The thesis is usually considered the most important sentence of your essay because it outlines the central purpose of your essay in one place. A good thesis will link the subject of an essay with a main idea. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
In a short essay, a thesis statement appears at, or near, the end of the introductory paragraph of the paper so that readers know the topic of the essay before they see the writer's statement of the central purpose of the essay. This way the first paragraph helps the reader understand why the writer is writing. The following is an example of this process:
Thesis statement: People in the past spent a great deal of effort protecting themselves from vampires.
Topic sentence for a typical paragraph: Vampire repelents were numerous since every unexplained death could be blamed on the power of these evil blood suckers.
Subject of paragraph: Vampire repelents (ex: wooden cross, holy water, garlic).
Relation to main idea: People's fear of vampires forced them to create repelents in order to be safe from harm.
Purpose:
A thesis should be narrow in focus in order to allow the fullest exploration of its issues and it should reflect the type of paper that follows, whether it be persuasive or informative.
A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:
Process:
1. Choose a topic: A clear, concise thesis statement does more than outline the subject in question; it makes the reader aware of the writer's stand on the subject in question, connecting a subject with a controlling idea. *As you write your paper, the main point may change. As you're finishing, make sure your thesis statement has changed along with the subject and main ideas of your paper.
2. Think about all the elements your paper will discuss: A thesis generally consists of a subject that contains within itself a number of smaller facts; the topic sentence of each paragraph that makes up the body of the paper should refer (in some clear way) back to the ideas contained within the thesis statement.
3. Establish the purpose and tone of your paper: The direction that the paper takes in exploring, proving, or disproving the main point should be easily understood and followed by the reader.
4. State your main point in a sentence or two: A good writer should be able to state the main idea of their essay in brief. Be as straightforward and concise as possible.
5. Revise your thesis as you develop your paper: A
final version of a thesis statement will only be available after a
draft of the paper has been completed. During the writing process the main focus of your
paper may change and evolve. Make sure that your thesis statement is revised to reflect the
alterations in the paper.
(Works Consulted: Cleveland State Univ.;The Allyn & Bacon Handbook; UNC@Chapel Hill.)