A Guide to Perfect Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement, how and why it is formed and phrased? Why is a successful thesis statement already half the success in writing an essay? Not only will you find answers to the above questions in this article, but also read about unique examples of writing thesis statements for various topics of college essays. Get ready; this is going to be interesting!

Definition of a Thesis

The key element in a “thesis statement” is the word “thesis”, which comes from Greek. In the Greek language, it means “assertion.” It is widely used in linguistics, philosophy, medicine, music, literature. In the generally accepted scientific terminology, the definition of a thesis is as follows: a thesis is a summary of the main ideas of the research.

A thesis is a briefly formulated key thought put into a single sentence. The term is used in philosophy, science, linguistics, and, of course, academic writing.

In a narrow sense, a thesis is an abbreviated version of a scientific article, conveying in a concise form the essence of a more voluminous work. This genre is in high demand at scientific conferences, when it is necessary to formulate the main provisions of your work for the public as compactly as possible, to highlight the results and prospects of your research.

Different Methods to Formulate a Thesis Statement

1. The traditional method to formulate a thesis statement

The traditional way to formulate a thesis statement assumes the direct expression of one’s thoughts.

Direct expression of one’s thought: People understand that it is necessary to protect nature, to preserve the world around us for the common good.

2. The non-traditional (original) methods to formulate a thesis statement

As for the claim to originality, there are several possible solutions here.

• One can talk about a case from one’s life (presuming that this technique was not already used in the introduction).
  The most convenient and easy way is a question-and-answer approach, when we ask ourselves a question and answer it. This method is convenient in the sense that it allows you not to get lost in your thoughts.

• One can use the method of analogy, i.e. comparison with the real world.
• Question-answer method: What helps a person to overcome difficulties? Perhaps, everyone will answer this question in their own way. It seems to me that the support of loved ones plays an important role.

• Analogy method (comparison with the natural world): In my opinion, it is love that helps to cope with difficulties. Love gives a person wings, with the help of which it becomes easier to overcome obstacles on the way.

The keynote: all the theses being formulated must correspond to the given topic; one must not deviate from it.

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Examples of Thesis Statements

a) Examples of thesis statements on the topic of Kindness and Cruelty

A college student can create the following thesis statement based on this topic: A man is born to be kind, while cruelty only appears as a reaction to the imperfection of the world

To support the above statement, a student can offer the following arguments:

• Cruelty appears in people when they become rougher internally, in their soles
• People become cruel because they were mistreated
• The superiority of kindness over cruelty is a natural gift that is not given to everyone

b) Examples of thesis statements on the topic of Dreams and Reality

One can form the following thesis statement based on this topic: Dreams become true when one is persistent and works really hard toward this end

Having formulated this statement in the introduction, a student may proceed to the following arguments in the main body of the essay:

• A dream not supported by action is fruitless
• Empty dreams lead to disappointment
• A dream is an inspiration, everything else is hard work

The Key Takeaway

As you can see, a thesis statement is the main element of a scientific work or college essay. In most cases, its validity is proved by convincing arguments and reliable facts, which follow in the main body of the paper, essay, article, and so on.

In order not to forget your thesis statement in the essay or a scientific paper, formulate the thesis statement in a way that sounds like your own opinion, a personal discovery, or a revelation that you are ready to defend. 

Good luck with formulating your thesis statement!