what is the difference between thesis and thematic statement

Theme vs Thesis: The Main Differences & When To Use Them

Regarding discussing the difference between theme and thesis, it is essential to understand the distinct roles they play in various forms of writing. While theme and thesis are both integral components of a piece of work, they serve different purposes and convey different meanings. In simple terms, theme refers to the central idea or message that runs throughout a literary work, whereas thesis represents the main argument or claim made in an academic or research paper.

Theme, in literature, is the underlying concept or recurring idea that gives a work its depth and meaning. It is often expressed through motifs, symbols, and character development, allowing readers to explore universal truths and gain insights into the human condition. Themes can be broad and abstract, such as love, justice, or freedom, or they can be more specific, focusing on topics like the loss of innocence or the pursuit of power. In essence, themes provide a framework for understanding and interpreting a piece of literature, offering readers a deeper understanding of the author’s intentions.

On the other hand, a thesis is a concise statement that presents the main argument or claim of an academic or research paper. It serves as a roadmap for the entire work, guiding the reader through the writer’s perspective and supporting evidence. A thesis is typically found in the introduction of a paper and is supported by logical reasoning and evidence in subsequent paragraphs. Unlike themes, which are often open to interpretation, a thesis is a clear and specific assertion that the writer aims to prove or support throughout the paper. It acts as a focal point, providing direction and coherence to the overall argument.

Understanding the difference between theme and thesis is crucial for writers and readers alike. While themes allow us to explore the deeper meaning and universal truths within a piece of literature, the thesis provides a clear and concise statement of the main argument in an academic or research paper. By distinguishing between these two concepts, we can better appreciate the distinct roles they play in different forms of writing and engage more effectively with the ideas and messages conveyed by authors and researchers.

The Definitions

In order to fully understand the differences between a theme and a thesis, it is essential to establish clear definitions for both terms. Let us begin by defining the concept of a theme.

Define Theme

A theme, in the context of literature or any form of artistic expression, refers to a recurring or central idea that permeates throughout a work. It is the underlying message or concept that the author intends to convey to the audience. Themes often explore universal truths, moral dilemmas, or societal issues, and they provide a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Themes are not explicitly stated within the text, but rather, they are subtly woven into the narrative, characters, and symbols. They require careful analysis and interpretation by the reader to grasp their significance. Themes can be multifaceted, allowing for multiple interpretations and perspectives.

For example, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, “The Great Gatsby,” one of the prominent themes is the corrupting influence of wealth and the illusion of the American Dream. This theme is explored through the characters’ pursuit of material success, the decadence of the Jazz Age, and the tragic consequences that result from the obsession with wealth.

Define Thesis

While a theme focuses on the overall message or idea of a work, a thesis, on the other hand, is a specific claim or argument that an author puts forth in an academic or persuasive writing piece. A thesis serves as the central point of an essay or research paper and provides a clear direction for the entire work.

A thesis is typically found in the introductory paragraph of an essay and is supported by evidence, analysis, and logical reasoning throughout the body paragraphs. It presents a concise statement that encapsulates the main argument or position the writer aims to prove or discuss.

Unlike a theme, a thesis is explicitly stated and serves as a guiding principle for the entire essay. It helps the reader understand the purpose of the writing and the writer’s stance on a particular topic.

For instance, in an essay analyzing the effects of climate change on biodiversity, a thesis statement could be: “The alarming rate of climate change poses a significant threat to global biodiversity, leading to the extinction of numerous species and disrupting ecosystems.”

In summary, while a theme encompasses the broader message or idea explored in a work of art, a thesis is a specific claim or argument that guides an essay or research paper. Understanding the distinction between these two terms is crucial for effective analysis and interpretation of literary works and academic writing.

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

In order to effectively convey your ideas and arguments, it is crucial to understand how to properly use the words “theme” and “thesis” in a sentence. While both terms are commonly used in academic and literary contexts, they have distinct meanings and should be used appropriately. Let’s explore how to use these words correctly.

How To Use “Theme” In A Sentence

The word “theme” refers to a central idea or concept that is explored or developed in a work of literature, art, or any other form of creative expression. When using “theme” in a sentence, it is important to provide context and clarity to ensure your message is effectively conveyed.

Here are a few examples of how to use “theme” in a sentence:

• The theme of love and betrayal is prevalent throughout Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliet.”
• In her latest novel, the author skillfully explores the theme of identity and self-discovery.
• The film beautifully captures the theme of resilience in the face of adversity.

As you can see, when using the word “theme,” it is essential to specify the work or context in which the theme is being discussed. This helps to provide a clear understanding of the central idea being addressed.

How To Use “Thesis” In A Sentence

The word “thesis” typically refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be proved or maintained. It is commonly used in academic writing, particularly in research papers and dissertations. When using “thesis” in a sentence, it is crucial to articulate your main argument or claim concisely and precisely.

Here are a few examples of how to use “thesis” in a sentence:

• The author’s thesis argues that socioeconomic factors play a significant role in educational attainment.
• In his groundbreaking research, Dr. Smith presents a compelling thesis on the effects of climate change.
• The thesis of this paper is that technology has revolutionized the way we communicate.

When using the word “thesis,” it is important to clearly state your main argument or hypothesis. This helps to guide your reader and ensures that your point is effectively communicated.

More Examples Of Theme & Thesis Used In Sentences

In this section, we will provide you with a variety of examples that demonstrate the application of both theme and thesis in sentences. These examples will help you grasp a better understanding of how these concepts are used in different contexts.

Examples Of Using Theme In A Sentence

• The theme of love and sacrifice is beautifully portrayed in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet.
• In the novel, the author explores the theme of redemption through the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery.
• The theme of social inequality is a recurring motif in many works of literature.
• The film’s underlying theme of forgiveness resonated deeply with the audience.
• Through vivid descriptions and symbolism, the poet conveys the theme of nature’s power and beauty.

Examples Of Using Thesis In A Sentence

• The author’s thesis argues that technology has both positive and negative impacts on society.
• In his research paper, the student presents a compelling thesis on the effects of climate change.
• The thesis of the documentary challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding the origins of the universe.
• Through extensive research and analysis, the scholar develops a groundbreaking thesis on the history of ancient civilizations.
• The thesis statement of the essay clearly outlines the main argument and supporting points.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to discussing academic writing, it is crucial to understand the distinction between theme and thesis. Unfortunately, many individuals tend to use these terms interchangeably, unaware of the significant differences they entail. In order to prevent any confusion and ensure the accuracy of your work, it is important to avoid the following common mistakes:

1. Using Theme And Thesis As Synonyms:

One of the most prevalent mistakes is using theme and thesis as interchangeable terms, assuming they hold the same meaning. However, while both elements play a crucial role in academic writing, they serve distinct purposes and convey different messages.

A theme, in essence, refers to the underlying message or central idea that a writer conveys through their work. It is a broader concept that encapsulates the overall subject matter or topic explored in a piece of writing. Themes are often abstract and can be interpreted differently by various readers.

On the other hand, a thesis statement serves as a concise and specific declaration of the writer’s main argument or claim. It is a focused statement that guides the reader and provides a clear direction for the entire essay or research paper. Unlike a theme, a thesis statement is more concrete and serves as the backbone of the entire piece of writing.

Therefore, it is crucial to avoid using theme and thesis interchangeably, as doing so can lead to confusion and weaken the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

2. Neglecting The Specificity Of The Thesis Statement:

Another common mistake is failing to recognize the importance of a specific and well-crafted thesis statement. Some writers mistakenly believe that a broad or general statement can suffice as a thesis. However, a strong thesis statement should be clear, concise, and specific, providing a focused argument that can be effectively supported throughout the piece.

By neglecting the specificity of the thesis statement, writers risk presenting vague or ambiguous arguments that lack the necessary depth and coherence. A strong thesis statement should not only guide the reader but also serve as a roadmap for the writer, ensuring that the subsequent paragraphs and evidence align with the central claim.

3. Overemphasizing The Theme At The Expense Of The Thesis:

While themes are undoubtedly important in literary analysis and other forms of academic writing, it is essential to strike a balance between discussing the theme and maintaining a strong thesis statement. Some writers make the mistake of prioritizing the exploration of the theme over the development and support of their thesis, resulting in a lack of focus and coherence.

Remember, the thesis statement should remain the primary focus of your writing, guiding the reader through a well-structured argument. While analyzing the theme is undoubtedly valuable, ensure that it aligns with and supports your thesis, rather than overshadowing it.

4. Failing To Revise And Refine The Thesis Statement:

Lastly, a common mistake is treating the thesis statement as a static element of the writing process. Some writers neglect the importance of revising and refining their thesis statement as they progress through their work. As your understanding of the topic deepens and your argument evolves, it is crucial to revisit and adjust your thesis statement accordingly.

Failure to revise and refine the thesis statement can result in a mismatch between the argument presented and the subsequent content of the essay or research paper. Regularly reassessing and revising your thesis statement ensures that it remains aligned with the evolving nature of your work and maintains its relevance and coherence.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance the clarity, effectiveness, and overall quality of your academic writing, ensuring that both your theme and thesis statement are utilized correctly and contribute to a well-structured and compelling piece of work.

Context Matters

When it comes to the choice between theme and thesis, context plays a crucial role in determining which one is more suitable. Both theme and thesis serve different purposes and are used in various contexts, depending on the nature of the writing and the intended audience. Understanding the context in which these terms are used can help writers make an informed decision about which one to employ.

Examples Of Different Contexts

Let’s explore a few examples of different contexts and how the choice between theme and thesis might change:

• Academic Writing: In academic writing, such as research papers or dissertations, the emphasis is often on presenting a clear and arguable thesis statement. A thesis statement is a concise and focused claim that guides the entire paper and is supported by evidence and analysis. In this context, the thesis statement acts as the main argument or central idea that the writer aims to prove or explore.
• Literary Analysis: When analyzing a piece of literature, such as a novel or poem, the focus shifts towards identifying and discussing the underlying themes. Themes are broader concepts or ideas that emerge from the text and provide insights into its deeper meaning. In this context, the theme serves as a lens through which the reader can interpret and understand the work.
• Creative Writing: In creative writing, such as short stories or personal essays, the choice between theme and thesis depends on the writer’s intention. If the writer wants to convey a specific message or argument, a thesis statement can be employed to provide a clear focus. On the other hand, if the writer aims to explore various ideas or evoke emotions without a rigid argument, incorporating themes can add depth and richness to the narrative.
• Marketing and Advertising: In the realm of marketing and advertising, the choice between theme and thesis depends on the desired impact on the target audience. While a thesis statement may be too direct and formal for promotional materials, a theme can be used to create a cohesive and memorable brand image. Themes in marketing often revolve around core values, emotions, or aspirations associated with a product or service.

