General Parts of a Thesis Statement

Thesis Satement

The sentence that states the main point you are making for the entire essay. All points made in essay are meant to support this statement (sometimes posed as a question).

• subject (a noun or noun phrase that acts) + verb (how we act upon subject) + object (the idea, a noun or noun phrase, that receives the action)

• Use specific language over abstract/too general words, whenever possible.

• Avoid all-incusive language (everyone, no one, is, all, ...)

• Avoid using standalone pronouns (It, this, these, ...) as subject

• Use an analysis verb to indicate to your reader how dynamic you are looking at your subject (in Essay 1, the fable's message and how it applies to your life). 

• The more action on the subject, the more you transform our view of it. The more you can pose questions about subject with that verb.

• Example: The myth is...  versus The myth illustrates...

• Be specific about what your body paragraphs discuss. Do not tease the reader with an unclear object!!! 

• One of the most ineffective thesis statements is the type that only suggests ideas but does not actually identify what ideas will be developed in the body paragraphs.