How to Write a Thesis Statement: Tips & Examples

🧐 What Is the Purpose of a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is a sentence in the introduction that bears the main idea and the purpose of the underwritten text. The essay’s concept revolves around proving or refuting the thesis. Make sure that every sentence of this discussion contributes to the thesis somehow.

Which means:

You don’t want to discuss fashion if the idea of your text is to disprove some conspiracy theory. Unless we are talking fashion conspiracy, of course.

Although a thesis statement is crucial for most assignments, it’s not always necessary to have it. A narrative-style essay, for example, can do just fine without one. Not sure if you need to make a thesis statement for your paper? A good idea is to consult with your professor.

So, once again, a thesis statement should:

• Reflect on the main idea of your essay
• Create some space for discussion
• Keep the further text organized

👌 3 Key Characteristics of a Good Thesis

1. Significant. After creating a thesis, always ask yourself, “So what?“. “Do I contribute anything to the overall research topic by making this statement?”. If the answer is positive, then you’re good to go. You don’t have to revolutionize the field of research here. You are writing an essay, not a doctoral. “Significant” may sound like a big word, but it really means “Be somewhat useful,” so don’t overshoot it.
2. Debatable. While making a statement, you should always leave some place for debate and avoid apparent conclusions. Everyone knows that smoking is terrible, for example. Is smoking a bad influence on your mental health, though? That might call for some discussion. Be creative and don’t step into the “Bad things are bad” monologue. Go with “Why are bad things bad?” or “Are bad things evil?”. Create new questions, don’t grind the old ones.
3. Limited. There’s no need to go all out. Don’t forget that we are talking about a single sentence, not a whole paragraph. Your thesis must be clear, concise, and focus on a specific narrow point of the topic. Not the entire generality of it.

👀 Thesis Statement Examples: Bad & Better

Here we will take a glance at some good and not-that-good examples of thesis statements on various topics. You can compare them and read the explanations.

Thesis Statement about Teenage Pregnancy

❌ Bad example. Teenage pregnancy is a bad influence on our society.

✔️ Good example. Sexuality education has proven to be one the most effective weapons to fight early pregnancies and thus prevent the appearance of dysfunctional families.

Note: Everyone knows that teenage pregnancy is wrong. What can we do to solve the problem? Why this solution and not the other?

❌ Bad example. Although teenage pregnancy is wrong, it can be good sometimes.

✔️ Good example. The destructive influence of teenage pregnancy and the creation of dysfunctional families appears to be a derivative of traditional ideals in our society.

Note: Make a statement. Don’t beat around the bush, and don’t be afraid to argue your way through your essay. You’re writing to make your point, not overviewing all possible opinions.

❌ Bad example. Teenage pregnancy is terrible.

✔️ Good example. Due to its devastating effects on family, society, and mental health, teenage pregnancy should be fought with any means necessary, including sexual education.

Note: Why is it wrong? How is it bad? Answer questions with your statement. Don’t create more of them. Teenage pregnancy is a vast topic, and you want to always narrow it down to something more specific, like the importance of sex education, for instance.

Vaccine Thesis Statement

❌ Bad example. Vaccines are beneficial, especially today.

✔️ Good example. While vaccines can cause health problems in some cases, studies have proven them to be very effective in fighting infections.

Note: “Vaccines are beneficial” is an obvious idea that doesn’t have any reasoning or value behind it.

❌ Bad example. Mandatory vaccination is the only possible way to stop the COVID infection.

✔️ Good example. Although any obligatory event restricts people’s freedom in some way in the case of vaccination, it can be overlooked due to severe health dangers caused by COVID infection.

Note: Stating your point and leaving no room for debate even if you’re convinced that you’re right is never good.

❌ Bad example. Obligatory vaccination can be bad.

✔️ Good example. Although extremely useful in healthcare, vaccine obligation can lead to severe rights violation or even infection cases increase if done incorrectly.

Note: There are always cons to any topic. You need to clarify what the negatives are and focus on them.

