Thinking Thesis–That Thought That Escapes

 

The thoughts of a thesis statement are sometimes really difficult to work with. Think about it: your instructor tells you they want a thesis statement for a persuasive essay about gun control. They want your thesis statement by the next class, but the problem is this: you not only don’t know how to write a thesis statement, but you haven’t the slightest idea as to what one is either.

Never fear. A thesis statement is very simple to work with and to create. If you already know where you stand on your paper, then you have the general idea. If you can say your opinion, then you can write your thesis.

For example, let’s say you are for gun control. Your paper is to persuade others to be for gun control. State your opinion out loud, writing it down as you go. This works on the opposite side of the opinion, too. If you are against gun control, state why. Boom! You have your thesis.

Now, what is a thesis? A thesis statement is the one sentence in the very beginning and very end of a paper that says what your paper is about. Although some teaching careers will tell you it can be broken down into two sentences, usually one does the trick. This sentence summarizes the entire opinion of the paper into a few short words, without running on and on like it’s telling the whole paper in one paragraph.

Thesis papers are the same thing as essays, only normally the thesis statement is stated for you. If your instructor asks you to write a thesis on the death of Edgar Allen Poe, and gives you the statement: “Edgar Allen Poe’s death still remains a mystery, but conclusions have been made to determine the actual cause of death”, then you know exactly what you are writing in your paper. The entire concept is right there: reasons and conclusions to Edgar Allen Poe’s death. This is your body. All you have to do is the research and put it together.

All in all, a thesis is very simple to comprehend. Whether a statement or an entire paper, you can write a thesis. Just spit it out and write it down.