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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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example of good and bad thesis statement

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15 Examples of Bad Thesis Statements

When writing an essay, coming up with a strong thesis statement is crucial. A good thesis statement is concise, clear, and engaging and presents a strong argument to your readers. Conversely, a bad thesis statement is broad, unfocused, and unprovocative. It is important to be able to recognize a bad thesis statement so that you can avoid making the same mistakes in your own work. This article will provide 15 examples of bad thesis statements to serve as a warning. By the end, readers should be well-equipped to identify and avoid bad thesis statements.

Examples of bad thesis statements

Examples of bad thesis statements

“Trees provide oxygen.”

This thesis statement is ultimately too broad and therefore fails to present a unique argument. It does not provide adequate focus for the essay and does not present an interesting point for readers.

“Sports are important for all students in high school.”

This thesis statement fails to provide an adequate argument because it is too general. It does not address any particular school, students, or reasons why sports may be important.

“Humans should be able to choose the gender of their children.”

This thesis statement does not provide adequate focus for the essay. It does not present a clear stance for readers and does not take into account the ethical and moral implications of this sentiment.

“Too much technology is bad for our health.”

This thesis statement is overly broad and does not present a clear stance. It does not clearly determine which technologies are being referenced and does not demonstrate why they are bad for our health.

“Violence in the media causes violence in society.”

This thesis statement is overly broad and does not provide an adequate argument. It does not determine which media are being referenced and does not present evidence to support its claim.

“Video games make people anti-social.”

This thesis statement is overly broad and fails to provide evidence to support its claim. It does not reference any particular video games, nor does it discuss how video games can affect people differently.

“The government should invest more money in public transportation.”

This thesis statement fails to provide an adequate argument because it is too general. It does not discuss why this is important or how it would benefit society.

“ Schools should not allow cell phones on campus.”

This thesis statement is overly broad and fails to provide evidence to support its claim. It does not clarify which schools are being referenced, nor does it discuss all the potential benefits of cell phones on campus, such as emergency situations.

More examples of bad thesis statements on the next page…

Best Thesis Statement Examples with Expert Comments

“Where is your thesis statement?” asks your teacher in a dramatic tone. “Where is my what?” you want to reply, but instead, you quickly point your finger at a random sentence in your paper, saying, “Here it is…”

Our specialists will write a custom essay on any topic for 13.00 10.40/page

To avoid this sad situation (which is usually followed by a bad mark), you should clearly understand what a thesis sentence is and how to make it stronger. Discover the best and worst thesis statement examples for research papers with expert comments on them in the sections below (or simply try Custom-writing.org , and you will never have a headache with any assignments).

❓ What Is a Thesis Statement?

  • ✅ Thesis Checklist
  • 😃 Essay Thesis Examples
  • 👨‍🎓️ Research Paper Thesis Examples

🔗 References

What is a thesis statement, after all? A thesis statement is a logical center and a roadmap of your paper, clearly and concisely expressed in the introduction. It aims to convince your reader of the point you are making in your research. The thesis statement summarizes your argument in one sentence.

✅ Thesis Statement Checklist

Below is a thesis statement checklist. It is a good idea to use it any time after you’ve made your statement. Make sure that it is specific, arguable, and meaningful!

This Checklist Will Help You Make Sure that Your Thesis Statement Is Specific, Arguable, and Meaningful

😃 Thesis Statement Examples for an Essay

Find good and bad examples of essay thesis statements with comments below!

👨‍🎓️ Examples of Thesis Statements for Research Papers

The situation is somewhat different with thesis sentences for research papers . Expressing your personal position is not enough for a good research paper. You should find truly weighty arguments and include them in your thesis statement.

Take a look at the same checklist to differentiate between the worst and best thesis statement samples for research papers.

Now you can see the difference between good and bad thesis statements. This will help you create a marvelous thesis statement example of your own!

  • Thesis Statements – UNC Writing Center
  • Developing A Thesis | – Harvard College Writing Center
  • How to Write a Thesis Statement: Indiana State University
  • Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips // Purdue OWL
  • Tips on Writing Your Thesis Statement (University of Washington)
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Always keep your Thesis Statement under 30 words. If you do go over, you are accidentaly writing a run-on sentence.

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Thesis Statement Examples

Woman Writing a Thesis Statement in Notebook Next To Laptop

  • DESCRIPTION Woman Writing a Thesis Statement
  • SOURCE Student: valentinrussanov / E+ / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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A thesis statement is one sentence that expresses the main idea of a research paper or essay, such as an expository essay or argumentative essay . It makes a claim, directly answering a question.

