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25 Thesis Statement Examples

25 Thesis Statement Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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thesis statement examples and definition, explained below

A thesis statement is needed in an essay or dissertation . There are multiple types of thesis statements – but generally we can divide them into expository and argumentative. An expository statement is a statement of fact (common in expository essays and process essays) while an argumentative statement is a statement of opinion (common in argumentative essays and dissertations). Below are examples of each.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples

school uniforms and dress codes, explained below

1. School Uniforms

“Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate

Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons

nature vs nurture examples and definition

2. Nature vs Nurture

“This essay will explore how both genetic inheritance and environmental factors equally contribute to shaping human behavior and personality.”

Best For: Compare and Contrast Essay

Read More: Nature vs Nurture Debate

American Dream Examples Definition

3. American Dream

“The American Dream, a symbol of opportunity and success, is increasingly elusive in today’s socio-economic landscape, revealing deeper inequalities in society.”

Best For: Persuasive Essay

Read More: What is the American Dream?

social media pros and cons

4. Social Media

“Social media has revolutionized communication and societal interactions, but it also presents significant challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation.”

Best For: Expository Essay

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Social Media

types of globalization, explained below

5. Globalization

“Globalization has created a world more interconnected than ever before, yet it also amplifies economic disparities and cultural homogenization.”

Read More: Globalization Pros and Cons

urbanization example and definition

6. Urbanization

“Urbanization drives economic growth and social development, but it also poses unique challenges in sustainability and quality of life.”

Read More: Learn about Urbanization

immigration pros and cons, explained below

7. Immigration

“Immigration enriches receiving countries culturally and economically, outweighing any perceived social or economic burdens.”

Read More: Immigration Pros and Cons

cultural identity examples and definition, explained below

8. Cultural Identity

“In a globalized world, maintaining distinct cultural identities is crucial for preserving cultural diversity and fostering global understanding, despite the challenges of assimilation and homogenization.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay

Read More: Learn about Cultural Identity

technology examples and definition explained below

9. Technology

“Medical technologies in care institutions in Toronto has increased subjcetive outcomes for patients with chronic pain.”

Best For: Research Paper

capitalism examples and definition

10. Capitalism vs Socialism

“The debate between capitalism and socialism centers on balancing economic freedom and inequality, each presenting distinct approaches to resource distribution and social welfare.”

cultural heritage examples and definition

11. Cultural Heritage

“The preservation of cultural heritage is essential, not only for cultural identity but also for educating future generations, outweighing the arguments for modernization and commercialization.”

pseudoscience examples and definition, explained below

12. Pseudoscience

“Pseudoscience, characterized by a lack of empirical support, continues to influence public perception and decision-making, often at the expense of scientific credibility.”

Read More: Examples of Pseudoscience

free will examples and definition, explained below

13. Free Will

“The concept of free will is largely an illusion, with human behavior and decisions predominantly determined by biological and environmental factors.”

Read More: Do we have Free Will?

gender roles examples and definition, explained below

14. Gender Roles

“Traditional gender roles are outdated and harmful, restricting individual freedoms and perpetuating gender inequalities in modern society.”

Read More: What are Traditional Gender Roles?

work-life balance examples and definition, explained below

15. Work-Life Ballance

“The trend to online and distance work in the 2020s led to improved subjective feelings of work-life balance but simultaneously increased self-reported loneliness.”

Read More: Work-Life Balance Examples

universal healthcare pros and cons

16. Universal Healthcare

“Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right and the most effective system for ensuring health equity and societal well-being, outweighing concerns about government involvement and costs.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Universal Healthcare

raising minimum wage pros and cons

17. Minimum Wage

“The implementation of a fair minimum wage is vital for reducing economic inequality, yet it is often contentious due to its potential impact on businesses and employment rates.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

homework pros and cons

18. Homework

“The homework provided throughout this semester has enabled me to achieve greater self-reflection, identify gaps in my knowledge, and reinforce those gaps through spaced repetition.”

Best For: Reflective Essay

Read More: Reasons Homework Should be Banned

charter schools vs public schools, explained below

19. Charter Schools

“Charter schools offer alternatives to traditional public education, promising innovation and choice but also raising questions about accountability and educational equity.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

internet pros and cons

20. Effects of the Internet

“The Internet has drastically reshaped human communication, access to information, and societal dynamics, generally with a net positive effect on society.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of the Internet

affirmative action example and definition, explained below

21. Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action is essential for rectifying historical injustices and achieving true meritocracy in education and employment, contrary to claims of reverse discrimination.”

Best For: Essay

Read More: Affirmative Action Pros and Cons

soft skills examples and definition, explained below

22. Soft Skills

“Soft skills, such as communication and empathy, are increasingly recognized as essential for success in the modern workforce, and therefore should be a strong focus at school and university level.”

Read More: Soft Skills Examples

moral panic definition examples

23. Moral Panic

“Moral panic, often fueled by media and cultural anxieties, can lead to exaggerated societal responses that sometimes overlook rational analysis and evidence.”

Read More: Moral Panic Examples

freedom of the press example and definition, explained below

24. Freedom of the Press

“Freedom of the press is critical for democracy and informed citizenship, yet it faces challenges from censorship, media bias, and the proliferation of misinformation.”

Read More: Freedom of the Press Examples

mass media examples definition

25. Mass Media

“Mass media shapes public opinion and cultural norms, but its concentration of ownership and commercial interests raise concerns about bias and the quality of information.”

Best For: Critical Analysis

Read More: Mass Media Examples

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

✅ Position: If your statement is for an argumentative or persuasive essay, or a dissertation, ensure it takes a clear stance on the topic. ✅ Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay. ✅ Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable. ✅ Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument, narrative, or explanation. ✅ Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay. ✅ Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

Try These AI Prompts – Thesis Statement Generator!

One way to brainstorm thesis statements is to get AI to brainstorm some for you! Try this AI prompt:

💡 AI PROMPT FOR EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTUCTIONS]. I want you to create an expository thesis statement that doesn’t argue a position, but demonstrates depth of knowledge about the topic.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTRUCTIONS]. I want you to create an argumentative thesis statement that clearly takes a position on this issue.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THESIS STATEMENT I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that remain objective.

