Download - What is a Thesis Statement
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ToddAtkins2008LibertyUniversityOnlineWritingCenterEmail:[email protected]
WHATIS ATHESISSTATEMENT?
Inyouracademicwriting,youare often expectedtoprovideathesisstatementinthepaper,presentation,onlinepostorothercompositionassignment.Inmanywritingcontexts,especiallyinstructive,academic,andprofessionalcontexts,a thesisorthesisstatementisveryimportantandhelpfultoguidethewrittenmessage.Thusagoodquality thesisstatementiscrucialforgoodquality writingbecauseintentionalcompositionshouldequal clearandfocusedcommunication.1
Your wisethesisstatementisadirectionalsignpost.Itprovidesclarity,focus,anddirection tothewritingfor thereader.Themoreclear,focused,andpointedthewritingis,thebetterthereaderwillunderstandexactlywhatyoudesiretosay.2 Athesisstatementisnotrequiredinallwritingcontexts,butagoodqualitythesisstatementofsomesortwill alwaysassistyourcommunicationtoreaders.
WHEREISTHETHESISSTATEMENT?
Thethesisstatementisnaturallyhidden,underlyingthecomposition.You, thewriter, mustidentifyitanddrawitout. Identifyingagoodqualitythesisstatementrequirescarefulthoughtandperhapsseveralrevisions.Whatfactorshelpyoudetermineyourthesisstatement? Considerthefollowingfactorsinvolvedin whatyouarewriting:
1. Whatkindofcompositionisit?
(researchpaper,essay,discussionpost,grouppresentation,casestudy,book
review,meetingreport,journalarticle,etc.)
2. Whatisyourtonein thiswriting?
(formal,informal,academic,nonacademic,professional,poetry,narrative,
instructive,counseling,coaching,etc.)
3. Whatisyourintentforthiscomposition?
(inform,persuade,evaluate,motivate,etc.)
4. Whatkindof audienceorreaderisinvolved?
(academic,professional,informal/personal,artistic,etc.)
5. Howlongandinvolvedisthiscomposition?
(300words,5pages,20pages,40pages,onechapterofabook,etc.)
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ToddAtkins2008LibertyUniversityOnlineWritingCenterEmail:[email protected]
THEROLEOFTHE THESISSTATEMENT
Youmaythinkoftheroleofyourthesisstatementwith thefollowingparable.Yourgoodqualitythesisstatementfunctionslikeastreetmapforatravelerinafirsttimevisittoabigcity.Thetraveler(yourreader)wantstogettoPointA (fullandcorrectunderstandingofthewriting),butPointAisnotclearly shownonthecitystreetmap(partsofthecomposition).
Thetravelerneedstobetoldbysomeone(youthewriter)whoknowsthecity well (thewholecomposition)andcantellthetravelerexactly whatthestreetnamesare,andinwhatneededorder,togettoPointA.Thecorrectstreetnamesintheirproperorderastoldtothetraveler(reader)compriseclear,focusedandaccuratedirections(thesisstatement) tosuccessfullyarriveatPointA (compositioncommunication).
EXAMPLE THESISSTATEMENTS
1. ToInform:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidayspossessmessianic,propheticanddevotional meaning.
2. Toevaluate:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidayspossessmeaningsdependentupononesreligiousaffiliation andmethodofinterpretation.
3. Topersuade:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidaysrevealspiritualmeaningsandapplicationsthatareveryrelevantfor21stCenturyChristians.
4. Tomotivate:
DevoutChristianswillreceivevariousbenefitsfromstudyoftheBiblicalHebrewholidaysduetovital spiritualconceptsandlessonstheyprovide.
1WebstersDictionary definesthesisas:
a: aclaimputforward...specifically: apositionorpropositionthataperson(asacandidateforscholastic honors)advancesandmaintainsorofferstomaintainbyargument[.]
b : anaffirmationorpropositiontobeprovedoroneadvancedasthepropositionorpointofviewdefendedby anargument[.] Synonym:hypothesis.
From:MerriamWebster(2002).thesis.InWebster's thirdnewinternationaldictionary, unabridged. RetrievedDecember18,2008,at: http://unabridged.merriamwebster.com
2Compare thesisdescriptionanddefinitionin:Hacker,Diana(2006). The Bedfordhandbook (7thed.).Boston/NewYork:Bedford/St.Martins,pp. 26,911,2425.
