How to Write a Thesis Statement? The Complete How-To Guide: Formula, Tips & Examples

Stuck with your home assignment? It’s natural for beginners to feel overwhelmed, especially if you are new to thesis statement writing. A thesis statement guides your essay structure and defines the content of paragraphs. So, without it, you may get lost and confused, wasting time on pointless work.

We’re here to help you out with thesis statement steps. This article shares tons of valuable information about how to write a good thesis statement hassle-free and presents tips for proper thesis statement format for all essay types. Read on to become a thesis statement guru with our expert advice and templates.

✨ What Is a Thesis Statement?

In a nutshell, a thesis statement is one sentence (rarely two) communicating the main idea of your essay. It serves as a roadmap for the reader regarding what they will learn from the paper. This element comes at the end of the introduction.

🎯 What Is the Purpose of a Thesis Statement?

The purpose of a thesis statement in essays is to express the main point or central message of the entire writing piece. A thesis differs from a topic sentence in the scope covered by its content. While it only renders the idea of one paragraph, a thesis statement should cover the entire paper.

❓️ How to Write a Thesis Statement: Step-by-Step Guide

The good news is that you can complete almost any assignment by following simple steps to writing a thesis statement. Below we cover these easy steps to help you master this skill. The method is universal, allowing quick completion of any assigned home task.

Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Easy Steps

Let’s cover five main steps to writing a good thesis statement. Don’t neglect any of them, as they form a solid framework for thesis statement writing, regardless of the topic or academic discipline.

✨ Make a Statement

As the name of this element suggests, you need to compose a statement. Doing this is simple if you take one step back from academics and consider how to explain your position to a friend. Figure out a short and straightforward phrase describing your point, using it as the kernel of your thesis statement. Here are several thesis statements examples to consider:

  • The Keto diet is a healthy alternative to vegetarianism.
  • Learning history can help predict the future.
  • Teaching children financial literacy can help them avoid debt in adult life.

✨ Mind Counterarguments

Once your preliminary thesis statement is ready, you must look at it interactively to strengthen the point. You might come across a skeptical reader who will discern your argument. So, to sound persuasive, you need to consider counterarguments before they surface. Here are some counterarguments you can potentially face when writing on the abovementioned topics.

  • The Keto diet isn’t universally suitable for all people.
  • Times change, and history lessons become irrelevant.
  • Dealing with money is not only about education; it’s also about the environment.

✨ Focus on One Strong Idea

You now have a position and a counterargument when looking at steps #1 and #2. Use that opposition to find strong support for your claim and solidify your thesis statement. Here’s how you can do it with our discussed topics:

  • The benefits of a keto diet are plentiful, from improved heart and brain function to weight loss.
  • Major historical trends are recursive and work universally.
  • Financial education gives people generic knowledge about the financial system.

✨ Find Supportive Evidence

Congratulations, now your argument has become more assertive. It looks convincing to the readers, who will likely agree with you. However, is it enough for an extensive essay? Can you win the point with only one argument? You need more facts and supporting evidence to increase your essay’s persuasive power and strengthen your claim. So, we recommend adding points to a single strong idea, leaving no room for readers’ doubts and hesitation. Here are the supporting facts for our examples:

  • Consumption of keto products reduces seizures and prevents many kinds of cancers.
  • Historical knowledge can help people master the rule of causation, predicting how specific trends will develop.
  • Financially literate children know more about financial risks and can avoid bankruptcy easier.

✨ Pick a Winning Formula

So, you have a complex of arguments and counterarguments at your fingertips. Now it’s time to mold your strong thesis statement from that material. You can do it using one of the numerous thesis statement formulas we cover in the next section. We’ll illustrate how each applies to the examples we’ve just discussed.

Thesis Statement Formula

By choosing one of the thesis statement formulas presented below, you can construct an attention-grabbing, persuasive thesis statement without a problem. You can pick one of the four formula options. Variables included in the formula are:

A = main argument
B = additional argument
C = main conclusion
D = counterargument

Let’s see how it works using the examples from the previous section.