Chris

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Examples

Postgraduate Thesis Statement

Ai generator.

graduate level thesis statement examples

Navigating the world of postgraduate research is a pivotal stage in one’s academic journey. As you advance into this realm, the emphasis on a well-structured thesis statement becomes even more crucial. A robust thesis statement not only anchors your research but also serves as a beacon, guiding your inquiries and arguments. Delve into these postgraduate thesis statement examples, along with an elucidative guide and valuable tips, to craft a statement that can stand the test of rigorous academic scrutiny.

What is a thesis statement for a Postgraduate? – Definition

A postgraduate thesis statement concise summary of the main point or claim of a research paper or essay at the postgraduate level. It serves as a roadmap for readers, outlining the central argument or purpose of the study. It’s typically more complex and in-depth than undergraduate thesis statements, reflecting the advanced nature of postgraduate research and the nuanced understanding required of the topic.

What is an example of a Postgraduate thesis statement?

Topic: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Healthcare Systems

Thesis Statement : “This research explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern healthcare, asserting that AI’s integration not only optimizes diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy but also presents challenges concerning patient data privacy and the role of human medical practitioners.”

100 Thesis Statement Examples for a Postgraduate

Thesis Statement Examples for a Postgraduate

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Crafting an impactful postgraduate thesis statement requires precision, depth, and a thorough understanding of your research domain. These examples span various disciplines, offering a glimpse into the intricacy and focus expected at this advanced academic level.

