Thesis Types

General Characteristics for All Types

States Topic (What you will discuss) States Assertion (Where you stand)
Other names for include: slant, bias, attitude, point-of-view Example: Since 1971 entering college students (topic) have changed markedly. (assertion)

Open Thesis Statement

Characteristics
States Topic States Assertion Does not map out discussion, only points in a general direction Example: Drunken Driving harms all Americans greatly.

Essay Characteristics of Open Thesis

Informal Language Short Length Conversational Tone Simple, not technical or complicated Content

Categorical Thesis Statement

Characteristics
States Topic States Assertion Does map out discussion explicitly, telling the reader exactly what the essay will discuss Example: In America, Drunken Driving causes adverse governmental, economic, and psychological effects.

Essay Characteristics of Categorical Thesis

Formal Language Long Length Academic/Highly Professional Tone Complex, having Technical or Complicated Content

Argumentative Thesis Statement

Characteristics
States Topic States Assertion States the oppositions point-of-view, usually in a dependent clause starting with contrast words such as although, despite, though, even though. Does map out discussion explicitly, telling the reader exactly what the essay will discuss Example: Even though we have a right to get drunk in America, drunken driving causes adverse governmental, economic, and psychological effects.

Essay Characteristics of Argumentative Thesis

Highly Formal Language Very Long Length Highly Academic/Legalistic Professional Tone Exceeding Complex, having Highly Technical, Highly Legal or Very Complicated Content

Mixed Thesis Statement

Characteristics
States Topic States Assertion Usually adds either a contrasting idea (like the argumentative) or a reason idea that starts with words such as because or since. Does not fully map out discussion as the categorical thesis statement does, but does point out the direction more specifically than the open thesis does, Examples: (1) Although Americans have a right to drink, drunken driving harms all Americans greatly; (2) Because drinking and driving damages Americas culture, we must stop drinking and driving.

Essay Characteristics of Mixed Thesis

Informal Language, but not as informal as open Longer Length than open Not a Formal Tone, but less familiar, than open thesis tone More complex content than open, less complex than categorical or argumentative

Sources
http://www.papersonthedot.co.uk/thesis/ http://www.grad.ucla.edu/etd/ http://dartmouth.edu/writingspeech/learning/materials/materials-first-yearwriters/developing-your-thesis