#Thesis Statement FormulaExamples
1Even though __D__, __C___ because __B/A___. • Even though the keto diet is not suitable for everyone, it is better than vegetarianism because of its numerous positive effects on brain and heart health.
• Even though times change, learning history can still open new avenues for predicting the future due to understanding causality and analyzing macro-trends.
• Even though financial education cannot protect children from all financial troubles, literacy in this domain can save them from bankruptcy because of a better understanding of financial risks.
2__C____ because ____A_____ and ______B____. • The Keto diet is better than vegetarianism because it positively affects brain and heart health and protects people from cancers and seizures.
• Learning history can help people predict the future because it is recursive and discusses macro-trends and causality.
•
Children’s financial education contributes to a better understanding of financial risks and prevents debt and bankruptcy in adult life.
3Whereas ___D____, ____C___ given that ____A_____. • Whereas the keto diet comes with specific risks and complications, it should still be preferred to vegetarianism because of its positive effects on brain and heart health.
• Whereas specific historical lessons can become irrelevant, learning history can still help predict the future because of better insight into events’ causality and macrotrends.
• Financial education cannot protect children from the disastrous impact of their environment, it still can save them from bankruptcy or debt, given that financially literate adults understand money risks better.
4Since ___A______ and _____B___, ____C____. • Since the keto diet positively affects health and brain health and prevents cancers and seizures, it should be chosen as a healthier alternative to vegetarianism.
• Since history can explain macro-trends and teach us about the principle of causality, knowing it can open paths to understanding the future.
• Since financial education in childhood explains the financial risks to children and teaches them better money management, it can be an effective tool for preventing debt and bankruptcy in adult life.

đź’ˇ Types of Thesis Statements

Thesis statements can take many forms, depending on your chosen formula and style. The most common of them are:

  • Argumentative
  • Explanatory
  • Analytical

Depending on your paper, you can create an informative or persuasive thesis. The difference is in the purpose of that statement – to inform the readers about the essay’s content or lay out your claim in which you will convince the readers.

An informative sample thesis statement looks as follows:

“Learning to ride a bicycle requires concentration, body balance, and some hours of practical training.”

A persuasive thesis statement is as follows:

“It is impossible to change one’s character at a mature age because all basic reasoning and judgment mechanisms are already fixed and stable.”

As you can see, the informative thesis statement doesn’t offer much room for debate; it only lays out the information that you will cover in further sections. So, it is suitable for expository essay writing. A persuasive thesis communicates a subjective opinion that can be accepted or refuted depending on the available evidence.

The type of thesis statement you ultimately choose depends on your chosen approach to the essay content. It is also determined by the essay type you need to write. For example, analytical or persuasive essays require persuasive thesis statements, while a narrative essay will need an informative thesis.

🕵️ Thesis Statement for an Analytical Essay

Analytical essays invite students to provide personal interpretations of a given source. The writer presents a claim or argument regarding the studied material and pays out the evidence that proves that point in the essay’s paragraphs.

When writing an analytical thesis statement, you need to consider:

✅the “what” part—your object of analysis and claim;
✅the “how” part —how your claim and object will be approached;
✅the “so what” part—the implications of your analysis.

Here are examples of how to write a thesis statement for an analysis essay:

  • In a sample “Economic Analysis of the US Current State,” the writer presented an informative thesis statement as follows:
    “The paper aims at giving information on the current state of the economy of the US.”
    It is general in style, focusing on one overarching point that ties all body paragraphs of the essay into a whole.
  • An essay “Etihad Airways’ Advanced Strategic Analysis” contains the following thesis statement:
    “This paper will carry out an advanced strategic management analysis of the company for three years from 2008 to 2010. The analysis will reflect the vision/mission, internal and external organization environment.”
    Here, you can see a detailed description of the paper’s components and aspects of analysis that the author promises to focus on, though with little insight into the research implications.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement: Good and Bad Examples

Now let’s cover a couple of analytical thesis statements that can do you a good and lousy favor in academic assignment quality. The good examples we propose are:

  1. Tax cuts are not always beneficial because they compromise education and healthcare funding.
  2. In “Catcher in the Rye,” symbolism relates to the protagonist’s depression and fear of uncertainty.
  3. The most pronounced trigger for World War I was the intensifying nationalism across Europe.
  4. Cyberbullying is rising because of the lack of online accountability measures and regulations.
  5. Social media only create a sense of community, while they only worsen people’s isolation in reality.