These examples illustrate how the choice between theme and thesis can vary depending on the specific context. It is essential for writers to consider the purpose, audience, and desired effect of their writing in order to make an informed decision about which approach to adopt.

Exceptions To The Rules

While it is important to understand the general guidelines for using theme and thesis, there are certain exceptions where these rules may not apply. In these cases, it is crucial to recognize the unique circumstances that call for a different approach. Let’s explore a few key exceptions and provide brief explanations and examples for each case:

1. Creative Writing

In the realm of creative writing, the boundaries between theme and thesis can often blur. Unlike academic or research-based writing, creative writing allows for more artistic freedom and experimentation. In this context, authors may choose to focus more on developing a central theme rather than presenting a clear thesis statement.

For example, in a fictional short story exploring the complexities of human relationships, the author may emphasize the theme of love and its various manifestations. While there may not be a specific thesis statement explicitly stated, the story’s narrative and character interactions contribute to the overarching theme.

2. Personal Essays

Personal essays, particularly those of a reflective or introspective nature, may deviate from the traditional structure of a thesis-driven argument. Instead, these essays often revolve around personal experiences, emotions, and self-discovery.

Consider a personal essay recounting a transformative travel experience. Rather than presenting a thesis statement, the writer might focus on conveying the emotions and insights gained from the journey. The theme of personal growth and cultural exploration becomes the driving force behind the essay, guiding the reader through a meaningful narrative.

3. Philosophical Discourse

In philosophical discourse, the use of theme and thesis can take on a different form. Philosophers often engage in complex discussions and debates, exploring abstract concepts and theories. While a thesis statement may be present, it is more common to encounter philosophical texts centered around a central theme.

For instance, in a philosophical treatise on the nature of existence, the author might explore various perspectives and arguments without a clear-cut thesis statement. Instead, the theme of existentialism permeates the text, guiding the reader through different philosophical inquiries and interpretations.

4. Artistic Interpretations

Artistic expressions, such as paintings, sculptures, or performances, may not conform to the traditional rules of theme and thesis. These forms of art often rely on visual or sensory experiences to convey meaning, rather than explicit written statements.

Imagine a thought-provoking contemporary art installation that challenges societal norms. While it may not present a thesis statement in the conventional sense, the installation may explore a theme of social critique or cultural commentary, encouraging viewers to question and interpret the artwork in their own unique ways.

While the general guidelines for using theme and thesis provide a solid foundation for effective writing, it is essential to recognize that there are exceptions to these rules. Creative writing, personal essays, philosophical discourse, and artistic interpretations often require a different approach, focusing more on themes and narratives rather than explicit thesis statements. By understanding these exceptions, writers can adapt their style and approach to effectively convey their intended message in diverse contexts.

Understanding the distinction between a theme and a thesis is crucial for any writer or reader seeking to engage with complex texts. While both concepts contribute to the overall meaning of a piece of writing, they serve different purposes and operate on different levels.

Themes are overarching ideas or concepts that emerge from a text and provide a lens through which readers can interpret and analyze the work. They often explore universal human experiences, such as love, loss, power, or identity, and can be found in various forms of literature, including novels, poems, and plays. Themes allow readers to connect with the deeper layers of a text and explore its underlying messages and implications.

On the other hand, a thesis is a specific claim or argument that a writer puts forth in their work. It serves as the central focus and guiding principle of an essay or academic paper, providing a clear direction for the reader. A thesis statement outlines the main point or stance the writer is taking and is supported by evidence and analysis throughout the text. Unlike themes, the thesis is more limited in scope and directly addresses the specific topic or issue being discussed.

While themes and theses may intersect at times, they operate on different levels of abstraction and serve distinct purposes in the realm of writing and literary analysis. Recognizing the difference between these two concepts enables readers to engage with texts more critically and allows writers to effectively convey their intended messages.

R.J. is the new owner of GrammarBeast.com. Having worked in bookstores, libraries, and more, his passion for grammar and writing are pivotal. As a ghostwriter for books that have sold tens of thousands of copies, he wants to help others find the right words and understand the differences.

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Theme vs. Thesis: Key Differences and How to Write each

• by Judy Jeni
• January 18, 2024

Many students confuse between these two terms, a theme and a thesis. In practice, they are two distinct aspects.

By reading the content in this write-up, you will appreciate the difference between the two items. A theme is a central message in a text, whereas a thesis is an argument about a text.

Theme vs. Thesis

While it is possible to write items based on a theme or a project based on a thesis, the two are different. While their focus may seem similar, they are different.

A theme is a focus topic that a writer bases his argument on. It is the direction that guides the points that a writer argues. On the other hand, a thesis is a stand that a writer seeks to prove in his or her writing.

In a theme, a writer bases points on a concept, but in a thesis, the writer writes to prove a specific assertion.

A theme and a thesis are two different items that we can elaborate through the following points:  

• A theme is the crucial idea of the piece of literature or any art you are writing about.
• It is the recurrent idea in your work before you identify other elements such as characters, conflict, setting, and plot.
• A thesis is a statement that you will try to prove by backing it with necessary facts. It is a position that the author takes to maintain a particular argument.

Differences between a Theme and a Thesis

• A theme is the general topic of your essay, whereas a thesis is the precise statements that the author tries to prove.
• A theme could be more general as the writer cannot necessarily state it expressly. On the other hand, a thesis is a direct message at the beginning of the paragraph that indicates what the entire paper will be talking about.
• A theme is the motif of the piece or an underlying idea, whereas the thesis is the argument in favor of something that you believe you are presenting to your audience.

How to Write a Theme Based Essay

A theme-based essay writes about something based on a theme that you can derive from a novel, song, or short story. Before you begin to write such an essay, you should identify the underlying theme in your literature work.

Steps When Writing a Theme Based Essay

1. identify the character.

One should locate the characters that you will discuss in the essay. Such should relate to the identified theme in your essay.

For instance, if you locate ‘violence’ in the novel ‘The Shadow of Death,’ it is reasonable to talk about the characters that promote violence in the novel.

2. Maintain the Chosen Theme

As indicated above, suppose violence is the main theme in the novel, then you should maintain the same thing by writing about violence.  Such could include incidences of violence, including blood baths and more.

The point is you should endeavor to remain as close to the theme of violence by highlighting incidences and situations from the novel, drama, or story.

3. Avoid Mixing the Theme with the Key Subject

A theme is not a plot but an idea that binds up the story. It is the message that the author wants to convey to the audience or the readers. It is, therefore, wrong to try to write on the plot or story. Stick to the idea only.

Let your thoughts remain organized and well-knitted in the essay body. In the same vein, the body should relate to the central theme as you refer to the characters and incidents in the source matter.

How to Write a Thesis

One can use the following steps to come up with a strong thesis statement:

Start with a Question

One should come up with a question in case the assignment did not offer the question.

After that, you should state your topic, which is the essential idea of the paper.

This thesis statement is usually a phrase or a few words that summarize the main subject of your paper.

The thesis statement makes the topic to be as precise as possible.

Write an Initial Answer

After performing initial research, it is now time to formulate a tentative answer. At this point, it could be just simple, or you can craft it to guide the process of writing and researching.

In case you are writing an argumentative essay, your answer should take a position on the matter. This is different from a thesis statement. Check more about thesis statements to know the idea of the two.

Develop the Answer

This section should prove why you believe it is your answer and convince the reader to agree with your position.

The more you write about the topic, the more you develop more details for your response. The final essay should summarize your overall arguments.

One should know what they are trying to prove in a topic. While you are expressing your opinion, it is vital to state one major idea. Also, you should name the topic and state something specific about it.

Furthermore, you should take a position and back it up with facts and reasons as an author. It is vital to support your reasons with evidence and logical facts.

Include Opposing Viewpoint

The correct thesis statement should acknowledge that there is another side of the argument. It is excellent to include your opposing viewpoints in your opinion. It is also essential to capture another person’s view who may have a different opinion about your topic.

Thematic Statement: Love and friendship always triumph over evil

Themes: Love, friendship, family, belonging, social inequality

Topic (premise) : A boy wizard joins a magical school and has to battle the greatest wizard who ever lived.

The Hunger Games

Thematic Statement: Survival is not enough without control over your own destiny

Themes: Control, power, loyalty, social inequality, love

Topic (premise): A girl is forced to take part in a televised fight to the death.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Thematic Statement: Sexist attitudes have consequences

Themes: Gender roles, power, rebellion, the place of an individual in society, the power of language

Topic (premise): After fertility in the human race crashes, women’s rights are revoked and they are forced to live as no more than breeding vessels.

Why Use a Thematic Statement?

In Story, Robert McKee calls a thematic statement the “central” or “ controlling story idea ,” the idea that guides you in writing your entire novel. It shapes the strategic choices you make as you write.

If used skillfully, a thematic statement will make the story feel deeper, and touch readers on an emotional level. It may even change how they view the world and how they behave.

One of the main themes in the Godfather, for example, is that as power shifts, it changes people.

This thematic statement is illustrated first by how Don Corleone changes from a nearly omnipotent crime boss to a devoted grandfather, and later, how reluctant Michael resigns himself to his position and becomes more ruthless.

Without this consistent, underlying theme, the Godfather stories would not be nearly as powerful or as memorable.

Do’s and Don’ts For Writing a Thematic Statement

Some authors might start writing with a thematic statement already in mind, but that’s probably rare.

It’s more likely that you will have a more general idea of themes you might want to explore.

But most writers start with something more solid, like an idea for a character and the conflicts they will face.

It’s natural to write your first draft without putting too much thought into themes or the Thematic Statement.

Then, when you read through your first draft, you’ll see concepts emerge, and at that point, you might want to decide what your Thematic Statement is – or what you would like it to be.

Then you can refine it by following the dos and don’ts here:

Do: Base it on Universal Themes

Starting with themes that touch us all, such as love, loyalty and freedom, is likely to lead you to a thematic statement that resonates with your readers.

If your Thematic Statement applies to quite specific themes or groups of people, it may not resonate with so many people.

For example

• Eating shellfish will lead to poor health
• The fabulously wealthy are often misunderstood
• Taking away people’s guns is akin to taking away their freedom

Don’t: Turn it Into a Moral Directive

A Thematic Statement is an assertion, or observation – it is not advice. It should not be telling people how to behave.

So avoid things like:

• Always tell the truth
• Live for today because tomorrow might never come
• You should be kind to old people

Do: Use Consequences to Illustrate Your Thematic Statement

A skilled writer will never use a character as their mouthpiece, and have them outright state the thematic statement.

But through the choices the character faces, the decisions they make and the consequences they endure – the assertion of the thematic statement should be driven home.

For example, taking this Thematic Statement:

Survival is not enough without control over your own destiny

Katniss repeatedly chooses the things that are important to her over her own safety and survival: from volunteering for a death match in order to protect her sister, to choosing to eat poison berries rather than murder her friend.

