THESIS STATEMENTS
A thesis statement is an arguable statement used in any analytical paper. The thesis is typically one sentence, and it often appears at the end of the introductory paragraph. A thesis statement must be strong in order for the paper to be a success. A weak thesis, such as "Sylvia Plath addresses suicide in her poems," will lead to a vague, poorly developed essay. Be concise in your thesis! However, do not create a three-pronged thesis. This research paper will be much more than a 5-paragraph essay.
Remember - a good thesis statement is not:
A statement of fact.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by the four major powers and became effective January 1920.
Merely the expression of a personal opinion.
I think the Treaty of Versailles was a foolish mistake.
A vague generalization.
The Treaty of Versailles caused the world a lot of problems.
A question.
Was the Treaty of Versailles a major force in precipitating World War II?
A thesis statement is an arguable statement used in any analytical paper. The thesis is typically one sentence, and it often appears at the end of the introductory paragraph. A thesis statement must be strong in order for the paper to be a success. A weak thesis, such as "Sylvia Plath addresses suicide in her poems," will lead to a vague, poorly developed essay. Be concise in your thesis! However, do not create a three-pronged thesis. This research paper will be much more than a 5-paragraph essay.
Remember - a good thesis statement is not:
(Research Paper Procedures by Amy Kleppner)