What to beware of when composing effective thesis statements? Here are a few things to avoid, along with bad thesis statement examples.

❌Sounding too descriptive (missing the “how” and “so what” parts)The topic of the essay is the importance of studying history.
❌Playing a double game (confusing arguments and counterarguments in one statement)The Keto diet is healthy though it has some risks and health consequences.
❌Voicing self-obvious factsAdopting a child comes with significant responsibility.
It is impossible to predict the future precisely.
❌Asking questions and giving no answersSo, what is the best way out of an ethical dilemma?
How can a person avoid stress?

⚖️ Thesis Statement for Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay is a piece of academic writing that focuses on the similarities and distinctions of two or more objects. You need to pick related but not identical concepts or items to review the characteristics they share and don’t have in common. You can make an essay more informative and content-rich by addressing typically confused similar objects.

How to write a thesis statement for a compare and contrast essay? Here are some major rules to follow:

âś…Layout the objects you plan to compare
âś…Indicate that you will compare them
âś…Mention the criteria for comparison

Now let’s look at a couple of examples of compare and contrast thesis statements—these two were taken from AssignZen:

  • In the paper “Plastic vs. Paper Bags Comparison,” the author structured the thesis statement as follows:
    “The paper at hand will provide a comparative analysis of plastic and paper bags to find out their advantages and disadvantages for the environment.”
    Thus, one can see that the objects of comparison and contrast here are plastic and paper bags. The author examines them in terms of eco-friendliness by reviewing the pros and cons of each.
  • A sample “Buddhism and Hinduism Comparison: Beliefs and Practices” features a simple, generic thesis statement:
    “The following discussion compares Buddhism and Hinduism to determine their differences and similarities.”
    It does not contain specific comparison criteria, though delineating the overall content and objects of comparison and contrast.

Some more examples can help you out as well:

  1. The financial basis of chronic debt settlement versus bankruptcy.
  2. Comparison of private versus public education in terms of career prospects.
  3. Educational outcomes of online versus offline students.
  4. Reading e-books and paper books: a comparison.
  5. Caring for the critically ill at home or a hospital: quality of life comparison.
  6. Vaccination and medication: comparison of health outcomes.
  7. Using Mac OS versus Windows: pros and cons.
  8. Online versus personal communication: comparison and contrast of job interviewing quality.
  9. Going to college or starting to work after school?
  10. Humanities versus STEM sciences: comparison of job prospects.

🧭 Thesis Statement for a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is assigned to students when they need to tell a story. Thus, it should have a structure typical for a literary essay, including a description of the setting, the tale’s central theme, mood, major characters, and the plot.

How to write a thesis statement for a narrative essay? Here are some rules to follow:

âś…The role of a thesis statement for a literary analysis is different from other essay types.
âś…A thesis typically introduces the action and unfolds the story.
✅A narrative thesis statement shouldn’t inform the readers about additional content or explain what will happen next. It only introduces the character, plot, or action, inviting the readers to explore the story further.

However, these rules are relevant to fictional narratives and should not limit your use of narrative pieces in academic essays. If you need to write a narrative essay on an academic subject, the use of thesis statements is likely to be the same as in other essay types. They will be more descriptive, delineating the content of your narration.

Let’s look at the example of a thesis statement for a narrative essay at AssignZen:

  • An example, “The Evolution of Clothes in China from the 19th Century to the Middle 20th Century”, follows the principles of narrative essay writing as it tells a story of clothing style evolution in a specific state within a particular time frame. This essay has the following thesis statement:
    “This paper will concentrate on the features of qualitative changes in Chinese clothing and their connection with Imperial, Socialist, and Republican eras.”
    Thus, it effectively overviews the following content, presenting the readers with the comparison aspects and objects of discussion.
  • The essay “The Hurricane Katrina History” is also a narrative essay. Its thesis statement presents the content focus:
    “The present paper provides a narrative description of some of the issues that transpired to qualify Hurricane Katrina into a man-made disaster.”
    Following this thesis statement, one can understand that the content will cover both the timeline of the disaster and poor response consequences in a narrative, non-analytical way.

