- What are the qualities of an ideal businesswoman or businessman? What characteristics enable someone to succeed in the field of business as opposed to the qualities needed in other fields?
The thesis statement is the guiding light of your essay. It states the position the essay will take on a particular, specific topic. It implies the main points you will talk about throughout your essay without going into detail. It serves as the roadmap of the essay. When a teacher or fellow student reads only your thesis statement, he or she should know the subject of the paper and side you are arguing. In the same way, when you are eventually writing for your profession, you will want to be clear and to the point early in your reports.
Begin developing your thesis statement by asking yourself why you have taken the position you have taken. Why do you believe your subject or opinion to be true? How can you prove it? What kind of information will you need to use to prove your points?
For example, if you were writing a paper on education reform, your thesis statement might say, "Education reform is moving too slowly in America right now because there is not enough funding for our educational system." This thesis statement gives your position and shows a direction for your argument. It leads the reader to believe you might talk about how much teachers are paid, how money is used in education, and how money might be used more effectively.
In contrast, a thesis statement on education reform that says, "Education reform needs to happen more often" is not a good thesis statement. The reader does not know what kind of reform the writer is talking about or how it might happen. The paper has a position but no direction.
Complete the following for your thesis statement:
- State your position on your idea.
- Describe the "why" of your argument.
Write your thesis statement in 1 sentence. Keep in mind: your sentence needs to be constructed to reflect adequate detail, without being a run on or comma splice. Use proper punctuation.
When commenting on your peers' responses, be constructive. Do not simply say "good job" if you think the thesis statement is adequately detailed for the purpose. Explain why you believe this thesis is solid. Statements such as "The first part of the thesis is clear, but I don't understand the second part," "Can you explain your argument a little more," and "Why have you chosen this topic?" are helpful. Comments that disagree such as "I think you are wrong" and comments that are overly harsh such as "Your writing is aimless" are not helpful.