2. The thesis statement declares the main
point or controlling idea of your entire
essay.
A thesis statement usually answers these
questions:
— “What is the subject of this essay?”
— “What is the writer’s opinion on this
subject?”
— “What is the writer’s purpose in this
essay?”
3. A Well-Developed Thesis
• Is a single sentence that asserts one controlling idea
• Signals the dominant purpose of your essay
• Clearly shows your opinion on a subject if purpose is
persuasive/argumentative
• Says something definite and substantial about your topic
• Is limited enough for an essay of the assigned length
• …might announce main supporting points
4. Example:
• Inadequate: We should not invest in a
“star wars” missile defense system.
• Better: Given the decreased Soviet
military threat and the high cost of
high-tech weaponry, we should
suspend development of a “star wars”
missile defense system
5. Common Mistakes
Mistake 1
• Thesis as an announcement of essay
subject matter
o The subject of this essay is my experience with a pet boa
constrictor.
o I’m going to discuss boa constrictors as pets.
• Possible solutions:
o Boa constrictors do not make healthy indoor pets.
o My pet boa constrictor, Sir Pent, was a much better
bodyguard than my dog, Fang.
6. Common Mistakes
Mistake 2
• Cluttering your thesis with such expressions
as “in my opinion,” “I believe,” and “in this
essay I’ll argue that...”
o My opinion is that the federal government should devote more
money to solar energy research.
o My thesis states that the federal government should devote more
money to solar energy research.
• Possible solution:
o The federal government should devote more money to solar
energy research.
7. Common Mistakes
Mistake 3
• Making irrational or oversimplified
claims and insulting possible
audiences.
o Radical religious fanatics across the nation are trying to
impose their right-wing views by censoring high school
library books.
• Possible solution
o Only local school board members—not religious leaders or
parents— should decide which books high school libraries
should order.
8. Common Mistakes
Mistake 4
• Merely stating a fact or selecting an
idea that is self-evident or dead-
ended.
o Child abuse is a terrible problem.
• Possible solution
o Child-abuse laws in this state are too lenient for repeat
offenders.
9. Common Mistakes
Mistake 5
• Expressing a thesis in a form of a
question when the answer is not
obvious to the audience
o Why should every college student be required to take two
years of foreign language?
• Possible solution
o Chemistry majors should be exempt from the foreign-
language requirement.
10. Tips for Subject & Thesis
• Narrow your subject to a manageable size
• In papers that support an opinion, devise a sharp
and clear argumentative thesis
• Ask yourself, is my thesis too factual? Too
emotional? Grandiose? Trite?
• Have you made your thesis interesting by answering
how? Or why? Or under what circumstances?
• Are the terms of your thesis clear?
• Avoid phrases such as I think or I feel
• For reports or summaries, be sure to have a good
organizational thesis.
