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WHATIS ATHESISSTATEMENT?
Inyouracademicwriting,youare often expectedtoprovideathesisstatementinthe
paper,presentation,onlinepostorothercompositionassignment.Inmanywritingcontexts,
especiallyinstructive,academic,andprofessionalcontexts,a thesisorthesisstatementisvery
importantandhelpfultoguidethewrittenmessage.Thusagoodquality thesisstatementiscrucial
forgoodquality writingbecauseintentionalcompositionshouldequal clearandfocused
communication.1
Your wisethesisstatementisadirectionalsignpost.Itprovidesclarity,focus,anddirection to
thewritingfor thereader.Themoreclear,focused,andpointedthewritingis,thebetterthereaderwill
understandexactlywhatyoudesiretosay.2 Athesisstatementisnotrequiredinallwritingcontexts,
butagoodqualitythesisstatementofsomesortwill alwaysassistyourcommunicationtoreaders.

WHEREISTHETHESISSTATEMENT?
Thethesisstatementisnaturallyhidden,underlyingthecomposition.You, thewriter, must
identifyitanddrawitout. Identifyingagoodqualitythesisstatementrequirescarefulthoughtand
perhapsseveralrevisions.Whatfactorshelpyoudetermineyourthesisstatement? Considerthe
followingfactorsinvolvedin whatyouarewriting:
1.

Whatkindofcompositionisit?
(researchpaper,essay,discussionpost,grouppresentation,casestudy,book
review,meetingreport,journalarticle,etc.)

2.

Whatisyourtonein thiswriting?
(formal,informal,academic,nonacademic,professional,poetry,narrative,
instructive,counseling,coaching,etc.)

3.

Whatisyourintentforthiscomposition?
(inform,persuade,evaluate,motivate,etc.)

4.

Whatkindof audienceorreaderisinvolved?
(academic,professional,informal/personal,artistic,etc.)

5.

Howlongandinvolvedisthiscomposition?
(300words,5pages,20pages,40pages,onechapterofabook,etc.)

ToddAtkins2008LibertyUniversityOnlineWritingCenterEmail:onlinewriting@liberty.edu

THEROLEOFTHE THESISSTATEMENT
Youmaythinkoftheroleofyourthesisstatementwith thefollowingparable.Yourgood
qualitythesisstatementfunctionslikeastreetmapforatravelerinafirsttimevisittoabigcity.The
traveler(yourreader)wantstogettoPointA (fullandcorrectunderstandingofthewriting),butPoint
Aisnotclearly shownonthecitystreetmap(partsofthecomposition).
Thetravelerneedstobetoldbysomeone(youthewriter)whoknowsthecity well (thewhole
composition)andcantellthetravelerexactly whatthestreetnamesare,andinwhatneededorder,to
gettoPointA.Thecorrectstreetnamesintheirproperorderastoldtothetraveler(reader)comprise
clear,focusedandaccuratedirections(thesisstatement) tosuccessfullyarriveatPointA (composition
communication).

EXAMPLE THESISSTATEMENTS
1.

ToInform:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidayspossessmessianic,propheticanddevotional meaning.

2.

Toevaluate:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidayspossessmeaningsdependentupononesreligious
affiliation andmethodofinterpretation.

3.

Topersuade:
TheBiblicalHebrewholidaysrevealspiritualmeaningsandapplicationsthatarevery
relevantfor21st CenturyChristians.

4.

Tomotivate:
DevoutChristianswillreceivevariousbenefitsfromstudyoftheBiblicalHebrew
holidaysduetovital spiritualconceptsandlessonstheyprovide.

WebstersDictionary definesthesisas:

a: aclaimputforward...specifically: apositionorpropositionthataperson(asacandidateforscholastic honors)

advancesandmaintainsorofferstomaintainbyargument[.]
b : anaffirmationorpropositiontobeprovedoroneadvancedasthepropositionorpointofviewdefendedby an
argument[.] Synonym:hypothesis.
From:MerriamWebster(2002).thesis.InWebster's thirdnewinternationaldictionary, unabridged. Retrieved
December18,2008,at: http://unabridged.merriamwebster.com
2

Compare thesisdescriptionanddefinitionin:Hacker,Diana(2006). The Bedfordhandbook (7th ed.).Boston/New

York:Bedford/St.Martins,pp. 26,911,2425.

ToddAtkins2008LibertyUniversityOnlineWritingCenterEmail:onlinewriting@liberty.edu