Don’t: Refer to the Specifics of Your Story

A Thematic Statement should be something that could be transplanted and applied to another novel.

• Harry learns the importance of friendship and loyalty
• A girl in a dystopian future chooses death over obedience

Keep it universal.

Do: Analyse Thematic Statements of Other Works

One of the best ways to learn anything is to study the greats. So take some of your favourite books or movies and try to work out what Thematic Statement the writer had in mind.

See if you can find evidence in the behaviour of the characters and the results of their actions, which support your analysis.

Here’s a good guide to working out the Thematic Statement of a novel:

• Pick the main topic addressed in the story
• Pinpoint the author’s view on the topic
• Format that perspective using a theme statement template

Don’t: Use Trite Cliches

The best Thematic Statements are unique and interesting philosophical ideas.

Using cliches such as ‘crime never pays’ or ‘love conquers all’ as the guiding controlling story idea, will likely result in a story that is just as cliche.

Do: Be Consistent

Once you have your Thematic Statement, make sure everything in your novel supports it.

This could include the behaviour of your main characters and sub characters, how the settings are conveyed, and the events that take place.

A good way to tell whether you’ve got a Thematic Statement or something else, is to put ‘The Author believes’ in front of it.

So this is okay:

• The author believes that love and friendship always triumph over evil

But these don’t make sense:

• The author believes Harry learns the importance of friendship and loyalty
• The author believes always tell the truth

It’s not foolproof, but it’s a handy rule of thumb.

9 Thematic Statement Examples

Here are some more examples of thematic statements:

• Humans are not fixed personalities but a set of constantly changing contradictions
• Valuing wealth over family will lead to misery
• Isolation leads to madness
• No matter people’s culture we are all the same at heart
• True love is built over time and shared experience
• The family we choose can be more loyal than those we are born with
• Love taken to extremes can become dangerous
• Having a true friend can help you survive the worst atrocities
• Only by releasing judgement of others can we find inner peace

More examples of Thematic Statements can be found here .

Use a Thematic Statement to Write a More Compelling Story

If you can get to grips with Thematic Statements and learn how to apply them effectively in your writing, then you have a very powerful tool for ensuring your stories resonate with readers and stay with them long after they’ve finished reading.

But at the end of the day, they are art, not mathematics, so if the statement that helps you write doesn’t exactly follow the rules above — don’t get too hung up on the details. If it works for you, then it works.

And not all novels need to express a unique, thought provoking philosophy. When it comes to genre novels in particular, they may express Thematic Statements that are common and often repeated. They can still be perfectly effective novels that readers enjoy.

So take a look at your own stories and see if you can identify the Thematic Statement.

Are there tweaks you can make to the story to make it even more consistent and powerful?

Or if you don’t have a Thematic Statement, could working to one make your novel more compelling?

And don’t forget to take a closer look at some of your favourite stories and try to work out what key message the author is trying to express.

Happy writing!

And then, as your next step, check out the novel writing roadmap .

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

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.)

How do I create a thesis?

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. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. 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 .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How To Write A Thematic Statement with Examples

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

The English language is not as straightforward as it seems. Penning a quality essay or story requires in-depth knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure rulings.

A single paragraph may contain multiple different sentence types. An argumentative essay’s introductory paragraph, for example, may have many simple sentences, a thesis statement, and a thematic statement.

Thesis statements are present within almost every essay. Thematic statements, on the other hand, are less popular because not many people know about them. Regardless, they are an essential part of English writing, and learning about these statements will help you produce better essays. Thematic statements are most commonly employed within stories, though you can also find them in some formal texts.

This article will cover everything you need to know about thematic statements – what are they, where are they used, and how they differ from thesis statements. We’ll also explore the guidelines for penning a quality thematic statement, accompanied by multiple examples.

So, without further delay, let’s dive in!

In this article:

What is a Thematic Statement?

What’s the purpose of having a theme, where to use thematic statements: popular examples, how are thematic statements different from thesis statements, theme vs. topic, how to write a thematic statement, what to avoid when writing a thematic statement, good vs. evil, power and corruption, coming of age, thematic statement examples for love, thematic statement examples for identity, thematic statement examples for fear, thematic statement examples for death, thematic statement examples for trust.

Thematic statements are unique sentences employed by writers to convey the most prominent message of their story or article. They summarize the essence of the story into a short, precise statement.

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Every thematic statement must contain a single root keyword. This keyword is called the ‘theme’ or a ‘thematic idea.’ Unlike thematic statements, thematic ideas are not complete sentences but only words.

Thematic statements grow from thematic ideas.

Some writers prefer to pen two thematic statements instead of one. This tactic is most common within more extensive texts that discuss multiple ideas. Still, the idea is to summarize the central message that the text aims to deliver to readers. Hence, thematic statements shouldn’t be too long. An entire paragraph of writing cannot qualify as a thematic statement.

Thematic statements do not target a specific audience. Expert writers know that thematic statements lose their purpose when directed at the reader. Hence, thematic statements should never sound personal. Words like “I” and “you” have no place within thematic statements because they narrow the thematic idea’s scope. You essentially direct an idea towards a specific audience by personalizing a statement. Hence, the audience’s perception of the statement’s message becomes relevant. Unfortunately, having the audience’s perception as a point of interest weakens the statement’s impact.

Let’s go over a simple example to understand this idea better:

Suppose the proposed thematic statement is “If you love sincerely, you will find joy.”

There are many problems with this statement. Firstly, it is a personal statement directed at an audience. A quality thematic statement must be impersonal. It should address not a person or audience but rather a single idea or message.

Another thing wrong with this sentence is its use of “if.” Writing “if” immediately transforms the text into a conditional statement that’s paired with a promise. Here, the statement mentioned above promises joy to those who love sincerely.

Unfortunately, promises are often broken and are seldom guaranteed. Therefore, it’s best to avoid making promises within thematic statements. Including the word “if” and closing the statement off with a promise only serves to weaken the sentence’s impact. Plus, it lengthens the statement. Remember, thematic statements should be concise and to the point. It should seek to deliver a single message in simple words.

A better thematic statement would be, “Sincere love results in joy.” This statement is direct and discusses one idea only. It does not make promises and is not an “if” statement. It is powerful and stated as a fact or lesson, allowing the reader to successfully understand the essay’s central idea.

A theme is often used to summarize the focus or main idea that the author is trying to convey. Well-developed works of literature often have a multitude of themes that can be determined or understood at face value as well as on a much deeper level. Sometimes, the author wants you to read between the lines and form your own conclusion.

For readers, understanding the theme gives you a much more in-depth understanding of the storyline as well as added clarity. Understanding the themes of a literary piece will also inspire a greater appreciation of the literature’s deeper meanings and innuendos.

Themes allow authors to express their opinions and comment on humanistic traits or societal pressures without having to be too obvious about it.

Learning to understand themes allows the reader the opportunity to think about the plot on a much deeper level, form their own opinions and align their opinions with those of the authors. A greater understanding of themes will also inspire deeper thinking and promote self-reflection in the reader.

Determining themes requires reading between the lines, having a greater understanding of emotion and reactiveness and critical thinking to decipher the message that the author is attempting to convey.

Thematic statements are often found within the following literary works:

• Short, five-paragraph essays that are at least 500 words long
• Social science research essays, particularly on topics like sociology or psychology
• Marriage toasts, funeral speeches , and other emotionally-charged pieces of text, centered around a single theme (like love or death)
• Stories, including personal narratives and autobiographical essays
• Rhetorical analysis essays that explore a published author’s linguistic articulation. The use of thematic statements can help perfectly capture the author’s message without beating around the bush

As discussed previously, thematic statements aim to deliver a single idea through a simple yet impactful sentence. This “single idea” is the central message of a complete body of text (like a story or essay).

Thematic statements are interchangeable with thesis statements when employed within thematic essays. However, this is the exception, not the rule. In most literary works, thematic statements are different from thesis statements. Both statements may be interrelated yet express their ideas through differing sentence structures. Unlike their thematic counterparts, we structure thesis statements as arguments containing multiple points of interest.

For example, suppose you are writing an essay on climate change. Climate change is the essay’s primary theme or thematic idea. Hence, your thematic statement will stem from it. Your thesis statement will also refer to climate change. However, it may also talk about other ideas relevant to climate change. These ideas will vary depending on what stance your essay takes on the matter of climate change, of course.

Here’s what a thematic statement for an essay on climate change may look like:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment.”

A thesis statement concerning the same topic may look like this:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment because it is raising sea levels, causing global warming, and depleting Earth’s flora and fauna.” This statement is arguable, not factual. It can be debated and proven or disproven using evidence.

On the other hand, thematic statements are simple factual sentences and undebatable facts. For example, the theme for a story like Romeo and Juliet is love. The thematic statement developed from this theme could be “love comes with a high price.” By connecting the theme, or thematic idea , to a lesson, we can successfully portray a complete message to the reader. This message encapsulates the core idea running through the entire story.

A story’s theme and the topic may share common ground, but they are not the same. Themes are single words that capture the story or essay’s essence. For example, we know that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet explores the theme of love. It also explores the theme of rivalry.

However, anyone who has read Romeo and Juliet knows that the topic is not love or rivalry. Instead, we can say the topic is “two young people belonging to rival families find love, only to suffer at its hands.” Notice how topics are complete sentences, whereas themes are standalone words.

A topic sentence may cite the story’s primary themes but goes a step further by exploring the plot, too. Topic statements are a tool to help better illustrate how a specific theme plays out within a story or essay. Hence, we see that theme and topic are not the same. However, they most certainly are interconnected.

Thematic statements come from thematic ideas. Therefore, before you start penning a thematic statement, you must first identify your essay’s central theme or main idea. You can do so by referring to your essay’s title.

Suppose your thematic idea is love. Now that you’ve got your theme down move on to uncovering the theme assertion.

“Theme assertion” refers to the text’s central message. What lesson can we learn from reading a specific literary work, and how does this lesson relate to the thematic idea?

The thematic assertion is decided by the story or essay’s original author. A reader can only spot it. We can do so by exploring the author’s thoughts. For example, within Romeo and Juliet, we see Shakespeare imply that love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion).

Combining the theme and assertion can yield a complete thematic statement. But if you’d like to take things further, you can always add a ‘qualifying clause.’

Qualifying clauses are optional. You can add them after a thematic assertion to further define the thematic statement.

Let’s take the example of Romeo and Juliet again:

Love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion) that cannot be denied (qualifying clause).

Notice how the qualifying clause adds to the overall thematic statement. However, if you wrote the qualifying clause on its own, it would not make any sense as a standalone sentence. Yet, when meshed with a theme and assertion, it can help create a well-rounded statement.

