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How to Create an Effective Thesis Statement in 5 Easy Steps

Creating a thesis statement can be a daunting task. It’s one of the most important sentences in your paper, and it needs to be done right. But don’t worry — with these five easy steps, you’ll be able to create an effective thesis statement in no time.

Step 1: Brainstorm Ideas

The first step is to brainstorm ideas for your paper. Think about what you want to say and write down any ideas that come to mind. This will help you narrow down your focus and make it easier to create your thesis statement.

Step 2: Research Your Topic

Once you have some ideas, it’s time to do some research on your topic. Look for sources that support your ideas and provide evidence for the points you want to make. This will help you refine your argument and make it more convincing.

Step 3: Formulate Your Argument

Now that you have done some research, it’s time to formulate your argument. Take the points you want to make and put them into one or two sentences that clearly state what your paper is about. This will be the basis of your thesis statement.

Step 4: Refine Your Thesis Statement

Once you have formulated your argument, it’s time to refine your thesis statement. Make sure that it is clear, concise, and specific. It should also be arguable so that readers can disagree with it if they choose.

Step 5: Test Your Thesis Statement

The last step is to test your thesis statement. Does it accurately reflect the points you want to make? Is it clear and concise? Does it make an arguable point? If not, go back and refine it until it meets all of these criteria.

Creating an effective thesis statement doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With these five easy steps, you can create a strong thesis statement in no time at all.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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What is the Difference Between Thesis and Topic Sentence

October 12, 2021 Posted by Sethmini

The key difference between thesis and topic sentence is that a thesis sentence contains the main idea of the paper or essay , whereas a topic sentence contains the main idea of a paragraph .

Both thesis and topic sentences should be specific, focused and clear. In addition, they are not questions or predictions. They are declarative statements and are necessary for the organization of an essay.

1.  Overview and Key Difference 2.  What is a Thesis Sentence 3.  What is a Topic Sentence 4. Thesis vs Topic Sentence in Tabular Form 5.  Summary – Thesis vs Topic Sentence

What is a Thesis Sentence?

A thesis sentence is the summary of the main points in a research paper or a thesis . It is a single sentence that is usually in the conclusion of the introductory paragraph. It helps to develop and organize the body of the thesis. It also contains the controlling idea of an essay and maintains its unity. Through this sentence, the opinions and the judgements of the writer too can be identified.

There are two types of thesis sentences: explanatory and argumentative . An explanatory sentence mentions the subject, whereas an argumentative sentence is a claim that the readers may agree or disagree with.

Features of a Good Thesis Sentence

• Provide the direction of the paper
• Have evidence

How to Write a Thesis Sentence

• Understands the topic
• Limit the scope

What is a Topic Sentence?

A topic sentence is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of a paragraph. It is also known as the focus sentence . This is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It can be anywhere in a paragraph, but usually, in academic essays, it is the first sentence.

The topic sentence is the main element in organizing a paragraph because the rest of the paragraph supports this sentence. This develops one main point in an essay. This not only summarizes the content of a paragraph but contains the main idea as well. A topic sentence maintains the coherence of paragraphs and the essay. There are two parts to a topic sentence. They are,

• The topic – subject of a paragraph
• Controlling idea – point of the paragraph. Guides and supports the paragraph. This may reveal the writer’s opinions as well.

Examples of Topic Sentences

• The world is very different now (John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech, 1961)
• Grandma’s room I regarded as a dark den of primitive rites and practices. (E.L. Doctorow, World’s Fair. Random House, 1985)
• You discover what it is like to be hungry. (George Orwell,  Down and Out in Paris and London . Victor Gollancz, 1933)

Features of a Topic Sentence

• The first sentence or near the first sentence of a paragraph
• Introduces the paragraph
• Contains new information
• General enough to explore
• Strong (usually without starting from ‘there is’ or ‘there are’)
• Affirmative

What is the Difference Between Thesis and Topic Sentence?

The key difference between thesis and topic sentence is that a thesis sentence contains the main idea of the paper or essay, while a topic sentence is a sentence that contains the main idea of a paragraph. Moreover, while a thesis sentence is broad, a topic sentence is narrow.

The following table summarizes the difference between thesis and topic sentence.

Summary – Thesis vs Topic Sentence

A thesis sentence is the summary of the main points in a research paper or a thesis. It occurs at the end of the introductory paragraph as the conclusion. It gives an insight into the essay or thesis. This statement should be based on evidence. A topic sentence, on the other hand, is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of a paragraph. Generally, it is the first sentence in a paragraph and contains the main idea. It maintains the coherence of paragraphs and the essay. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between thesis and topic sentence.

1. “ Thesis Statement .” Wikipedia , Wikimedia Foundation. >2. “ Topic Statement .” Wikipedia , Wikimedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “ 4576720 ” (CC0) via Pixabay 2. “ Writing essay ” By Azikahkhan – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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About the Author: Sethmini

Sethmini is a graduate in English with B.A.(Honours) in English and English Language Teaching. She is interested in languages and is an experienced teacher of English. She enjoys writing on topics like art, music, dancing, travel, nature, and food.

