Thesis Statements
A thesis statement is a brief, well-constructed statement that states what you will
be proving in your writing. It not only identifies the topic, but also makes an assertion
about it. It controls and directs the content of the essay: everything the writer says must
be logically related to the thesis statement.
Refining the Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement tells your audience exactly what your essay will explain or
discuss. It should reference all aspects of your essay. A thesis that is too broad or too
vague will confuse your audience, as will a thesis that is unrelated to or contradicts what
is in your body paragraphs.
Look back over your research, think about your ideas, and revise your thesis so
that it reflects what your essay will be about.
Examples:
Question- How accurate is the history in Macbeth?
Thesis- History in Macbeth is inaccurate.
Revised thesis- Shakespeare seriously alters true Scottish history by taking the
strong and just King Macbeth and transforming him into a bloody, paranoid tyrant.
Question- How are women depicted in Macbeth?
Thesis- Women are depicted badly in Macbeth.
Revised thesis- Macbeth reflects the sexist ideas of the Renaissance, depicting
women as sly, manipulative, and dangerous, yet weak and fragile.
Question- What does blood represent in Macbeth?
Thesis- Blood represents sin in Macbeth.
Revised thesis- Blood is the central symbol in Macbeth, and everyone who
touches it—including Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the murderers, and the witches—is
marked as a sinner.