Here’s a quick summary of other ways to identify themes:

• Pay attention to the plot: Write down the main elements of the work like, plot, the tone of the story, language style, characters traits. Were there any conflicts? What was the most important moment of the story? What was the main character’s goal? What was the author’s resolution for the conflict? How did the story end?
• Identify the literary subject: If you had to tell someone about the book, how would you describe it to them?
• Who is the protagonist: Plainly put, who is the hero or the ‘good guy’? How did the character develop and grow throughout the plot? What was the character’s effect on all the other people around him? How did he/she impact the other characters? How does this character relate to the others?

Assess the author’s point of view: What was the author’s view on the characters and how they made choices? What message could the author be trying to send us? This message is the theme. Find clues in quotes from the main characters, language use, the final resolution of the main conflict.

Thematic statements aren’t overly complicated. However, being human, there is always room for error.

Keep an eye out for the following mistakes when penning thematic statements:

• Remember to mention the story or essay’s central theme within the thematic statement.
• Avoid summarizing the literary work – that’s what topic sentences are for!
• Stay away from absolute terms like “always.”
• Overgeneralization is unnecessary and distracts from the main idea.
• Do not say, “this story’s theme is….” Instead, weave the thematic idea’s keyword (“love”) into the thematic statement.
• Avoid metaphors, complicated idioms, and flowery language.
• Don’t beat about the bush.
• Stay away from cliché statements and trendy slogans or chants.
• Qualifying clauses are not compulsory. Only use them if you feel they’ll improve your writing without complicating it.

You can successfully pen a striking thematic statement by avoiding these common writing mistakes.

Examples of Themes

There are many great literary theme examples of love that have developed through the ages, one of the most famous ones being, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet of course. Theme: A tragic tale of forbidden love with terrible consequences.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is yet another classic example that explores the type of love that grows slowly where there was once dislike and misunderstanding.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte explores love in a completely different light, highlighting the way its intensity and power disrupt and even destroy lives.

The book thief by Marcus Zusak is narrated by death itself, exploring his role in taking lives in setting Germany in World War 2.

The Fault in Our Stars features teenagers who come to terms with the grave reality of death while coming to terms with their terminal illness.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien displays the battle of good versus evil quite clearly in its tale of hobbits, elves and men teaming up to defeat the power hungry Sauron and his armies of dark creatures.

The Stand by Stephen King features the light versus dark dichotomy. Staging a battle between good and evil through the characters of Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the tragic tale of a character seeking power for his own sake, and dealing with the consequences of his own self minded ambition.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is another iconic classic exploration of power and corruption, an allegorical story about a group of animals who rise up against their human masters with increasingly sinister results.

Lord of the flies by William Golding focuses on a group of young boys stuck on a deserted island, chronicling their attempts to survive and govern themselves.

Room by Emma Donoghue tells a different story of survival as that of a woman who has been held captive for seven years and her five-year-old son who doesn’t know a normal life outside of the room that they are held captive in.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger follows a sixteen-year-old boy dealing with teenage angst and rebellion in the 1950s.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is the story of a teenager named Charlie navigating all the challenges that come with the time between adolescence and adulthood.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is noted as one of the most famous explorations of prejudice and racism. A white lawyer Atticus Finch is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of rape. 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly explores prejudice and fear of the unknown throughout the story of Dr. Frankenstein and the ‘monster’ he created.

Examples of Thematic Statements

Now that we’ve gone over the guidelines associated with writing a thematic statement, let’s explore some theme sentence examples:

• Love can heighten our sense of courage.
• Loving ourselves can heal our emotional scars, even if it takes time.
• Love is more powerful than infatuation.
• Accepting our true selves can help us lead happier lives.
• Our identity is crafted from personal experiences.
• Believing in ourselves can help us achieve the impossible.
• Fear is a state of mind.
• We can overcome fear through strong faith.
• Fear is an inevitable emotion.
• All humans experience fear.
• We should embrace death as an inevitable fact of life.
• Nobody can evade death.
• Seeing their loved ones die makes people sad.
• Healthy relationships are built on trust.
• To achieve success, we must trust our gut instinct.
• Not everyone deserves to be trusted.
• We should choose who to trust with care.

Pay attention to how each statement covers only a single idea relating to one theme. This is a trademark rule with thematic statements. It helps them remain simple, unwinding, and direct.

Learning about thematic statements is an essential part of every writer’s journey. Storybook authors, in particular, should be well-aware of thematic statements and their undeniable importance.

A quality thematic statement can make your story much easier to understand. That’s because a thematic statement stems from the story’s central or thematic idea and captures the story’s true essence. Hence, thematic statements are incomplete without discussing the literary work’s primary theme.

Thematic statements should not be confused with thesis statements. Both are important in their own right, yet neither one can replace the other. Thematic statements are factual, whereas thesis statements explore arguments that can be disproven with relevant evidence.

Thesis statements seldom exist within stories. Instead, they are a characteristic of formal essays, particularly argumentative ones. However, to truly understand the essence of a story , one must first learn to understand the nature of thematic statements.

A story or essay’s theme is also strikingly different from its topic. Thematic ideas (themes) are typically single words. On the other hand, topics are illustrated through multiple words. As a result, we often see topic sentences and single-worded themes.

The best thematic statements reference a single theme. After identifying the story’s theme, these statements build upon a lesson or message relating to said theme. This thematic idea keyword (for example, love or death) must appear within the thematic statement.

Thematic statements must also contain a thematic assertion. A thematic assertion is essentially an explanation, lesson, or central message the story conveys.

A single thematic idea and assertion are enough to create a complete thematic statement. However, some people prefer adding an optional qualifying clause, too. After adding the clause, you’re left with a comprehensive, well-rounded thematic statement.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
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What is a thesis | A Complete Guide with Examples

Table of Contents

A thesis is a comprehensive academic paper based on your original research that presents new findings, arguments, and ideas of your study. It’s typically submitted at the end of your master’s degree or as a capstone of your bachelor’s degree.

However, writing a thesis can be laborious, especially for beginners. From the initial challenge of pinpointing a compelling research topic to organizing and presenting findings, the process is filled with potential pitfalls.

Therefore, to help you, this guide talks about what is a thesis. Additionally, it offers revelations and methodologies to transform it from an overwhelming task to a manageable and rewarding academic milestone.

What is a thesis?

A thesis is an in-depth research study that identifies a particular topic of inquiry and presents a clear argument or perspective about that topic using evidence and logic.

Writing a thesis showcases your ability of critical thinking, gathering evidence, and making a compelling argument. Integral to these competencies is thorough research, which not only fortifies your propositions but also confers credibility to your entire study.

Furthermore, there's another phenomenon you might often confuse with the thesis: the ' working thesis .' However, they aren't similar and shouldn't be used interchangeably.

A working thesis, often referred to as a preliminary or tentative thesis, is an initial version of your thesis statement. It serves as a draft or a starting point that guides your research in its early stages.

As you research more and gather more evidence, your initial thesis (aka working thesis) might change. It's like a starting point that can be adjusted as you learn more. It's normal for your main topic to change a few times before you finalize it.

While a thesis identifies and provides an overarching argument, the key to clearly communicating the central point of that argument lies in writing a strong thesis statement.

What is a thesis statement?

A strong thesis statement (aka thesis sentence) is a concise summary of the main argument or claim of the paper. It serves as a critical anchor in any academic work, succinctly encapsulating the primary argument or main idea of the entire paper.

Typically found within the introductory section, a strong thesis statement acts as a roadmap of your thesis, directing readers through your arguments and findings. By delineating the core focus of your investigation, it offers readers an immediate understanding of the context and the gravity of your study.

Furthermore, an effectively crafted thesis statement can set forth the boundaries of your research, helping readers anticipate the specific areas of inquiry you are addressing.

Different types of thesis statements

A good thesis statement is clear, specific, and arguable. Therefore, it is necessary for you to choose the right type of thesis statement for your academic papers.

Thesis statements can be classified based on their purpose and structure. Here are the primary types of thesis statements:

Argumentative (or Persuasive) thesis statement

Purpose : To convince the reader of a particular stance or point of view by presenting evidence and formulating a compelling argument.

Example : Reducing plastic use in daily life is essential for environmental health.

Analytical thesis statement

Purpose : To break down an idea or issue into its components and evaluate it.

Example : By examining the long-term effects, social implications, and economic impact of climate change, it becomes evident that immediate global action is necessary.

Expository (or Descriptive) thesis statement

Purpose : To explain a topic or subject to the reader.

Example : The Great Depression, spanning the 1930s, was a severe worldwide economic downturn triggered by a stock market crash, bank failures, and reduced consumer spending.

Cause and effect thesis statement

Purpose : To demonstrate a cause and its resulting effect.

Example : Overuse of smartphones can lead to impaired sleep patterns, reduced face-to-face social interactions, and increased levels of anxiety.

Compare and contrast thesis statement

Purpose : To highlight similarities and differences between two subjects.

Example : "While both novels '1984' and 'Brave New World' delve into dystopian futures, they differ in their portrayal of individual freedom, societal control, and the role of technology."

When you write a thesis statement , it's important to ensure clarity and precision, so the reader immediately understands the central focus of your work.

What is the difference between a thesis and a thesis statement?

While both terms are frequently used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings.

A thesis refers to the entire research document, encompassing all its chapters and sections. In contrast, a thesis statement is a brief assertion that encapsulates the central argument of the research.

Here’s an in-depth differentiation table of a thesis and a thesis statement.

Now, to craft a compelling thesis, it's crucial to adhere to a specific structure. Let’s break down these essential components that make up a thesis structure

15 components of a thesis structure

Navigating a thesis can be daunting. However, understanding its structure can make the process more manageable.

Here are the key components or different sections of a thesis structure:

Your thesis begins with the title page. It's not just a formality but the gateway to your research.

Here, you'll prominently display the necessary information about you (the author) and your institutional details.

• Title of your thesis
• Your full name
• Your department
• Your institution and degree program
• Your submission date
• Your Supervisor's name (in some cases)
• Your Department or faculty (in some cases)
• Your University's logo (in some cases)
• Your Student ID (in some cases)

In a concise manner, you'll have to summarize the critical aspects of your research in typically no more than 200-300 words.

This includes the problem statement, methodology, key findings, and conclusions. For many, the abstract will determine if they delve deeper into your work, so ensure it's clear and compelling.

Acknowledgments

Research is rarely a solitary endeavor. In the acknowledgments section, you have the chance to express gratitude to those who've supported your journey.

This might include advisors, peers, institutions, or even personal sources of inspiration and support. It's a personal touch, reflecting the humanity behind the academic rigor.

Table of contents

A roadmap for your readers, the table of contents lists the chapters, sections, and subsections of your thesis.

By providing page numbers, you allow readers to navigate your work easily, jumping to sections that pique their interest.

