the following format:

I. Introductory sentence (restates the main point of the paragraph)
A. Evidence 1
1. Explanation of evidence 1
B. Evidence 2
1. Explanation of evidence 2
C. Evidence 3
1. Explanation of evidence 3

Evidence Sentence Starters Explanation Sentence Starters

● Document ___ states that, “blah blah blah”
● According to document ___, “blah blah blah”
● Document ____ demonstrates that (summarize
key points of document)
● Evidence of ________ includes…
**You should always directly cite where you found
your evidence**
● Therefore, one can conclude that…
● These findings are important because…
● This supports the idea that ____________
because…
● ________________ is significant because…
● __________________ implies that…
● ___________________ is evidence of ______________
because…
● ____________________demonstrates that...

Conclusion
Your conclusion should restate your main arguments and remind the reader of your strongest argument.
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer below using full sentences. You may use the sentence starters and tips provided on the previous
page.

Thesis Statement: Does banning burning the American flag violate the First Amendment?

Evidence Evidence Evidence

Explanation Explanation Explanation

Conclusion