11/18/2015

Creating an Argument: Developing a Thesis Statement

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THE WRITER'S HANDBOOK

D E V E L O P I N G

T H E S I S

S T A T E M E N T

Handbook Index
Academic and
Professional Writing
Writing Process and
Structure

HomeWriter'sHandbook

ThesisStatements

Compose a draft thesis statement

Whatisathesis
statement?

Ifyouarewritingapaperthatwillhaveanargumentativethesisandare
havingtroublegettingstarted,thetechniquesinthetablebelowmayhelpyou
developatemporaryor"working"thesisstatement.

Creating an Argument
Thesisvs.Purpose
Statements
DevelopingaThesis
Statement
PlanningandWritinga
ResearchPaper

Purpose statement

Working with Sources

QuotingandParaphrasing
Sources

Derivemainpointfrom
topic
Composeadraftthesis

Assignment:DiscussthehistoryoftheReformPartyandexplainitsinfluence
onthe1990presidentialandCongressionalelection.

thesisstatement

PurposeStatement:Thispaperbrieflysketchesthehistoryofthe
grassroots,conservative,PerotledReformPartyandanalyzeshowit
influencedtheeconomicandsocialideologiesofthetwomainstream
parties.

Drafting and Revising Your

Paper

Identifyatopic

Beginwithapurposestatementthatyouwilllaterturnintoathesis
statement.

UsingLiteraryQuotations
CitingSourcesinYour
Paper

HowdoIdevelopa
thesisstatement?

statement
Refineandpolishdraft
Completethefinalthesis
statement

Introductions
Paragraphing
Conclusions

Question-to-Assertion

ReverseOutlines

Ifyourassignmentasksaspecificquestion(s),turnthequestion(s)intoan
assertionandgivereasonswhyitistrueorreasonsforyouropinion.

PeerReviews
Finishing Your Paper

Assignment:WhatdoAylmerandRappaccinihavetobeproudof?Why
aren'ttheysatisfiedwiththesethings?Howdoespride,asdemonstratedin
"TheBirthmark"and"Rappaccini'sDaughter,"leadtounexpectedproblems?

TwelveCommonErrors:
AnEditingChecklist
HowtoProofreadyour
Paper

Beginningthesisstatement:AlymerandRappaccinniareproudoftheir
greatknowledgehowever,theyarealsoverygreedyandaredriventouse
theirknowledgetoaltersomeaspectofnatureasatestoftheirability.Evil
resultswhentheytryto"playGod."

Improving Your Writing

Style
Grammar and Punctuation
Cite References in Your
Paper

Main idea
Writeasentencethatsummarizesthemainideaoftheessayyouplanto

Writing Center Home

write.
Mainidea:Thereasonsometoyssucceedinthemarketisthattheyappealto
theconsumers'senseoftheridiculousandtheirbasicdesiretolaughat
themselves.

List ideas
Makealistoftheideasthatyouwanttoincludeconsidertheideasandtryto
groupthem.
1.
2.
3.
4.

nature=peaceful
warmatriel=violent(competeswith1?)
needfortimeandspacetomournthedead
warisinescapable(competeswith3?)

Formula
Useaformulatoarriveataworkingthesisstatement(youwillrevisethis
later).
althoughmostreadersof_______havearguedthat_______,closer
examinationshowsthat_______.
_______uses_______and_____toprovethat________.
phenomenonxisaresultofthecombinationof__________,__________,
and_________.

https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/thesis_composedraft.html

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11/18/2015

Creating an Argument: Developing a Thesis Statement

Compose a draft thesis statement

What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement
Beginningstatementsobtainedthroughthemethodsillustratedabovecan
serveasaframeworkforplanningordraftingyourpaper,butremember
they'renotyetthespecific,argumentativethesisyouwantforthefinalversion
ofyourpaper.Infact,initsfirststages,athesisstatementusuallyisill
formedorroughandservesonlyasaplanningtool.
Asyouwrite,youmaydiscoverevidencethatdoesnotfityourtemporaryor
"working"thesis.Oryoumayreachdeeperinsightsaboutyourtopicasyoudo
moreresearch,andyouwillfindthatyourthesisstatementhastobemore
complicatedtomatchtheevidencethatyouwanttouse.
Youmustbewillingtorejectoromitsomeevidenceinordertokeepyour
papercohesiveandyourreaderfocused.Oryoumayhavetoreviseyour
thesistomatchtheevidenceandinsightsthatyouwanttodiscuss.Read
yourdraftcarefully,notingtheconclusionsyouhavedrawnandthe
majorideaswhichsupportorprovethoseconclusions.Thesewillbe
theelementsofyourfinalthesisstatement.
Sometimesyouwillnotbeabletoidentifytheseelementsinyourearlydrafts,
butasyouconsiderhowyourargumentisdevelopingandhowyourevidence
supportsyourmainidea,askyourself,"WhatisthemainpointthatIwant
toprove/discuss?"and"HowwillIconvincethereaderthatthisis
true?"Whenyoucananswerthesequestions,thenyoucanbegintorefine
thethesisstatement.
As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind
at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights,
find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.

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Lastupdated:August29,2014
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