Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.
Once you have a working thesis, write it down. There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have. Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.
A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter page essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb. Anticipate the counterarguments. Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it.
After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one.
When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively.
Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information. A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts such as surprising contrasts or similarities , and think about the significance of these relationships.
Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way. Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement.
For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming. Remember, there is no one way to express the central idea of a story but some statements are definitely better than others.
The thesis is the actual statement in your paper that expresses what the idea behind your essay is. It is what YOUR paper is about, which in turn, is a statement that also conveys what the work being discussed is about. I think you will find there will be much in the way of responses to how each will be different. For my bet, I would like to think of themes as something that can be found in writing that expresses the intent of what the author is trying to show. Themes can be found in literature and other forms of writing where an idea is explored in a complex and intricate manner.
Examples of themes can be courage, the quest for justice, the collision between equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, or the notion of identity formation. These themes are proven from a base that is not purely evidential and argumentative, which differentiates them from a thesis statement. For example, when Homer explores the theme of equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, he does not do so in a strictly linear and evidential manner.
Rather, he shows us a character who must endure such a theme and how it plays out is built within the development of the character. In contrast to this, a thesis statement is something that is built through evidence, analysis, and persuasion.
Where a thesis statement is a direct message in an opening paragraph that states what the rest of the paper is talking about or proving. A Thesis is a specific statement in which you are trying to prove. The Theme is the general topic of the essay. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Skip to content. April 30, thanh. Hope that helps. This Site Might Help You.
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