How to Create the Perfect Thesis Statement with Examples
Thesis statements are some of the mandatory aspects of academic writing that you`ll be required to master in college. However, most students find it challenging as they have no idea of how to go about these pieces. Here is how you can get better.
You hear the phrase “thesis statement” a lot in any academic setting, be it school or college. Any student is expected to know how to create it and what it is. But not every student does. And that’s alright because here, we are going to explain it and help you understand in simple terms how to go about writing it.
Thesis statement is basically the essence of your paper, the main idea composed in a single sentence. No matter the assignment kind, it should be present in your piece and be excellent at that. It sets the tone and it informs the reader of the main idea of your paper. Usually, it’s placed in the first paragraph of your introduction and it may be repeated in the conclusion. In any case, crafting it is important so strap in and go for a ride on which you will learn the essentials of writing a good statement.
Theory Statement: The Good and The Bad
If you are aiming at making an incredible theory statement, then the words like “good” are vague for they show your readers that you have not researched well. An example here can be, “Alaska is a good place to spend your summer holidays.” This statement is not specific, and if you want to make it better, you’ve got to focus on the main point at hand. An example of this is by saying, ‘Alaska is a beautiful place to spend your summer holidays because not only can you enjoy, but also learn more from mother nature.” In this example, you have given a clear and brief explanation of the specific topic which is why Alaska is an excellent place to visit over the summer. There are other six theory statements that might be of some help to you:- Wrong: Everybody should visit doctor every year.
- Correct: Everyone should do yearly health checkups because it could help prevent serious disease or catch it in the early stage and treat it effectively.
- Wrong: If you eat junk food, you’ll get sick and fat.
- Correct: Eating junk food in huge quantities is bad for you because eventually it can cause vessel, heart and digestion problems. In this example, we elaborated further, but you must always be cautious not to develop too much information fixate your points on the main subject concisely and transparently.
- Wrong. Studying can improve the reasoning capacity of a child. If you are to write an entire paragraph you must learn to back up every point written and, in this example, the part of “How?” has been left out.
- Correct: Studying improves the child’s reasoning skill because they are enabled to increase their vocabularies, understanding skills thus giving them an edge of being reasonable when handling academic tasks. In these examples, we have clarified how studying can be of benefit to a child.
- Wrong: Georgia state in America is a place where all who have retired should shift too. This statement is so general that you might be flagged off of having a parenthesis.
- Correct: Retirees are encouraged to choose Georgia because according to statistics, 75% of Americans can easily afford the accommodations in the state and the communities are very friendly. In this statement, you have given a clear view of why Georgia is the right place for retirees to settle.
- Wrong: Our lives are improved by the internet. This statement may be true, but the catch here is to show your readers as to how it has improved.
- Correct: The internet has changed the lives of many because it erased the borders. You can literally meet any person in the world and share a friendship or develop a business together. Here, the main subject is how the internet has improved the lives of many, and it has been explained, therefore if you define the main topic more the better the work you will produce.
- Wrong: We should pay organ donors. The part that this statement has left out is why they should be compensated.
- Correct. Donating organs should be encouraged by paying the donors for the reason of it being hard on their health and not easy to recover from.
Having a Point of View
If you don’t define your opinion in your statement, it’s not a good statement. But it’s also crucial to understand the target audience and address your opinion is such a way so that you can make it appealing to them. The goal is to make your reader curious. So choice of words is important here. Think about it, does your topic allow to use a flashy word? Maybe even some slang? Do not overdo it with the joke, it still has to be serious, but don’t limit yourself to dry official language either. Be lively and state your point of view very clearly.Being Concise
Being concise means that you need to get straight to the point from the start. No general phrases. No boring cliches. Jump into it and grab your reader’s attention. Being brief also means being interesting – give whoever reads your statement a general direction that your further paper will have. This accomplishes the goal of attracting their attention and being laconic at the same time. A good talent to have but also, an entirely easy skill to develop with practice.How to Have a Strong Theory
The theory comes from a long process of thoughts, therefore, coming up with a theory statement is not the first thing to be done after reading the topic required to write. The research, even if it’s minimal, is needed before you jump to formulating your statement. Before you bring out your ideas on a specific issue, make sure that the evidence needed is well formulated with hard facts and statistics so that your reader can have the impression that you are serious with what you are doing. This is especially true for those students who are required to write an assignment for a subject that’s not their major. Don’t assume you’re an expert, be humble and realistic about your knowledge. It will really help you nail that paper and impress your peers and teachers.How to Judge the Strength of Your Theory
You probably won’t be able to correctly assess your statement on your own. Help is desired in this case, be it your friend who’s familiar with the rules of paper writing or your teacher. Teachers often offer office hours when they give out advice to students like you and you shouldn’t be ashamed to use this extra hand. But if you’re writing it in the last minute or just don’t have that much time for revising, you can use simple methods to do the judgment on your own. Keep in mind these points:- Am I answering the question? By revising the problem after coming up with a thesis, can aid you in the fixing of the points that have veered off the subject of the problem.
- Have I chosen a side of the subject that might be seen badly by others? Adjust your perspective and check your intentions so it doesn’t look weird and out of place.
The Conclusion
- Is the statement supported by strong theory? Theory statements should not be vague because that will make your arguments shallow. Be precise and be truthful.
- Is the statement able to evoke the right thought and emotion? As a writer, you need to be aware of whether your reader’s first impression is good or bad and for it to be good, you must come up with a connection that can lead to a bigger issue.
- Is the theory connected to the subject at all? Don’t make a mistake of using the wrong references and focusing on the wrong points of your topic. It’s easily avoided if you’re attentive and read your assignment well. Any confusion can be alleviated by asking your professor the right questions immediately instead of trying to understand the confusing stuff yourself.
- It explains why the paper is important and the topic needs addressing.
- It allows to see the direction of your paper at the start.
- It answers the question and sets the goal.
- It’s the backbone of your paper that you will use to build your argument around.