You might be inspired by a couple more personal narrative thesis statement examples:

  1. Poverty is rife for millions of Africans. This is heartbreaking to see people barely meeting ends in the 21st century.
  2. Many years have passed, but I still remember the day when I learned the bitter lesson of human cowardness.
  3. I learned that following your friend’s advice is not always the right thing the night I got caught driving without a license.
  4. Diseases are dangerous, but in some cases, hospital problems like short staffing can also aggravate poor health outcomes.
  5. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that the flashing light waking me up was that of an ambulance.
  6. Faith makes us better people; here is the story of my journey to self-improvement.
  7. Janie always liked doing crazy things. But that evening showed her that she knew nothing about madness before.
  8. Japanese culture has been my lifelong passion. Here is a narrative about my first acquaintance with Japanese cuisine.
  9. Job interviews are intimidating, no matter your experience and skill. Here is a story of my life-changing interview that went wrong to open new doors in front of me.
  10. Poverty means different things for people in various parts of the world.

🤔 Thesis Statement for an Argumentative Essay

Argumentative writing requires a student to research a given topic, collect evidence about it, and form a position argued in the paper. After stating the opinion or standpoint in the introduction, the students need to prove it with logical, clear evidence in the body. The outcome of consistent evidential support should be a solid persuasive effect by the end.

How to write a good thesis statement for an argumentative essay?

✅Ask yourself a question and then answer it. Asking yourself some “whys” and answering the question with evidence and arguments gives you a workable thesis in the end.
âś…Try to refute your statement. Counterarguments will give ground for strengthening your claim with evidence.
âś…Make a simple statement and then give some main points to argue it. Combining them into a single claim will result in a solid thesis.

Let’s look at how authors at AssignZen approached thesis statements for an argumentative essay:

  • In the article “Customized Education Effect on Readmissions of Patients with Congestive Heart Failure,” the author presents their argumentative thesis statement as follows:
    The proposal asserts that customized education of patients with congestive heart failure enhances patients’ knowledge and skills, improves satisfaction with health care services, and reduces readmissions due to congestive heart failure.”
    The statement is presented in the introduction paragraph, in the end, following a detailed overview of statistics and research findings proving the efficiency of this approach for minimizing CHF-related readmission rates.
  • Another argumentative paper, “Poverty in Developing Countries,” formulates a thesis statement this way,
    “This paper shall argue that the problem of poverty in developing nations is a result of the exploitation by developed nations and badly channeled air efforts made by the world’s rich nations.”
    As you can see, the central claim is that developing countries are poor, and arguments for that problem include developed nations’ role and ineffective aid.

Here are some more argumentative thesis statement examples:

  1. School uniforms should be universally adopted in schools as they help eradicate the visual distinctions between low-income and high-income students, preventing bullying and social anxiety.
  2. Cyberbullying prospers because of a lack of criminal prosecution for online activities. More rigorous enforcement is needed to stop cyberbullying.
  3. Parents should strictly regulate children’s access to the Internet to avoid cyberbullying.
  4. Mentally ill individuals should receive broader access to medical marijuana to avoid more dangerous pharmacological treatments.
  5. A six-hour working day is a solution to the poor work-life balance of modern employees and should be introduced across all industries.
  6. Diversity should be more heavily promoted on social media to boost people’s tolerance toward differences.
  7. On social media and commercial channels, female body image should undergo fundamental changes to promote female mental health, self-acceptance, and self-esteem.
  8. Though a healthy food tradition, veganism should be banned in child diets, giving children the right to choose their nutritional habits later.
  9. Assisted suicide should be legalized worldwide to alleviate the suffering of terminally ill people in chronic pain.
  10. As automation and robotization take more manual jobs, blue-collar workers should receive free retraining for a frictionless career change.

đź“° Thesis Statement for an Informative Essay

An informative essay is an academic text informing the readers about something. Its subject can be an event, a person, a phenomenon, or a relationship between variables. Anything can be the basis for informative writing, and this type of composition usually doesn’t include argumentative logic.

How to write a thesis statement for an informative essay? Here are some tips:

✅Since you don’t need to argue a point, your thesis statement should simply report the topic and subject.
âś…You can use the thesis to summarize the content and give the reader a snapshot of ideas and facts.
âś…It may also set the stage for further writing by introducing the subject.

