Thesis Statement
A thesis statement states the writer’s central position or assertion and gives the reader a focused sense of the paper’s scope, purpose, and direction. It should be specific enough to support with the evidence and development available in the paper.
A thesis statement makes a focused assertion about the topic and signals the paper’s direction; it should be specific, supportable, and matched to the paper you actually develop.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
Not every assignment requires an argumentative thesis, and a purpose statement is not identical to a thesis statement.
Further guidance
Application
Revise the thesis as the paper develops so its scope and claim match the evidence and organization of the finished paper.
Core Rule
A thesis statement makes an assertion about a topic rather than merely announcing the topic.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Thesis Statements (opens in a new tab)George Mason University Writing Center · Authority used to verify the public writing guidance.
- Thesis and Purpose Statements (opens in a new tab)University of Wisconsin–Madison Writing Center · University writing-center guidance that a purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of a paper