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Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement

by Kinglove | Writing

Related article: What is a thesis?

A thesis statement is a statement that says what you are going to argue or prove, not what you’re going to attempt to do. It’s not your plan but your argument.

Identifying a thesis

“The first thing to remember is that a thesis is the  point the author is trying to prove .  That means that a topic, which can be expressed in a phrase, like “alcoholism” or “effect of corruption on poverty,” is  not  a thesis.  A thesis can only be expressed by a complete, declarative sentence (not a question, either). So, be sure to write out a complete sentence when identifying the source’s thesis.

Often, all you need to identify the thesis of an article is the abstract —the brief summary, usually just a short paragraph, provided with the listing of many articles in most databases. This explains the main idea of the article and states what point it is trying to prove.

However, an abstract is not always provided. In those cases, you may need to read the first few paragraphs to get the gist of the article. This is typically where the author will lay out the argument and, again, state the point that they are trying to prove. In more difficult cases, it may be necessary to read the conclusion as well since this is often where they sum up the argument one last time. Sometimes, it’s clearer in the conclusion than in the introduction.

With books, the thesis may be stated on the back, on the jacket flap, in the preface or introduction, or early on in the first chapter. On the back and on the jacket look for phrases like “the author argues that…” In the preface, introduction or first chapter, look for “I argue…” or similar phrases.

Keep in mind:   Reference works do not have theses.  Remember the definition of a thesis: a point that an essay is trying to prove. Reference works don’t try to prove a point. They simply report information. Usually it’s the more in-depth general interest works, and especially the scholarly sources, that have theses. So those are the ones you’ll want to focus on.” From Shoreline community college.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary:

Definition of thesis:

“a: a proposition to be proved or one advanced without proof:   HYPOTHESIS

“ 5.3 Turn Your Working Hypothesis into a Claim We described the early stages of research as finding a question and imagining a tentative answer. We called that answer your working hypothesis. Now as we discuss building an argument to support that hypothesis, we change our terminology one last time. When you think you can back up your hypothesis with good reasons and evidence, you’ll present that hypothesis as your argument’s claim . A claim is an assertion (which could be one sentence or several) that demands support. Your main claim is the assertion supported by your whole research argument. Some call this assertion your thesis. ” From the Turabian Manual, 9th Edition

Thesis Statements vs. Topic Statements

“ Thesis Statements Every paper must argue an idea and every paper must clearly state that idea in a thesis statement. A thesis statement is different from a topic statement.  A topic statement merely states what the paper is about.  A thesis statement states the argument of that paper. Be sure that you can easily identify your thesis and that the key points of your argument relate directly back to your thesis.

Topic statements: This paper will discuss Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. The purpose of this paper is to delve into the mindset behind Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. This paper will explore how Harry Truman came to the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

Thesis statements: Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima was motivated by racism. The US confrontation with the Soviets was the key factor in Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. This paper will demonstrate that in his decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, Truman was unduly influenced by hawks in his cabinet.” Source: University of Mary Washington.

The theme is the central idea of a piece. It is an implicit  or  recurrent   idea in the work.

“ To identify the central idea or theme, one must also look at the other elements of fiction (plot, characters, setting, conflict, etc.) to explain how the author has tied all of these together. In order to understand the central idea or theme of the story ask yourself the following questions:

• How is the central idea or theme expressed through the characters, setting, point of view, tone, language, or conflict?
• In what way does the resolution of the external conflict indicate the central idea or theme? How does the resolution of the internal conflict express the story’s theme?
• Are symbols, metaphors, or similes used to portray the central idea or theme?
• What are the repeated images, words, or expressions in the story?
• How does the title make sense in terms of the story? Is it significant?
• What the story reveals about society, people in general, the roles of men and women, the time period in which the story takes place?
• Does the central idea make sense in light of the story and the title?

Remember, there is no one way to express the central idea of a story (but some statements are definitely better than others). The best stories have multiple levels of meaning and require MORE THAN ONE READING before the central idea becomes clear. ” http://www.austincc.edu/bvillarr/theme.htm

What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme?

“Theme is the main idea of the piece of literature, art, film, etc.– whatever it is you are being asked to write about. It is the “lesson” that is being taught. For example, “greed” in an incomplete theme, but “greed is the root of all evil” would be a valid theme of a work.

