How to Write a Thesis Statement

The word thesis is not one that is commonly used in everyday speech; in fact, you probably do not hear the term outside of school. However, if you look closely, you will find that nearly every written and visual communication contains a thesis—a claim or assertion through which the author or visual media creator attempts to influence the audience to understand, believe, or act in a certain way.

As a student researcher and writer, your job is to present a persuasive argument about your topic that convinces your audience to “listen” to you and believe what you say. To do so, you must state an arguable claim—the thesis—and support it with sufficient evidence and well-developed interpretations of that evidence.

In addition to making a claim, your thesis organizes your essay. The number of points supported by evidence that you include in the thesis depends on your instructor’s requirements. A thesis statement is usually located in the introduction of the essay, often at the end of the paragraph. Always check with your instructor regarding specific placement guidelines.

Below you will find an explanation of the components of a thesis statement, guidelines for constructing an effective thesis, and criteria for evaluating whether your thesis is clear and effective.

Anatomy of a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement has three key parts:

Topic
Claim
Evidence

The way a thesis statement is constructed will vary depending on the type of argument essay your instructor assigns. (See the Writing Center handout “Thesis Statement Types & Models.”)

Topic

The topic is the subject about which you are writing. Topics may be an issue, problem, situation, or the title of a written or visual work.

Examples:

Climate change
Rise in autism rates
“Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Main causes of the Civil War
Hamlet
Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”

Claim

The claim is a debatable assertion. A strong claim may do one or more of the following:

Explore an issue
Propose a solution
Take a position
Examine cause and effect
Present pros and cons
Evaluate the effectiveness of an argument
Define or categorize something
Interpret a literary work

Evidence

Evidence supports the claim and must be credible and verifiable.

Examples of evidence include:

Statistics
Scholarly books and journal articles
Government or university reports and studies
Expert opinions
Documented field research
Personal experience
Reliable testimony
Graphs, charts, and maps

Constructing an Effective Thesis Statement

There are several steps involved in writing a strong and viable thesis statement. Use the checklist below as you work through the process. (See A Writer’s Reference, pp. 86–89, for additional guidance.)

Determine your research question. What do you want to learn more about? What intrigues you about the topic? What should your audience understand?
Make sure your thesis answers a question, explores an issue, resolves a problem, or takes a position in a debate.

Example research question:

What are the effects of the administration’s strict immigration policies on U.S.-citizen children whose parents face deportation?

Example thesis statement:

Children whose undocumented immigrant parents face deportation experience increased depression and other mental health disorders, disrupted education, financial stress, and communication difficulties.

Become familiar with your topic through reading and research.
Ensure there is enough credible information available to support your argument.
Use reliable sources. Librarians, instructors, and Writing Center tutors can help evaluate source credibility.
Begin with a basic or working thesis and revise it as your paper develops. Do not worry about perfect wording at the beginning.

Evaluating Your Thesis Statement

Use the following criteria to determine whether your thesis statement is clear, focused, and effective:

Is your topic too narrow or too broad? A topic should focus on one central idea without being vague or overly limited.
Does your thesis make a clear, debatable claim rather than stating a fact?
Does your thesis pass the “so what?” test? Does it matter to the reader?
Is the wording specific and precise rather than general or unclear?
Does the thesis need revision as your research and argument evolve?