Conventions of Composition Rule 210

Rule: Remember that the main purpose of analytical writing is to make a point. Your thesis statement is the point you’re going to demonstrate in the rest of the essay (using examples from the text as evidence). Don’t try to hide your thesis; put it at the end of your introduction.

Examples:

Bad thesis statement: Candide is a satire about Candide's travels and troubles.

Better thesis statement: Candide pokes fun at the idea that people can know what happens for the best.

Bad thesis statement: Blanche's has experienced a lot of troubling moments in her life.

Better thesis statement: Blanche's troubling past affects her ability to form honest relationships.

Practice turning statements of fact into supportable thesis statements:

1. John comes from the Savage Reservation and doesn't like what he finds in Civilization.
2. Chief Bromden gets to learn a lot of secrets because people think he can't talk.
3. While claiming to be honest, Iago tricks everyone around him.

Resources to help explain how to craft a strong thesis statement:

Purdue OWL's Developing Strong Thesis Statements

Easy Bib's How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Harvard Writing Center's Developing a Thesis