Most research papers are of the persuasive form. This is because any scholarly paper written is subject to review, critique, and evaluation for flaws, strengths, and weaknesses. As such, research papers require that the author highlights the major ideas, argument, or logical point of view that one is trying to highlight or support. This is basically the thesis statement of the paper.
However, over the years of our helping students, we have noted that most students have a problem developing a perfect thesis. This article highlights the process of developing an excellent thesis statement for your college essay.
Process of Developing a Perfect Thesis Statement
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Understand what it is
Already, you know the first step of developing a perfect thesis: understanding what it is. We have highlighted the definition of a thesis statement. Just to recapture it, a thesis is a sentence(s) highlighting the main idea, argument, or logical point of view of a given essay. It usually portrays the author’s position about the area of the topic being explored.
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Understand the type of essay you are writing
The second step of developing a perfect thesis is determining the type of essay you are working on. There are different types of academic papers such as argumentative, analytical or expository papers.
Explanatory essays are those seeking to explain something, while argumentative ones refer to those that express a claim on a specific topic and try to justify it using evidence. Contrarily, an analytical essay is one that offers a breakdown of an idea or an issue into various subsections with their respective evaluations.
The type of academic paper you are working on determines how you are going to phrase your thesis. It is always advisable to include a thesis statement even for other paper types as it helps the reader to understand what is being presented in it.
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Do through preliminary research
The next step in writing a perfect thesis statement is doing thorough preliminary research that will inform your essay. An excellent thesis is the result of a keen, lengthy, and informed thinking process. You want to develop a thesis statement based on organized evidence that you will be presenting to your audience. Once you have brainstormed based on evidence from previous literature, you will probably have a perfect thesis for your college essay.
But, how long should a good thesis statement be?
Length of an Essay’s Thesis Statement
An excellent thesis should not be long. It should be expressed in one or two sentences. However, this does not mean that you only need two sentences where you have your thesis statement. In most cases, a thesis statement should be preceded by the background information in the introduction paragraph.
Factors to Consider
To begin with, it should be at the end of your first paragraph. A perfect thesis should also be clear. You do not want your main idea to be vague. Your thesis should be specific: it should only express what you will cover with the respective evidence supporting your argument. It is best to revise your thesis into a more precise one as you continue to write your paper. It should also comment on your main argument.
For instance, you do not want a thesis such as “Ocean cleanliness is essential.” Instead, you can restate it to, “Ocean cleanliness is essential in upholding the integrity of the aquatic ecosystems; its conservation is hence vital.”
Lastly, ensure that your thesis is original. Otherwise, you will discourage many scholars from continuing to read your essay, which may be detrimental to your grades or reputation in the case of a journal article.
Remember, CustomEssayExpert is always pleased to assist students with their papers. In case you need assistance in perfecting your essay’s thesis statement, get in touch with us. We will be pleased to assist and offer cheap thesis statement writing help.