  • Climate Change and Agriculture : “This study posits that climate change’s adverse effects significantly decrease agricultural yield, necessitating innovative adaptive measures for global food security.”
  • Neuroscience and Memory : “This research delves into the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning memory retention, suggesting a pivotal role of the hippocampus in long-term memory consolidation.”
  • Cultural Impacts on Marketing : “Examining Eastern versus Western marketing strategies reveals that cultural nuances significantly influence consumer behavior and brand perception.”
  • Quantum Computing : “This thesis explores the potential of quantum computing in revolutionizing the computational landscape, emphasizing its superiority in solving specific algorithms compared to classical computers.”
  • Mental Health and Social Media : “The correlation between social media usage and mental health outcomes among millennials suggests a significant increase in anxiety and depression rates.”
  • Sustainable Architecture : “Green architectural practices not only reduce environmental footprints but also offer cost-efficient solutions in urban developments.”
  • Blockchain in Banking : “Blockchain technology, with its decentralized nature, presents transformative prospects for banking security, transparency, and operational efficiency.”
  • Child Psychology and Learning : “Play-based learning strategies in early childhood education yield superior cognitive and social development outcomes.”
  • AI in Autonomous Vehicles : “Autonomous vehicles utilizing AI algorithms demonstrate a substantial reduction in road accidents compared to human-driven cars.”
  • Genetic Engineering and Ethics : “The ethical ramifications of CRISPR technology in human gene editing necessitate stringent regulatory frameworks.”
  • Migration and Global Economy : “Mass migrations, driven by socio-political factors, have a dual impact on global economies – rejuvenating labor markets while straining social services.”
  • Gender Studies in Workplace Dynamics : “Gender diversity in corporate leadership roles directly correlates with increased creativity and profitability.”
  • Astrophysics and Dark Matter : “The quest for understanding dark matter’s nature is pivotal in decoding the universe’s evolutionary trajectory.”
  • Augmented Reality in Education : “Augmented Reality (AR) tools in educational settings foster immersive learning experiences, enhancing retention and engagement.”
  • Global Health and Pandemics : “The global response to pandemics like COVID-19 underscores the necessity for unified international health protocols and rapid information dissemination.”
  • Renewable Energy Adoption : “The transition to renewable energy sources is imperative for sustainable development, yet geopolitical and economic factors often hinder its large-scale adoption.”
  • Linguistics and Language Evolution : “The evolution of human language is intrinsically linked to socio-cultural shifts, with technology playing a significant role in modern linguistic transformations.”
  • Digital Transformation in Businesses : “Digital transformation, while streamlining operations, introduces challenges related to data privacy and workforce adaptation.”
  • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services : “A decline in global biodiversity directly impacts ecosystem services, affecting human sustenance and well-being.”
  • Post-Colonial Literature : “Post-colonial literary works provide a lens to understand the enduring socio-cultural impacts of colonialism on previously colonized societies.
  • Forensic Science and Crime : “Incorporating advanced forensic methodologies can significantly increase the conviction rate in criminal justice systems.”
  • Space Exploration and Humanity : “The pursuit of interstellar travel holds implications not just for technological advancement but for understanding human resilience and adaptability.”
  • Digital Art and Society : “The rise of digital art mediums challenges traditional art conventions, emphasizing the dynamic nature of artistic expression.”
  • Nanotechnology in Medicine : “The infusion of nanotechnology in medicine offers prospects for targeted drug delivery, reducing side-effects.”
  • Urban Planning and Mental Health : “Urban planning that incorporates green spaces directly influences inhabitants’ mental well-being.”
  • Virtual Reality and Rehabilitation : “Virtual reality tools hold transformative potential in physical and psychological rehabilitation strategies.”
  • Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence : “The evolution of AI compels a reexamination of philosophical constructs related to consciousness and autonomy.”
  • Economics of Climate Change : “The economic ramifications of climate change encompass more than tangible damages, including the revaluation of assets and shifts in global labor markets.”
  • Robotics in Healthcare : “Incorporating robotics in healthcare optimizes patient care, especially in surgeries and rehabilitation, but also raises ethical dilemmas.”
  • Musicology and Emotions : “The intricate relationship between music and human emotion has neurobiological underpinnings, affecting mood regulation.
  • Epigenetics and Disease : “Epigenetic modifications, though reversible, have profound implications in disease onset, progression, and potential therapeutic interventions.”
  • Political Science and Media Influence : “The role of media in shaping public political opinions has intensified with the rise of social media platforms, necessitating a reevaluation of election campaign strategies.”
  • Marine Biology and Coral Reefs : “The deteriorating health of coral reefs globally serves as an indicator of broader marine ecosystem imbalance and stresses the importance of conservation efforts.”
  • Data Science and Privacy : “The surge in big data analytics offers unparalleled insights for businesses but simultaneously poses significant challenges to individual privacy.”
  • Anthropology and Ancient Civilizations : “A study of ancient civilizations through anthropological lenses can unearth patterns of human social evolution and provide insights into contemporary societal structures.”
  • Astrobiology and Extraterrestrial Life : “The quest for extraterrestrial life in astrobiology reshapes our understanding of life’s potential existence beyond Earth and its implications for humanity.”
  • Sports Science and Athlete Performance : “Cutting-edge sports science technologies, from biomechanics to nutrition, have revolutionized athlete training, contributing to record-breaking performances.”
  • Cryptography and Cybersecurity : “As cyber threats evolve, so does the field of cryptography, playing a pivotal role in ensuring data integrity and confidentiality in an increasingly digital world.”
  • Sociology and Urbanization : “The rapid urbanization of modern societies presents challenges in social cohesion, demanding innovative solutions for ensuring inclusive growth.”
  • Quantum Physics and Reality : “Quantum physics, with its counterintuitive principles, challenges classical notions of reality, necessitating a paradigm shift in our understanding of the universe.”
  • Mathematical Modelling and Pandemics : “Mathematical models, especially when adapted promptly, provide critical insights into pandemic trajectories, aiding governments in crafting timely interventions.”
  • Archaeology and Human Migration : “Modern archaeological techniques reveal intricate patterns of ancient human migrations, challenging conventional narratives of human history.”
  • Psychology and Virtual Reality : “The immersion in virtual reality can have profound psychological effects, ranging from therapeutic benefits to potential mental health challenges.”
  • Environmental Law and Conservation : “Contemporary environmental laws must adapt to the accelerating climate crisis, emphasizing both conservation and sustainable development.”
  • Bioinformatics and Genomic Medicine : “Harnessing bioinformatics in genomic medicine allows for personalized medical treatments, revolutionizing patient care in the 21st century.”
  • Space Technology and Satellite Communication : “The advancements in space technology have paved the way for more efficient satellite communication systems, reshaping global connectivity.”
  • Geopolitics and Energy Resources : “The geopolitics of energy resources, especially in the Middle East, play a pivotal role in global economic dynamics and international relations.”
  • Organic Chemistry and Drug Design : “Innovations in organic chemistry have revolutionized drug design, enabling the creation of targeted therapies for complex diseases.”
  • Differential Equations and Engineering : “Differential equations serve as the backbone for modeling in engineering, from fluid dynamics to electrical circuits.”
  • Sustainable Finance and Global Economy : “The rise of sustainable finance is not merely an ethical imperative but has tangible impacts on global economic stability and growth prospects.
  • Ethnomusicology and Globalization : “Globalization has significantly influenced traditional music forms, introducing a confluence of styles while risking the erasure of unique cultural sounds.”
  • Astronomy and Exoplanets : “The discovery of exoplanets challenges our understanding of planetary systems, suggesting myriad possibilities for life beyond Earth.”
  • International Law and Cyber Warfare : “The increasing prevalence of cyber warfare necessitates the reevaluation and adaptation of international law to address virtual, borderless conflicts.”
  • Biophysics and Cellular Mechanisms : “Biophysical studies reveal the intricate mechanics at cellular levels, promising potential breakthroughs in disease treatment.”
  • Comparative Literature and Cultural Identity : “Exploring literature across cultures offers insights into evolving cultural identities in a rapidly globalizing world.”
  • Environmental Engineering and Waste Management : “Advancements in environmental engineering have ushered in sustainable waste management practices, pivotal in combating pollution.”
  • Metaphysics and Modern Physics : “Contemporary physics, especially quantum mechanics, intersects with metaphysical questions about the nature of reality and consciousness.”
  • Robotics and Human Interaction : “The integration of robotics into daily life reshapes human interaction, posing questions about societal adaptation and ethical considerations.”
  • Public Health and Aging Population : “With global populations aging, public health initiatives must recalibrate to address the unique challenges and healthcare needs of older adults.”
  • Econometrics and Policy Making : “Econometrics, with its empirical analytical tools, plays a vital role in informing and refining economic policy-making.”
  • Paleontology and Earth’s History : “Paleontological findings provide a window into Earth’s history, influencing our understanding of evolution and environmental changes.”
  • Behavioral Economics and Consumer Behavior : “Behavioral economics uncovers the irrational patterns in consumer behavior, challenging traditional economic theories.”
  • Human Rights and Globalization : “The trajectory of human rights in the age of globalization presents a paradox: while rights awareness has spread, violations persist and even intensify in some regions.”
  • Topology and Quantum Computing : “The field of topology, focusing on properties of space, holds keys to advancements in quantum computing.”
  • Comparative Politics and Democratization : “Comparative studies in politics reveal varying paths to democratization, shaped by historical, economic, and societal factors.”
  • Bioethics and Genetic Engineering : “Bioethics emerges as a crucial field as genetic engineering capabilities advance, especially concerning human genome editing.”
  • Nanoengineering and Material Science : “Nanoengineering has revolutionized material science, leading to the development of materials with unprecedented properties.”
  • Migration Studies and Urban Development : “Migration patterns profoundly influence urban development, with cities evolving in response to diverse influxes of populations.”
  • Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence : “Exploring the intersections of cognitive science and AI provides insights into replicating human-like learning and thinking in machines.”
  • Art History and Digital Media : “Digital media has transformed art history, enabling immersive experiences of art and innovative methods of analysis.
  • Oceanography and Climate Change : “The in-depth study of oceans reveals their critical role in regulating global climate, emphasizing the urgent need for marine conservation efforts.”
  • Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences : “The intersections of philosophy and cognitive sciences offer profound insights into human consciousness, thought processes, and decision-making.”
  • Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance : “The rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens necessitates urgent microbiological research to pave the way for new therapeutic approaches.”
  • Linguistics and Neural Networks : “The relationship between linguistics and neural networks can provide insights into the development of advanced natural language processing tools in AI.”
  • Forensic Science and Legal Systems : “Advancements in forensic science provide pivotal evidence in the legal system, but they also introduce ethical dilemmas related to privacy and potential misuse.”
  • Criminology and Urban Safety : “Research in criminology indicates that urban safety strategies must evolve to address the changing dynamics of crime in densely populated areas.”
  • Architecture and Sustainable Design : “Sustainable architectural practices are reshaping the built environment, ensuring energy efficiency and ecological harmony.”
  • Biomedical Science and Personalized Medicine : “Personalized medicine, backed by biomedical research, holds the promise of tailor-made treatments, optimizing therapeutic outcomes for individual patients.”
  • Agriculture and Food Security : “In the face of climate change, innovative agricultural techniques are paramount to ensuring global food security.”
  • Dermatology and Nanotechnology : “Nanotechnology’s application in dermatology introduces potent solutions for skin ailments, but it also presents potential risks that require thorough investigation.”
  • Political Economy and Global Inequalities : “The political economy framework reveals how power dynamics on a global scale perpetuate economic inequalities.”
  • Aerospace Engineering and Interstellar Travel : “While interstellar travel remains a concept of science fiction, advancements in aerospace engineering gradually bring us closer to the possibility of exploring distant star systems.”
  • Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases : “Emerging research in endocrinology offers novel insights into metabolic diseases, opening avenues for innovative treatment protocols.”
  • Theology and Interfaith Dialogue : “In an increasingly interconnected world, interfaith dialogues become essential to understanding and bridging theological differences.”
  • Optometry and Digital Screen Usage : “Increased digital screen usage poses challenges to ocular health, necessitating innovations in optometry for prevention and management.”
  • Veterinary Medicine and Zoonotic Diseases : “Understanding zoonotic diseases in veterinary medicine is crucial, given the increasing frequency of animal-human disease transmission events.”
  • Urban Planning and Smart Cities : “The concept of smart cities, backed by technological innovations, promises to reshape urban planning to create more sustainable and efficient urban environments.”
  • Quantum Mechanics and Classical Physics : “The divergence between quantum mechanics and classical physics continues to intrigue scientists, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.”
  • Pedagogy and Digital Learning : “The rise of digital learning platforms challenges traditional pedagogy, calling for new educational strategies that cater to the digital generation.”
  • Entomology and Ecosystem Balance : “Studying insects, especially their interactions within ecosystems, is essential to understand broader ecological balances and the impacts of environmental changes.”
  • Neuroscience and Meditation : “Exploring the neural impacts of meditation uncovers its profound effects on cognitive function, stress reduction, and emotional regulation.”
  • Maritime Studies and Global Trade : “The intricate world of maritime studies is pivotal in understanding the nuances of global trade, geopolitical tensions, and environmental challenges.”
  • Sociology and Social Media : “The integration of social media into daily life has dramatically reshaped societal structures, influencing individual behavior, communal relationships, and even political movements.”
  • Paleobotany and Climate Archives : “Studying ancient plant remains offers a unique window into Earth’s climatic history, assisting scientists in predicting future climatic shifts.”
  • Film Studies and Cultural Representation : “Cinema serves as a mirror to society, and the study of films provides insights into cultural representation, societal norms, and evolving ideologies.”
  • Epistemology and Artificial Intelligence : “The philosophical study of knowledge, or epistemology, prompts crucial questions about AI’s capacity for knowledge and understanding.”
  • Chemical Engineering and Renewable Energy : “Innovations in chemical engineering hold the potential to revolutionize renewable energy sources, making them more efficient and widely accessible.”
  • Ornithology and Biodiversity : “Studying birds, their habitats, and migratory patterns offers vital information on biodiversity, ecological health, and the impacts of climate change.”
  • Pharmacology and Personalized Treatment : “Advanced pharmacological research paves the way for personalized treatments, optimizing drug efficacy based on individual genetic profiles.”
  • Anthropology and Globalization : “Through the lens of anthropology, the impacts of globalization on indigenous cultures, traditions, and societal structures become evident, revealing both positive integrations and adverse assimilations.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Postgraduate Argumentative Essay

