The Core
The thesis. His purpose: to state specifically the topic of the essay. His creed: be specific and be firm. This little sentence--or two or three--forms the heart of the essay. Everything. EVERYTHING in your essay relates back to the thesis. Therefore, I strongly suggest writing your thesis statement before writing anything else. In doing so, you set a direction for your entire paper before allowing yourself even a chance at losing focus. That is where pre-writing comes in. See below for my recommended strategy of pre-writing.
To avoid any skimming of this crucial information, I cut the fluff and provide you with basic facts in bullet format:
> Significance of the thesis: establishes organization and purpose in an essay
- The thesis not only gives you direction in your essay but also provides the reader insight into the topic.
> Location: commonly at the end of the introduction
- To start, we will stick with this common location. If you just happen to put the thesis statement
somewhere else, great, but do not struggle to fit it in somewhere odd if unnecessary.
> What to avoid: vagarity, overwhelming wordiness, and any person but the third!
- Be specifc! Include all of the points in your essay if you can.
- No "I will tell you" or "Now I will write about." Jump right in and state your topic without "I" (first person)
or "you" (second person). The reader already knows that you are the speaker and he is the audience.
What is a thesis statement again?
A thesis statement follows along the lines of the following simple examples:
Humanity values the telephone because it facillitates communication in times of emergency, excitement, and
loneliness.
> This is a three-point thesis, named named for its three points. Having three points sets the path to the typical
five paragraph essay: intro + three body paragraphs + conclusion.
> A thesis containing specific points need not have exactly three. It could compare and contrast two items or
have more or less points to discuss.
Life is precious yet unpredictable, making it all the more valuable.
> This thesis statement is just that: a statement.
> With this type of thesis, you might go on to describe a certain event or a topic lacking specific
points to discuss.
Notice how neither of these theses use "I," "me," or "you."
Featured below is a transformation of a thesis from first to third person:
Fact or Thesis?
Unfortunately, inexperienced thesis writers often mistake a blatant fact for an adequate thesis. Remember that your essay is not a report or a summary. Your essay explains a topic with your own spin on it. You are developing an argument. A plain fact does not allow you to do so because it is not open ended or nearly specific enough. Observe the diagram below.
Pre-Writing
No, I will not make you write a web or an extensive outline--unless, of course, those strategies help you, in which case, USE THEM. My suggested method involves organized brainstorming--an oxymoron to say the least.
To get started, (1) collect a piece of paper, a writing utensil, and a thoughtful brain. (2) Consider your topic and make a list of what comes to mind. (3) Toss out the completely ludacris ideas and focus on a few realistic possibilities. (4) Then, brainstorm supporting details for each plausible topic. (5) Choose the topic about which you feel most enthusiastic and the one you can support best. If you feel enthusiastic about one topic but do not have at least two thorough, paragraph-worthy details, choose a different topic.
Believe it or not, this process takes all but a few minutes. Here is my brainstorm on my favorite holiday, an awful topic for an essay, but quite common for grades below high school, nonetheless.
Initial Brainstorm:
Christmas
Easter
Chanukah
New Years
Halloween
Birthday
President's Day
Valentine's Day
Thanksgiving
One minute. Now a narrowed-down list with details.
Christmas
Family Memories
Religious Context verses commercial aspect
Giving, caring holiday cheer and its effect on others
New Years
Party--excitement of staying up late as a child
Celebrating a new beginning
Grand finale and closure to the holiday season
Celebration all around the world
Now three minutes total. I choose Christmas for the global context I can incorporate and for my own personal enthusiasm for this particular holiday. Voilá! Now I create a three-point thesis and continue into a neat and tidy essay with plenty of supporting details.
THESIS: Every year, Christmas comes with joyous memories of family, of the spirit of giving, and of rich Christian culture.