The thesis is the actual statement in your paper that expresses what the idea behind your essay is. It is what YOUR paper is about, which in turn, is a statement that also conveys what the work being discussed is about. Therefore, a “thesis” normally contains a “theme”. An example might be: In “The Pardoner’s Tale”, Chaucer expresses through both the actions of the Pardoner as well as through the actions of the characters in his tale, the notion that greed is the root of all evil. ” Source: From Yahoo Answers

“There are some very strong parallels between both themes and thesis statements.  I think you will find there will be much in the way of responses to how each will be different.  For my bet, I would like to think of themes as something that can be found in writing that expresses the intent of what the author is trying to show.  Themes can be found in literature and other forms of writing where an idea is explored in a complex and intricate manner.  Examples of themes can be courage, the quest for justice, the collision between equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, or the notion of identity formation. These themes are proven from a base that is not purely evidential and argumentative, which differentiates them from a thesis statement.  For example, when Homer explores the theme of equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, he does not do so in a strictly linear and evidential manner.  Rather, he shows us a character who must endure such a theme and how it plays out is built within the development of the character.  Hektor’s character evolution is how we, as the reader, see Homer’s theme develop.

In contrast to this, a thesis statement is something that is built through evidence, analysis, and persuasion.  It seems to me to be more linear and directed than a theme.  For instance, a thesis statement can be analytical, which analyzes an idea and deconstructs it through a paper.  A thesis statement could also be persuasive, and it hopes to do so through evidence and analysis.  The websites below give examples of thesis statements.  I think I differentiate both concepts as a thesis statement trying to prove something, while a theme seeks to explore it.” Source: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-difference-between-thesis-statement-theme-110021

Thesis Statements

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What are Thesis and Theme?

Going Back to the Basics:

Thesis and theme are two words that everyone knows they know but they typically can’t describe these terms succinctly. Chances are, unless you’re in a writing-dominated field, you probably haven’t given these terms much thought since college or high school English classes.  That’s okay, but if you’re embarking on writing a book, you’ll need to brush up on these key terms.

Thesis and theme are the foundations of all writing, professional or informal. They both convey the subject of the text. Despite this similarity, there’s a stark difference between the functions of the thesis and the theme. 

The theme of a piece of writing is less intricate than its thesis. A theme is the main idea of a paper. It can be described in a word or short phrase, and these themes are demonstrated throughout the work by the content. Within a longer piece, such as an article or a book, there can be multiple themes. Oftentimes, these are divided by chapters or headings. Theme offers some room for interpretation—while the overall message should be received the same by each reader, the word(s) they use to describe it has some flexibility.

That’s not the case with the thesis statement. A thesis statement is the argument that a writer constructs throughout the work. It can be described in a phrase, sentence, or even a paragraph. The thesis statement must define the purpose of the paper, mention the points you’ll explore, and serve as an abbreviated summary of the work. There’s the misconception that a thesis statement and a topic sentence are interchangeable terms. While the thesis statement may act as a topic sentence, it usually comes later in the introductory text and it’s more specific than topic sentences are allowed to be.

A strong thesis requires some effort and workshopping. When you’re writing the outline for your book, determine the core ideas that you want to discuss, think about your purpose for writing, and then find a way to piece all of the components together. A key to obtaining a good thesis is to unify your key points and be specific about your intentions for the piece. 

Let’s take a look at an example: 

A paper on traditional vs independent publishing can have themes of diversity, empowerment, change through social media, individual identity, etc. Subheadings would show these themes for each of the sections throughout the paper.

A topic sentence could be: “In the internet age, small independent publishing is growing as an alternative for authors .”  This is a fact that can be proven; it doesn’t show the author’s opinion or intention for the paper.

But a thesis statement would be: “ Small presses use social media as a tool to celebrate the diverse voices that they publish while enacting slow scale social change through challenging identities perpetuated by the media.” Now that thesis encompasses a lot of topics that the reader will expect to have reviewed. It also makes an argument for how small presses operate and what their lasting effects might be. 

Your thesis should be just as specific, though it doesn’t have to be as polished and complete before you start writing your book. However, you should still have a placeholder thesis statement to guide you through your writing. Later, you can refine your thesis to better reflect the content you cover. I suggest having several people review your thesis statement to make sure it’s 1) clear, 2) concise, and 3) accurately describes what your book is about. If your thesis is still giving you trouble, try completing some thesis exercises, available in most writing books and online.

We understand the fundamental importance of crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement to guide your writing journey. Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you articulate your core ideas and intentions effectively, ensuring that your book’s thesis serves as a strong foundation for your narrative. With our comprehensive publishing services, including writing, editing, and promotion, we can support you every step of the way to transform your manuscript into a polished and impactful book.

Schedule a call with us today to discover how BrightRay Publishing can help you bring your book to life and share your message with the world.

