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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay. It usually comes near the end of your introduction.
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
What Is an Argumentative Essay?
An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement. In this type of essay, the author should take a clearly defined stance on the subject and build up an evidence-based case for it.
Remember that an argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.
What is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a sentence in which you state an argument about a topic and then describe, briefly, how you will prove your argument.
A thesis makes a specific statement to the reader about what you will be trying to argue. Your thesis can be a few sentences long, but should not be longer than a paragraph. Do not begin to state evidence or use examples in your thesis paragraph.
Difference between a Thesis and an Argument With Examples
- This is an argument, but not yet a thesis: “The movie ‘JFK’ inaccurately portrays President Kennedy.”
- This is a thesis: “The movie ‘JFK’ inaccurately portrays President Kennedy because of the way it ignores Kennedy’s youth, his relationship with his father, and the findings of the Warren Commission.”
Good Argumentative Essay Thesis Examples
Argumentative essay thesis statement
Although surveillance is viewed negatively by many people, its positive social effects outweigh its downsides. Greater surveillance in public areas helps maintain public order and ensures the personal safety of citizens.
Expository essay thesis statement
The European Renaissance is closely linked to the economic wealth of Italy in the Middle Ages. The development of Italian port towns as major trading posts during the Crusades, along with the establishment of banking systems, made patronage of the arts and sciences possible.
Marijuana should be legalized
Marijuana has numerous medical applications, such as treating symptoms of epilepsy, cancer, and glaucoma. Legalizing the use of marijuana in the United States will greatly benefit the medical sector by giving physicians the ability to prescribe this life-saving drug.
Foreign aid to Africa does not work
Sending foreign aid to African countries is doing more harm than good because the practice has caused African countries to become vulnerable to inflation, currency fluctuations, corruption, and civil unrest.
Qualities of a Good Thesis Statement
A good thesis statement will accomplish the same thing. It gives readers an idea of the most important points of an essay, shows the highlights, and makes them want to read more.
It will also help keep you, the writer, from getting lost in a convoluted and directionless argument.
Concise
A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
Contentious
Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
Coherent
Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.
Pro Tips on How to Create an Argumentative Thesis
An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact.
Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.
Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.
An argumentative thesis takes a position, asserting the writer’s stance. Questions, vague statements, or quotations from others are not an argumentative thesis because they do not assert the writer’s viewpoint.
An argumentative thesis must make a claim that is logical and possible. Claims that are outrageous or impossible are not an argumentative thesis. EXAMPLE: City council members stink and should be thrown in jail is not an argumentative thesis. City council members’ ineffectiveness is not a reason to send them to jail.
An argumentative thesis must be able to be supported by evidence. Claims that presuppose value systems, morals, or religious beliefs cannot be supported with evidence and therefore are not argumentative theses. EXAMPLE: Individuals convicted of murder will go to hell when they die is not an argumentative thesis because its support rests on religious beliefs or values rather than evidence.
Here is How to Create a Strong Thesis Statement for an Argument Essay — With Examples
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
- Start with a question
- Write your initial answer
- Develop your answer
- Refine your thesis statement
It’s important to stay focused! Don’t try to argue an overly broad topic in your essay, or you’re going to feel confused and unsure about your direction and purpose.
Bad Example Don’t write
“Eating fast food is bad and should be avoided.”
This statement is too general and would be nearly impossible for you to defend. It leaves a lot of big questions to answer. Is all fast food bad? Why is it bad? Who should avoid it? Why should anyone care?
Good example Do write
“Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because a fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.”
In this example, we have narrowed our arguments to the health consequences related to a diet of fast food. We have also chosen to focus on Americans rather than everyone in the universe.
Are you feeling stuck between constructing solid arguments and structuring your thesis statement in a way that defends your stance? Or maybe you don’t have the time to write your argumentative essay thesis statement.
You can take advantage of PerfectEssay’s argumentative essay writing service and our team will help you write a high-quality essay for any topic. Our writers are skilled in constructing solid arguments to defend your position to get the target audience to accept your stance.
F.A.Q
What is an example of an argumentative thesis?
Here is an example of a thesis statement of an argumentative essay regarding school starting time:
“Beginning the school day at a later time would stabilize students’ sleep patterns, improve students’ moods, and increase students’ academic success”
How do you write a thesis statement for an argumentative essay?
Your thesis statement should be one to two sentences. Your thesis statement should clearly present the main idea of your essay and make some kind of assertion and also make an announcement.
What is a good argumentative thesis?
A good argumentative thesis is concise, contentious, and coherent.
What is a good thesis statement example?
Here is an example of a thesis statement of an argumentative essay regarding school starting time:
“Beginning the school day at a later time would stabilize students’ sleep patterns, improve students’ moods, and increase students’ academic success”
What are 3 good argumentative topics?
Here are three good argumentative essay topics:
- Do you think that abortion should be made illegal?
- Do you think that animal testing should be banned?
- Do you believe that homework help kids learn?
What are the 3 parts of an argumentative thesis?
The thesis statement has 3 main parts: the limited subject, the precise opinion, and the blueprint of reasons.
What is the best way to distinguish between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay?
A persuasive essay is a type of argumentative essay. The structure and format of the two are the same but they are different in their approach toward argument and the evidence supporting it.
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