Thesis Statements
(Or as I like to say,
“What’s your point?”)
What is an Analytical Paper?



Breaks down a text(s) into its component
parts
Evaluates the data
Presents this breakdown and evaluation to
the audience as an argument.
–
In other words, “I believe this text is saying … and
here’s how I know and here’s why you should
believe it too.”
Analytical Thesis Statement


Introduce your topic concisely
State your point of view on the topic directly
and 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.
A thesis statement…



Is a road map for the paper
Interprets the significance of subject matter
Directly answers the question(s) asked
–
Specifically for the critical analysis paper:



Through your critical lens, what themes are revealed?
Through your critical lens, what purpose does your
character serve throughout the novel to embody the
author’s beliefs?
Through your critical lens, what literary legacy does your
novel serve?
Characteristics of a Thesis
Statement



Claims are disputable
A single sentence
Located at the end of the introduction
paragraph
How to create a Working Thesis

Use the following formula to create a working
thesis:
–

I am writing about _____________________ and
I am going to argue/show/prove _____________.
Remember!!!
–
–
–
A working thesis is the basic argument for your
paper
An argument that you think you can support with
evidence
You will change/modify this thesis along the way
How do I arrive at my thesis?





Step One: Create a working thesis
Step Two: Collect and organize evidence
Step Three: Look for possible relationships between
known facts (such as surprising contrasts or
similarities)
Step Four: Think about the significance of these
relationships.
Step Five: Modify your working thesis into a final
thesis.
–
Does all evidence in your essay support/prove the
thesis to be true?
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

Do I answer the question? In this case, the
question is “what do YOU think your text(s) is
saying and how is it saying it?”
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

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.
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

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"?
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

Does my thesis pass the “so what?" test? If a
reader's first response is “so what?" then you
need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to
connect to a larger issue.
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

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 OK
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.
How do I know if
my thesis is strong?

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.
Critical Literary Analysis

For a critical literary analysis, your thesis
statement will include the title(s) of the
work(s) you will discuss in your paper and
the author(s) of those works, as well as
what it is that you will argue about those
works.
Main Point #1
Main Point #2
Main Point #3
Main Point #2

“In Lewis’s novel, The Screwtape Letters, Lewis develops
many themes involving human choices, characters a
reader can learn life experiences from including the
patient and the struggles with his life, and the legacy of
Christian ideals and values that Lewis’s book left behind.”
“In the novel Death With Interruptions, the author Jose
Saramago develops the theme that love needs death to
maintain a normal society by personifying death, and as a
result, the author leaves a lasting literary legacy through
the unique writing style he uses to convey these ideas.”
Main Point #1

Main Point #3
Sample literary thesis statement