As you can see in the thesis statement examples below, you must be very specific, summarizing points that are about to be made in your paper, and supported by specific evidence. Generally, your thesis statement can be the last line of the first paragraph in your research paper or essay.

Thesis Statement: Bad vs. Good

It's worth reiterating that a strong thesis statement is specific. If you find yourself using general words like "good," then you're not digging deep enough.

For example, saying "European travel is a good way to spend your summer," is not specific enough. Why is European travel good? Further examine the heart of your topic and focus on very specific areas of European travel that you can realistically cover and support with solid evidence.

"Solo European travel requires independence which, in the end, bolsters personal confidence." This is much more specific and targeted. Now, you can hone in your research on solo travel through Europe, the need for independence, and its positive effect on personal confidence.

Here are six more thesis statement examples for you to consider:

  • Bad : Everyone should exercise. - Why should I? What's in it for me? Good : Americans should add exercise to their daily morning routine because it not only keeps their bodies at a healthy weight but also reduces the risk of high blood pressure. - Here, we've made several specifications i.e. Americans (not everyone), the morning routine (not the evening), weight maintenance, and high blood pressure prevention. Your research actually becomes easier when you have very specific objectives.
  • Bad : High levels of alcohol consumption are bad for you. - This is too broad. What are the specific detriments of alcohol consumption that you would like to discuss? Good : High levels of alcohol consumption have detrimental effects on your personal health, such as weight gain, heart disease, and liver complications. - Notice we got very specific in our reasons why. In your thesis statement, you don't need to state every single detriment you're going to lay out (in fact, you shouldn't as it will risk becoming a run-on sentence ) but you can point to the main areas you will explore.
  • Bad : Reading can develop a child's analytical mind. - Words like "can," aren't strong enough. This thesis statement begs the question of how? If you're about to write several paragraphs (or pages) about a topic make sure you can confidently defend every point you make. Good : Reading develops a child's mind by fostering comprehension skills, increasing vocabulary, and exposing them to new worlds they might not otherwise encounter. - Now, we've not just stated that reading is good, we've provided a sampling of all the benefits we're about to bring to light in our paper.
  • Bad : All retirees should relocate to Florida. - Your research paper or essay will need to delve into numerous supporting claims. This broad thesis statement runs the risk of allowing you to go off on several tangents. Good : Retirees should relocate to Florida, where 75% of Americans choose to settle, because you will afford yourself the opportunity to develop a wide array of friendships. - From here, you can introduce a paragraph on the importance of friendship and then cite studies or testimonials describing how people can discover these important new relationships.
  • Bad : The internet has improved the lives of many. - Again, while readers may agree with this and your statement may be true, how has the internet improved people’s lives? Also, you should run your thesis statement past the "What's in it for me?" test. Why should readers care? Good : The internet serves as a means of expediently connecting people across the globe, fostering new friendships and an exchange of ideas that wouldn't have occurred prior to its inception. - While the internet offers a host of benefits, we're choosing to hone in on its ability to foster new friendships and exchange ideas. We'd also have to prove how this couldn't have happened prior to the internet's inception – and that is good. The tighter your focus, the better your paper.
  • Bad : Organ donors should be financially compensated. - Why? What happens to them that causes you to take this stance? Good : Given the grueling surgery and lifelong changes they endure, kidney donors should be financially compensated for their act of self-sacrifice. - There are many forms of living organ donation. As with any good thesis, you want to get as specific as possible. Now, our stance is clear and the reader will understand that we're about to describe the grueling process of kidney donation as well as any forthcoming lifestyle changes.

Finding Your Point of View

A good thesis statement is developed from the point of view of the reader. Be very careful you're not developing a topic that is of interest to you alone. This is a harsh yet necessary question to ask yourself: will my readers have any reason to care about what I'm writing?

In the example about European travel above, readers might be interested in travel around Europe but will they be interested in solo travel, and greater independence and confidence? Hopefully, the answer is yes. Just make sure you examine all viewpoints before investing your valuable time in a well-written piece.

A thesis statement is powerful on two fronts. First, it allows the reader to get excited about what, specifically, is coming their way. Second, it stands as the point of reference for your entire paper.

Think of it as a loving mother steering her children away from danger. Essay writers run the risk of getting off track and wandering into thickly wooded forests of needless tangents. (This is also why a well-planned outline is essential.) However, a solid thesis statement will help keep you in check. Refer back to it and ask have you wandered off topic?

Always Be Specific

When searching for a new home, realtors will tell you there are three important factors: location, location, and location. When developing your one-sentence thesis statement, it is important for you to be: specific, specific, specific. Write your thesis statement once and then rewrite it again with greater specificity.

Also, make sure your audience will want to learn these new facts and possibly embrace these new opinions. Now, you have a compass for your entire paper, keeping you safely on course.

