Writing Thesis Statements

The thesis statement is the main point or claim of a rhetorical (argument) paper. It is the central message that an author wishes to convey. If you could sum up in one sentence what your entire paper is aboutthat is a thesis statement. The thesis has two parts: a focused topic and a point. The focused topic tells your readers who (people) or what (things) your paper is about. It is neutral: usually a noun or pronoun. The point adds a value judgment about the topic. The point may be expressed in the form of an opinion, conclusion, judgment or feeling. A thesis statement is necessary to write a rhetorical argument essay. A statement of fact cannot be a thesis statement in persuasive writing; it may be the central idea of a paper written strictly to informonly the Summary paper, which is written to inform, can use a statement of fact as a central idea. For example: The factual statement,

George Washington was the first President of the United States.

cannot be a thesis statement in a rhetorical argument because it has no point. A value judgment must be added, as in this example.

George Washington was the best President of the United States.

A value judgment that makes a point has been added. The exact words that make the point are was the best. So the focused topic (President George Washington) plus the point (was the best) equals a thesis statement .
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In the world of business and academia you must provide specific evidence for the points and claims you make. Without evidence your claims and points are not valid and will not be believed. Often a plan or method of development is added after a thesis statement to tell your readers what the main supporting reasons and evidence for your point/claim will be. The plan of development may be attached to the thesis statement beginning with a word like because and following with two or three main supporting reasons that back up your claim. For example: George Washington was the best President of the United States because of his moral character, good judgment, and military experience. Moral character, good judgment, and military experience, are the plan of development that explains what the main reasons are for making the claim or point. Each reason requires the addition of several specific examples of detailed evidence in the discussion paragraphs, to effectively make your point . A method or plan of development may also be written as a separate sentence that follows after the thesis.

In whatever order the plan of development is written, that is the order that the supporting reasons and evidence should appear in the paper.