What is a thesis statement? - controlling/main idea of an essay
An assertion / opinion / point of view / interpretation of facts / claim about a specific topic
“The subject is what an essay is about; the thesis captures a writer’s unique understanding of that subject.” – The Compact Reader, p. 23
o Topic should be specific enough that it can be covered with reasonable completeness given the length of the paper.
o Claim should be arguable.
o Thesis should not be a question, statement of face, or announcement.
Thesis statement check questions
Does it limit itself to a single, focused topic?
Is the writer’s stance clearly defined? (not overly vague)
Is the writer’s stance arguable? (not stated as a fact, not stated as a question)
Is the thesis compelling? Is its importance or relevance clear? Does it seem worth arguing for?
Identify the error in each of the thesis statements below. Rewrite two of the sentences so that they meet the requirements of proper thesis statements.
There’s a lot of useful information on the Internet.
Thousands of American soldiers have died in the war in Iraq.
Why don’t more people recycle?
Crime is a real problem in American cities.
I will discuss the effects of increased gas prices on an average American family.
There are pros and cons to raising income taxes to fund education.
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