How to Write a STRONG Thesis Statement | Scribbr 🎓

Summary

In this educational video, Jessica from Scribbr guides viewers through crafting an effective thesis statement in three straightforward steps. She emphasizes the importance of a thesis statement in summarizing the main argument of a paper and staying on topic. Jessica outlines the process of formulating a strong research question, taking a clear position, and summarizing supporting evidence. The video also discusses the characteristics of a good thesis statement—concise, disputable, and coherent—and offers examples of different types of thesis statements, including argumentative, analytical, and expository.

Takeaways

• 📝 **Define Thesis Statement**: A thesis statement is a concise summary of your paper's main point, usually one or two sentences, placed at the end of the introduction.
• 🎯 **Purpose of Thesis**: It serves as a guide to keep your writing on-topic and focused throughout the process.
• 🍳 **Ingredients for a Thesis**: To craft a thesis, you need to mention the main topic, take a position, and summarize the evidence supporting your argument.
• 🤔 **Formulating a Research Question**: Step one in writing a thesis is to develop a research question, such as exploring factors leading to the Brexit referendum result.
• 📢 **Taking a Position**: The tentative answer to your research question should assert a strong position, like 'Brexit was driven by political frustration.'
• 🔍 **Refining the Thesis**: As research progresses, refine your thesis statement to include more evidence and present a clearer argument.
• 📉 **Final Thesis Example**: The final statement should elaborate on the argument, such as how austerity policies contributed to Brexit.
• 🏆 **Characteristics of a Strong Thesis**: A good thesis is concise, disputable, and coherent, connecting the topic, position, and evidence logically.
• 📚 **Types of Thesis Statements**: Depending on your paper's aim, you can write an argumentative, analytical, or expository thesis statement.
• 🌐 **Argumentative Thesis**: This type takes a clear position to persuade the reader of a claim, like the impact of political frustration on Brexit.
• 🔍 **Analytical Thesis**: For analysis, interpretation, and evaluation, the thesis should outline key points and introduce conclusions, such as the UK's complex history with the EU.
• 📊 **Expository Thesis**: To explain and discuss facts, the thesis should summarize the main points, like demographic insights from Brexit polling.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of a thesis statement?

A thesis statement sums up the main point of a paper, is one or two sentences long, and usually appears at the end of the introduction. It helps keep the writing focused and on-topic.

How many steps does Jessica from Scribbr suggest to write a thesis statement?

Jessica suggests a three-step process to write a thesis statement: coming up with a research question, finding a tentative answer to that question, and refining the thesis statement as more evidence and sources are discovered.

What is the example research question provided in the script?

The example research question provided is: 'What were the main factors that led to the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum?'

What should be the initial stance of a thesis statement when taking an argumentative approach?

The initial stance of a thesis statement in an argumentative approach should take a strong position on the topic, such as 'Brexit was driven by political frustration.'

How should a thesis statement be refined as research progresses?

A thesis statement should be elaborated and refined as more evidence and sources are discovered, summarizing the overall argument more fully.

What are the characteristics of a strong thesis statement according to the script?

A strong thesis statement is concise, disputable, and coherent. It should be a central argument, not a simple fact, and should logically connect the topic, position, and evidence.

What are the different types of thesis statements mentioned in the script?

The script mentions three types of thesis statements: argumentative, which takes a clear position to persuade the reader; analytical, which outlines key points of analysis and introduces conclusions; and expository, which summarizes the main points to be covered.

What is the goal of an argumentative thesis statement?

The goal of an argumentative thesis statement is to persuade the reader of a claim by taking a clear position on the topic.

How should an analytical thesis statement be structured?

An analytical thesis statement should map out the key points of analysis and briefly introduce the conclusions that will be drawn from the analysis.

What is the role of an expository thesis statement in a paper?

An expository thesis statement summarizes the main points that will be covered in the paper, providing an overview of the topic's facts and details.

What does the term 'subscribbr' refer to in the context of the script?

The term 'subscribbr' is a playful variation of 'subscribe' used in the script, encouraging viewers to subscribe to the Scribbr channel for more academic help.