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25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

JBirdwellBranson

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

Perfecting Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

  • Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
  • Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
  • School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
  • Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
  • Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
  • Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
  • Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
  • Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
  • Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
  • Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
  • Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
  • Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
  • Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
  • Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
  • University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
  • Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
  • Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
  • Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
  • The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
  • Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
  • Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
  • Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
  • Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
  • Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
  • Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

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How to Write a Thesis Statement–Examples

example of good and bad thesis statement

What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement summarizes the main idea of a paper or an essay. Similar to the statement of the problem in research, it prepares the reader for what is to come and ties together the evidence and examples that are presented and the arguments and claims that are made later. 

A good thesis statement can provoke thought, arouse interest, and is always followed up by exactly what it promises—if the focus or direction of your essay changes over time, you should go back to your statement and adapt it as well so that it clearly reflects what you are explaining or discussing. 

Where does the thesis statement go in my paper?

Your thesis statement should be placed near the end of your introduction—after you have given the reader some background and before you delve into the specific evidence or arguments that support your statement.

these statement example, books on a shelf

Can you give me a thesis statement template?

Depending on the type of essay you are writing, your thesis statement will look different. The important thing is that your statement is specific and clearly states the main idea you want to get across. In the following, we will discuss different types of statements, show you a simple 4-step process for writing an effective thesis statement, and finish off with some not-so-good and good thesis statement examples.

Table of Contents:

  • Types of Thesis Statements
  • How to Write a Thesis Statement Step by Step 
  • Not-So-Good and Good Thesis Statements 

Types of Thesis Statements 

Depending on whether your paper is analytical, expository, or argumentative, your statement has a slightly different purpose. 

Analytical thesis statements

An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its components, evaluates the pieces, and presents an evaluation of this breakdown to the reader. Such papers can analyze art, music, literature, current or historical events, political ideas, or scientific research. An analytical thesis statement is therefore often the result of such an analysis of, for example, some literary work (“Heathcliff is meant to be seen as a hero rather than a horrible person”) or a process (“the main challenge recruiters face is the balance between selecting the best candidates and hiring them before they are snatched up by competitors”), or even the latest research (“starving yourself will increase your lifespan, according to science”). In the rest of the paper, you then need to explain how you did the analysis that led you to the stated result and how you arrived at your conclusion, by presenting data and evidence.

Expository thesis statements

An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience, such as a historical development, a current phenomenon, or the effect of political intervention. A typical explanatory thesis statement is therefore often a “topic statement” rather than a claim or actual thesis. An expository essay could, for example, explain “where human rights came from and how they changed the world,” or “how students make career choices.” The rest of the paper then needs to present the reader with all the relevant information on the topic, covering all sides and aspects rather than one specific viewpoint.

Argumentative thesis statements

An argumentative paper makes a clear and potentially very subjective claim and follows up with a justification based on evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the author’s claim is true. A thesis statement for such a paper could be that “every student should be required to take a gap year after high school to gain some life experience”, or that “vaccines should be mandatory”. Argumentative thesis statements can be bold, assertive, and one-sided—you have the rest of the paper to convince the reader that you have good reasons to think that way and that maybe they should think like that, too.

How to Write a Thesis Statement Step-by-Step 

If you are not quite sure how you get from a topic to a thesis statement, then follow this simple process—but make sure you know what type of essay you are supposed to write and adapt the steps to the kind of statement you need. 

First , you will have to select a topic . This might have been done for you already if you are writing an essay as part of a class. If not, then make sure you don’t start too general—narrow the subject down to a specific aspect that you can cover in an essay. 

Second , ask yourself a question about your topic, one that you are personally interested in or one that you think your readers might find relevant or interesting. Here, you have to consider whether you are going to explain something to the reader (expository essay) or if you want to put out your own, potentially controversial, opinion and then argue for it in the rest of your (argumentative) essay.

Third , answer the question you raised for yourself, based on the material you have already sifted through and are planning to present to the reader or the opinion you have already formed on the topic. If your opinion changes while working on your essay, which happens quite often, then make sure you come back to this process and adapt your statement.

Fourth and last, reword the answer to your question into a concise statement . You want the reader to know exactly what is coming, and you also want to make it sound as interesting as possible so that they decide to keep reading.

Let’s look at this example process to give you a better idea of how to get from your topic to your statement. Note that this is the development of a thesis statement for an argumentative essay .

