A well-crafted thesis statement is a great way to prepare your reader for the information they are about to receive. After all, that’s the point of any writing project -- to communicate something, in this case, in a written format. More than a topic sentence, a thesis statement provides a snapshot of what your essay or research paper will contain. It also serves as a valuable touchstone for you, as the writer, as a step in your final editing phase, to ensure you have accomplished the goals you set out when you began drafting.
So what exactly is a thesis statement? Put simply, it’s a one-sentence summary of your entire paper. The thesis statement is typically the last sentence in your introductory paragraph, which allows you to transition the reader to the information contained therein. The reader therefore knows what information will be presented in your paper and what to expect.
Thesis statements:
- Sum up your entire essay in one sentence.
- Include specific and detailed information from your paper.
- Place your thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph.
- Don’t use your thesis statement to inform your reader of your topic. Ideally, your reader will get this information from your introductory paragraph as a whole and/or your title or abstract.
Follow the tips above to produce a thesis statement that is concise, clear, and adds depth and direction to your next writing project.