Writing a thesis statement can seem like an impossible task, especially for those of us who dread essay writing.
Why does writing a thesis statement seem so elusive? A thesis statement is the central point or purpose of an entire essay, which can be hard to envision when you don’t have anything written out.
And yet, many teachers and professors will ask that you write out your thesis statement in a proposal or abstract. Essentially, they want to see that you have a plan for writing so you can feel capable of writing the bigger assignment.
So what do experienced essay writers do to craft the perfect thesis statement? If this is a question that you have been pondering, then you are reading the right article.
This article will explore, step-by-step, how to write a thesis statement. Keep in mind that these steps are just a suggestion - depending on what your experience in writing is, you may skip some steps or approach the task differently.
Are you faced with the task of writing an essay? Find out what a thesis is and why it matters to your assignment.
Step 1: Research Your Topic
When you are starting to write a thesis or essay, it is important to do all the background reading you can. This will enable you to see what others are writing about the topic, and some different perspectives you can take.
Finding information about your topic is easy thanks to the internet. Depending on your topic, you should be able to find a good range of resources.
If you are writing for a topic and you are in university or college, you may find that many relevant articles are gated in databases. Your institution may offer you access to academic databases, which will save you the trouble of paying for a subscription.
Many school boards also offer database access for those students who are in secondary school.
Of course, your school or community library is a reliable resource for books on the topic. Remember that you don’t have to read the full book - just skim and scan texts to see if they have the kind of information you are after.
Be sure to take notes and bookmark anything you find useful or interesting. It will make it much easier to return to when you are in the throes of essay writing.
The more you feel knowledgeable about a topic, the more easy it will be for you to form an opinion or point about it. When you do not feel knowledgeable or informed about a topic, you may struggle to get ideas into words.
Stuck on getting your thesis written so you can finish your long essay assignment? Find examples of a thesis so you can see if you are headed in the right direction.
Step 2: Take Time to Think and Process your Research
Thinking may seem obvious, but it can be a game changer to take time after reading to process and think through information after you have done your research.
Try taking a walk or working out after reading through information. Focus on identifying the big ideas you discovered. Write all of your ideas down in a notebook, putting everything in your own words as much as possible.
Talk about what you have been reading with a classmate, friend, or family member. You will be surprised to hear yourself articulate your thinking, and it may make the writing process more fluid!
Finally, few things work better for thinking things through than taking a day off of research or a good night’s rest. This is why it is important to start the writing process as quickly as possible!
Step 3: Brainstorm
Now it’s time to start putting all the thoughts and perspectives into phrases and words. We aren’t writing paragraphs yet - but if you find yourself delving right in, just got with the flow!
The brainstorming phase of thesis writing is all about getting ideas, even if they aren’t fully formed, onto paper or a digital document. You might start with writing words out, then experiment with phrases and short sentences.
You might find it helpful to write out questions as well.
How you brainstorm depends on what works best for your thinking. You might try:
- Mind maps
- Lists
- Free writing
- Sketching
After you take some time to brainstorm, step away from your work and come back, highlighting or circling your best ideas.
Thesis writing is a task that few students look forward to. It can involve painstaking research, days poring over a single sentence. Get some tips to write your thesis quickly!
Step 4: Experiment With Different Sentences
Next, experiment with different thesis statements. One way to do this is to start with different sentences stems, such as:
- It is clear that….
- I think that…
- Studies show that…
You might prompt your thinking by writing out questions to answer, or looking back at questions you have already written. Remember that anything goes at this stage in your writing, and whatever thesis or possible theses you come up with are strictly provisional.
It is near impossible to do so without the investing significant time in prewriting and planning. Find out how to write a winning thesis statement.
Step 5: Write out a Plan for your Essay
Choose one possible thesis statement you have written, and start outlining the details you will use to support your point.
Most essay assignments will request that you have at least 3 supporting arguments to prove your thesis. Use point form or jot notes to write out your supporting details.
Again, do not worry about spelling, punctuation, syntax, or anything related to the technical side of writing. You are still I your creative process.
Step 6: Return to Your Thesis Statement
Once you have had a chance to sketch out a rough framework for your essay as a whole, return to your provisional thesis. What do you notice? What will you change.
While not impossible, it is highly unlikely that you will get your thesis perfect the first time. You may even make more changes as you fully write out your essay.
If you are finding that your thesis does not align with your supporting details, keep working and changing what you need. Writing is hard work, and you may even discover that you are not ready to write out an essay outline.
Do not hesitate to go back to brainstorming or even researching if you need to. This is all part of the thesis and essay writing process.
Step 7: Seek Feedback
Once you feel confident with your thesis and essay outline, seek feedback from others. You might ask a classmate, teacher, or tutor you are working with. They will be able to tell you if it makes sense, and is clear to them.
Some questions to get feedback are:
- Is my thesis clear?
- Does my thesis align with my supporting details?
- What is unclear in my thesis?
- What would I need to prove to make my thesis true?
Feedback is extremely valuable, so always be willing to share your own feedback with others who are completing the same assignment.
Step 8: Revise as Needed
Writing is a constant process of revision, so go back to your thesis once you have some feedback and make changes as needed. Ideally, you will have created a thesis that can cover the scope of your supporting details, and has a clear point of view.
With a sound thesis, you can start developing your supporting details in full, or start writing an introductory paragraph around your thesis.
How do you write a thesis statement? Learn all the steps to generate a strong thesis for your essay.
Where Can I Get Thesis and Essay Writing Help?
You may find that writing a thesis and essay is too big of a task to tackle on your own. For this reason, hiring a tutor can be key.
Find the help you need to write your thesis or essay by visiting Superprof Canada. Superprof is a one-stop shop for all of your tutoring needs, whether it is writing a university paper or attempting your first paper.
The site contains listings for hundreds of local tutors near you, or from afar if you are willing to work with a tutor virtually. To find a tutor, type in “thesis writing” and your city or community in the search tool. You will see tutor listings that include a brief bio about the tutor, their photo, and areas of expertise.
Contact only those tutors you are interested in working with to see if they will be a good fit for you.
Get thesis writing help on Superprof today!
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