  • Choose a specific topic: Covid-19 vaccines 

Narrow it down to a specific aspect: opposition to Covid-19 vaccines

  • Ask a question: Should vaccination against Covid-19 be mandatory?     
  • Answer the question for yourself, by sorting through the available evidence/arguments:

Yes: vaccination protects other, more vulnerable people; vaccination reduces the spread of the disease; herd immunity will allow societies to go back to normal…

No: vaccines can have side-effects in some people; the vaccines have been developed too fast and there might be unknown risks; the government should stay out of personal decisions on people’s health…

  • Form your opinion and reword it into your thesis statement that represents a very short summary of the key points you base your claim on:

While there is some hesitancy around vaccinations against Covid-19, most of the presented arguments revolve around unfounded fears and the individual freedom to make one’s own decisions. Since that freedom is offset by the benefits of mass vaccination, governments should make vaccines mandatory to help societies get back to normal.

This is a good argumentative thesis statement example because it does not just present a fact that everybody knows and agrees on, but a claim that is debatable and needs to be backed up by data and arguments, which you will do in the rest of your essay. You can introduce whatever evidence and arguments you deem necessary in the following—but make sure that all your points lead back to your core claim and support your opinion. This example also answers the question “how long should a thesis statement be?” One or two sentences are generally enough. If your statement is longer, make sure you are not using vague, empty expressions or more words than necessary .

Good and Bad Thesis Statement Examples

Not-so-good thesis statement : Everyone should get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Problem: The statement does not specify why that might be relevant or why people might not want to do it—this is too vague to spark anyone’s interest.

Good : Since the risks of the currently available Covid-19 vaccines are minimal and societal interests outweigh individual freedom, governments should make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory.

Not-so-good thesis statement : Binge drinking is bad for your health.

Problem: This is a very broad statement that everyone can agree on and nobody needs to read an article on. You need to specify why anyone would not think that way.

Good : Binge drinking has become a trend among college students. While some argue that it might be better for your health than regular consumption of low amounts of alcohol, science says otherwise.

Not-so-good thesis statement : Learning an instrument can develop a child’s cognitive abilities.

Problem: This is a very weak statement—”can” develop doesn’t tell us whether that is what happens in every child, what kind of effects of music education on cognition we can expect, and whether that has or should have any practical implications. 

Good thesis statement : Music education has many surprising benefits on children’s overall development, including effects on language acquisition, coordination, problem-solving, and even social skills.

You could now present all the evidence on the specific effects of music education on children’s specific abilities in the rest of your (expository) essay. You could also turn this into an argumentative essay, by adding your own opinion to your statement:

Good thesis statement : Considering the many surprising benefits that music education has on children’s overall development, every child should be given the opportunity to learn an instrument as part of their public school education.

Not-so-good thesis statement : Outer space exploration is a waste of money.

Problem: While this is a clear statement of your personal opinion that people could potentially disagree with (which is good for an argumentative thesis statement), it lacks context and does not really tell the reader what to expect from your essay.

Good thesis statement : Instead of wasting money on exploring outer space, people like Elon Musk should use their wealth to solve poverty, hunger, global warming, and other issues we are facing on this earth.

Get Professional Thesis Editing Services

Now that you know how to write the perfect thesis statement for your essay, you might be interested in our free grammar checker , the Wordvice AI Proofreader. And after drafting your academic papers, be sure to get proofreading that includes manuscript editing , thesis editing , or dissertation editing services before submitting your work to journals for publication.

We have many more articles for you on all aspects of academic writing , tips and tricks on how to avoid common grammar mistakes , and resources on how to strengthen your writing style in general.

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On Thesis Statements

The thesis statement.

This is not an exhaustive list of bad thesis statements, but here're five kinds of problems I've seen most often. Notice that the last two, #4 and #5, are not necessarily incorrect or illegitimate thesis statements, but, rather, inappropriate for the purposes of this course. They may be useful forms for papers on different topics in other courses.

A thesis takes a position on an issue. It is different from a topic sentence in that a thesis statement is not neutral. It announces, in addition to the topic, the argument you want to make or the point you want to prove. This is your own opinion that you intend to back up. This is your reason and motivation for writing.

Bad Thesis 1

Bad Thesis 2 : This paper will consider the advantages and disadvantages of certain restrictions on free speech.

Better Thesis 1 : Stanley Fish's argument that free speech exists more as a political prize than as a legal reality ignores the fact that even as a political prize it still serves the social end of creating a general cultural atmosphere of tolerance that may ultimately promote free speech in our nation just as effectively as any binding law.

Better Thesis 2 : Even though there may be considerable advantages to restricting hate speech, the possibility of chilling open dialogue on crucial racial issues is too great and too high a price to pay.

A thesis should be as specific as possible, and it should be tailored to reflect the scope of the paper. It is not possible, for instance, to write about the history of English literature in a 5 page paper. In addition to choosing simply a smaller topic, strategies to narrow a thesis include specifying a method or perspective or delineating certain limits.