Postgraduate argumentative essays thesis statement challenge students to take a position on a contentious issue, supported by rigorous research and evidence. Here are thesis statements that showcase diverse angles on various subjects:

  • Online Learning : “Despite its convenience, online learning can’t replicate the experiential richness of traditional classroom interactions.”
  • Artificial Intelligence : “AI has the potential to outpace human intelligence, making its ethical implications a top priority.”
  • Climate Change : “Global warming is the definitive challenge of our generation, and deniers are on the wrong side of science.”
  • Mandatory Voting : “Compulsory voting infringes on personal freedoms and doesn’t guarantee a more engaged electorate.”
  • Telemedicine : “The rise of telemedicine, accelerated by the pandemic, promises equitable healthcare access but also raises concerns about the quality of remote diagnoses.”
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) : “While CSR initiatives are often lauded, they can sometimes serve as mere PR strategies rather than genuine efforts for societal betterment.”
  • Gene Editing : “CRISPR technology holds transformative medical potential, but unchecked edits might lead to unintended genetic consequences.”
  • Work-from-Home : “Permanent work-from-home policies could revolutionize work-life balance, but might also blur boundaries leading to employee burnout.”
  • Digital Privacy : “Given the increasing intrusiveness of tech giants, stringent data protection regulations are not just preferable but essential.”
  • Nuclear Energy : “Nuclear energy, while a potent solution to energy crises, poses significant environmental and security risks.”

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Research paper

Postgraduate thesis statement for research papers delve deep into specialized areas of study, often contributing to existing academic literature. These thesis statements reflect some of these investigative pursuits:

  • Microbiome and Health : “Gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in human health, influencing everything from digestion to mental well-being.”
  • Quantum Computing : “Quantum computing promises computational power leaps but faces hurdles in practical, scalable applications.”
  • Space Exploration : “The recent discovery of water on Mars rekindles debates about its potential habitability.”
  • Renewable Energy Storage : “Efficient storage solutions are paramount to maximizing the benefits of renewable energy sources like solar and wind.”
  • Mental Health in Adolescents : “The rise in adolescent mental health issues in the digital age hints at social media’s role in exacerbating anxiety and depression.”
  • Sustainable Agriculture : “Permaculture practices present a sustainable solution to the global food crisis by promoting ecological balance and reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.”
  • Virtual Reality (VR) : “VR technologies in medical training can revolutionize surgical techniques, offering risk-free practice environments.”
  • Linguistics : “The rapid extinction of indigenous languages threatens cultural diversity, necessitating urgent preservation efforts.”
  • Nanotechnology in Medicine : “Nanobots, while still in nascent stages, hold transformative potential in targeted drug delivery, potentially minimizing side-effects.”
  • Blockchain : “Beyond cryptocurrency, blockchain technology offers potential solutions to issues of data transparency and authentication in various sectors.

