How to Begin Writing a Thesis Statement

If you're in college, chances are you're going to have to write a term paper of some sort. In order to have an effective paper, you are going to have to formulate what's known as a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a sentence (or couple of sentences) that forms the core of the argument that you want to express through your paper. As such, it is one of the best ways to organize your paper, and it is therefore very important to know how to go about composing your thesis statement. Although it can often be challenging, here are some important tips that will make it an easier process.

Of course, you will want to choose a topic about which you can write your paper. When doing so, be sure that your topic is narrow enough that you will be able to argue effectively. Topics that are too broad can lead to a paper with vague or unsubstantiated arguments, which is something you should definitely avoid.

Having chosen your topic, sit down and do some "free writing." Jot down any ideas that come to you about your topic, and write without stopping for at least five to ten minutes. The purpose of free writing is to allow you to explore ideas and concepts related to your topic without over-analyzing them, and is an excellent way of freeing up your mind to think outside the box. By the time that you have finished writing you should have at least a half page worth of material, some of which you might end up using in your final product.

Take a look at what you've written during your free write. See if there are any common themes that you see running through it? Are their any concepts or ideas that you kept returning to as you were writing? Separate these from the rest of your writing, as they are likely the beginnings of a claim, which is what a thesis relies upon.

Look closely at your work so far and determine whether there is an argument that you can make, some concise sentence that will nevertheless manage to encapsulate all that you want to say. Thesis statements are generally very dense, so be sure to choose your words carefully as you continue to compose. Also keep in mind that your thesis must be supportable, and that it is basically going to be the unifying theme of your paper.

Having followed these steps, you probably have a strong beginning and a working thesis. Keep in mind, however, that at this early stage in your paper's development that your thesis is far from finished, and that you should be prepared to change it as you continue drafting your paper. As you continue working on your paper, remember that all of your paragraphs should have a clear connection to your thesis and should logically progress from one thought to another. Before you know it, you'll have a complete and well-argued paper, one that your instructor will definitely appreciate.