Many people are intimidated by thesis writing. Even mustering up the courage to type something on a blank research paper page is not easy. To help you complete this important requirement, there are a number of helpful tips that can get you through your thesis writing.
Thesis writing is an important skill, especially if you want to complete your degree. A thesis is meant to describe two requirements for academia, including the thesis statement and the final thesis.
Structure of a Final Thesis
A final thesis is a long academic paper that is required for Doctorate and Master’s students. These studies usually take many years to finish and need to be defended in front of members of the department.
While this guide will focus more on thesis statements, it’s still essential for you to know the structure of a completed thesis.
Your final thesis will consist of three parts. The first section will introduce the topic. The second section is the body, which contains descriptions and an examination of the thesis. The last section contains all the information connected to your thesis.
The first section contains key parts such as:
- Cover page
- Description page
- Table of contents
- List of figures and tables
For the research report, the second section consists of such elements as:
- The introduction of the topic
- The theoretical basis of your paper
- Details of your research methods
- Research results
- Discussion
For developmental project reports, the section contains:
- The introduction of objectives
- The background of the project
- The theoretical basis of your arguments
- Practical implementation
- Discussion
The last part contains includes:
- The list of references
- Appendices if applicable
Types of Thesis Statements
Your thesis statement can either be explanatory, analytical, or argumentative.
Explanatory thesis statement
This type of thesis statement is based only on facts. It does not contain any personal opinion or any other claim not supported by evidence. It tells your reader what your topic is and discusses the major points readers should expect from your thesis. This type of thesis statement can also be called an expository thesis statement.
Analytical thesis statement
Analytical thesis statements analyze and break down a topic into various parts. Then, it evaluates the topic and presents the order of your analysis to readers. For instance, the researcher can list the benefits of why school classes need to run in the afternoon instead of the morning.
Argumentative thesis statement
For this statement, you need to have a stance on any debatable topic. You have to back up your viewpoint with arguments that support your claim. Unlike explanatory thesis statements, you need to have a position about the subject and convince your readers that your side is the correct one. The body of this type of thesis uses evidence to support your thesis statement.
Writing a Thesis Statement
When you’re in college, you need to be able to write well to persuade your educators that you have a logical point of view of the topic you are studying. This same method applies to thesis writing.
An integral part of thesis writing is the thesis statement. This will tell your reader how you plan on interpreting the significance of your thesis topic. It functions as a road map that signals to your readers what they should expect from your paper. Aside from that, it also directly answers the question or subject and makes a claim. The thesis statement is usually just a single sentence that presents your strongest arguments to your readers, and the rest of your paper will organize the evidence that backs up your main statement.
Thesis writing requires time. You also need to exercise critical thinking since it should flow naturally and set out all the discoveries you have made while conducting your research. When developing a thesis statement, it should focus on one major idea that can be covered within the paper. Do not try to cover the entire food history of Asia in a five-page paper.
Thesis Statement Examples
One tip that can be extremely helpful when writing a thesis is following a template. While most students do not end up with a thesis statement that follows this exact wording, it can help you have a starting point that can be edited or improved by a seasoned writer.
(blank 1) is true because of (blank 2), (blank 3), and (blank 4).
Alternatively, a simpler template works for many types of theses as well.
(blank 1) is true because of (blank 2).
Your thesis statement should include the subject and topic of your thesis, its purpose, and its length if applicable.
When considering thesis writing, analyzing some examples and identifying important dos and things to avoid often helps.
Think of a question and an answer
Regardless of what topic you pursue, your thesis statement should answer a question you have in mind.
For instance:
Question: Why are feminists more prone to attacks on social media compared to other subgroups?
Answer: Through a sociological study, we’ve discovered that people on social media wrongly assume that feminists look at men as inferior, therefore causing conflict in situations in which there is none.
Align the question to the thesis’ purpose
The next step involves tailoring your thesis statement to the goal of your paper, whether it is to teach or persuade. For example:
Argumentative: Without the help of scientists, people would never understand the catastrophic effects of global warming in the early 2000s.
Expository: Post-traumatic stress disorder increases a person’s risk of suffering from irregular heartbeat and stroke.
Analytical: Starting kindergarten at a later time increases student success for a myriad of reasons.
Address an issue
For this part, you have to take a stance on some issue that you find important. This will make your thesis statement more powerful. Address an issue in detail so you can point out and fully support your stance in the body of your paper. For example:
The stories of Ernest Hemingway helped to create a new prose style that is rich in shorter sentences and extensive dialogues.
After following this tip, you should find a fresh way to approach the topic. For instance:
The rise of the internet has made copyright law irrelevant since everyone can get movies, art, and books for free.
Throughout all these tips, make sure that you can ensure your stance by using concrete evidence. Do not just come up with a hypothesis and then search for support on the topic. The thesis statement should extend from your research and represent your findings. One poor example is as follows:
The wrong people won World War I.
While this view is unique, proving who is right or wrong in a war is very subjective.
Write the statement
A thesis statement will convey to your reader what you want to assert. Within the thesis, you will have many facts to support your main argument. Take a stand and be clear in your position towards your topic.
Unfortunately, it can be quite challenging to nail the tone required in thesis writing. This is why hiring a freelance writer can help you make sure you use a very specific academic tone throughout your paper. For instance:
Hemingway transformed literature through his use of frank tone and simple words.
Your thesis statement should only be one or two sentences. Be on point to help your reader identify your topic immediately.
Mistakes to Avoid in Thesis Writing
Think thesis writing is easy? Well, there are many traps that students fall into when writing their thesis statement and body. Hiring a professional for assistance will let you avoid making these mistakes.
Sounding like an amateur
This is a very common problem in thesis writing by beginners. And there are many ways this can happen. For example:
I will explore different evidence before concluding.
This makes you look like a beginner for a lot of reasons. First, it does not say anything to the reader. Second, you are using the first person. While readers want to get a sense that a person wrote the thesis, they do not want to read that person talking to them in the first person. Instead, a better way of stating the idea would be:
This paper considers evidence from A in light of B, which reveals Z.
Another reason why you may sound like an amateur with your thesis is through writing empty phrases. For instance, using words like “in order to” instead of “to,” and “due to the fact that” instead of “because” or “as” will simply look like an attempt to bump your word count. Wordiness is not equal to sophistication. The idea itself should be sophisticated, not the way it is written.
Non-standard writing
When an examiner looks at your thesis, they won’t only regard the English language as a way to express your ideas. Your choice of words and expression will also be assessed. Try not to lose the meaning of your sentence by choosing complicated words. Long sentences may lead to a subject and verb agreement failure or a number of other preventable errors.
Not getting feedback
This success of your thesis does not just lie on you but also on your mentors, readers, and other groups that will help you assess if it needs more work. If it is your first time doing thesis writing, we recommend asking the help of a technical writer with years of experience under their belt. This way, you can avoid discrepancies and other issues such as plagiarism.
Stuck and Need Help with Thesis Writing?
Knowing the fundamentals of thesis writing is the key to creating a successful research paper or essay. If you don’t have time to craft a good thesis statement, don’t hesitate to get help and guidance from a professional.
