Of myriad types and dwelling into different kinds of topics, essays task writers to present their perspectives, ideas, opinions, and arguments cohesively, articulately, and convincingly. An essay is the sum of many parts, each crucial in impressing and convincing the audience. And, one of the most crucial aspects of any essay is the thesis statement.
A strong and convincing thesis statement is critical to the success of an essay. The thesis statement is the opening & primary argument, the concise answer to the essay question/problem, the component that sets the tone & atmosphere of the entire essay, and presents your particular stance on the subject of discussion.
Here, in this article, we dwell deep into the reasons for developing a powerful thesis statement and the steps for creating one.
Let’s dive in.
The Need For A Superb Thesis Statement
If you consider your essays instruments for making a case for yourself (that is, for your ideas & analyses) and the audience as jury members, then the thesis statement is the opening argument.
The introduction and thesis statement has the crucial task of convincing an audience to read further. 90% of your prospective audience will dwell further into the write-up if and only if the intro & thesis statement hook & inform them in the right way. The thesis statement, especially, informs readers how the writer presents a case/argument/idea/opinion and can either intrigue or put off a reader.
Nearly every kind of essay requires writers to craft thesis-driven arguments. For that, they need to be strong and well-articulated, boosted by moving & irrefutable arguments, and convince and inform the audience with elan. But that’s not all!
- A good thesis statement is an anchor, the pole star for an essay writer. It helps writers stay focused on the topic and their approach, preventing them from swaying too far away.
This is because the perfect thesis statement is a concise, absolute, and direct answer to the essay question.
- Thesis statements are the starting point of an essay-writing roadmap, not just for the writer but also for the reader. It gives a reader an inkling of what to expect and the writer’s way of thinking.
A well-written one engages them immediately and makes them think about the topic.
- When it comes to persuading readers & steering their views, a potent thesis statement guides the development of additional arguments and supporting evidence. It aids writers in maintaining focus and the development of minute nuances of an essay’s arguments and/or the statements made later on.
To be able to do all of the above and more, a thesis statement must possess certain features & characteristics. These features make it stand out from the rest of the essay and influence any who reads it.
The Features of a Strong Thesis Statement & How They Strengthen An Essay
To develop a sharp & cogent thesis statement, you must imbue it with certain features.
- Takes a Stand
It needs to showcase your view and opinion on a topic or subject with conviction. The statement must be able to confidently present an argument, be clear & specific, and take a firm stand on a subject. Whether you are arguing in support of digital tools such as an online Chicago reference generator or against the use of AI in education, take a firm stand.
Strong argumentative theses à
- Makes a particular claim & aims to justify it;
- Sets the course for & exerts control over the arguments;
- Provides the basis of all other views;
Promotes & Justifies Discussion
You should be able to defend your thesis statement with irrefutable logic and evidence.
Thesis statements must not be mere observations but critically analysed and defendable conclusions. When readers with different or opposing perspectives contest the viewpoint presented, the writer should not only be able to answer all ‘SO WHAT’, ‘HOW’ & ’WHY’ queries but present a firm & justifiable stance. They should be able to address any challenges to their thesis statement and indulge in discussions confidently.
The need for a strong thesis statement becomes all the more important when you challenge a widely-accepted norm or view or deal with a controversial topic. Successful persuasions are quite tough in such cases. Presenting irrefutable logic & taking a firm stand becomes crucial.
Here are two examples:
This is a extremely weak statement.à “Religion has both good & bad effects on society.”
This statement takes a stand and provides grounds for further discussion à Religion is a means for understanding the unknown and a medium of hope for some, but has become a tool of manipulation for others.”
Confident, Specific & Nuanced
You will never be able to convince anyone with vague and weak arguments & lack of confidence in your writing. Analyse your ideas, viewpoints, and opinions deeply. Are they logical, unbiased, and focused? Have you considered all other possible perspectives?
Too broad or too narrow thesis statements cannot be defended properly. General thesis statements are way too vague to be able to convince any reader, while there’s usually not enough scope in an essay to argue for overtly narrow thesis statements.