List of figures and tables

Research often involves data, and presenting this data visually can enhance understanding. This section provides an organized listing of all figures and tables in your thesis.

It's a visual index, ensuring that readers can quickly locate and reference your graphical data.

Introduction

Here's where you introduce your research topic, articulate the research question or objective, and outline the significance of your study.

• Present the research topic : Clearly articulate the central theme or subject of your research.
• Background information : Ground your research topic, providing any necessary context or background information your readers might need to understand the significance of your study.
• Define the scope : Clearly delineate the boundaries of your research, indicating what will and won't be covered.
• Literature review : Introduce any relevant existing research on your topic, situating your work within the broader academic conversation and highlighting where your research fits in.
• State the research Question(s) or objective(s) : Clearly articulate the primary questions or objectives your research aims to address.
• Outline the study's structure : Give a brief overview of how the subsequent sections of your work will unfold, guiding your readers through the journey ahead.

The introduction should captivate your readers, making them eager to delve deeper into your research journey.

Literature review section

Your study correlates with existing research. Therefore, in the literature review section, you'll engage in a dialogue with existing knowledge, highlighting relevant studies, theories, and findings.

It's here that you identify gaps in the current knowledge, positioning your research as a bridge to new insights.

To streamline this process, consider leveraging AI tools. For example, the SciSpace literature review tool enables you to efficiently explore and delve into research papers, simplifying your literature review journey.

Methodology

In the research methodology section, you’ll detail the tools, techniques, and processes you employed to gather and analyze data. This section will inform the readers about how you approached your research questions and ensures the reproducibility of your study.

Here's a breakdown of what it should encompass:

• Research Design : Describe the overall structure and approach of your research. Are you conducting a qualitative study with in-depth interviews? Or is it a quantitative study using statistical analysis? Perhaps it's a mixed-methods approach?
• Data Collection : Detail the methods you used to gather data. This could include surveys, experiments, observations, interviews, archival research, etc. Mention where you sourced your data, the duration of data collection, and any tools or instruments used.
• Sampling : If applicable, explain how you selected participants or data sources for your study. Discuss the size of your sample and the rationale behind choosing it.
• Data Analysis : Describe the techniques and tools you used to process and analyze the data. This could range from statistical tests in quantitative research to thematic analysis in qualitative research.
• Validity and Reliability : Address the steps you took to ensure the validity and reliability of your findings to ensure that your results are both accurate and consistent.
• Ethical Considerations : Highlight any ethical issues related to your research and the measures you took to address them, including — informed consent, confidentiality, and data storage and protection measures.

Moreover, different research questions necessitate different types of methodologies. For instance:

• Experimental methodology : Often used in sciences, this involves a controlled experiment to discern causality.
• Qualitative methodology : Employed when exploring patterns or phenomena without numerical data. Methods can include interviews, focus groups, or content analysis.
• Quantitative methodology : Concerned with measurable data and often involves statistical analysis. Surveys and structured observations are common tools here.
• Mixed methods : As the name implies, this combines both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

The Methodology section isn’t just about detailing the methods but also justifying why they were chosen. The appropriateness of the methods in addressing your research question can significantly impact the credibility of your findings.

Results (or Findings)

This section presents the outcomes of your research. It's crucial to note that the nature of your results may vary; they could be quantitative, qualitative, or a mix of both.

Quantitative results often present statistical data, showcasing measurable outcomes, and they benefit from tables, graphs, and figures to depict these data points.

Qualitative results , on the other hand, might delve into patterns, themes, or narratives derived from non-numerical data, such as interviews or observations.

Regardless of the nature of your results, clarity is essential. This section is purely about presenting the data without offering interpretations — that comes later in the discussion.

In the discussion section, the raw data transforms into valuable insights.

Start by revisiting your research question and contrast it with the findings. How do your results expand, constrict, or challenge current academic conversations?

Dive into the intricacies of the data, guiding the reader through its implications. Detail potential limitations transparently, signaling your awareness of the research's boundaries. This is where your academic voice should be resonant and confident.

Practical implications (Recommendation) section

Based on the insights derived from your research, this section provides actionable suggestions or proposed solutions.

Whether aimed at industry professionals or the general public, recommendations translate your academic findings into potential real-world actions. They help readers understand the practical implications of your work and how it can be applied to effect change or improvement in a given field.

When crafting recommendations, it's essential to ensure they're feasible and rooted in the evidence provided by your research. They shouldn't merely be aspirational but should offer a clear path forward, grounded in your findings.

The conclusion provides closure to your research narrative.

It's not merely a recap but a synthesis of your main findings and their broader implications. Reconnect with the research questions or hypotheses posited at the beginning, offering clear answers based on your findings.

Reflect on the broader contributions of your study, considering its impact on the academic community and potential real-world applications.

Lastly, the conclusion should leave your readers with a clear understanding of the value and impact of your study.

References (or Bibliography)

Every theory you've expounded upon, every data point you've cited, and every methodological precedent you've followed finds its acknowledgment here.

In references, it's crucial to ensure meticulous consistency in formatting, mirroring the specific guidelines of the chosen citation style .

Proper referencing helps to avoid plagiarism , gives credit to original ideas, and allows readers to explore topics of interest. Moreover, it situates your work within the continuum of academic knowledge.

To properly cite the sources used in the study, you can rely on online citation generator tools  to generate accurate citations!

Here’s more on how you can cite your sources.

Often, the depth of research produces a wealth of material that, while crucial, can make the core content of the thesis cumbersome. The appendix is where you mention extra information that supports your research but isn't central to the main text.

Whether it's raw datasets, detailed procedural methodologies, extended case studies, or any other ancillary material, the appendices ensure that these elements are archived for reference without breaking the main narrative's flow.

For thorough researchers and readers keen on meticulous details, the appendices provide a treasure trove of insights.

Glossary (optional)

In academics, specialized terminologies, and jargon are inevitable. However, not every reader is versed in every term.

The glossary, while optional, is a critical tool for accessibility. It's a bridge ensuring that even readers from outside the discipline can access, understand, and appreciate your work.

By defining complex terms and providing context, you're inviting a wider audience to engage with your research, enhancing its reach and impact.

Remember, while these components provide a structured framework, the essence of your thesis lies in the originality of your ideas, the rigor of your research, and the clarity of your presentation.

As you craft each section, keep your readers in mind, ensuring that your passion and dedication shine through every page.

Thesis examples

To further elucidate the concept of a thesis, here are illustrative examples from various fields:

Example 1 (History): Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807 by Suchait Kahlon.

Example 2 (Climate Dynamics): Influence of external forcings on abrupt millennial-scale climate changes: a statistical modelling study by Takahito Mitsui · Michel Crucifix

Checklist for your thesis evaluation

Evaluating your thesis ensures that your research meets the standards of academia. Here's an elaborate checklist to guide you through this critical process.

Content and structure

• Is the thesis statement clear, concise, and debatable?
• Does the introduction provide sufficient background and context?
• Is the literature review comprehensive, relevant, and well-organized?
• Does the methodology section clearly describe and justify the research methods?
• Are the results/findings presented clearly and logically?
• Does the discussion interpret the results in light of the research question and existing literature?
• Is the conclusion summarizing the research and suggesting future directions or implications?

Clarity and coherence

• Is the writing clear and free of jargon?
• Are ideas and sections logically connected and flowing?
• Is there a clear narrative or argument throughout the thesis?

Research quality

• Is the research question significant and relevant?
• Are the research methods appropriate for the question?
• Is the sample size (if applicable) adequate?
• Are the data analysis techniques appropriate and correctly applied?
• Are potential biases or limitations addressed?

Originality and significance

• Does the thesis contribute new knowledge or insights to the field?
• Is the research grounded in existing literature while offering fresh perspectives?

Formatting and presentation

• Is the thesis formatted according to institutional guidelines?
• Are figures, tables, and charts clear, labeled, and referenced in the text?
• Is the bibliography or reference list complete and consistently formatted?
• Are appendices relevant and appropriately referenced in the main text?

Grammar and language

• Is the thesis free of grammatical and spelling errors?
• Is the language professional, consistent, and appropriate for an academic audience?
• Are quotations and paraphrased material correctly cited?

Feedback and revision

• Have you sought feedback from peers, advisors, or experts in the field?
• Have you addressed the feedback and made the necessary revisions?

Overall assessment

• Does the thesis as a whole feel cohesive and comprehensive?
• Would the thesis be understandable and valuable to someone in your field?

Ensure to use this checklist to leave no ground for doubt or missed information in your thesis.

After writing your thesis, the next step is to discuss and defend your findings verbally in front of a knowledgeable panel. You’ve to be well prepared as your professors may grade your presentation abilities.

Preparing your thesis defense

A thesis defense, also known as "defending the thesis," is the culmination of a scholar's research journey. It's the final frontier, where you’ll present their findings and face scrutiny from a panel of experts.

Typically, the defense involves a public presentation where you’ll have to outline your study, followed by a question-and-answer session with a committee of experts. This committee assesses the validity, originality, and significance of the research.

The defense serves as a rite of passage for scholars. It's an opportunity to showcase expertise, address criticisms, and refine arguments. A successful defense not only validates the research but also establishes your authority as a researcher in your field.

Here’s how you can effectively prepare for your thesis defense .

Now, having touched upon the process of defending a thesis, it's worth noting that scholarly work can take various forms, depending on academic and regional practices.

One such form, often paralleled with the thesis, is the 'dissertation.' But what differentiates the two?

Dissertation vs. Thesis

Often used interchangeably in casual discourse, they refer to distinct research projects undertaken at different levels of higher education.

To the uninitiated, understanding their meaning might be elusive. So, let's demystify these terms and delve into their core differences.

Here's a table differentiating between the two.

Wrapping up

From understanding the foundational concept of a thesis to navigating its various components, differentiating it from a dissertation, and recognizing the importance of proper citation — this guide covers it all.

As scholars and readers, understanding these nuances not only aids in academic pursuits but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the relentless quest for knowledge that drives academia.

It’s important to remember that every thesis is a testament to curiosity, dedication, and the indomitable spirit of discovery.

Good luck with your thesis writing!

Frequently Asked Questions

A thesis typically ranges between 40-80 pages, but its length can vary based on the research topic, institution guidelines, and level of study.

A PhD thesis usually spans 200-300 pages, though this can vary based on the discipline, complexity of the research, and institutional requirements.

To identify a thesis topic, consider current trends in your field, gaps in existing literature, personal interests, and discussions with advisors or mentors. Additionally, reviewing related journals and conference proceedings can provide insights into potential areas of exploration.

The conceptual framework is often situated in the literature review or theoretical framework section of a thesis. It helps set the stage by providing the context, defining key concepts, and explaining the relationships between variables.

A thesis statement should be concise, clear, and specific. It should state the main argument or point of your research. Start by pinpointing the central question or issue your research addresses, then condense that into a single statement, ensuring it reflects the essence of your paper.