Thesis Statement about Poverty

❌ Bad example. Poverty causes homelessness.

✔️ Good example. Poverty is a complex issue caused by various reasons, including climate change, that creates hunger, floods, and other disasters.

Note: Again, a “Bad is bad” statement is never good to make. The discussion climate change influence, on the other hand, can be exciting and bring something new to the table.

❌ Bad example. Lack of education contributes to poverty significantly.

✔️ Good example. While not every person with no proper education is poor, the lack of specific knowledge can lead to poverty by creating a barrier to getting a job.

Note: The first example gives a non-debatable idea. The second one leaves some room for arguing.

❌ Bad example. Racial marginalization is one of the main reasons for the global poverty problem.

✔️ Good example. Racial marginalization of black people in America is a significant problem to overcome in a long fight with poverty due to prejudice and overall government strategy.

Note: The bad example here is not being specific whatsoever. You want to pinpoint your idea with your thesis, not widen it up.

Police Brutality Thesis Statement

❌ Bad example. Police brutality is a huge problem these days.

✔️ Good example. Even though not every police officer is a violent law enforcer, the number of brutal individuals in the police is shockingly high which can be improved by decreasing militarization levels and changing the taught work methods.

Note: Police recruitment system by itself is not an insignificant topic, but the debate on the system being one of the reasons for brutality is pointless since it’s obvious. It’s better to focus on improving it or any other details that can be essay-worthy.

❌ Bad example. Racism is one of the most significant reasons for police brutality.

✔️ Good example. Although there are many unjust reasons for police officers to be brutal, one of the primary roots has always been racism, as statistics show.

Note: Again, always leave room for thought. As you may have probably noticed, there’s always an “Although something” or “While something is” In the thesis statement. It’s a good and reliable way to bring space for debate to your main idea. However, you can do it your way.

❌ Bad example. Police brutality is a huge problem in today’s America that can only be solved by drastic societal changes.

✔️ Good example. There are two general ways to solve the police brutality problems: either reform or defund it; reformation, due to its non-radical and smooth nature, leaves less space for dangerous effects of such change.

Note: Police brutality is indeed a huge problem. Too huge for one essay to solve it all. You better go with something more concrete, like some aspects of possible police reformation.

Thesis Statement about Social Media

❌ Bad example. Social media can cause mental health problems.

✔️ Good example. Social media has proven to be a pinnacle of sharing information online, but the price of constantly being exposed to it can be depression, created by a constant stream of dreary news or a feeling of loneliness.

Note: It’s pretty clear at this point that mental health is somehow affected by social media. You will probably create a bit more exciting discussion by going more specific, for example, talking about the depressive effects of Twitter, which are even more evident if you think about it.

❌ Bad example. Social media can take a lot of your time.

✔️ Good example. The importance of social media in terms of sharing information can sometimes overshadow the addiction they can create by affecting your brain’s reward centers and making a false sense of accomplishment.

Note: “Social media is bad” is a bland statement with no alternative point of view included. You must always mention an opposite point that can occur during the discussion.

❌ Bad example. Social media is a great way to become more self-confident.

✔️ Good example. Though some may argue that using social media can bring one’s mood down, communication in social networks can also lead to a significant self-esteem boost.

Note: There’re too many ways for social media to make you confident. Try to underline only a couple, and orbit your discussion around them.

Now you are properly equipped and educated on creating a good thesis statement. If you still have difficulties formulating a thesis, you might want to use our free thesis-generating tool or read an article that explains a thesis statement formula.

Make sure to let us know which part you found the most helpful, and good luck with your studies!

❓ Thesis Statement FAQ

🔗 References

1. Thesis Statements – UNC Writing Center
2. How to Write a Thesis Statement
3. Developing a Thesis Statement
4. Creating a Thesis Statement
5. Thesis Statements: Definition and Examples | Indeed.com
6. How to Write a Thesis Statement | Grammarly Blog