• Emily Batdorf
• July 30, 2021

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How To Write A Thematic Statement with Examples

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

The English language is not as straightforward as it seems. Penning a quality essay or story requires in-depth knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure rulings.

A single paragraph may contain multiple different sentence types. An argumentative essay’s introductory paragraph, for example, may have many simple sentences, a thesis statement, and a thematic statement.

Thesis statements are present within almost every essay. Thematic statements, on the other hand, are less popular because not many people know about them. Regardless, they are an essential part of English writing, and learning about these statements will help you produce better essays. Thematic statements are most commonly employed within stories, though you can also find them in some formal texts.

This article will cover everything you need to know about thematic statements – what are they, where are they used, and how they differ from thesis statements. We’ll also explore the guidelines for penning a quality thematic statement, accompanied by multiple examples.

So, without further delay, let’s dive in!

In this article:

What is a Thematic Statement?

What’s the purpose of having a theme, where to use thematic statements: popular examples, how are thematic statements different from thesis statements, theme vs. topic, how to write a thematic statement, what to avoid when writing a thematic statement, good vs. evil, power and corruption, coming of age, thematic statement examples for love, thematic statement examples for identity, thematic statement examples for fear, thematic statement examples for death, thematic statement examples for trust.

Thematic statements are unique sentences employed by writers to convey the most prominent message of their story or article. They summarize the essence of the story into a short, precise statement.

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Every thematic statement must contain a single root keyword. This keyword is called the ‘theme’ or a ‘thematic idea.’ Unlike thematic statements, thematic ideas are not complete sentences but only words.

Thematic statements grow from thematic ideas.

Some writers prefer to pen two thematic statements instead of one. This tactic is most common within more extensive texts that discuss multiple ideas. Still, the idea is to summarize the central message that the text aims to deliver to readers. Hence, thematic statements shouldn’t be too long. An entire paragraph of writing cannot qualify as a thematic statement.

Thematic statements do not target a specific audience. Expert writers know that thematic statements lose their purpose when directed at the reader. Hence, thematic statements should never sound personal. Words like “I” and “you” have no place within thematic statements because they narrow the thematic idea’s scope. You essentially direct an idea towards a specific audience by personalizing a statement. Hence, the audience’s perception of the statement’s message becomes relevant. Unfortunately, having the audience’s perception as a point of interest weakens the statement’s impact.

Let’s go over a simple example to understand this idea better:

Suppose the proposed thematic statement is “If you love sincerely, you will find joy.”

There are many problems with this statement. Firstly, it is a personal statement directed at an audience. A quality thematic statement must be impersonal. It should address not a person or audience but rather a single idea or message.

Another thing wrong with this sentence is its use of “if.” Writing “if” immediately transforms the text into a conditional statement that’s paired with a promise. Here, the statement mentioned above promises joy to those who love sincerely.

Unfortunately, promises are often broken and are seldom guaranteed. Therefore, it’s best to avoid making promises within thematic statements. Including the word “if” and closing the statement off with a promise only serves to weaken the sentence’s impact. Plus, it lengthens the statement. Remember, thematic statements should be concise and to the point. It should seek to deliver a single message in simple words.

A better thematic statement would be, “Sincere love results in joy.” This statement is direct and discusses one idea only. It does not make promises and is not an “if” statement. It is powerful and stated as a fact or lesson, allowing the reader to successfully understand the essay’s central idea.

A theme is often used to summarize the focus or main idea that the author is trying to convey. Well-developed works of literature often have a multitude of themes that can be determined or understood at face value as well as on a much deeper level. Sometimes, the author wants you to read between the lines and form your own conclusion.

For readers, understanding the theme gives you a much more in-depth understanding of the storyline as well as added clarity. Understanding the themes of a literary piece will also inspire a greater appreciation of the literature’s deeper meanings and innuendos.

Themes allow authors to express their opinions and comment on humanistic traits or societal pressures without having to be too obvious about it.

Learning to understand themes allows the reader the opportunity to think about the plot on a much deeper level, form their own opinions and align their opinions with those of the authors. A greater understanding of themes will also inspire deeper thinking and promote self-reflection in the reader.

Determining themes requires reading between the lines, having a greater understanding of emotion and reactiveness and critical thinking to decipher the message that the author is attempting to convey.

Thematic statements are often found within the following literary works:

• Short, five-paragraph essays that are at least 500 words long
• Social science research essays, particularly on topics like sociology or psychology
• Marriage toasts, funeral speeches , and other emotionally-charged pieces of text, centered around a single theme (like love or death)
• Stories, including personal narratives and autobiographical essays
• Rhetorical analysis essays that explore a published author’s linguistic articulation. The use of thematic statements can help perfectly capture the author’s message without beating around the bush

As discussed previously, thematic statements aim to deliver a single idea through a simple yet impactful sentence. This “single idea” is the central message of a complete body of text (like a story or essay).