Let’s look at how the authors of AssignZen approached thesis statements for an informative essay:

  • The essay “Globalization and Economic Growth” is informative. Its thesis statement overviews the content that will follow in the body:
    “This paper endeavors to discuss globalization in light of its foundation, key drivers, and positive and negative impact on world economies.”
    Thus, the reader can see what will be included in further essay sections.
  • Another example is the essay “Cloud Computing in the Healthcare Industry,” which aims to “analyze and describe the opportunities and challenges of cloud computing in the healthcare industry.” The thesis statement only gives an overview of the content presented in the paper, without argumentation of claims or focus on a specific standpoint. So, it can also be regarded as an informative writing piece.

Those unsure about how these tips apply to speeches can enjoy a list of informative speech thesis statement examples:

  1. Here I examine a set of causes of PTSD.
  2. This speech aims to lay out the reasons for massive immigration to the USA.
  3. This speech clarifies the structural contributors to high teenage pregnancy rates.
  4. In this persuasive speech, I examine the ills of homelessness and policies in the USA targeting the homeless.
  5. This speech presents an overview of discrimination against girls in Canada.
  6. Here I focus on the subjectivity of dreams’ interpretation and various psychological approaches.
  7. In this speech, I want to demonstrate the challenges of getting a mortgage in the 2020s.
  8. This speech is dedicated to animal rights advancements in the USA over the past decade.
  9. This speech focuses on the Facebook use trends from 2010-to 2020.
  10. The subject of this speech is the evolution of college tuition costs since 2000.

🔎 Thesis Statement for Research Paper

Research paper writing is a bit different from regular essays. This academic assignment is more extensive than an essay, so it is typically subdivided into several chapters to cover all points in detail. Research papers include more external sources and use more scholarly publications to argue the researcher’s central point.

How to write a thesis statement for a research paper?

âś…As a rule, the thesis statement in research writing does not differ from an essay.
✅Regardless of the research paper’s size, it should still cover the gist in 1-2 sentences.
âś…It provides only a general overview of arguments without going into detail.

Here are a couple of examples from AssignZen:

  • The research paper “Methodology and Ethics of Clinical Audit Data in Action Research Studies” includes many sections about a clinical audit, sources of documents and data, source data verification, etc. Still, its thesis statement overviews the paper’s content quite concisely:
    “The aim of this paper is to examine the moral, ethical, and methodological implication of the retrospective use of clinical audit data in clinical trials.”
  • Another research paper, “Research of Caroli Disease and Caroli Syndrome,” contains a detailed discussion of these medical conditions with numerous clinical studies support. However, the thesis statement of this assignment is one sentence long, indicating:
    “This paper discusses the origin, prevalence, clinical indications, prognosis, and treatment options of Caroli disease coupled with how the condition appears sonographically, and how sound waves will react with the type of tissue the pathology demonstrates.”

If you have doubts about how to write a thesis statement, here are examples of ideas for research papers:

  1. Plastic surgery should be more rigorously regulated.
  2. Approval of child labor in developing countries by outsourcing companies should be prosecuted.
  3. Every person should be motivated to pursue higher education to maximize their career prospects and become an intelligent person.
  4. Children’s Internet use should be carefully monitored to minimize their exposure to violence.
  5. Using financial remuneration for high grades is acceptable as a motivator for children.
  6. Homeschooling can be an effective alternative to traditional school education.
  7. The problem of reverse discrimination is on the rise across the USA.
  8. Testing drugs on animals is a necessary evil to ensure the progression of medicine and save people’s lives.
  9. Commercials promoting fast-food products should be banned on TV and social media.
  10. Beauty contests should be abandoned because they instill wrong beauty values and harm women’s self-esteem.

🔥 Persuasive Thesis Statement

This writing also presents a particular opinion or claim like an argumentative essay. However, it uses emotional appeal as the primary persuasion tool. The authors strive to achieve an emotional response from the readers, making them adopt the major claim and agree with its correctness.

How to write a thesis statement for a persuasive essay?