The key is to develop a nuanced thesis statement that delivers a primary argument and touches upon the main supporting ideas & logic.
The best practice is to develop a working thesis¸ and polish it as you craft your essay. As you frame your arguments & create them, substitute generic terms, vague ideas, and general language in the statement with more specific terms. However, do not narrow it down too much or dumb it down with a weak, vague justification.
The Right Language
Avoid broad terms, weak verbs, vague ideas & unconvincing arguments. To move the audience, you must specify the subject of contention or discussion, use action verbs, and assertive predicates that lay down your primary perspective & argument with absolute conviction.
Remember, it is all about taking a firm stand on a subject and persuading people about its correctness & indisputability in a given context. Use words that make it easy to influence the audience.
Objective or Subjective
Per the assignment, you can take a subjective or objective stand while developing your essay. Naturally, the nature of the thesis statements will be different in each case.
An objective approach requires a critical, unbiased, and near-comprehensive review, while subjective approaches work best with claims & assertions on a topic. In both cases, statements must be supported by logic-based analyses & arguments, examples, and evidence.
Here’s an objective thesis statement of a literary analysis essay (an objective write-up)à
“Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American ideals, one must leave ‘civilised’ society and go back to
nature.”
And here’s one from an argumentative essay on a controversial topic (a subjective write-up) à
“Freud’s theory of the unconscious is inadequate in accounting for mental illness because it fails to account for conditions of a strictly biological origin.”
It isn’t easy to draft a thesis statement that ticks all of the above features in one go. The following tips can aid you big time o deliver a strong & compelling thesis statement.
Tips To Develop An Excellent Thesis Statement
Choose Between Thesis-First & Thesis-Last
You can choose to write the thesis statement right at the beginning or at the very end. If you are writing it before developing your essay, make sure it’s replete with all the features of a compelling & convincing thesis statement. As always, a specific and firm thesis statement is the need of the hour. However, even if you write it at the beginning, revise it after finishing the essay.
Many choose to write the thesis statement after completing the entire essay. With the primary & secondary arguments & all supporting ideas, logic, & evidence at hand, it becomes easier to develop a strong thesis statement.
Analyse Primary Sources Exhaustively
Crafting a convincing argument is impossible without clear ideas and a well-defined stance. At the same time, crafting strong arguments becomes easier when you can identify something that helps frame it.
Go through your sources and look into them well. Look for ambiguity, contradictions, conflicts of interest, gaps & inconsistencies, and deeper implications — anything that helps you formulate potent arguments & a good working thesis statement.
Once you have a string of ideas for a good argument that aligns with your stance, shape it into a thesis statement. Remember to write it down.
Be aware of all possible counterarguments.
A thesis statement is only as strong as the strongest counterargument it refutes. Consider opposing views and arguments your statement may face & craft it accordingly. Also, remember that every argument has a counterargument; if it doesn’t, it may very well be a fact or opinion but not an argument.
Test Your Thesis
- Does your essay support your thesis statement throughout without wandering
- Will readers want to read further after going through the thesis statement?
- Does it answer the ‘HOWs, ‘WHY & “SO WHAT”s?
- Is it specific enough? Is it way too specific?
- Have you taken a stance that’s opposable but defendable?
- Is the essay question answered?
- Does your thesis need an entire essay worth of development? Do you have enough points to support it and devise an essay based on them?
- Does it display depth of thinking and critical analysis, or is it simply descriptive? Is it assertive enough or quite vague?
Well, that about wraps up this write-up.
Hope this was an engaging and enlightening read for one & all, & able to highlight the cruciality of a strong thesis statement in an essay. Write more & often to write better essays & thesis statements, & if you need assistance, look for reputed global academic service providers that offer my assignment help everywhere.
All the best!
Author-Bio: Pamela Worthington is a language and linguistics professor from a world-renowned university in New South Wales, Australia. She has been teaching for over a decade and is a part-time subject matter expert at MyAssignmenthelp.com, a leading global academic service provider.
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