After marking up the prompt, prewriting for ideas, and listing and developing major points, you should have a pretty good idea of what your essay will be about. Now it's time to write the thesis statement.
A very basic thesis statement is a single sentence at the end of the first paragraph that tells the reader the main idea of your essay.
A thesis statement should do these three things:
1. It should clearly express what the essay is about.
2. It should make a discussible point.
3. It should indicate the structure of the essay.
Let's look at some examples:
Original Thesis: Many Americans are buying foreign cars.
Revised Thesis: Many Americans are buying the Toyota Corolla because of it's competitive price, fuel economy, and high resale value.
The revised thesis statement clearly expressed that the essay is about (the Toyota Corolla.) It gives us a topic that can be discussed (why people are buying the Toyota Corolla.) And it establishes the organizational structure of the essay (three specific reasons for the model's popularity: price, fuel, and value.)
Original Thesis: San Francisco is an interesting place to visit.
Revised Thesis: San Francisco is a stimulating place to visit because of its magnificent location, its theaters and art galleries, and its many fine restaurants.
The revised thesis statement tells what the essay is about (San Francisco). It gives a topic that can be discussed (why San Francisco is such a great city.) And it indicates how the essay will be organized (three body paragraphs discussing the city's location, its art galleries and museums, and its wonderful restaurants.)
Original Thesis: Chess is a great game.
Revised Thesis: Playing chess is a popular activity among students because it is inexpensive, engrossing, and can be played almost anywhere.
The revised thesis statement states the main idea of the essay (chess). It gives a topic that can be discussed (chess is a popular activity.) And it reveals how the essay will be organized (three body paragraphs that deals with how cheap, entertaining, and portable chess is.)
I have decided on the topic: dogs. I have chosen three reasons why a dog would make a good pet for me. My three major points will be that dogs are loyal, easy to train, and make good companions. Here are two ways I could write my thesis statement:
Thesis Statement: A dog would make a great pet for me because they are very loyal, they are easy to train, and they make good companions.
Thesis Statement: Because of its sense of loyalty, its ability to be trained, and its good companionship, a dog is the perfect pet for me.
Avoid announcing your intent in the thesis statement. Phrases such as "I want," "I plan," "I intend," or "this paper is about" are overused and unnecessary.
Try writing a thesis statement for your essay that includes the topic of your essay and your three major points, as illustrated above.
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