Research Essay: Thesis Statements

Some defining features of a thesis:

For most student work, it’s a

one- or two- sentence statement that explicitly outlines the purpose or point of your paper. A thesis statement is to a paper what a topic sentence is to a paragraph.

It should point toward the

development or course of argument the reader can expect your argument to take.

Because the rest of the paper will support or back up your thesis, a thesis is normally placed at or near the

end of the introductory paragraph.

It is an

assertion that a reasonable person could disagree with if you only gave a thesis and no other evidence. It is not a fact or casual observation; it must beg to be proved. And someone should be able to theoretically argue against it (how successfully will depend, of course, on how persuasive you are.)

It

takes a side on a topic rather than simply announcing that the paper is about a topic (the title should have already told your reader your topic.)

Don’t tell your reader

about something; tell them what about something. Answer the question “how?” or “why?”

It is sufficiently

narrow and specific.

It argues

one main point and doesn’t squeeze three different theses for three different papers into one sentence.

Most importantly,

it passes the “So What? Test” – What does it matter? Why should I read your paper?

Your turn: Choose the best working thesis for the proposed research papers

. Research Paper 1: Thesis A: Business practices in former Soviet Union countries. Thesis B: Business practices in the countries of the former Soviet Union have changed drastically since the break-up. Thesis C: Since the break-up of the former Soviet Union, business practices in those countries have changed most in the fields of marketing and customer service, reflecting the changes in government and political philosophy. Research Paper 2: Thesis A: Shakespeare intended the audience to question the existence of Hamlet’s father’s ghost. Thesis B: The appearance of Hamlet’s father’s ghost raises an important psychological as well as dramatic dilemma in the play. Thesis C: Critics through the ages have debated the significance of Hamlet’s father’s ghost.