5 components of a thesis
A thesis cannot be a mere statement of fact. It must explain facts to show their significance. In historical writing, a thesis explains the words or deeds of people in the past. It shows cause and effect; it answers the question, why?
Developing A Thesis
A thesis statement tells your readers what you are trying to argue, prove or demonstrate in your paper. Thesis statements should typically be in the introductory paragraph so your audience knows what to expect from the rest of the paper. Avoid using first person and statements such as "in my opinion," as it is obvious that a paper you are writing represents your opinion. Thesis statements are one of the most important elements of an essay, so it is vital to know the components of an effective thesis statement.
According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, there are different types of essays: analytical evaluates an issue , expository explains an issue to the audience and argumentative makes a claim about an issue.
Determining your intention based on these three types of essays will help you make your thesis more specific. If the issue at hand is education, for instance, an analytical essay could evaluate the effectiveness of teaching with technology, whereas an expository essay might explain to readers how to use a particular technology in the classroom. Once you have determined what you want to prove in your essay, make sure you are specific in your thesis statement.
Don't use vague or noncommittal phrases such as "it seems that technology could be good to use in the classroom" or broad generalizations such as "all teachers must use technology in the classroom. One way to measure the effectiveness of your thesis is to think about whether someone would argue otherwise.
Would your entire audience agree with you before they had read your essay? Then you are not proving anything because the answer is obvious. A good way to be sure your thesis is contestable is to determine what the opposing argument would be and see if there is evidence to support that side of the argument, too. A quality thesis will serve as a map for your reader. It will outline for your audience where your paper is going and how you will get there. Using the technology example above, you could write: "Emerging technologies such as Wordle and Google Maps are effective tools for teaching English literature because they enable creativity and provide relevance to students' everyday lives.
This thesis tells your audience what technologies you will be discussing as well as the reasons you believe these technologies are important. As you formulate your paper, use these ideas as a map to follow, so your paper will reflect each of these points as you move through the essay. Jenna Pack has been a professional writer and editor since She writes for sites like eHow, Answerbag and HubPages.
Need to cite a webpage? Download our chrome extension. How to Cite. The Rewrite. How to Write a Persuasive Essay for College. How to Write an Exemplification Essay. Components of a Thesis Statement. Accessed 21 May Pack, Jenna. Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name. About the Author. General Statement Vs. Thesis Statement.
How to Write a Position Paper.
Note that not all theses must contain all components. Consult with your supervisor and the regulations governing your degree to identify which components you. A basic thesis sentence has two main parts: Topic: What you're writing about; Angle: What your main idea is about that topic. Sample Thesis #1.
For a short paper pages , the thesis statement is often the first sentence. A complex thesis statement for a long paper may be part of a thesis paragraph. If you are just starting out, and you are still developing an original, evidence-based claim to defend, a simpler formula is probably best. What matters is that you have researched your subject, that you have found and engaged meaningfully with peer-reviewed academic sources, and that you are developing an evidence-based claim, rather than summarizing or giving unsupported opinion. The thesis statement has 3 main parts : the limited subject , the precise opinion , and the blueprint of reasons.
Every paper you write—expository, analytical, argumentative—should have a main point or central message.
Theses come in various sizes and shapes. The components of many theses are similar although their functions and requirements may differ according to the degree they are presented for.
4 Parts of the Thesis
The thesis sentence is the key to most academic writing. This is important and worth repeating:. The thesis sentence is the one sentence that encapsulates the result of your thinking, as it offers your main insight or argument in condensed form. Angle: Leads to multiple benefits Sample Thesis 2 Thesis: Adult college students have different experiences than typical, younger college students. Angle: Have different experiences Sample Thesis 3 Thesis: The economics of television have made the viewing experience challenging for many viewers because shows are not offered regularly, similar programming occurs at the same time, and commercials are rampant.
3 Components to Writing an Effective Thesis Statement
A thesis statement tells your readers what you are trying to argue, prove or demonstrate in your paper. Thesis statements should typically be in the introductory paragraph so your audience knows what to expect from the rest of the paper. Avoid using first person and statements such as "in my opinion," as it is obvious that a paper you are writing represents your opinion. Thesis statements are one of the most important elements of an essay, so it is vital to know the components of an effective thesis statement. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, there are different types of essays: analytical evaluates an issue , expository explains an issue to the audience and argumentative makes a claim about an issue. Determining your intention based on these three types of essays will help you make your thesis more specific. If the issue at hand is education, for instance, an analytical essay could evaluate the effectiveness of teaching with technology, whereas an expository essay might explain to readers how to use a particular technology in the classroom. Once you have determined what you want to prove in your essay, make sure you are specific in your thesis statement. Don't use vague or noncommittal phrases such as "it seems that technology could be good to use in the classroom" or broad generalizations such as "all teachers must use technology in the classroom. One way to measure the effectiveness of your thesis is to think about whether someone would argue otherwise.
Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument.
One of the most important aspects of science is ensuring that you get all the parts of the written research paper in the right order. You may have finished the best research project on earth but, if you do not write an interesting and well laid out paper, then nobody is going to take your findings seriously.
Parts of a Thesis Sentence
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Structuring a thesis
Although the organising principles described here are most clearly relevant for empirical theses, much of the advice is also relevant for theoretical work. Please note that the formal requirements vary between different disciplines, and make sure to confer the guidelines that apply in your field. For the contents in the various sections you may also confer Organising your writing. Most readers will turn first to the summary or abstract. The summary should highlight the main points from your work, especially the thesis statement, methods if applicable , findings and conclusion. However, the summary does not need to cover every aspect of your work. The main objective is to give the reader a good idea of what the thesis is about. The summary should be completed towards the end; when you are able to overview your project as a whole.
