Writing Center: Thesis Statements

Your thesis is the point of your paper—the point you are demonstrating or proving. It can be stated in a sentence, the thesis sentence, that sums up the purpose of your essay. Nearly all college writing sets out to persuade the reader of an idea: that idea is the thesis you are presenting… What do you need to explain to make your point understandable? What arguments might be used against your point?

(Information adapted from Rules of Thumb: A Guide for Writers p. 69)

After selecting a topic for your paper there are 3 steps a writer can follow to create a thesis statement:

Step 1: Create a question about your topic

Step 2: Give 3 answer to support your question

Step 3: Combine steps 1 & 2