Thematic statements are interchangeable with thesis statements when employed within thematic essays. However, this is the exception, not the rule. In most literary works, thematic statements are different from thesis statements. Both statements may be interrelated yet express their ideas through differing sentence structures. Unlike their thematic counterparts, we structure thesis statements as arguments containing multiple points of interest.

For example, suppose you are writing an essay on climate change. Climate change is the essay’s primary theme or thematic idea. Hence, your thematic statement will stem from it. Your thesis statement will also refer to climate change. However, it may also talk about other ideas relevant to climate change. These ideas will vary depending on what stance your essay takes on the matter of climate change, of course.

Here’s what a thematic statement for an essay on climate change may look like:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment.”

A thesis statement concerning the same topic may look like this:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment because it is raising sea levels, causing global warming, and depleting Earth’s flora and fauna.” This statement is arguable, not factual. It can be debated and proven or disproven using evidence.

On the other hand, thematic statements are simple factual sentences and undebatable facts. For example, the theme for a story like Romeo and Juliet is love. The thematic statement developed from this theme could be “love comes with a high price.” By connecting the theme, or thematic idea , to a lesson, we can successfully portray a complete message to the reader. This message encapsulates the core idea running through the entire story.

A story’s theme and the topic may share common ground, but they are not the same. Themes are single words that capture the story or essay’s essence. For example, we know that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet explores the theme of love. It also explores the theme of rivalry.

However, anyone who has read Romeo and Juliet knows that the topic is not love or rivalry. Instead, we can say the topic is “two young people belonging to rival families find love, only to suffer at its hands.” Notice how topics are complete sentences, whereas themes are standalone words.

A topic sentence may cite the story’s primary themes but goes a step further by exploring the plot, too. Topic statements are a tool to help better illustrate how a specific theme plays out within a story or essay. Hence, we see that theme and topic are not the same. However, they most certainly are interconnected.

Thematic statements come from thematic ideas. Therefore, before you start penning a thematic statement, you must first identify your essay’s central theme or main idea. You can do so by referring to your essay’s title.

Suppose your thematic idea is love. Now that you’ve got your theme down move on to uncovering the theme assertion.

“Theme assertion” refers to the text’s central message. What lesson can we learn from reading a specific literary work, and how does this lesson relate to the thematic idea?

The thematic assertion is decided by the story or essay’s original author. A reader can only spot it. We can do so by exploring the author’s thoughts. For example, within Romeo and Juliet, we see Shakespeare imply that love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion).

Combining the theme and assertion can yield a complete thematic statement. But if you’d like to take things further, you can always add a ‘qualifying clause.’

Qualifying clauses are optional. You can add them after a thematic assertion to further define the thematic statement.

Let’s take the example of Romeo and Juliet again:

Love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion) that cannot be denied (qualifying clause).

Notice how the qualifying clause adds to the overall thematic statement. However, if you wrote the qualifying clause on its own, it would not make any sense as a standalone sentence. Yet, when meshed with a theme and assertion, it can help create a well-rounded statement.

Here’s a quick summary of other ways to identify themes:

• Pay attention to the plot: Write down the main elements of the work like, plot, the tone of the story, language style, characters traits. Were there any conflicts? What was the most important moment of the story? What was the main character’s goal? What was the author’s resolution for the conflict? How did the story end?
• Identify the literary subject: If you had to tell someone about the book, how would you describe it to them?
• Who is the protagonist: Plainly put, who is the hero or the ‘good guy’? How did the character develop and grow throughout the plot? What was the character’s effect on all the other people around him? How did he/she impact the other characters? How does this character relate to the others?

Assess the author’s point of view: What was the author’s view on the characters and how they made choices? What message could the author be trying to send us? This message is the theme. Find clues in quotes from the main characters, language use, the final resolution of the main conflict.

Thematic statements aren’t overly complicated. However, being human, there is always room for error.

Keep an eye out for the following mistakes when penning thematic statements:

• Remember to mention the story or essay’s central theme within the thematic statement.
• Avoid summarizing the literary work – that’s what topic sentences are for!
• Stay away from absolute terms like “always.”
• Overgeneralization is unnecessary and distracts from the main idea.
• Do not say, “this story’s theme is….” Instead, weave the thematic idea’s keyword (“love”) into the thematic statement.
• Avoid metaphors, complicated idioms, and flowery language.
• Don’t beat about the bush.
• Stay away from cliché statements and trendy slogans or chants.
• Qualifying clauses are not compulsory. Only use them if you feel they’ll improve your writing without complicating it.