Bad Thesis 2 : The government has the right to limit free speech.

Better Thesis 1 : There should be no restrictions on the 1st amendment if those restrictions are intended merely to protect individuals from unspecified or otherwise unquantifiable or unverifiable "emotional distress."

Better Thesis 2 : The government has the right to limit free speech in cases of overtly racist or sexist language because our failure to address such abuses would effectively suggest that our society condones such ignorant and hateful views.

A thesis must be arguable. And in order for it to be arguable, it must present a view that someone might reasonably contest. Sometimes a thesis ultimately says, "we should be good," or "bad things are bad." Such thesis statements are tautological or so universally accepted that there is no need to prove the point.

Bad Thesis 2 : There are always alternatives to using racist speech.

Better Thesis 1 : If we can accept that emotional injuries can be just as painful as physical ones we should limit speech that may hurt people's feelings in ways similar to the way we limit speech that may lead directly to bodily harm.

Better Thesis 2 : The "fighting words" exception to free speech is not legitimate because it wrongly considers speech as an action.

A good argumentative thesis provides not only a position on an issue, but also suggests the structure of the paper. The thesis should allow the reader to imagine and anticipate the flow of the paper, in which a sequence of points logically prove the essay's main assertion. A list essay provides no such structure, so that different points and paragraphs appear arbitrary with no logical connection to one another.

Bad Thesis 2 : None of the arguments in favor of regulating pornography are persuasive.

Better Thesis 1 : Among the many reasons we need to limit hate speech the most compelling ones all refer to our history of discrimination and prejudice, and it is, ultimately, for the purpose of trying to repair our troubled racial society that we need hate speech legislation.

Better Thesis 2 : None of the arguments in favor of regulating pornography are persuasive because they all base their points on the unverifiable and questionable assumption that the producers of pornography necessarily harbor ill will specifically to women.

In an other course this would not be at all unacceptable, and, in fact, possibly even desirable. But in this kind of course, a thesis statement that makes a factual claim that can be verified only with scientific, sociological, psychological or other kind of experimental evidence is not appropriate. You need to construct a thesis that you are prepared to prove using the tools you have available, without having to consult the world's leading expert on the issue to provide you with a definitive judgment.

Bad Thesis 2 : Hate speech can cause emotional pain and suffering in victims just as intense as physical battery.

Better Thesis 1 : Whether or not the cultural concept of free speech bears any relation to the reality of 1st amendment legislation and jurisprudence, its continuing social function as a promoter of tolerance and intellectual exchange trumps the call for politicization (according to Fish's agenda) of the term.

Better Thesis 2 : The various arguments against the regulation of hate speech depend on the unspoken and unexamined assumption that emotional pain is either trivial.

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101 Thesis Statement Examples

thesis statement examples and definition, explained below

The biggest thing to remember when writing a thesis statement is that it has to present a point of view .

Too often, my students present thesis statements that are vague and don’t present an argument or perspective.

E.g. this is a bad statement that I often see presented as thesis Statements:

  • “Climate Change and Rising Temperatures”

This is a topic, not a thesis statement. But I see it far too often. Instead, you’ll want to present a perspective that you’ll defend in your piece, e.g:

  • “Cliimate change will cause a mass refugee crisis by 2050.”

Below, I’ll present 101 thesis statement examples. Look through them for inspiration, then at the end of this article, take a look at my checklist of suggestions for using your thesis statement in a dissertation or essay.

Thesis Statement Examples

Thesis statements for persuasive essays.

  • Animal Rights: “Animals in captivity have innate rights, including the right to regularly live outside of cages and the right to be free from abuse.”
  • School Uniforms Bad : “School uniforms should be banned in all schools because they restrict individuality and free expression.”
  • School Uniforms Good : “School uniforms are good because they teach young people the importance of following rules and dressing appropriately.”
  • Climate Change: “Mitigating climate change effects is the responsibility of all individuals, who should take active steps to decrease their environmental footprints.”
  • Class Sizes: “Class sizes in schools should never exceed 23, so that all children get sufficient time with their teacher.”
  • Health Foods: “Goods and services taxes should not be applied to health foods in order to make them more accessible to all, while sugar taxes should be implemented to discourage sugar consumption.”
  • Urban Housing: “All new urban housing should be built for low-cost housing, and elite or expensive housing developments should be banned.”
  • Physical Education: “Physical education should be mandatory in schools at all grade levels because it has a positive effect not only on health, but also social skills required in the 21st Century.”
  • Reading Habits: “Parents should set the standard of reading daily by reading in front of their children, rather than simply by telling their students to go to their rooms and read.”
  • Public Libraries: “Public libraries should receive increased funding because they act as important community hubs, especially for the poor and disadvantaged.”