Postgraduate 3 Point Thesis Statement Examples

Three-point thesis statements succinctly introduce the main points to be discussed in the paper, creating a roadmap for the reader. Here are some tailored to postgraduate topics:

  • Augmented Reality : “Augmented Reality enhances user interaction, offers education opportunities, and revolutionizes business models.”
  • Bioinformatics : “Bioinformatics streamlines drug discovery, aids in genome sequencing, and offers insights into evolutionary biology.”
  • Cognitive Neuroscience : “Cognitive neuroscience sheds light on memory processes, decodes decision-making, and unravels the mysteries of perception.”
  • Data Science and Business : “Through predicting consumer behavior, optimizing logistics, and enhancing product recommendations, data science drives business innovation.”
  • Green Architecture : “Green architecture promotes energy efficiency, utilizes sustainable materials, and enhances residents’ overall well-being.”
  • Healthcare Policies : “Effective healthcare policies reduce medical costs, improve patient outcomes, and ensure universal access.”
  • International Relations in the Digital Age : “The digital age reshapes international diplomacy, alters state security dynamics, and fosters new global partnerships.”
  • Machine Learning : “Machine learning optimizes automation, delivers personalized content, and aids scientific research.”
  • Urban Planning and Sustainability : “Sustainable urban planning ensures efficient transportation, promotes green spaces, and prioritizes community welfare.”
  • Zero-Waste Movement : “The zero-waste movement reduces environmental degradation, fosters sustainable consumer habits, and promotes circular economies.”

Thesis Statement Examples For Masters Degree

Masters’ theses delve into intricate research topics, combining comprehensive literature reviews with original research. Here are examples for various fields:

  • Global Health : “Addressing global health disparities necessitates international cooperation, local stakeholder engagement, and technological innovations.”
  • Marine Biology : “Coral reef bleaching, driven by climate change, jeopardizes marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities.”
  • Artificial Neural Networks : “Neural networks, mimicking human cognition, revolutionize sectors from finance to healthcare, but require careful calibration.”
  • Pedagogical Strategies : “Innovative pedagogical strategies, blending traditional and digital learning, cater to diverse student needs and foster holistic development.”
  • Financial Markets : “Algorithmic trading, while maximizing market efficiency, raises concerns about fairness and systemic risks.”
  • Contemporary Literature : “Postcolonial narratives in contemporary literature unveil suppressed histories, challenge dominant discourses, and reimagine identity.”
  • Green Chemistry : “Green chemistry practices, minimizing environmental footprints, are imperative in the modern industrial landscape.”
  • Space Physics : “Explorations into heliophysics provide insights into solar phenomena and their implications for Earth’s space environment.”
  • Clinical Psychology : “Mindfulness-based interventions offer promising results in treating anxiety disorders, promoting long-term well-being.”
  • Cultural Anthropology : “The digital age reshapes cultural practices, offering a lens to examine evolving societal norms and values.

Thesis Statement Examples To Study Abroad

Studying abroad enriches educational experiences, broadens cultural horizons, and fosters personal growth. Here are thesis statements that explore various facets of international education:

  • Language Acquisition : “Studying abroad accelerates language acquisition by immersing students in native-speaking environments, enhancing linguistic fluency.”
  • Cultural Identity : “Navigating a new cultural context challenges students’ perceptions, prompting a deeper understanding of both self and others.”
  • Global Networking : “Studying abroad fosters international networks, offering cross-cultural collaborations and global career opportunities.”
  • Academic Excellence : “Experiencing diverse pedagogical approaches in foreign institutions enhances critical thinking and academic prowess.”
  • Cultural Adaptation : “Navigating cultural differences and adapting to new norms sharpens students’ adaptability skills and global perspectives.”
  • Career Advancement : “International education equips graduates with a global skillset, making them more attractive to multinational employers.”
  • Cultural Exchange : “Cultural exchange programs promote cross-cultural understanding, challenging stereotypes and fostering mutual respect.”
  • Personal Growth : “Navigating unfamiliar terrains encourages self-reliance, resilience, and personal development.”
  • Global Perspectives : “A global education broadens perspectives, nurturing empathy and a more holistic understanding of global issues.”
  • Interdisciplinary Learning : “Studying abroad encourages cross-disciplinary exploration, enriching students’ academic and personal journeys.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Grad School

Graduate school, whether master’s or doctoral, entails rigorous research and academic inquiry. Here are thesis statements that exemplify the depth of inquiry at the graduate level:

  • Medicine and Ethics : “Bioethics in medical practice ensures patient autonomy, informed consent, and ethical decision-making, even in complex cases.”
  • Literary Theory : “Poststructuralist literary theory deconstructs conventional narratives, revealing hidden power dynamics and challenging literary norms.”
  • Economic Policy : “Monetary policies that prioritize financial stability must also consider their social and economic implications for vulnerable populations.”
  • Medical Imaging Advances : “Emerging medical imaging technologies promise quicker diagnoses, reduced patient exposure, and enhanced medical insights.”
  • Education and Technology : “Integrating technology into education offers opportunities for personalized learning, but also raises concerns about equity and privacy.”
  • Sustainable Development : “Sustainable development policies must balance ecological preservation, social equity, and economic growth in a rapidly changing world.”
  • Criminal Justice Reform : “Criminal justice reform requires interdisciplinary approaches, addressing systemic racism, rehabilitation, and restorative justice.”
  • Artificial Intelligence and Ethics : “Ethical considerations in AI development ensure that AI algorithms align with human values and avoid perpetuating biases.”
  • Medical Ethics : “Euthanasia debates revolve around autonomy, dignity, and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in end-of-life decisions.”
  • Social Work and Vulnerable Populations : “Social workers play a pivotal role in advocating for vulnerable populations, addressing systemic inequalities, and promoting social justice.”

