Rams Write: Thesis Statements

Meme Generator

What is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is simply a set of subtopics that you plan to discuss throughout your essay, likely the subjects of each individual paragraph. 

Here's a tip!

Although we start writing with a general idea of what our thesis will be, it's always helpful to draft the entire essay and then go back and revise your thesis to reflect how your argument really progressed. Revising your thesis after writing a first draft also helps you with your final revision. You will better identify "fluff," places where you go off-topic, as well as ideas that may need further clarification. 

How To Write a Killer Thesis Statement

Bad Thesis Statements Have:

1. No claim
2. Nothing to argue
3. No hint about where they’re headed
4. No focus, they’re too broad
5. A long list of information

Good Thesis Statements Have:

1. A clear point of view
2. A detailed blueprint about where the essay is headed
3. Clear and concise form

Make sure:

• Your thesis takes a position that others might challenge

• Your thesis statement is specific

If the reader can ask the questions, "So What?" "How?" or "Why?", then you might need to clarify your thesis.

Meme Generator

Incorrect

In his work “Plagiarism is Not a Big Moral Deal,” Fish discusses how plagiarism should be treated in an academic atmosphere, due to the fact that it is often rooted in misunderstanding, a lack of originality, and the exclusivity of academic circles.

This thesis has a topic and blueprint, but is missing an opinion.

Correct

In his work, “Plagiarism Is Not a Big Moral Deal,” Fish discusses how plagiarism should not be treated as a moral or philosophical issue, due to the fact that it is often rooted in misunderstanding of the complex rules, a lack of originality as a concept, and the exclusivity of academic circles.

Explanation

This thesis is better because it includes all of the following:

Topic: A discussion of how plagiarism should be treated in an academic atmosphere.

Opinion: Plagiarism is not an issue of morality but rather professionalism.

Blueprint: He argues that plagiarism is often caused by misunderstanding without malicious intent, lack of originality as a concept, and overly complicated rules and systems taught to a few in academic circles. 

Meme Generator

Common mistakes include:

1. Lack of focus and specificity 

2. Jargon (word choice that is exclusive/ hard to understand)

3. Treating your thesis statement like a topic sentence

4. Not adequately representing your claim

Thesis statements are 1-2 sentences that assert your opinion and what will be said throughout the entire essay. 

Topic sentences introduce the discussion to follow in a specific paragraph. Each must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall subject, but also specific enough that the reader knows where the paragraph is going. For more information, see Rams Write: Topic Sentences.

Thesis Sentence vs. Topic

The “Thesis Machine”

This is a technique my first writing professor taught me. It’s a reliable jumping off point for when you’re just trying to get a thesis down. The pattern’s simple—here’s an example:

Topic: Hufflepuffs

Topic + Position: Hufflepuffs make the best friends

Topic + Position + Rationale (Think of this as the “because” step): Hufflepuffs make the best friends because they are accepting and loyal.

Topic + Position + Rationale + Qualification (The “although” step): Although they are often overlooked and considered oddballs, Hufflepuffs make the best friends because of their deep-seated values of loyalty, dedication, and acceptance, all crucial traits in any friendship.

Jerz's Literary Weblog offers general guidelines for brainstorming your thesis.