Characteristics of a Strong Thesis
A strong thesis demonstrates the following:
Specificity
A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.
Ability to be argued
A fact is not a thesis. A thesis must be an argument that challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated. Well-written theses are often surprising.
Ability to be demonstrated
You must be able to support any claims you make in your thesis.
Successful Examples
- The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
- Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
- J. D. Salinger’s character in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
- Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
- Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a promising method of preventing future drug addicts.
- In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.
The chapter above is adapted from University of Minnesota’s Writing for Success, Chapter 9, “Developing a Strong Thesis Statement,” CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0.