Doctoral Thesis Statement Examples

Doctoral theses are pinnacle works of original research, often contributing significantly to their fields. Here are examples that reflect the rigor and innovation expected at the doctoral level:

  • Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation : “Investigating the brain’s adaptive capacities can revolutionize rehabilitation strategies for neurological injuries.”
  • Quantum Mechanics and Gravity : “The unification of quantum mechanics and gravity remains elusive, demanding new theoretical paradigms to reconcile the two.”
  • Sustainable Urban Design : “Creating eco-friendly, socially inclusive urban spaces requires holistic planning that incorporates environmental, economic, and societal factors.”
  • Political Discourse Analysis : “Analyzing political discourse unveils power dynamics, linguistic strategies, and media’s role in shaping public opinion.”
  • Cancer Immunotherapy : “Advancing cancer immunotherapy necessitates a deep understanding of the immune system’s complex interactions with tumor cells.”
  • Modernist Literature and Identity : “Modernist literature’s fragmentation and ambivalence mirror the complexities of identity in the shifting modern world.”
  • Nanomaterials for Clean Energy : “Designing nanomaterials with efficient energy conversion properties can revolutionize the clean energy landscape.”
  • Historical Reconstruction through Archaeology : “Archaeological findings reconstruct historical narratives, offering insights into ancient societies, cultures, and practices.”
  • Ethnobotany and Traditional Medicine : “Exploring ethnobotanical knowledge deepens our understanding of traditional medicines’ efficacy, informing modern healthcare practices.”
  • Astrophysics and Dark Matter : “The elusive nature of dark matter challenges our fundamental understanding of the universe’s composition and gravitational forces.

Thesis Statement Examples for Postgraduate Nursing

Postgraduate nursing studies delve into advanced healthcare practices and research. Here are thesis statements encompassing diverse nursing topics:

  • Telehealth in Nursing : “Integrating telehealth technologies enhances nursing care accessibility, especially in remote areas, while ensuring patient privacy and data security.”
  • Mental Health Nursing : “Psychiatric-mental health nurses play a pivotal role in treating and destigmatizing mental health conditions, catering to holistic well-being.”
  • Emergency Nursing Protocols : “Developing standardized emergency nursing protocols ensures timely, efficient care delivery in critical situations, optimizing patient outcomes.”
  • Nursing Leadership : “Effective nursing leadership fosters a culture of collaboration, staff empowerment, and improved patient safety within healthcare institutions.”
  • Pediatric Palliative Care : “Specialized pediatric palliative care addresses the unique needs of seriously ill children, offering comfort, pain relief, and emotional support.”
  • Nurse Education Strategies : “Innovative nurse education approaches, from simulation-based learning to flipped classrooms, enhance critical thinking and clinical skills.”
  • Nurse Advocacy in Policy : “Nurse advocacy in healthcare policy-making safeguards patient rights, promotes evidence-based care, and addresses healthcare disparities.”
  • Nursing Research Impact : “Translating nursing research findings into clinical practice ensures evidence-based care, improving patient outcomes and healthcare quality.”
  • Nursing Ethics : “Navigating ethical dilemmas in nursing involves balancing patient autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence while upholding professional integrity.”
  • Global Health Nursing : “Global health nursing addresses disparities, infectious diseases, and healthcare access challenges across diverse cultures and settings.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Postgraduate Degree

Postgraduate degrees encompass a wide array of subjects. Here are thesis statements that highlight the advanced research and expertise required for various disciplines:

  • Cultural Heritage Management : “Cultural heritage management requires interdisciplinary collaboration, legal frameworks, and community engagement to preserve diverse histories.”
  • Digital Humanities : “Digital humanities marry technological advancements with humanistic inquiry, fostering new ways to analyze and understand cultural artifacts.”
  • Environmental Economics : “Environmental economics evaluates the economic impacts of environmental policies, assessing trade-offs between growth and sustainability.”
  • Organizational Psychology : “Organizational psychology studies human behavior in workplaces, aiding in employee motivation, team dynamics, and organizational performance.”
  • Music Therapy : “Music therapy combines artistic expression and psychology, improving mental health outcomes and emotional well-being through musical interventions.”
  • Fashion Sustainability : “Sustainable fashion integrates ethical practices, eco-friendly materials, and circular economies, reshaping the fashion industry’s ecological impact.”
  • Robotics Engineering : “Robotics engineering advances automation, prosthetics, and AI, necessitating breakthroughs in mechanics, electronics, and artificial intelligence.”
  • Comparative Literature : “Comparative literature transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries, analyzing narratives’ universal themes and cultural contexts.”
  • Global Supply Chain Management : “Effective global supply chain management demands risk assessment, supplier collaboration, and dynamic logistical strategies.”
  • Visual Communication Design : “Visual communication design merges aesthetics with functionality, influencing how information is conveyed and experienced in various media.”

Short Thesis Statement Examples for Postgraduate

Concise and impactful, short thesis statements convey the essence of postgraduate research topics. Here are succinct examples:

  • Medical Ethics : “Balancing patient autonomy and medical beneficence raises pivotal ethical questions in healthcare.”
  • Renewable Energy : “Advancing renewable energy technologies is vital for mitigating climate change and achieving energy security.”
  • Diversity in Education : “Embracing diversity in education enriches learning environments, fostering global citizenship and empathy.”
  • Cybersecurity : “Ensuring cybersecurity safeguards data integrity, privacy, and digital infrastructures from cyber threats.”
  • Community Policing : “Community policing bridges gaps, enhancing police-public relations, and fostering safer neighborhoods.”
  • Corporate Sustainability : “Corporate sustainability integrates profit with social responsibility, driving ethical business practices and ecological preservation.”
  • Aging Population : “Adapting to an aging population requires comprehensive healthcare strategies and social support systems.”
  • AI in Healthcare : “AI-driven diagnostics accelerate medical diagnoses, revolutionizing patient care and disease management.”
  • Urban Resilience : “Building urban resilience addresses climate-related challenges, ensuring cities thrive despite environmental uncertainties.”
  • Cancer Immunotherapy : “Immunotherapy’s personalized approach transforms cancer treatment, enhancing survival rates and patient quality of life.