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What are Thesis and Theme?

Going Back to the Basics:

Thesis and theme are two words that everyone knows they know but they typically can’t describe these terms succinctly. Chances are, unless you’re in a writing-dominated field, you probably haven’t given these terms much thought since college or high school English classes.  That’s okay, but if you’re embarking on writing a book, you’ll need to brush up on these key terms.

Thesis and theme are the foundations of all writing, professional or informal. They both convey the subject of the text. Despite this similarity, there’s a stark difference between the functions of the thesis and the theme. 

The theme of a piece of writing is less intricate than its thesis. A theme is the main idea of a paper. It can be described in a word or short phrase, and these themes are demonstrated throughout the work by the content. Within a longer piece, such as an article or a book, there can be multiple themes. Oftentimes, these are divided by chapters or headings. Theme offers some room for interpretation—while the overall message should be received the same by each reader, the word(s) they use to describe it has some flexibility.

That’s not the case with the thesis statement. A thesis statement is the argument that a writer constructs throughout the work. It can be described in a phrase, sentence, or even a paragraph. The thesis statement must define the purpose of the paper, mention the points you’ll explore, and serve as an abbreviated summary of the work. There’s the misconception that a thesis statement and a topic sentence are interchangeable terms. While the thesis statement may act as a topic sentence, it usually comes later in the introductory text and it’s more specific than topic sentences are allowed to be.

A strong thesis requires some effort and workshopping. When you’re writing the outline for your book, determine the core ideas that you want to discuss, think about your purpose for writing, and then find a way to piece all of the components together. A key to obtaining a good thesis is to unify your key points and be specific about your intentions for the piece. 

Let’s take a look at an example: 

A paper on traditional vs independent publishing can have themes of diversity, empowerment, change through social media, individual identity, etc. Subheadings would show these themes for each of the sections throughout the paper.

A topic sentence could be: “In the internet age, small independent publishing is growing as an alternative for authors .”  This is a fact that can be proven; it doesn’t show the author’s opinion or intention for the paper.

But a thesis statement would be: “ Small presses use social media as a tool to celebrate the diverse voices that they publish while enacting slow scale social change through challenging identities perpetuated by the media.” Now that thesis encompasses a lot of topics that the reader will expect to have reviewed. It also makes an argument for how small presses operate and what their lasting effects might be. 

Your thesis should be just as specific, though it doesn’t have to be as polished and complete before you start writing your book. However, you should still have a placeholder thesis statement to guide you through your writing. Later, you can refine your thesis to better reflect the content you cover. I suggest having several people review your thesis statement to make sure it’s 1) clear, 2) concise, and 3) accurately describes what your book is about. If your thesis is still giving you trouble, try completing some thesis exercises, available in most writing books and online.

We understand the fundamental importance of crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement to guide your writing journey. Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you articulate your core ideas and intentions effectively, ensuring that your book’s thesis serves as a strong foundation for your narrative. With our comprehensive publishing services, including writing, editing, and promotion, we can support you every step of the way to transform your manuscript into a polished and impactful book.

Schedule a call with us today to discover how BrightRay Publishing can help you bring your book to life and share your message with the world.

• Emily Batdorf
• July 30, 2021

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Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

<!--Preserve this column for the activity menu. -->   WHAT IS A CENTRAL IDEA? The holds your writing together. In a paragraph, the central idea is expressed in a topic sentence. In an essay, it is expressed in a thesis statement. The central idea is the idea your paragraph or essay develops, supports, or proves. MAKE THE CENTRAL IDEA THE FOCUS OF YOUR WRITING The central idea states the point you wish to make. It is the focal point to which all details in your essay point. Think of a paragraph or essay as a photograph. Just as you focus a snapshot by aiming the camera at a fixed point, you focus your writing by relating every detail to a central idea. You can also compare the central idea to an umbrella. Expressed as a thesis statement (essay) or in a topic sentence (paragraph), the central idea will be the broadest or most general statement in your work. All other ideas and bits of information fit logically under the central idea. BEGIN WITH A WORKING TOPIC SENTENCE OR THESIS A working topic sentence or thesis is your first attempt to express a central idea formally. You will probably revise it many times as you write drafts and discover exactly what to say about your subject. Writing a working topic sentence or thesis statement involves three steps: WHAT IS MY SUBJECT? A subject is abstract, general, and incomplete. A central idea is concrete and specific. Compare the subject with the central idea . You can turn a subject into a central idea by focusing. Begin by reviewing what you know about your subject or by looking over notes you have made about it through listing, brainstorming, clustering, freewriting, or other prewriting activities. With these details fresh in your mind, ask yourself: What is my purpose in writing about this topic? What main point do I want to make about the topic? WHAT IS MY PURPOSE? Let's say you decide to write about high school. You might tell a story about your history class, compare two schools you attended, or argue that high schools should require foreign-language study. If you want to compare the two high schools you attended, you can include details about their academic programs, athletic teams, students, or teachers. But you probably wouldn't argue that high schools should stay open in summer because doing so would take you outside your declared purpose. WHAT IS MY MAIN POINT? The next step in focusing is to decide what to say about your subject. What is the most interesting or important point you want to make about the schools you are comparing? The answer will be your main point, which ties all the details of the essay together. Again, you turn an abstract subject into a central idea by stating a main point about that subject. If your main point is that entering a new school improved your attitude about education, your central idea might read:   Changing high schools made me a more serious student. MAKING A POINT ABOUT A SUBJECT In the box below, main points have been added to subjects to form working topic sentences or thesis statements. Skydiving Skydiving can be dangerous. Computer skills Computer skills are essential to success in business. Dental floss Dental floss is a powerful weapon in the battle against gum disease.   Back to Top CHECK YOUR WORKING CENTRAL IDEA After writing a working central idea, check it for qualities that will make it effective as the basis of a paragraph or essay. Ask yourself: Is my central idea expressed in a complete thought? Is it specific? Does it express an idea that is worth developing in a full-length paragraph or essay? Is it limited enough to discuss in a short piece of writing?  A central idea = a . Never confuse a central idea with a simple subject. Central ideas are expressed in complete sentences; subjects are words or phrases. Take these subjects: The city zoo. Professional athletes. Majoring in foreign languages. Can you write a paragraph or essay on one of these subjects? Only if you decide on the main point you want to make about it. Try these as working central ideas: The city zoo is in great need of repairs. Professional athletes are overpaid. Studying foreign languages leads to many career choices. A CENTRAL IDEA IS SPECIFIC Make your central idea specific. The key to this step is to focus your main point as precisely as you can. That will give you a clear direction to follow as you develop an essay or paragraph. Take this central idea: Jogging isn't for everybody. It is correct, but it leaves questions unanswered. For example, what kind of people should not jog? What ill effects might jogging cause them? Now, try this: Jogging can be harmful to people who suffer from heart, back, or joint problems. A CENTRAL IDEA CONTAINS A MAIN POINT THAT IS WORTH DEVELOPING Make sure your main point is an idea-not just a fact-that is worth developing in a full-length paragraph or essay. Read these two sentences: The War Memorial is in Ottawa. The War Memorial has been severely vandalized. The first sentence is a statement of fact; it does not call for discussion. The second lends itself to discussion. For example, you might describe what the vandals did, explain how much repairs will cost, or discuss ways to prevent future problems. A CENTRAL IDEA IS LIMITED Essays that beginning college or university students write usually contain approximately five to seven paragraphs of about 50 to 100 words. Therefore, you should limit your working topic sentence or thesis, making it as specific as you can. Otherwise, you won't be able to make your point clearly and completely. LIMIT THE DISCUSSION TO A MANAGEABLE LENGTH Let's say you want to convince someone to stop smoking. You might limit yourself to three reasons to stop smoking: the health risks, the costs, and its effects on others. Here's your working thesis: Break the habit: otherwise, it will ruin your health, empty your wallet, and annoy your friends. Your working topic sentences, which will control the three body paragraphs, could be as follows: Smoking causes cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. You can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year by quitting. Smoking is offensive to friends and family. LIMITING YOUR CENTRAL IDEA FURTHER You begin a rough draft by discussing illnesses caused by smoking. However, you soon realize that you can't cover all three reasons for quitting and still keep the essay short. So you limit yourself to the issue of health risks. Your thesis statement becomes: Break the habit: smoking causes heart disease, emphysema, and cancer. Your topic sentences become: Smoking weakens the heart and impairs circulation. Smoking is a major cause of emphysema. Smoking has been linked directly to cancer of the mouth and the esophagus. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A TOPIC SENTENCE AND A THESIS A topic sentence is the sentence that expresses the central idea of a paragraph. A thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the central idea of an essay. It's a good idea to decide the topic sentence of a paragraph after writing the working version of an essay's thesis. A topic sentence explains one aspect or point in the thesis and, therefore, should always be more specific and limited than a thesis. REVISE AND REFINE THE CENTRAL IDEA AS YOU WORK You can revise a central idea whenever you need to. The working version of a topic sentence or thesis statement provides only a starting point and a sense of direction. Don't be afraid to look back to your central ideas and rewrite them often. As a matter of fact, focusing is something you should do throughout the writing process. To learn more about the book this website supports, please visit its . Copyright Any use is subject to the and | You must be a registered user to view the in this website. If you already have a username and password, enter it below. If your textbook came with a card and this is your first visit to this site, you can to register. Username: Password: '); document.write(''); } // --> ( ) .'); } else{ document.write('This form changes settings for this website only.'); } //--> Send mail as: '); } else { document.write(' '); } } else { document.write(' '); } // --> '); } else { document.write(' '); } } else { document.write(' '); } document.write(' TA email: '); } else { document.write(' '); } } else { document.write(' '); } // --> Other email: '); } else { document.write(' '); } } else { document.write(' '); } // --> "Floating" navigation? '); } else if (floatNav == 2) { document.write(' '); } else { document.write(' '); } // --> Drawer speed: '; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 1) ? ' ' : ' ' ; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 2) ? ' ' : ' ' ; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 3) ? ' ' : ' ' ; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 4) ? ' ' : ' ' ; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 5) ? ' ' : ' ' ; theseOptions += (glideSpeed == 6) ? ' ' : ' ' ; document.write(theseOptions); // --> 1. (optional) Enter a note here: 2. (optional) Select some text on the page (or do this before you open the "Notes" drawer). 3. Highlighter Color: 4. Search for: Search in: Course-wide Content Student Resources Instructor Resources Course-wide Content Thesis Statements A strong component of academic writing that all writers must understand is the difference between subject, topic, and thesis. Knowing the difference between these three terms will help you create a strong argument for your paper. This handout is designed to help inform you about these three distinct introductory elements, and it will also help you transition from deciding on a subject you are writing about, to the essay’s topic, and finally to your overall thesis. The subject of your paper is a broad idea that stands alone. At this point, there is no detailed information associated with it or any kind of argumentation. It serves, in essence, as a launching pad for you to form an idea, or argument, which will eventually become the purpose of your paper. Example: Women The topic of your paper is an evolved, narrower version of your subject. Here is where you add a detailed, more conclusive area of focus for your paper so that you can eradicate vagueness. Example: Women in late 1990s television The thesis acts as the final idea on which the entirety of your paper will focus. It is the central message that ties the whole paper together into one definitive purpose that prepares readers for what you are arguing. Example : Although people may argue that television in the late 1990s helped portray women in a more honest and intrepid light, programs including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed , and Sex and the City failed to illustrate the depth and truth of womanhood, choosing to focus heavily on clichéd romantic entanglements, unbecoming pathetic quarrels, and thin temptresses adorned with fashionable costumes and bare midriffs. Subject to Topic The following are some suggestions to help you shift from a broad subject area to a narrow, focused topic. Seek out narrow topics Inappropriate. Subject:  Women Topic:  Women in history Note:  In this case, the topic is too large to create a complex thesis statement worthy of a paper. The broader the topic, the more difficulty you will have narrowing your argument enough to affect readers. Appropriate Topic:  Famous women aviators of WWII Note:  Here the topic as narrowed down the subject by focusing on women belonging to a specific profession in a particular historical period. It is thorough enough to discover a thesis statement. Choose arguable topics Subject:  Toni Morrison Topic:  Biography Note:  This idea does not allow for speculation or disagreement, which gives it an underdeveloped quality. Topic:  Literary merits of the novel Tar Baby Note:  This idea allows for speculation or disagreement, which gives it a strong, developed quality. Choose topics within your comfort zone Subject:  Linguistics Topic:  OE Northumbrian dialects Note:  Unless you have studied OE Northumbrian dialects at length, it perhaps poses too high of a research challenge to pursue. Subject:  College Freshmen Topic:  The Freshman Fifteen Note:  This topic is narrow enough and familiar enough to most college students to purse as a topic. Rules for Thesis Statements Needs to correspond to the assignment’s expectations Usually, but not always, one sentence Typically appears that the end of the introduction More often than not, it is explicitly stated Establishes an argument Establishes the criteria for scrutiny of the topic (previews the structure of the paper) Write for an audience. Your paper should be catchy enough to retain readers’ attention. Determine a "Research Question" Determining a research question is a crucial aspect of your writing. In order to stay focused on the assignment, you must form a clear and concise argument. Choose one major idea you want to concentrate on, and expand from there. When your instructor assigns a paper, try and find some angle that makes you inspired to fulfill the assignment to the best of your abilities. For example, if your history professor assigns you to write about a historical figure who changed the world for the better, write about an individual whose work you can relate to. If you are interested in the supernatural, you could write about Joan of Arc, who became a crusader because of the visions she claimed to have had from God. Next, ask yourself a series of questions to help form your research question. Try to avoid questions you can answer with “yes” or “no” because these will not allow you to explore your topic as thoroughly or as easily as questions that begin with “who,” “what,” “why,” or “how.” When did Joan rise to prominence? Did she develop a strong following that her enemies felt threatened by? How did her gender play a part in her tragic demise? What does Joan’s execution say about female leaders of the 15th century? Once you have developed a series of questions, consider which questions allow you to form an argument that is not too broad that you cannot write a sufficient paper, but not too narrow that it prevents you from crafting an interesting and compelling piece of writing. Decide which question represents this criteria, then you can start researching. In this case, from the above examples, you may select “How did Joan’s gender play a part in her tragic demise?” This question will allow you to develop a complex thesis with argumentative points to pose to readers. Below is a way to develop a thesis statement from the simply worded question that was just brainstormed. The answer to your research question can become the core of your thesis statement. Research Question: How did Joan of Arc’s gender play a part in her tragic demise? Thesis Statement: Joan of Arc’s gender played a significant role in her tragic demise because of the laws and social customs concerning women during France’s 15th century, which included social ideals that perceived women as secular citizens; political standards that favored men to hold positions of power over women; as well as religious ideals that perceived Joan’s alleged clairvoyant gifts as a natural trait of witchcraft, a crime of heresy also associated with women. Note:  Beginning writers are taught to write theses that list and outline the main points of the paper. As college students, professors might expect more descriptive theses. Doing this will illustrate two points: 1) Readers will be able to isolate your argument, which will keep them more inclined to focus on your points and whether or not they agree with you. They may find themselves questioning their own thoughts about your case. 2) A descriptive thesis serves as a way to show your understanding of the topic by providing a substantial claim. Troubleshooting your Thesis Statement The following are some suggestions to help you scrutinize your working draft of your thesis statement to develop it through further revisions. Specify your details Example:  In today’s society, beauty advertisements are not mere pictures that promote vanity in the public, but instead, they inspire people to make changes so that they can lead better lifestyles. Uses cliché phrases like “In today’s society.” What kind of beauty advertisements are you referring to? All of them? Or specific kinds? Note:  Who is this targeting? Women? Men? Adolescents? Being more specific with the targeted audience is going to strengthen your paper. Example:  Makeup, clothing, and dieting advertisements endorse American ideals of female beauty and show the public that women should possess full ownership of their bodies and fight the stigma of physical and sexual repression which has been placed upon them. Identifies specific forms of beauty advertisements for the sake of clearly expressing a strong argument. Uses descriptive language. Note:  By signifying that women’s beauty is the main topic being argued in the paper, this author clearly identifies their main, targeted audience. Make arguable claims Undeveloped. Example:  Social media is not conducive to people’s personal growth because of the distractions, self-doubt, and social anxiety it can cause to its users. “Social media” and “personal growth” both encompass a large span of topics and so they leave the reader confused about the particular focus of this paper. Note:  The thesis is too broad to form a well-constructed argument. It lacks details and specificity about the paper’s points. Example:  Although Facebook allows people to network personally and professionally, the procrastination and distraction from one’s demanding responsibilities can lead people to invest more time in narcissistic trivialities, resulting in severe cases of anxiety and low self-esteem. It alludes to some kind of counterargument in the opening dependent clause. The thesis specifies several points that makes a thesis credible. The argument connects all the points (distractions, self-doubt, and social anxiety) together into one linear train of thought, relating the ideas to one another. Note:  The thesis is more focused. It concentrates on the idea that social media plays up on a person’s self-worth. Preview the paper’s structure Example:  College is a crucial stage in one’s life that will help them become more sophisticated individuals upon entering the harsh world as an adult. Note:  Not only does this statement lack specificity and excitement, but it fails to present an idea of what the paper will look like, and how the argument is set up. As readers, we know this writer believes college is an imperative part of one’s life, but we have no idea how they are going to go about arguing that claim. Example:  College is a crucial stage in a young adult’s life because it is the time in which they begin to transition from childhood to adulthood, learn to live away from their parents, budget their own finances, and take responsibility for their successes and failures, which will force them to make more responsible decisions about their lives. Note:  The thesis points to different aspects of college life that help students ease into adulthood, which shows the reader the points the writer will explore throughout the body of the paper. transition from childhood to adulthood learn to live away from their parents budget their own finances take responsibility for their successes and failures Final Thoughts When you are asked to write a paper in college, there may not be as many detailed descriptions telling you what subject or argument to write about. Remember, the best way to pick your subject is to write about something that interests you. That way, the assignment will be more promising and passionate for you and may help you feel more in control of your writing. As you venture closer to crafting your thesis, make sure your subject is narrowed down to a specific enough topic so that you can stay focused on the task. If your topic is specific enough, you will be able to create an argument that is concentrated enough for you to provide sufficient argumentative points and commentary. Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence Thesis statements, claims, and evidence, introduction. The three important parts of an argumentative essay are: A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with.  Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct. Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement,  are not facts.  Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence. Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true.  Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas.  The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports. Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence. Paragraphs 1-7 Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement:  “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”  It is a thesis statement for three reasons: It is the article’s main argument. It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education. It requires evidence to show that it is true. Finding Claims.  