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The Thesis Statement: The Academic Excellence Center's - LAC Rm.222

The document discusses the components and structure of a thesis statement. A thesis statement has two parts: a topic part that states the main topic, and a comment part that makes a point about the topic. It provides examples of thesis statements for different types of writing such as narrative, compare/contrast, and cause and effect. It also discusses how to write a thesis statement when a subject is given versus developing your own subject. The key points are that a thesis statement should be a clear statement of opinion, occur in the first paragraph, and set the tone and structure for the rest of the paper.

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57 views2 pages

The Thesis Statement: The Academic Excellence Center's - LAC Rm.222

The document discusses the components and structure of a thesis statement. A thesis statement has two parts: a topic part that states the main topic, and a comment part that makes a point about the topic. It provides examples of thesis statements for different types of writing such as narrative, compare/contrast, and cause and effect. It also discusses how to write a thesis statement when a subject is given versus developing your own subject. The key points are that a thesis statement should be a clear statement of opinion, occur in the first paragraph, and set the tone and structure for the rest of the paper.

Uploaded by

rida fatima
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Academic Excellence Center’s Writing Center-LAC Rm.

222

The Thesis Statement

What is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is the main idea in a piece of writing. The thesis statement is typically
placed in the introduction and should be comprised of two parts: a topic part, which states
the topic, and a comment part, which makes an important point about the topic.

Example: Recent studies of second-hand smoke (topic part) have determined that it is
more damaging than originally thought (comment part).

Thesis statements may vary depending on the particular structure of a piece of writing.
Here are a few examples following the above structure.

• Narrative Thesis: The year I left for college on the east coast was the
scariest, yet most memorable experience I had ever encountered in my
young life.
• Compare/Contrast: Although both the MAC and PC perform their tasks
with efficiency, the MAC is superior to the PC when it comes to the special
needs of the graphic artist.
• Cause and Effect: Although rap music comments on the harsh reality of
life for many minorities, its message of violence often results in the
degradation of women, the promotion of drugs, and the severance of the
family structure.

How to Write a Thesis Statement when the Subject is Given:

If you are given a question, the simplest way to write your thesis is to rephrase the
question into a statement.

Example:
If you are given the question: “What are the greatest contributions to global
warming?” then your thesis could be stated as follows: The greatest contributions to
global warming are hairspray, car emissions and methane gas from cows. Here, “The
greatest contributors to global warming” is the topic section, and “hairspray, car
emissions and methane gas from cows” is the comment section.

1
How to Write a Thesis Statement when the Subject is not Given:

This is when developing the thesis statement becomes more difficult. If you are asked to
write on a topic of your choice, then how should you phrase your thesis statement? This
depends solely on the subject for which you are writing.

Let us pretend that you decide to write a paper on modern China. You do some research
and you discover that you are interested in economic, political, and social issues. After
continuing your research, you decide to write on the successes and failures of reforms
involving these issues. You find that the economic and political reforms have shown
amazing successes. However, you discover that many problems exist due to the limited
rights of China’s citizenry. How should your thesis be phrased?

Example: Though China’s economic and political reforms have shown much
success, the social problems inherent in modern China remain a constant reminder of its
past.

Not only does this thesis state your opinion on three potential areas of focus, but it also
gives a general outline for both you and the reader to follow as the paper progresses.
When writing your paper, you should begin with an introduction (including the thesis)
followed by a discussion of China’s political reforms, with China’s political problems
coming last. The body should then be followed by a brief conclusion. This order will,
because it coincides with the order of the thesis statement, help the reader to understand
your paper and not get lost within the body.

Points to Remember

• A thesis statement should be phrased as a statement. In other words, give an


opinion like, “Though China’s economic and political reforms have shown much
success, the social problems inherent in modern China remain a constant reminder
of its past.” Do not use a title such as “China’s economy, politics and social
problems.”
• A thesis statement should normally occur within the first paragraph of your paper.
• A thesis statement should set the tone for the rest of the paper.
• When appropriate, make your thesis thought provoking.

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