Building Up A Strong Thesis Statement For Your Research Paper

Do you doubt the effect of your thesis statement? Gauging whether your statement is strong or not is something that is best done by you—before your professor gets to decide for you.

Your thesis statement will pose the argument you wish to convey that will carry out the rest of your paper. Make sure its compelling enough to draw in your professor.

Don’t just name it—Claim it

A claim is what your thesis statement is all about. Look at your statement and ask yourself what claim you’re making and whether or not that claim is even worth discussing. To claim that sugar is bad for children is not something anyone wants to see you prove. But to claim that sugar is tantamount to drug abuse is a subject that will tantalize the reader’s taste buds and leave them begging for more.

Be controversial

Don’t be afraid to be a little confrontational when writing out your thesis statement. The point of your statement is to argue something that isn’t obvious to everyone else. Make a point of taking on a topic that is debatable in nature. Failing to do this will result in a weak thesis statement.

An example of a weak statement would be, “Sugar is bad for children and is likely to lead to diabetes later in life.” This statement is not very debatable because most people will agree with it. Rather try something like, “Preventing diabetes starts at home: When parents allow liberal amounts of sugar foods for their children, it should be seen as child negligence.” Imagine arguing that sugar is as bad as illegal drugs. Not everyone will agree with this statement, but it will make for some interesting reading.

Get to the root

If at all possible, make your argument as specific as you can. As with the above example, try stating your argument as, “There’s more sugar in takeout food than what fast food and sugar beverage companies would like to admit.” Now look at your argument from a narrower viewpoint and change it to something like, “Fast food and sugar beverage companies are liable for the obesity and diabetic dilemma in the USA.” Being specific with your statement lets the reader know in which direction you’re going with your argument.

Measure you statement according to these guidelines and try to win over your professor with an enticing declaration of your opinion.