You can successfully pen a striking thematic statement by avoiding these common writing mistakes.

Examples of Themes

There are many great literary theme examples of love that have developed through the ages, one of the most famous ones being, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet of course. Theme: A tragic tale of forbidden love with terrible consequences.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is yet another classic example that explores the type of love that grows slowly where there was once dislike and misunderstanding.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte explores love in a completely different light, highlighting the way its intensity and power disrupt and even destroy lives.

The book thief by Marcus Zusak is narrated by death itself, exploring his role in taking lives in setting Germany in World War 2.

The Fault in Our Stars features teenagers who come to terms with the grave reality of death while coming to terms with their terminal illness.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien displays the battle of good versus evil quite clearly in its tale of hobbits, elves and men teaming up to defeat the power hungry Sauron and his armies of dark creatures.

The Stand by Stephen King features the light versus dark dichotomy. Staging a battle between good and evil through the characters of Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the tragic tale of a character seeking power for his own sake, and dealing with the consequences of his own self minded ambition.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is another iconic classic exploration of power and corruption, an allegorical story about a group of animals who rise up against their human masters with increasingly sinister results.

Lord of the flies by William Golding focuses on a group of young boys stuck on a deserted island, chronicling their attempts to survive and govern themselves.

Room by Emma Donoghue tells a different story of survival as that of a woman who has been held captive for seven years and her five-year-old son who doesn’t know a normal life outside of the room that they are held captive in.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger follows a sixteen-year-old boy dealing with teenage angst and rebellion in the 1950s.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is the story of a teenager named Charlie navigating all the challenges that come with the time between adolescence and adulthood.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is noted as one of the most famous explorations of prejudice and racism. A white lawyer Atticus Finch is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of rape. 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly explores prejudice and fear of the unknown throughout the story of Dr. Frankenstein and the ‘monster’ he created.

Examples of Thematic Statements

Now that we’ve gone over the guidelines associated with writing a thematic statement, let’s explore some theme sentence examples:

• Love can heighten our sense of courage.
• Loving ourselves can heal our emotional scars, even if it takes time.
• Love is more powerful than infatuation.
• Accepting our true selves can help us lead happier lives.
• Our identity is crafted from personal experiences.
• Believing in ourselves can help us achieve the impossible.
• Fear is a state of mind.
• We can overcome fear through strong faith.
• Fear is an inevitable emotion.
• All humans experience fear.
• We should embrace death as an inevitable fact of life.
• Nobody can evade death.
• Seeing their loved ones die makes people sad.
• Healthy relationships are built on trust.
• To achieve success, we must trust our gut instinct.
• Not everyone deserves to be trusted.
• We should choose who to trust with care.

Pay attention to how each statement covers only a single idea relating to one theme. This is a trademark rule with thematic statements. It helps them remain simple, unwinding, and direct.

Learning about thematic statements is an essential part of every writer’s journey. Storybook authors, in particular, should be well-aware of thematic statements and their undeniable importance.

A quality thematic statement can make your story much easier to understand. That’s because a thematic statement stems from the story’s central or thematic idea and captures the story’s true essence. Hence, thematic statements are incomplete without discussing the literary work’s primary theme.

Thematic statements should not be confused with thesis statements. Both are important in their own right, yet neither one can replace the other. Thematic statements are factual, whereas thesis statements explore arguments that can be disproven with relevant evidence.

Thesis statements seldom exist within stories. Instead, they are a characteristic of formal essays, particularly argumentative ones. However, to truly understand the essence of a story , one must first learn to understand the nature of thematic statements.

A story or essay’s theme is also strikingly different from its topic. Thematic ideas (themes) are typically single words. On the other hand, topics are illustrated through multiple words. As a result, we often see topic sentences and single-worded themes.

The best thematic statements reference a single theme. After identifying the story’s theme, these statements build upon a lesson or message relating to said theme. This thematic idea keyword (for example, love or death) must appear within the thematic statement.

Thematic statements must also contain a thematic assertion. A thematic assertion is essentially an explanation, lesson, or central message the story conveys.

A single thematic idea and assertion are enough to create a complete thematic statement. However, some people prefer adding an optional qualifying clause, too. After adding the clause, you’re left with a comprehensive, well-rounded thematic statement.

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

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Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Seeking Feedback from Others

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing