How to Write a Killer Thesis Statement, a
la Shmoop.
First of all, what do we mean by a... killer
thesis statement?
Should this thing be armed and dangerous?
Well... kinda.
No, we don't want to see your thesis statement
to show up on the evening news.
But your thesis statement should aim to...
kill... with eloquence, suspense, intrigue,
originality, and clarity.
Here's an example:
Humans are not genetically required to be
meat-eaters, so vegetarianism is the only
moral choice to avoid the senseless killing
of animals.
It states a valid point, expresses a strong
opinion, and can be supported with facts.
Doesn't mean it's necessarily true, but
it can definitely be debated.
A thesis statement is that thing at the very
beginning of your paper that tells your reader
what this whole thing is going to be about.
Right out of the gate, it tells your reader
roughly what elements you will develop in
the coming paragraphs...
...and exactly how you feel about it.
The thesis is the most important part of your
essay. It is the heart, soul and brain of
your paper.
Once you've got that puppy figured out,
you're at least halfway home.
How do you get to this promised land? Well,
first you must establish an issue or problem.
Think... humankind's negative effects on
rainforests...
The factors that enable politicians to become
corrupt...
The slow death of the film industry.
Anything ripe for the picking... and preferably
something that is not without a little controversy.
The thesis shouldn't be something like...
the sun makes it hot outside...
...because you're not going to hear much
argument from anyone on that point.
Instead... it should be something interesting...
something that perhaps your reader hasn't
previously considered
Don't hold back... go right for the gut.
To make sure you've got an interesting topic,
ask yourself questions someone else might
ask you.
Play devil's advocate with yourself, until
you're certain you've covered all the bases.
Is it something only you would find interesting,
like... how affectionate your dog is right
after you finish walking him?
or would it appeal to a wide range of readers,
like... oh, anything having to do with the
Kardashians?
Is it something that can be argued empirically...
like the rise and fall of the stock market...
or is it pretty much just going to be pure
opinion... like what the... best color is?
Keep in mind that you're not just laying
down the facts... you also want to get your
message across...
...so be sure to express your own thoughts
on the issue.
Take a strong position.
It's not enough to state that... for the
last twenty years, America has actually become
more racist than it was in the 1990s...
...if your position is that... hm, yeah, maybe,
I don't know, could be.
It's an intriguing proposition... but it's
not going to go anywhere if you plan on being
wishy-washy.
Either argue strongly for or against the idea.
It's the only way you're going to bring
your reader to their knees.
So... what's a good thesis, and what's
a bad one?
Good thesis: World travel is an essential
element of any young person's well-rounded
education.
Bad thesis: There are some great places to
visit in Europe.
Good thesis: More than anything else in our
society, video games are responsible for the
dumbing down of America
Bad thesis: People are dumb.
Good thesis: When an elderly person is deciding
on a pet, adopting a cat is a far better option
than adopting a dog.
Bad thesis: Cats rule, dogs drool.
Get the idea?
It should be broad enough that a large portion
of your audience will be able to relate...
...but specific enough that you can zero in
on a particular topic and really dissect it.
Finally, you can't just state your thesis,
drop the mic and walk off stage.
You'll need to bring some supporting points
to the table...
...so be prepared to back your thesis up with
some actual, factual pieces of evidence.
And while quality is certainly more valuable
than quantity...
...have at least three supporting points.
Any less, and your thesis is going to be a
bit... flimsy.
Put all this together, and you should have
a killer thesis statement.
If you're absolutely stumped and can't
come up with one on our own...
...you can borrow ours.
It gets out on parole in about three months.