Thesis Statements for High School Topics

  • Literature: “In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ the moral development that Jem and Scout experience is a direct result of their ability to develop empathy across racial lines.”
  • History: “The fall of the Roman Empire can be attributed to no single cause, but rather should attributed to three main factors: internal disputes, economic decline, and barbarian raids.”
  • Social Media: “Adults’ moralistic concerns about children’s social media use is undermined by the fact most adults are more addicted to the internet than their children.”
  • Education: “Online education is not as good for society as in-person education because it does not equip young people with real-life interpersonal skills.”
  • Climate Change: “Climate change is an unstoppable force and any efforts to mitigate its effects are too little, too late.”
  • Artificial Intelligence Good: “Our society is currently experiencing an unjustified moral panic about AI, which will actually improve humans’ lives by creating greater efficiency and productivity, coupled with lower prices for consumers.”
  • Artificial Intelligence Bad: “The rise of AI tools will lead to mass layoffs and a greater economic divide between the haves and have-nots.”
  • Music: “The evolution of rap music since its emergence in the 1980s, and especially its incorporation into the mainstream, represents another victory for civil rights and the recognition of African Americans to American culture .”
  • Sports: “The greatest benefit from youth sports is not necessarily physical health, but rather soft skills like leadership , teamwork, and self-esteem that are learned during gameplay.
  • Digital Divide: “Today’s extensive use of technology into classrooms, while helping to create a more interactive and gamified learning environment, has also had a negative effect on equality of opportunities and outcomes due to disparities in student access to technology.”

Thesis Statements for Psychology Topics

  • Childhood Trauma: “Trauma in childhood is a major cause of long-term mental health problems and comes with extreme social costs, and therefore, early intervention should become the key focus for young people immediately after traumatic events.”
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) should be a core therapeutic strategy for all counselors and therapists due to the extensive evidence of its positive effects on the most common mental health issues facaed today.”
  • Effects of Sleep Deprivation: “Chronic sleep deprivation, a key driver or physical and mental health issues, as well as long-term health, is exacerbated by social and cultural factors such as long work hours and the hustle culture.
  • Social Media and Mental Health: “The use of social media amongst teens should be more heavily regulated in order to decrease incidences of mental health issues between the ages of 12 and 25.”
  • Mindfulness Meditation: “Mindfulness meditation has shown promise as a tool in reducing stress and improving mental clarity, with potential implications for treating mood disorders.”
  • Influence of Parenting Styles: “The helicopter parenting style leads to poorer academic, interpersonal, and social outcomes than authoritative parenting.
  • Nature vs. Nurture: “In understanding human behavior, both nature and nurture have an effect on a person’s actions, but nature is the factor over which we have the most control.”
  • Habituation: “Habituation to irrelevant stimuli is an essential skill for psychological development in middle childhood.
  • Music Therapy: “Music therapy can provide emotional and psychological benefits for students studying for exams.”
  • Cognitive Development: “Piaget’s theory of cognitive development fails to account for differences in the development of language and critical thinking skills across cultural divides.

Thesis Statements for Sociology Topics

  • Income Inequality: “The widening income gap between the top 10% and the rest of Americans is a direct result of three decades of neoliberal economic policies designed to favor overall wealth creation at the expense of shared prosperity.”
  • Gender Roles: “Gender is/is not a social construct reproduced through media and parenting.
  • Ethnic Enclaves: “Ethnic enclaves in major cities is a natural result of immigrants gravitating toward others who share their language and culture, and therefore can provide support during times of integration.”
  • Globalization Bad: “Globalization has been a net negative in society due to the dilution of local identities around the world.”
  • Globalization Good: “While globalization has displaced many people around the world, its net benefit has been the rise of the middle-class in developing nations, a period of unprecedented peace, and greater opportunities for all.”
  • Education Inequality: “The key driver of economic inequality is the disintegration of trust between parents and the educational establishment.”
  • Social Media: “Social media algorithms are directly responsible for greater political polarization and the rise of authoritarianism.”
  • Crime and Society: “Crime tends to occur as a result of lack of opportunity, meaning greater job opportunities in disadvantaged areas will be the best approach for reducing crime rates in society.”
  • Immigration: “While immigration has caused some social tension throughout the past decades, it has on balance both enricheed the cultural fabric of society and increased overall prosperity.”
  • Environmental Sociology: “The environmental crisis, as a societal issue, is intrinsically linked with economic practices, consumption patterns, and power structures.”
  • Moral Panic: “The supposed threats posed by migrants is simply an example of moral panic that is experienced by every generation.”