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What's the difference between a thesis statement and a topic sentence?

4 answers by expert tutors.

Brooke J. answered • 01/05/21

Helping Students Shine for Over 17 Years!

Both thesis statements and topic sentences help your audience understand the structure and main ideas of your essay. They differ in a few ways.

1) The thesis statement belongs in the introductory paragraph , while topic sentences belong at the beginning of body paragraphs . An essay will have just one thesis statement, but the number of topic sentences depends on the number of body paragraphs.

2) A thesis statement provides an overview of your entire essay. It contains your claim and your reasons .

Thesis statement = claim + "because" + reasons

Example: Capital punishment should be outlawed because it is immoral and does not deter crime.

claim : Capital punishment should be outlawed

reason #1 : it is immoral

reason #2 : it does not deter crime

3) A topic sentence tells your reader what the paragraph is about. Each reason in your thesis should correspond to a body paragraph.

Example: Capital punishment is immoral.

I know from reading this topic sentence that the paragraph will discuss how capital punishment is immoral.

Bonus Tip: Always revisit your thesis statement before submitting your essay. Make sure the reasons in your thesis match the reasons in your body paragraphs! Often writers will include reasons in their thesis statement only to find that their reasons evolve as they research and write their body paragraphs. If the reasons in your thesis statement don't match the reasons in your essay, your audience will become puzzled and frustrated.

Reza A. answered • 01/08/21

Persian/English Teacher

A good way to start a paragraph is with a short, simple  sentence  that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Teachers often call this a ‘ topic   sentence".

A thesis statement, on the other hand, carries the main idea of your whole essay & therefore your stance for/ against the topic along with only mentioning your reasons.

Rachel P. answered • 01/05/21

Legal Professional Tutoring Law, Writing, etc.

Topic Sentence - usually at the beginning of every paragraph

Thesis Statement - usually at the end of the first/intro paragraph only

Topic Sentence - gives a glimpse as to what the paragraph will discuss

Thesis Statement - gives a glimpse as to what the entire paper will discuss

Karen B. answered • 01/05/21

ESL/ESOL, English Literature, TOEFL, Reading, Writing, and more

In my opinion, a topic sentence just states what the topic of your essay is. For example " The subject of my essay is on how the fashion and beauty industry influences women's body image." With a thesis statement, you need to present a stance on the topic and theory that you are trying to prove or options on how to change the situation. An example of this would be " The subject of my essay is on how the beauty industry negatively impacts women's body image and possible ways that the industry can adopt a more positive image."

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Difference Between Topic Sentence Vs. Thesis Statement

After being introduced during the K-12 years of a student's education, academic writing is a mainstay in college and higher education. With proper format and technique being a major aspect of academic writing, it is essential for students to understand the differences between a topic sentence and a thesis statement.

Explore this article

• Essay Format
• Topic Sentences
• Thesis Statement
• Differences

1 Essay Format

Before delving into the differences between topic sentences and thesis statements, it is important to first establish the general format for a written essay. For K-12 students, written essays can commonly require the five-paragraph format, which consist of an introduction, three paragraphs that make up the body of the paper and the final paragraph as the conclusion. By understanding this general format of academic writing, it is easier to understand where topic sentences and thesis statements fit into place.

2 Topic Sentences

Topic sentences are used in each major paragraph of an essay paper. The purposes of these sentences are to develop and state the key idea of each paragraph in an effort to define the point of the paragraph. For example, when writing an essay paper on the effects of the Gettysburg Address, one of the paragraphs in the body of the paper could discuss how the audience received President Lincoln's famous speech. The topic sentence for this paragraph could be, "With the brief yet poignant nature of the Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln reminded his audience why the country was fighting so desperately to conserve the Union."

3 Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a single sentence that is used to define the purpose of your paper. Thesis statements inform readers as to the purpose of your paper. After reading your thesis statement, anyone reviewing your paper should be able to determine what your paper is going to prove or argue. For example, a thesis statement for a paper about William Shakespeare's famous play "Romeo and Juliet" could be as follows: "The play 'Romeo and Juliet' demonstrates the incredible power and impatient nature of young love, as the star-crossed lovers' inability to exercise patience or control their passion for one another results in their deaths."

4 Differences

With the purposes of both topic sentences and thesis statements established, the differences between the two are clear. Thesis statements need to be more broad and leave room to expand on further points to support the paper's argument. With the thesis statement in the previous section, a writer could continue explaining his argument about Romeo and Juliet by providing sub-points, demonstrating instances where the pair made hasty choices that had fatal consequences. Topic sentences are more specific in their purpose. For example, with the topic sentence in section two, it is clear that the next paragraph will discuss how President Lincoln used the Gettysburg Address to remind his countrymen about the purpose of the Civil War.

• 1 Indiana University: Paragraphs and Topic Sentences

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