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Biomedical Engineering

The field of biomedical engineering bridges the gap between medicine and engineering. It focuses on innovative solutions to medical problems, aiming to improve patient care and health outcomes. The following thesis statements reflect the intricate blend of engineering principles and biological sciences to address pressing health challenges.

  • Prosthetics and AI : “The integration of AI into prosthetic limbs can significantly enhance functionality, mimicking natural movement more closely than ever before.”
  • Tissue Engineering : “Advancements in tissue engineering promise revolutionary treatments for organ damage and loss, potentially reducing the need for donor transplants.”
  • Neural Interfaces : “Creating efficient neural interfaces can transform treatments for neurological disorders, offering improved communication tools for patients with severe paralysis.”
  • Medical Imaging : “Harnessing the power of quantum physics in medical imaging techniques can lead to earlier and more accurate disease diagnosis.”
  • Wearable Health Monitors : “With the rise of wearable tech, biomedical engineering plays a crucial role in developing devices that offer real-time health monitoring outside of clinical settings.”
  • Biomaterials for Drug Delivery : “Innovative biomaterials can revolutionize drug delivery systems, providing targeted treatment and reducing systemic side effects.”
  • 3D Bioprinting : “3D bioprinting presents a promising future in regenerative medicine, potentially creating functional organs for transplantation.”
  • Nanomedicine : “Harnessing nanotechnology in medicine offers targeted treatments at the molecular level, especially promising for cancer therapeutics.”
  • Bioinformatics in Genomic Medicine : “Bioinformatics tools can decode complex genomic data, paving the way for personalized medicine and treatments tailored to individual genetic makeup.”
  • Rehabilitation Robots : “Robot-assisted therapy, designed via biomedical engineering, can drastically improve recovery outcomes for patients post-stroke or traumatic injuries.”

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Environmental Law

Environmental law at the postgraduate level delves into the legal aspects of environmental protection and sustainable development. These thesis statements emphasize the regulatory, ethical, and global dimensions of laws formulated to protect our planet.

  • International Treaties on Climate Change : “Analyzing international treaties reveals the challenges and successes in creating a global consensus on climate action.”
  • Environmental Justice : “Environmental law must address the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by marginalized communities, ensuring justice and equity.”
  • Marine Conservation Laws : “Stricter marine conservation laws are pivotal in preventing the ongoing degradation of marine ecosystems and ensuring sustainable fisheries.”
  • Deforestation Regulations : “Strengthening deforestation regulations is imperative in preserving biodiversity, maintaining carbon sinks, and supporting indigenous communities.”
  • Wildlife Trafficking : “Reinforced legal measures against wildlife trafficking can deter illicit activities, protecting endangered species from the brink of extinction.”
  • Corporate Accountability in Pollution : “Enforcing stringent laws against corporate pollution can ensure companies prioritize sustainable practices over profit margins.”
  • Land Use and Zoning Laws : “Refined land use and zoning regulations can guide sustainable urban development while preserving vital green spaces.”
  • Freshwater Resource Laws : “Given escalating water crises, creating robust legal frameworks is essential in managing and preserving freshwater resources for future generations.”
  • Genetic Resource Rights : “Legal measures concerning genetic resources can safeguard biodiversity and ensure fair benefit-sharing with indigenous communities.”
  • Chemical Waste Disposal : “Enhanced legal frameworks governing chemical waste disposal can prevent environmental contamination and safeguard public health.

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Digital Marketing

Digital marketing harnesses the power of online platforms to connect businesses with their target audiences. It constantly evolves with technology and consumer behavior. The following thesis statements explore various facets of digital marketing in the modern era, from social media strategies to the implications of big data.

  • Consumer Behavior in E-commerce : “Analyzing digital footprints offers a deeper understanding of consumer behavior, allowing e-commerce businesses to personalize shopping experiences.”
  • SEO and Web Traffic : “Optimizing website content for search engines is a cornerstone of digital visibility, directly impacting web traffic and potential conversions.”
  • Influencer Marketing : “Leveraging influencer partnerships can significantly boost brand awareness and credibility, especially among younger demographics.”
  • Big Data in Marketing Strategy : “Harnessing big data analytics allows businesses to predict market trends and tailor marketing strategies for optimized engagement.”
  • Video Content Engagement : “In the age of short attention spans, video content emerges as a leading tool for sustained audience engagement and brand retention.”
  • Social Media Algorithms : “Understanding the intricacies of social media algorithms is pivotal for brands aiming to maintain visibility and engagement on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.”
  • Digital Marketing Ethics : “As digital marketing tools become more invasive, ethical considerations must guide strategies to protect consumer privacy.”
  • Augmented Reality Advertising : “Incorporating augmented reality (AR) into advertising campaigns offers immersive experiences, revolutionizing consumer-brand interactions.”
  • Chatbots and Customer Service : “Integrating AI-powered chatbots on business platforms enhances customer service efficiency and accessibility.”
  • Mobile-First Marketing : “With the ubiquity of smartphones, adopting a mobile-first approach in digital marketing strategies is no longer optional but essential.”

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Contemporary Literature

Contemporary literature offers a reflection of society, addressing its complexities, challenges, and transformations. The thesis statements below delve into various themes and narrative techniques that define modern literary works.