Thesis Statements for Nursing Topics

  • Palliative Care: “Palliative care is essential not only for the health of patients but as a moral imperative for a compassionate society.”
  • Patient Safety: “Governments should control, regulate, and police rising safety standards in healthcare institutions for the protection of the entire population.”
  • Bedside Manner: “The most important skill for a healthcare practitioner is the soft skill of compassion for patients.”
  • Nurse Shortages: “The current nursing shortage is not a result of an aging workforce but in fact a direct result of poor wages and workplace conditions.”
  • Mental Health Nursing: “Mental health nurses need to take on an educational role when it comes to changing societal beliefs about mental health conditions.”
  • Nursing Leadership: “Strong nursing leadership positively influences patient outcomes because it leads to a more cohesive team environment and more motivated staff.”
  • Evidence-based Practice : “Evidence-based practice in nursing should be at the center of a nurse’s activities, and nurses should consistently reflect on whether their beliefs are based on evidence or anecdote.”
  • Technology in Nursing: “The integration of technology in nursing, while increasing efficiency and accuracy, also raises ethical considerations regarding patient privacy and data security.”
  • Health Promotion: “Health promotion is a significant aspect of nursing practice, which empowers individuals to take control of their health and reduce health disparities.”
  • Cultural Competency: “Cultural competency in nursing is essential for ensuring people of diverse cultural backgrounds are willing to seek out help at early stages of illness.”
  • Nurse Burnout: “Nurse burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, is directly causing poorer outcomes for patients and, therefore, should be addressed as a social health concern rather than simply a workplace and wages dispute.”

Thesis Statements for Education Topics

  • Standardized Testing: “Standardized testing should be immediately stopped due to its inability to accurately assess critical and creative thinking, and the amount of stress it causes among children.
  • Digital Learning: “Digital learning is a positive move in education because it opens the door to more differentiated and personalized learning experiences for children.”
  • Bilingual Education: “Bilingual education should be compulsory in all primary schools because it improves cognitive and social skills and also promotes cultural diversity and inclusion .
  • Teacher Training: “ Continuous professional development for teachers is essential for adapting to educational trends, improving teaching strategies , and ultimately improving educational outcomes.
  • School Starting Later: “A later start to school will allow teenagers to sleep in for longer, which in turn will lead to less fatigue and higher test scores.”
  • School Starting Earlier: “If school started earlier and ended earlier, students would have more daytime to engage in extracurricular activities, which will in-turn improve children’s holistic development.:
  • Four-Day School Week: “A four-day school week will allow for greater productivity while also allowing sufficient time for children to rest and recover during the 3-day weekends.”
  • Education Funding: “The disparity in education funding between low-income and affluent districts contributes to systemic inequities and is an explainer for diverging outcomes.”
  • Early Childhood Education: “The best way to improve overall outcomes (educational, health, and holistic) is to implement free and compulsory early childhood education from Age 3.”
  • Homework: “Homework is bad for student development because it prevents young people from pursuing hobbies, spending time outdoors, and recovering from long school days.”
  • Hidden Curriculum: “Schools should actively engage in a ‘hidden curriculum’ by promoting nationalistic values, obedience to authority, and interpersonal respect.”

Thesis Statements for Business Studies Topics

  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Bad: “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gets in the way of efficient and productive business practices and, on balance, does little to improve social and environmental outcomes.”
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Good: “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be mandatory for all businesses as it ensures humane practices within a capitalist framework.”
  • Business Ethics: “Ethical business practices is not only the moral behaior, but also good business practice, because it contributes to a positive brand reputation and can even allow a company to command a higher market rate for their goods and services.”
  • Entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship is the core of prosperity and job creation, and therefore, entrepreneurs should not face excessive taxes if they find success in the marketplace.”
  • Workplace Diversity: “Workplace diversity enhances business performance by fostering creativity, innovation, and broader perspectives, leading to improved problem-solving and decision-making.”
  • Marketing Strategy: “Digital marketing is the future of client acquisition because it allows for better targeting than traditional marketing strategies.”
  • Leadership Styles: “Transformational leadership is a superior leadership model to the great man theory because its focus is on the team rather than the leader.
  • Globalization: “The breaking-down of trade tariffs throughout the past 40 years has been the greatest driver of economic growth in all of human history.”
  • Supply Chain Management: “When a business reaches a certain size, its greatest opportunity for decreasing costs is through improving logistics and diversifying its supply chain.”
  • Environmental Stewardship: “All businesses carry a moral responsibility to strive toward a net positive impact on the environment.”

