A thesis is found in various verbal and written forms, such as in debates, advertisements, documentaries, speeches, books, and journals. In the academic world, a thesis is commonly used in an essay. Without this, your argumentative paper, thesis dissertation, research paper, and so on would be deemed useless. Crucial that it is in a student’s life, you must have full knowledge of how to formulate a good thesis statement.
So, what is a good thesis statement? How would you know that you have formulated the perfect one? A thesis statement is a single sentence that binds together the focal idea of your argument. It is where you will summarize your subject and state your position about it. If you want to know more, below are some guidelines of what makes a thesis statement good.
Length of the Thesis Statement
To know the answer to “what is a good thesis statement,” let us first start with the basic. Generally, a good thesis statement only consists of one to two sentences. In these sentences, focus on your main ideas. Make sure that it contains the subject of your paper and your position/stance about the topic. Your readers must be able to grasp the content and direction of your essay just by reading your thesis statement.
A Specific Thesis Statement
Do make your thesis statement specific and not too general. You see, when your thesis statement is too broad, you will have a hard time making a concise argument and various key points about it. Also, the number of your pages will most likely exceed more than what was being specified.
A Clear Thesis Statement
Aim to make every important term in your thesis statement as clear as possible so that your reader won’t misunderstand or get confused with what you are trying to relay. Unless you are writing a technical essay or confident that your readers are familiar with the language you are using, avoid using technical terms and jargon. Also, stay away from vague and abstract words.
State Your Stance
When stating a subjective judgment, you also have to specify your reasoning and stance about it. For instance, do not just mention that a specific form of government is the best form of government for a certain country. Instead, state that if a specific form government takes over this country, their economy and industry will become more efficient. Also, do not merely state a fact; you have to provide more than what has already been proven.
An Original Thesis Statement
During the rough draft of your thesis statement, it is quite normal that you formulate generic statements and arguments. However, you should keep on revising your thesis statement along your writing process until it clearly reflects your original idea.
The above guidelines will surely help you along the way in formulating your thesis statement. We hope that you have already figured what a good thesis statement is by the end of reading this article. Remember to keep the above tips in mind, and then you are good to go!
