how to write a perfect thesis statement
“Solo European travel requires independence which, in the end, bolsters personal confidence.” This is much more specific and targeted. Now, you can hone in your research on solo travel through Europe, the need for independence, and its positive effect on personal confidence.
Bad: All retirees should relocate to Florida.
– Your research paper or essay will need to delve into numerous supporting claims. This broad thesis statement runs the risk of allowing you to go off on several tangents.
Good: Retirees should relocate to Florida, where 75% of Americans choose to settle, because you will afford yourself the opportunity to develop a wide array of friendships.
– From here, you can introduce a paragraph on the importance of friendship and then cite studies or testimonials describing how people can discover these important new relationships.
Compare the following:
Tip: The point you make in the paper should matter:
Good vs. evil is the main theme of Lewis’s Narnia series, as is made clear through the struggles the main characters face in each book.
Students usually end up using different terminology than simply “because,” but having a template is always helpful to get the creative juices flowing.
The best thesis statements are concise, contentious and coherent.
The Brexit referendum result was driven by working-class frustration with the political elite, caused by austerity policies that have eroded public services and fragmented communities; the referendum offered an alternative to the status quo.
Some Caveats and Some Examples
A thesis is never a list. “For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe” does a good job of “telegraphing” the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn’t advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.
References:
http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis/
http://www.easybib.com/guides/how-to-write-a-strong-thesis-statement/
http://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/
http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis
http://www.easybib.com/guides/how-to-write-a-strong-thesis-statement/