Thesis Statements for Economics Topics

  • Financial Crisis: “The 2008 financial crisis, a result of lax regulation and risky financial practices, highlighted the need for a more robust and transparent financial system.”
  • Economic Impact of Climate Change: “Climate change should be addressed not only due to its potential social impact, but because it is the greatest long-term threat to current economic systems.”
  • Healthcare Economics: “While free markets are usually the best way to deliver goods and services, a universal healthcare model may in fact lead to lower costs due to the unique bureaucratic problems in open healthcare markets.”
  • Fiscal Policy: “Proactive fiscal policy plays a crucial role in stabilizing the economy during economic downturns and promoting long-term growth.”
  • Behavioral Economics: “Behavioral economics continues to be the most important branch of economics because it effectively explains how economic levers can cause widespread social change.”
  • Gig Economy: “The gig economy has had a positive effect on society because it allows all individuals to act as entrepreneurs, fill gaps in the market, and find work without having to apply for a job in a traditional company.”
  • Economics of Education: “Every dollar of education investment is worthwhile, because it pays strong dividends in terms of future economic output and social opportunities to all..”

Thesis Statements for Communications and Journalism Topics

  • Social Media Good: “Social media platforms have had the greatest positive impact on democracy of any technology, because they allow for citizen journalism and skirting around the elite gatekeepers.”
  • Social Media Bad : “The spread of fake news in the digital age is the greatest threat to democracy, which is why schools need now more than ever to teach critical and logical thinking skills.”
  • Crisis Communication: “While crisis communication is not a skill needed every day in a communications job, when it is needed, it’s the most important skill for a communication studies major to have.”
  • Journalistic Ethics: “Anybody posting online, including on blogs or social media, should have the responsibility to follow journalistic ethics, including the obligation for truthfulness, fairness, and objectivity.”
  • Media Representation: “Media representation has historically been exclusionary, and as a result, large media companies carry a social responsibility to implement on-screen diversity quotas.”
  • Storytelling: “Above logical arguments (logos), storytelling and an appeal to emotions (pathos) is the most effective way to spread a message and convince an audience of an argument..”
  • Media Convergence: “Media convergence, characterized by the integration of different media platforms, is the greatest opportunity yet for media companies to reach a wide and diverse audience.”
  • Audience Capture: “While digital media has allowed for greater feedback from audiences, the phenomenon of audience capture (where broadcasters change their message to meet the desires of audience) is overall bad for truth in journalism.”
  • Freedom of the Press : “Freedom of the press is the most essential vehicle for ensuring a free and democratic society because it allows for a fully-informed citizenry.”
  • Groupthink : “Social media leads to greater amounts of group think than traditional mass media ever did.

Thesis Statements for History Topics

  • Treaty of Versailles: “If the Treaty of Versailles set the conditions for WWII, then the main lesson from the Treaty was that the victors should be graceful in their victory and focus on shared reconstruction rather than excessive punishment.”
  • Civil Rights Movement: “The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s led to the greatest and most rapid expansion of access to natural rights in human history.”
  • Fall of the Roman Empire: “The fall of the Roman Empire was a complex event influenced by a confluence of factors, including political instability, economic crisis, and external invasions.”
  • Lessons from History: “While history does not repeat, it does rhyme.”
  • Colonialism: “The effects of colonialism are still felt today in colonized nations, and reparations should be made.”
  • Technology: “History shows that technological inventions tend to be the catalysts for rapid social change .”

Thesis Statements for Engineering Topics

  • Renewable Energy Technologies: “Climate change cannot be solved by taxation, but must be solved by renewable energy innovations.”
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Engineering: “The integration of artificial intelligence in engineering will help to significantly optimize design processes, leading to more affordable and higher-quality engineering products.”
  • Bioengineering: “Bioengineering will dramatically improve both the length and quality of life in the next 30 years.”
  • Engineering Ethics: “Engineering ethics, which encompass responsibility, integrity, and respect for the public and the environment, are integral for ensuring the safety and well-being of society.”
  • Structural Engineering: “In the face of increasing climate change threats, structural engineering must adapt to incorporate resilience against natural disasters in infrastructure design.”

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

  • Position: A thesis statement takes a clear stance on a topic, presenting an argument rather than just stating a fact.
  • Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay.
  • Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable.
  • Arguable: The claim made in a thesis statement should be something that could be disagreed with or debated.
  • Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument.
  • Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay.
  • Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

There’s a lot to think about when coming up with your thesis statement. If you can’t come up with one yet, and you know the topic you need to cover, I’d recommend doing some background reading on the topic and let the data inform your thesis (which is how the true academic researchers do it!). If you’re writing an academic dissertation, you’d want to come up with the thesis statement after you have conducted your literature review. And for that, read my guide on literature reviews.

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ 10 Critical Theory Examples
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  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ 71 Best Education Dissertation Topic Ideas
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ 11 Primary Data Examples

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