All academic papers must include a thesis statement, which defines the success of a piece of writing. If you question yourself “what is a thesis in an essay?” you should know that it is a sentence or two that serves as a backbone of each paper.

What Is a Thesis in an Essay? Get Clear Explanation!

The main point of thesis statement is to express writer’s standpoint on the topic and clearly introduce the key message. Thus, an effective thesis statement should give a hint about your future arguments that will be discussed in detail in the main body paragraphs.

Stages for Thesis Statement Writing

  1. If you do not know how to write a thesis for an essay, check some samples on the web. You will see that a good thesis must be precise and clear. Any vague ideas will mislead the reader. Therefore, you should understand the topic to the full and narrow down the focus to the discussion of a single aspect. Remember that there are 2 types of thesis statements – informative and argumentative. Check your instructions to know which one to use.
  2. Though it is not forbidden, you should refrain from presenting your thesis as a question. You can present the title in the form of a question but not the thesis. It is highly advisable to express solid reasoning and firm position in your thesis. Otherwise, the reader will definitely think that you do not know how to write a thesis statement for an essay because you are unable to clearly present your position.
  3. If you are already done with writing a thesis, evaluate its preciseness and adherence to the instructions. The thesis should give a hint on the future division of the paper. It implies that any thesis statement should mention the key points (2-3 ones) that will be explored in detail. Do not forget that the best place to insert thesis statement is in the end of introduction, which helps readers understand what the main body will discuss.

Rules for Thesis Statement Writing

Usually students do not know how to begin writing their essay. They open a blank doc file and think “what should I write?” It is not how the writing process should begin. Here are some tips that will help you start writing an essay.

  • Find out the purpose of writing before composing a thesis of an essay. Some students do not differentiate between the various purposes of writing. If you do it, it will help you write a good thesis statement. The purpose of writing can be to inform the reader about a certain issue or persuade him/her to accept your standpoint.
  • Summarize your ideas. While writing an essay, your professor will most likely ask you to carry out research and read some materials. While reading, note the brightest ideas that appear in your mind. Then cross out less important ones and see a sketch of your thesis statement. In such a way, you will easily identify the main idea of the paper.
  • If your professor gave you a specific question as a topic, do not think that restating the question in the form of assertion will work out. Professors do not expect to see how you can restate the question. They want to see if you can express your own ideas. If you do not understand “what is a thesis in an essay” and how to handle the writing task, do not hesitate to contact your professor for assistance.
  • Write down what you think the topic presumes (in other words, brainstorm some ideas). You should write everything that appears in your mind. Later, review your sketch with bullet points and check it out for essential elements for your essay. Remember that writing a thesis cannot be done in rush since your final grade can depend on this sentence only.