UNION CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT
Outlines, either sentence or topic, begin with a thesis statement. Your first step in creating your
final outline, then, is to generate your thesis statement.
When you first selected your topic, you phrased your narrowed topic as a question. Your
research question helped you create your working outline, directed your research, and
determined your note taking. As a result, by now you should have an answer to that research
question, and the one-sentence answer is your thesis statement. Compare these research
questions with their respective thesis statements:
Question:
Thesis:
What are the effects on the environment when wetlands are destroyed?
When wetlands are destroyed, for whatever reason, the reduction of the
water table affects life of all kinds, even that of the average city dweller.
Question:
How did Steinbeck’s depiction of the Great Depression in The Grapes of Wrath
compare with historical and persona, experiences?
While Steinbeck’s depiction of the Great Depression in The Grapes of
Wrath bears historical accuracy, at least on family showed little similarity
between its life and that of the Joads.
Thesis:
Question:
Thesis:
What is being done to solve the problem of homelessness?
Government, private organizations, and individuals re all working to solve
what seems to be the insurmountable problem of homelessness.
Question:
Thesis:
What therapeutic effects can come from subliminal perceptions?
Subliminal perceptions can aid in the reduction of stress-related problems
as simple as weight loss or as complicated as surgery.
Question:
Thesis:
How are robotics affecting national industries?
Robotics of low, medium, and high technology have revolutionized
industry by making it less dependent on but also safer for humans.
Your thesis statement is a kind of summary or description of what your paper is about. Note the
following characteristics of these thesis statements.
1. Each is a single declarative sentence, not a question.
2. Each states the writer’s position or findings on the topic.
3. Each states the specific focus the paper will have.
4. Each suggests what the conclusion will say.
5. Each presumably reflects what the writer’s notes provide.
6. None begins with “The purpose of this paper is…” nor states the purpose in any other way.
7. None is a statement of the topic.
8. None includes multiple main clauses.
Your may need to rewrite your thesis statement several times before it expresses precisely what
your paper will discuss.
TIPS FOR WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT
An effective thesis statement tells readers specifically what you plan to write about in your paper.
It also serves as a personal guide to keep you on track as you research your subject.
The Process at Work
A thesis statement usually takes a stand or expresses a specific feeling or feature of your subject.
Write as many versions as it takes to hit upon the one that sets the right tone for your writing.
The following formula can be used to form your thesis statement:
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Research Paper/Process Addendum
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UNION CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
a specific subject
+
a particular stand, feeling, or feature
_________________________________
an effective thesis statement
Sample Thesis Statements
Writing Assignment
Specific Subject
Thesis Statement
Research paper about a social issue
Writing Assignment
Specific Subject
Thesis Statement
Writing Assignment
Specific Subject
Thesis Statement
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