8 Steps On How To Write A Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is like an expert tour guide that can help you enjoy exploring new perspectives. It provides a brief snippet of your central idea and offers directions to ease reader navigation.

Composing an impactful thesis sentence takes proper practice and guidance. In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll explore how to write a thesis statement that is impactful. Additionally, we offer examples and discuss common mistakes to avoid while writing a thesis.

How to Write a Thesis Statement: A Tutorial

Below are the steps to compose a strong thesis statement for your next academic assignment.

Step 1: Understanding Prompt

The first step of how to write a thesis statement is analyzing your assignment instructions. Pay close attention to given keywords and guidelines. Take mental or actual notes of;

• What’s expected of you
• Identify the primary purpose of the paper that’s asked of you.
• Note if you’re provided with a specific topic or stance.

As you take this customary step, here are some things you should avoid.

1. Don’t just skim through your prompt. Chew on it.
2. Being too afraid to ask for any clarifications in case of confusion.

Step 2: Conducting Background Research on the Topic

After identifying your topic, conduct extensive background research on it. Explore existing knowledge and research to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Gather relevant sources and reputable references to support your argument. Look out for these popular slips ups.

1. Having limited research
2. Failing to consult credible sources

Step 3: Determining the Question

The most crucial step of how to write a thesis statement is to determine your main question. Your thesis needs to satisfy a query. The rest of your paper just explains the answer you offered. 

In most cases, this question is evidently provided within the assignment prompt. However, if that’s not your case, you need to determine what you want to say about your topic. Which perspective would you like to discuss? 

For Example:

Let’s say you are writing an essay about the impact of social media on society. The assignment prompt does not explicitly provide a question, so you need to determine your main question. Here are two possible perspectives you could discuss:

1. How has social media influenced interpersonal relationships?
2. What are the implications of social media on mental health?

Step 4: Tentative Answering

Once you have determined your main question, the next step is to answer it tentatively. This answer is an initial draft of a thesis sentence based on your research and interest. Your answer may be partially formed at this stage but is a starting point for further refinement throughout the writing process. To showcase, check out this illustration.

Main Question: How has social media influenced interpersonal relationships?

Tentative Answer: Social media has had a negative impact on interpersonal relationships. It reduces face-to-face interaction, causing misunderstandings, and promoting superficial connections.

The two mistakes students should avoid while solving this step are:

1. Jumping to conclusions without thoroughly researching the topic
2. Being too rigid and unwilling to modify their stance based on new information.

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Step 5: Formulating an Influential Thesis Statement

Now that you have your tentative answer, it’s time you start formulating your thesis. To do this rightly, consider these few things. 

• You might need more research to enhance your tentative answer.
• Reflect on “why” you have this specific stance on this topic.
• Is your argument easily acceptable or common among people? If not, how can you persuade people to accept your claim?

Depending on these reflections, you might require further research. However, more research sometimes leads students to commit silly mistakes. When formulating your thesis statement, consider the following points.

1. Clearly state your position: Make sure your thesis statement expresses your stance on the main question.
2. Provide key arguments: Outline the main arguments you will present in your essay to support your position. These arguments should be persuasive and directly relate to the main question.

Let’s observe the previous instance.

Main Question: How has social media influenced interpersonal relationships?

Tentative Answer: Social media has had a negative impact on interpersonal relationships by reducing face-to-face interaction, causing misunderstandings, and promoting superficial connections.

Thesis Statement: The prevalent use of social media has led to a decline in genuine interpersonal relationships. It diminishes face-to-face interaction, fosters miscommunication, and encourages surface-level connections. 

Step 6: Adding Quality Characteristics Within Thesis Statement

There are specific characteristics or things a thesis statement should have. These features amplify your thesis snippet and make it more convincing for the reader. Some of them are listed below. 

• Clarity. A thesis premise should be straightforward enough for a reader to grasp what you’re trying to say. 
• Precision. Your central argument must stay straight to the point. Vagueness weakens your overall message. 
• Originality. Try to address perspectives that are rare among people. 

To showcase:

Main Question: Should college tuition fees be free in the United States?

Tentative Answer: Offering free college tuition fees will make higher education more accessible and affordable to students from low-income families, thus improving social mobility prospects.

Thesis Statement: Providing free college tuition fees to eligible low-income families will create more opportunities for social mobility and reduce intergenerational poverty.

Here are some “Don’ts” of how to write a thesis statement.

1. Avoid the use of complex or technical jargon when composing your premise.
2. Avoid repeating what others have said without adding anything new to the existing knowledge.

Step 7: Supportable with Evidence

An underrated step of how to write a thesis statement is making sure it is supportable. As you need to compose an entire essay or paper on this principle, ensure credible courses and back it.

To make this writing process easier, you can take notes while conducting your research. You can identify specific pieces of evidence to support your claim. This can include data, historical events, statistics, or expert opinions.

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Suppose you’re writing a thesis statement on “climate change” This is what it would look like:

“The Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report confirms that the Earth’s climate is rapidly warming, and this is primarily due to human activity.”

But watch out for these spills that students usually fall victim to.

1. Don’t use “evidence” that is common knowledge.
2. Don’t use biased or unreliable sources. Ensure the use of reliable sources.
3. Misusing or manipulating sources can negatively affect credibility and weaken the entire thesis.

Step 8: Reviewing For Errors

The final step on how to write a thesis statement guide is “reviewing”. You must comb out all the entanglements and tidy up the loose ends. When reviewing your essay, consider the following:

• Check for grammar and punctuation mistakes
• Make sure your thesis makes complete sense on its own.

Conclusion

Wrapping this guide on how to write a thesis statement, we’ll suggest you practice these steps as much as you can. Mastering the art of writing a thesis statement will greatly enhance your academic writing skills. However, if you need expert help, find a student-friendly and cheap assignment service platform.