What Is a Thesis Statement

The question I chose to discuss for my follow-up assignment was, “What is a thesis statement, and if you had to redo yours, what would it read?”

A thesis statement is sentence or a paragraph summarizing the argument you intend to present in your thesis. It is a concise statement that gives the reader a preview of what to expect when reading the thesis, like a map, letting the reader know what direction the argument presented will be going. It must also persuade or convince the reader of the importance and validity of your argument. The thesis statement should be concise and focused on one topic, but nothing more because trying to do too much will result with the author doing less or even nothing at all [1].

A strong thesis statement hones in on one topic, is specific, takes a stand on the topic, and justifies the discussion. [2] Instead of conveying the pros and cons of a topic, the thesis statement should choose a side with the thesis providing evidence to back up the statement. A strong thesis statement should justify the discussion, reeling in the reader’s interest to read the thesis. Like a commercial, it should be a snapshot providing the reader with information that would make them want to read further into the thesis.

Unfortunately, my thesis was way too broad and I bit off more than I could chew. The topic I initially intended to discuss was alcohol and its effects on the Inupiaq people. My perception was that alcohol issues regarding the Inupiaq was a narrow topic, but soon I found that my research led me to many different directions to which the discussion could lead. From Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder to homeless shelters and changing alcohol policies, I thought that I could tie it all in under the umbrella topic of alcohol. Pandora’s Box opened up and the result was me being overwhelmed that I ended up delivering a vague essay that neither took a stand on a specific topic nor persuade the reader in any direction. If I could redo my thesis...