âś…Make sure it includes the central claim of your paper
âś…The claim should be debatable, meaning that readers may agree or disagree with it
âś…Make a claim in the form of a statement, avoiding rhetorical questions
âś…Write a claim in your own words without citing opinions from external sources

Here is how AssignZen contributors frame persuasive thesis statements:

  • The author of the essay “Why Should We Limit the Amount of Homework? Persuasive Essay” makes their point straight, starting with its title.
    The essay clarifies the author’s position, “when asking students about the worst thing they find in their studies; they are likely to mention homework.” At the end of the introduction, the thesis statement reinforces that opening, “this paper dwells upon pitfalls of homework.”
    Though sounding emotionally loaded and subjective, this thesis statement communicates the author’s opinion and makes a persuasive claim.
  • Another illustrative example is the essay “Reducing Canada’s Trade Dependency on the US.” The researcher first provided statistical data on the increasing dependency of Canada on the USA in terms of trade, culminating that overview with a thesis statement:
    “The Canadian government should do more to reduce Canada’s trade dependency on the US and consequently increase its gains from globalization while reducing the risks attributed to dependency on a single trading partner.”
    The statement does not focus on the solutions nor delineates the harms of over-reliance on the US in trade partnerships. Yet, it communicates the writer’s position on the issue and possesses persuasive power.

You may also use some more examples of persuasive thesis statements from our pros:

  1. Сollege education is suitable for students as it gives better career prospects and a stronger academic foundation.
  2. A teen brain is different from an adult one in reasoning, so people cannot expect reasoned action and objective judgment from juveniles.
  3. It is imperative to ban carrying guns on school premises to avoid mass school shootings.
  4. Children’s use of social media should be limited to avoid social isolation and problems with socialization.
  5. The rapid development of technology has weakened people’s self-care skills and helplessness in routine activities.
  6. All young adults should complete parenting courses to better prepare for the parenting experience.
  7. The minimum wage should be regularly revisited to preserve its relevance to economic conditions.
  8. School classes should start later as many children are not concentrated in the early morning.
  9. The use of social media profiles by advertisers frequently undermines people’s privacy, so it should be strictly regulated.
  10. Public transportation often takes a large share of the low-income population’s salaries, so it should be free for residents.

🪞 Thesis Statement About Yourself

Talking about yourself is always harder than discussing another person, subject, or event. People need to get more introspective and reflective in self-inquiry while remaining academic and objective at the same time. So, when you compose an essay about yourself, the way you approach thesis statement writing depends on the type of work you’re writing.

âś…You should focus on the reflection outcomes and lessons learned if it’s a reflective piece.
✅If you’re composing a narrative piece, you can overview the content of your essay.
âś…Include the claim and supporting evidence in the thesis statement if you want to argue something.

Here are some ideas to use as inspiration for your thesis statements:

  1. In this essay, I examine the concept of stress concerning my stress management strategies and my recent stress experiences.
  2. The night I realized my friends had abandoned me, my vision of real friendship changed forever.
  3. Going to a distant country to study is a risky endeavor not everyone can handle. That’s why I agreed to go to China without hesitation.
  4. It was dark and cold, so I couldn’t imagine any reason to go outside. But the forest called me, and I put the jacket on, stepping onto the threshold of my house.
  5. Reading has always been my passion. But only one book has given me a life-changing experience so far; it was Elie Wiesel’s “Night.”
  6. Cat and dog lovers are constantly debating who is better. Let me challenge this opposition by telling a story of my cat’s and dog’s true friendship.
  7. None is without a family, and my family story is the one worth telling.
  8. As a daughter of a doctor and a factory worker, I had a hard time learning the value of non-manual labor. Here is my life story of getting a big data analytics degree.
  9. I used to think that I knew what passion and dedication were. And then, I came across the story of Nelson Mandela.
  10. What can be better than a fair reward for the effort? I used to think so until I lost the essay writing contest. But that was a huge life lesson that taught me much.

Here you go wih our step-by-step thesis statement writing guide. Hopefully, we’ve covered everything you need to know about this academic task. It’s all about knowing the technique; the rest will come quickly. So, whenever you need to write an essay of any type, consult this article to find workable tips for easy thesis formulation.
Still, even if you’re short of time or confused about the writing steps, it’s not a good reason to fall in despair. You can always turn to our experts for help, keeping the peace of mind and saving the essential time for rest and fun.

Get in touch with our managers to relieve your academic workload today. We will compose an attention-grabbing thesis statement on any topic for you. It will score a high grade and pave the way to a well-written essay.

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