Thesis Statement Definition - What is a Thesis Statement?

"There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after."- J.R.R. Tolkein

True for the Lord of the Rings and well, true for most research papers. Most students or thesis writers, tend to finalise their argument for the subject of their choice, when they start their paper. The statement that puts forward this argument in black and white, is known as the thesis statement. While a thesis statement definition can be put forward in extremely simple terms, it is important to understand how to write a thesis statement. Read more on research paper topics.

What is a Thesis Statement?

Most graduate or post graduate programs require students to write a thesis or a dissertation on a topic or subject of their choice, related to their program course. A thesis statement defines in a sentence or two, the essence of the essay. The definition of thesis statement is, a part of the opening para of the essay, which in a clear, precise and focused manner, puts forward the stream of argument that the author intends to follow.

A thesis statement is generally a good measure of how focused, the author is. A concise and well-thought-of thesis statement will always garner the attention of a reader. It is this sentence, more than any other text in the essay, that will tell the reader what to expect from the dissertation. It tells the reader about the importance that you have given the subject that is under scrutiny. The thesis statement is your answer to the research question in the paper. The rest of your paper will be a methodical representation of the evidence that you have managed to collect in order to prove your answer to the research question right.

A working thesis statement refers to a thesis statement that, will remain unfixed throughout the process of paper research. It helps you narrow down your the scope of your paper. If you intend to write a paper on the portrayal of Afro-Americans in English novels, you may find that the area you will have to cover is too large. The thesis statement can help you narrow it down to a paper, that will try and determine, whether the portrayal of Afro-Americans in To Kill a Mockingbird, was a reflection of the period it was written in.

A thesis statement is generally placed at the start of the paper. It is advisable not to start the paper with the statement itself but to put in a couple of paras with your ideas and then end these paras with a statement, ...and therefore I would like to prove in this paper that...

Tips to Write a Thesis Statement

In order to write a good thesis statement, it is essential to keep in mind a few crucial tips.

• It is important for the author to understand what kind of research paper, he/she is writing. Determine whether your paper is analytical, explanatory or debatable.
• Your thesis statement need not necessarily fall under these three categories and if not, then ensure that your thesis statement is outlined boldly in the first para.
• Be sure to write a thesis statement that is specific to your paper.
• Ensure that the thesis statement reflects the findings of the paper. You may have to revise your statement due for the same purpose.
• Your thesis statement cannot be a neutral statement nor can it be an overview of the topic.
• The thesis statement has to be arguable.

Thesis Statement Sample

The following is an example of a thesis statement written by a graduate student for her research paper entitled, Criminals in the Fourth Estate. The paper intend to prove that the reportage of crime in national newspapers, does not follow the standards prescribed by the American Bar Association.

The thesis subject is a study of the reportage of crime in national newspapers, namely, New York Times and Washington Post. The study aims to research the following of ABA guidelines in crime reporting by these papers. The study intends to prove that the the guidelines, which comprise of nine specific features, set down by the ABA, are being violated by the crime reporters of these two papers.

Writing a thesis statement can be a daunting task. It is not easy to narrow down on a thesis statement, when you are in the process of researching and gathering material. But in order to have a clear focus, it is essential that the thesis statement is conveyed in a precise, concise and objective manner. This elaboration of a thesis statement definition should enable you to write a good working thesis statement. Read more on how to write a thesis.