A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement.  Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence. You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree.  For this reason, a claim needs support. Question 1.  Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence. Finding Evidence.  Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question.  Reread paragraphs 5-7. Question 2.  Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert? Paragraphs 8-10 Finding Claims Paragraph 8 makes two claims: “The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.” “The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.” Finding Evidence Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence: “The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.” “Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.” Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)? Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert? Paragraphs 11-13 Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement) “More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim) Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story. Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one? Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)? Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence?  Does it persuade you to agree with him? Paragraphs 14-16 Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14.  Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16.  If you can’t find any evidence,  write “none.” Claim:  The more education a person has, the higher their income. Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison. Paragraphs 17-19 Evaluating Evidence In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs. Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far?   Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer. Paragraphs 20-23 Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist.  One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people. What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants? Paragraphs  24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms) In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions.  To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application. What statistic does he include? In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid. What do you think about this assumption?   Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions? Supporting English Language Learners in First-Year College Composition Copyright © by Breana Bayraktar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted. Share This Book Have a language expert improve your writing Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free. Knowledge Base Methodology How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples Published on September 6, 2019 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 22, 2023. Thematic analysis is a method of analyzing qualitative data . It is usually applied to a set of texts, such as an interview or transcripts . The researcher closely examines the data to identify common themes – topics, ideas and patterns of meaning that come up repeatedly. There are various approaches to conducting thematic analysis, but the most common form follows a six-step process: familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. Following this process can also help you avoid confirmation bias when formulating your analysis. This process was originally developed for psychology research by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke . However, thematic analysis is a flexible method that can be adapted to many different kinds of research. Table of contents When to use thematic analysis, different approaches to thematic analysis, step 1: familiarization, step 2: coding, step 3: generating themes, step 4: reviewing themes, step 5: defining and naming themes, step 6: writing up, other interesting articles. Thematic analysis is a good approach to research where you’re trying to find out something about people’s views, opinions, knowledge, experiences or values from a set of qualitative data – for example, interview transcripts , social media profiles, or survey responses . Some types of research questions you might use thematic analysis to answer: How do patients perceive doctors in a hospital setting? What are young women’s experiences on dating sites? What are non-experts’ ideas and opinions about climate change? How is gender constructed in high school history teaching? To answer any of these questions, you would collect data from a group of relevant participants and then analyze it. Thematic analysis allows you a lot of flexibility in interpreting the data, and allows you to approach large data sets more easily by sorting them into broad themes. However, it also involves the risk of missing nuances in the data. Thematic analysis is often quite subjective and relies on the researcher’s judgement, so you have to reflect carefully on your own choices and interpretations. Pay close attention to the data to ensure that you’re not picking up on things that are not there – or obscuring things that are. Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on: Academic style Vague sentences Style consistency See an example Once you’ve decided to use thematic analysis, there are different approaches to consider. There’s the distinction between inductive and deductive approaches: An inductive approach involves allowing the data to determine your themes. A deductive approach involves coming to the data with some preconceived themes you expect to find reflected there, based on theory or existing knowledge. Ask yourself: Does my theoretical framework give me a strong idea of what kind of themes I expect to find in the data (deductive), or am I planning to develop my own framework based on what I find (inductive)? There’s also the distinction between a semantic and a latent approach: A semantic approach involves analyzing the explicit content of the data. A latent approach involves reading into the subtext and assumptions underlying the data. Ask yourself: Am I interested in people’s stated opinions (semantic) or in what their statements reveal about their assumptions and social context (latent)? After you’ve decided thematic analysis is the right method for analyzing your data, and you’ve thought about the approach you’re going to take, you can follow the six steps developed by Braun and Clarke . The first step is to get to know our data. It’s important to get a thorough overview of all the data we collected before we start analyzing individual items. This might involve transcribing audio , reading through the text and taking initial notes, and generally looking through the data to get familiar with it. Next up, we need to code the data. Coding means highlighting sections of our text – usually phrases or sentences – and coming up with shorthand labels or “codes” to describe their content. Let’s take a short example text. Say we’re researching perceptions of climate change among conservative voters aged 50 and up, and we have collected data through a series of interviews. An extract from one interview looks like this: Coding qualitative data Interview extract Codes Personally, I’m not sure. I think the climate is changing, sure, but I don’t know why or how. People say you should trust the experts, but who’s to say they don’t have their own reasons for pushing this narrative? I’m not saying they’re wrong, I’m just saying there’s reasons not to 100% trust them. The facts keep changing – it used to be called global warming. In this extract, we’ve highlighted various phrases in different colors corresponding to different codes. Each code describes the idea or feeling expressed in that part of the text. At this stage, we want to be thorough: we go through the transcript of every interview and highlight everything that jumps out as relevant or potentially interesting. As well as highlighting all the phrases and sentences that match these codes, we can keep adding new codes as we go through the text. After we’ve been through the text, we collate together all the data into groups identified by code. These codes allow us to gain a a condensed overview of the main points and common meanings that recur throughout the data. Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check. Next, we look over the codes we’ve created, identify patterns among them, and start coming up with themes. Themes are generally broader than codes. Most of the time, you’ll combine several codes into a single theme. In our example, we might start combining codes into themes like this: Turning codes into themes Codes Theme Uncertainty Distrust of experts Misinformation At this stage, we might decide that some of our codes are too vague or not relevant enough (for example, because they don’t appear very often in the data), so they can be discarded. Other codes might become themes in their own right. In our example, we decided that the code “uncertainty” made sense as a theme, with some other codes incorporated into it. Again, what we decide will vary according to what we’re trying to find out. We want to create potential themes that tell us something helpful about the data for our purposes. Now we have to make sure that our themes are useful and accurate representations of the data. Here, we return to the data set and compare our themes against it. Are we missing anything? Are these themes really present in the data? What can we change to make our themes work better? If we encounter problems with our themes, we might split them up, combine them, discard them or create new ones: whatever makes them more useful and accurate. For example, we might decide upon looking through the data that “changing terminology” fits better under the “uncertainty” theme than under “distrust of experts,” since the data labelled with this code involves confusion, not necessarily distrust. Now that you have a final list of themes, it’s time to name and define each of them. Defining themes involves formulating exactly what we mean by each theme and figuring out how it helps us understand the data. Naming themes involves coming up with a succinct and easily understandable name for each theme. For example, we might look at “distrust of experts” and determine exactly who we mean by “experts” in this theme. We might decide that a better name for the theme is “distrust of authority” or “conspiracy thinking”. Finally, we’ll write up our analysis of the data. Like all academic texts, writing up a thematic analysis requires an introduction to establish our research question, aims and approach. We should also include a methodology section, describing how we collected the data (e.g. through semi-structured interviews or open-ended survey questions ) and explaining how we conducted the thematic analysis itself. The results or findings section usually addresses each theme in turn. We describe how often the themes come up and what they mean, including examples from the data as evidence. Finally, our conclusion explains the main takeaways and shows how the analysis has answered our research question. In our example, we might argue that conspiracy thinking about climate change is widespread among older conservative voters, point out the uncertainty with which many voters view the issue, and discuss the role of misinformation in respondents’ perceptions. If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples. Normal distribution Measures of central tendency Chi square tests Confidence interval Quartiles & Quantiles Cluster sampling Stratified sampling Discourse analysis Cohort study Peer review Ethnography Research bias Implicit bias Cognitive bias Conformity bias Hawthorne effect Availability heuristic Attrition bias Social desirability bias Cite this Scribbr article If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Caulfield, J. (2023, June 22). How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/thematic-analysis/ Is this article helpful? Jack Caulfield Other students also liked, what is qualitative research | methods & examples, inductive vs. deductive research approach | steps & examples, critical discourse analysis | definition, guide & examples, get unlimited documents corrected. ✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts All Subjects AP Literature - Theme Statements and Thesis Statements september 26, 2019 Candace Moore Using the collective annotation of a poem, theme was defined and discussed, and a format was given for students to always be able to create a thematic statement. Then, given a prompt, thesis statements were discussed and established for the same poem, highlighting the difference between thematic statements and thesis statements, especially in the AP context. Stay Connected © 2024 fiveable inc. all rights reserved., ap® and sat® are trademarks registered by the college board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.. 114 IMAGES What is the difference between a theme and a thesis statement? MYP4 English Thesis Statement vs Thematic Statement PPT What is a Topic Sentence & How to Write it What Are The Different Types of Thesis Statements 25 Thesis Statement Examples (2024) VIDEO Thesis Abstract and Research Article Abstract What is the main purpose of a thesis statement? Thesis and Dissertation What is a effective thesis statement? What Is a master's Thesis (5 Characteristics of an A Plus Thesis) Developing Argument with Practice & Difference between Thesis Statement and Developing Argument COMMENTS Theme vs Thesis: The Main Differences & When To Use Them Understanding the difference between theme and thesis is crucial for writers and readers alike. While themes allow us to explore the deeper meaning and universal truths within a piece of literature, the thesis provides a clear and concise statement of the main argument in an academic or research paper. Theme vs. Thesis: Key Differences and How to Write each A thesis is a statement that you will try to prove by backing it with necessary facts. It is a position that the author takes to maintain a particular argument. Differences between a Theme and a Thesis. A theme is the general topic of your essay, whereas a thesis is the precise statements that the author tries to prove. What is a Thematic Statement (and How to Write One) The difference between a Thematic Statement and a theme is that while a Thematic Statement is specific and contains a value judgement or opinion, themes tend to be more general, and may be explored from various angles. So while the examples listed above are Thematic Statements, they are all incarnations of the theme 'love'. ... Thesis Statements A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. How to Write a Thesis Statement Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education. What is a Thematic Statement? Definition & Examples As discussed previously, thematic statements aim to deliver a single idea through a simple yet impactful sentence. This "single idea" is the central message of a complete body of text (like a story or essay). Thematic statements are interchangeable with thesis statements when employed within thematic essays. What is a Thesis Statement: Writing Guide with Examples How to write a thesis statement for persuasive essays. Similar to argumentative essays, persuasive essays follow many of the same guidelines for their thesis statements: decisive language, specific details, and mentions of subtopics. However, the main difference is that, while the thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays state facts, the thesis statements for persuasive essays ... Thesis Statements Thesis Statements. A thesis is the main claim you are making in an argument, similar to the hypothesis in a scientific experiment. It is what you are trying to prove or persuade your audience to believe or do. It's helpful to develop a working thesis to guide your composition process. "Working" is the operative word here; your ideas are ... PDF Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences A thesis driven essay is comprised of an initial thesis statement that establishes a claim or argument, and ensuing topic sentences that support and develop that claim. Ideally, a reader would be able to read only the thesis statement and topic sentences of your text, and still be able to understand the main ideas and logical progression of ... Thesis Thesis. Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore ... PDF Topic and Thesis Differences thesis is what one decides to say about the "topic.". The thesis is a specific argument that will be involved in every paragraph of the paper whether one is introducing it, defending it, or reinforcing it. It is the sole reason for the paper's existence and should be one written as a well-constructed sentence that acts as a map for how ... What Is a Thesis? Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. What is a thesis What is the difference between a thesis and a thesis statement? While both terms are frequently used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings. A thesis refers to the entire research document, encompassing all its chapters and sections. In contrast, a thesis statement is a brief assertion that encapsulates the central argument of the research. What are Thesis and Theme? Thesis and theme are the foundations of all writing, professional or informal. They both convey the subject of the text. Despite this similarity, there's a stark difference between the functions of the thesis and the theme. The theme of a piece of writing is less intricate than its thesis. A theme is the main idea of a paper. Thesis and Purpose Statements A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic. A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire ... Thesis/Central Idea A thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the central idea of an essay. It's a good idea to decide the topic sentence of a paragraph after writing the working version of an essay's thesis. A topic sentence explains one aspect or point in the thesis and, therefore, should always be more specific and limited than a thesis. PDF Developing a Central Claim What is a thesis? A thesis is the central claim or main argument of an essay. Because it provides a unifying theme for the rest of the essay, it typically appears early on—in shorter papers, most often within the first paragraph or two. The thesis should be analytic or interpretive rather than merely descriptive or factual. Constructing Thesis Statements vs. Main Ideas The thesis statement is a one-sentence statement that expresses the main idea of the essay. The thesis statement is an arguable statement that communicates the author's stance on a topic to the reader. In order to better understand the differences between a thesis statement and main idea, it's important to understand the components of an essay. Thesis Statements Thesis Statements. A strong component of academic writing that all writers must understand is the difference between subject, topic, and thesis. Knowing the difference between these three terms will help you create a strong argument for your paper. This handout is designed to help inform you about these three distinct introductory elements, and ... Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence Introduction. The three important parts of an argumentative essay are: A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article's main point. It is not a fact; it's a statement that you could disagree with. How to Do Thematic Analysis Different approaches to thematic analysis. Once you've decided to use thematic analysis, there are different approaches to consider. There's the distinction between inductive and deductive approaches:. An inductive approach involves allowing the data to determine your themes.; A deductive approach involves coming to the data with some preconceived themes you expect to find reflected there ... AP Literature Using the collective annotation of a poem, theme was defined and discussed, and a format was given for students to always be able to create a thematic statement. Then, given a prompt, thesis statements were discussed and established for the same poem, highlighting the difference between thematic statements and thesis statements, especially in ... What is the difference between a title and a thesis statement? The difference between a title and a thesis statement is that the title gives a hint of the essay's content and grabs attention, while the thesis statement makes a claim or takes a stand ... assignment essay homework paper phd resume speech thesis