  • Postcolonial Narratives : “Contemporary literature frequently revisits postcolonial themes, shedding light on the lasting impacts of colonialism and the complexities of identity.”
  • Dystopian Literature in the Digital Age : “Modern dystopian narratives often address concerns related to digital technology, surveillance, and loss of individuality.”
  • Gender and Sexuality : “Contemporary literary works play a pivotal role in challenging traditional gender norms and exploring diverse spectrums of sexuality.”
  • Magical Realism and Cultural Identity : “Magical realism in literature serves as a bridge between cultural myths and contemporary realities, especially in postcolonial contexts.”
  • Migration and Diaspora : “Modern literary works often tackle themes of migration and diaspora, reflecting global movements and the challenges of cultural integration.”
  • Ecocriticism and Environmental Concerns : “Contemporary literature is increasingly colored by ecocritical perspectives, mirroring global concerns about environmental degradation.”
  • Metafiction and Narrative Structure : “Metafictional techniques in modern literature challenge traditional narrative structures, prompting readers to question the nature of storytelling itself.”
  • Posthumanism in Literature : “Recent literary works explore posthumanist themes, grappling with the implications of AI, biotechnology, and the blurring boundaries between human and machine.”
  • Literature in the Age of Terrorism : “The post-9/11 world sees a surge in literary works addressing the socio-political implications of terrorism and its impact on global consciousness.”
  • Digital Narratives and E-literature : “The rise of e-literature and digital narratives redefines the boundaries of literature, offering interactive and multimedia reading experiences.”

Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Urban Planning

Urban planning shapes the physical layout of cities, aiming to improve the quality of life, sustainability, and functionality of urban spaces. The following thesis statements address various challenges and strategies in urban development and design.

  • Sustainable Urban Design : “Incorporating sustainable practices in urban design is essential for creating eco-friendly, energy-efficient cities of the future.”
  • Public Transportation Systems : “Developing efficient public transportation systems can drastically reduce urban congestion and environmental pollution.”
  • Urban Green Spaces : “The integration of green spaces in urban layouts promotes biodiversity, enhances mental well-being, and mitigates the heat island effect.”
  • Urban Regeneration : “Regenerating dilapidated urban areas not only revitalizes the physical space but also boosts socio-economic growth and community development.”
  • Smart Cities and Technology : “Harnessing smart technologies in urban planning can lead to more efficient, adaptable, and user-friendly cities.”
  • Housing and Affordability : “Addressing housing affordability in urban planning strategies ensures diverse, inclusive, and cohesive urban communities.”
  • Historical Preservation : “Balancing modern urban development with historical preservation maintains a city’s cultural heritage while catering to contemporary needs.”
  • Urban Agriculture : “Promoting urban agriculture can bolster local food systems, reduce transportation emissions, and offer green recreational spaces for residents.”
  • Infrastructure and Climate Resilience : “Modern urban planning must prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure to mitigate risks posed by climate change-related events.”
  • Pedestrian-Friendly Designs : “Designing pedestrian-friendly urban layouts promotes physical activity, reduces vehicular traffic, and fosters community interactions.

How to Write a Postgraduate Thesis Introduction

The introduction of your postgraduate thesis sets the stage for your research, capturing the reader’s interest while providing context for your study. Follow these steps to craft an engaging and informative introduction:

  • Understand the Purpose : Clearly define the purpose of your thesis introduction. It should introduce your research topic, explain its significance, and outline the research questions you aim to address.
  • Provide Background Information : Give the reader a solid foundation by providing relevant background information about the subject. Highlight key concepts, theories, and prior research that will help frame your study.
  • State the Problem or Gap : Clearly articulate the problem, gap, or research question that your thesis addresses. Explain why this topic is worth investigating and how it contributes to the existing body of knowledge.
  • Establish Relevance : Connect your research to broader contexts such as societal, academic, or practical implications. Show why your study matters and how it can address real-world challenges.
  • State Your Hypothesis or Research Objectives : If applicable, state your thesis’s hypothesis or the objectives guiding your research. This provides a roadmap for what you’ll explore in the subsequent chapters.
  • Outline the Methodology : Briefly describe the research methods and approaches you’ll employ. This helps the reader understand how you’ll gather data and analyze it to answer your research questions.
  • Highlight Structure : Give a concise overview of the chapters that will follow in your thesis. This helps readers anticipate the organization of your work.
  • Capture Attention : Craft a compelling opening paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention. This could be a relevant anecdote, a surprising fact, or a thought-provoking question.
  • Maintain Clarity : Write in clear and concise language. Avoid jargon that might confuse readers who are not experts in your field.
  • Revise and Polish : Your introduction is the first impression readers have of your thesis. Revise, edit, and proofread to ensure it’s well-structured, coherent, and free of grammatical errors.

How to Write a Postgraduate Thesis – Step by Step Guide

Writing a postgraduate thesis is a comprehensive endeavor that demands careful planning, research, and writing. Follow these steps to navigate the process effectively:

  • Choose a Relevant Topic : Select a topic that aligns with your field of study, interests, and academic goals. Ensure it’s specific, researchable, and adds value to existing literature.
  • Conduct Preliminary Research : Familiarize yourself with the existing literature on your chosen topic. Identify gaps, controversies, or unanswered questions that your research can address.
  • Craft a Research Proposal : Outline your research objectives, research questions, methodology, and expected contributions. Seek feedback from mentors or advisors before proceeding.
  • Formulate a Thesis Statement : Your thesis statement encapsulates the main argument of your thesis. It should be clear, concise, and specific, guiding your research and shaping your paper’s focus.
  • Plan Your Research : Create a detailed research plan outlining the scope, methods, data sources, and timeline for each phase of your study.
  • Gather and Analyze Data : Collect data through surveys, experiments, interviews, or archival research, depending on your field. Analyze the data using appropriate methods.
  • Structure Your Thesis : Organize your thesis into sections such as introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Follow any specific formatting guidelines.
  • Write Drafts of Each Section : Start writing early. Draft each section of your thesis, focusing on clarity, coherence, and logical flow. Revise and refine as you go.
  • Cite Sources Properly : Adhere to the citation style required by your institution or field. Properly cite all sources to avoid plagiarism and give credit to prior research.
  • Revise and Proofread : Once you have a complete draft, take time to revise for content, clarity, and coherence. Proofread meticulously for grammar and punctuation errors.
  • Seek Feedback : Share your draft with mentors, advisors, or peers for constructive feedback. Address their suggestions and refine your thesis accordingly.
  • Write the Introduction and Conclusion Last : Writing the introduction and conclusion becomes easier once you have a clear understanding of your entire thesis. These sections should succinctly summarize your work’s essence.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement for a Postgraduate

A strong thesis statement forms the foundation of your postgraduate thesis. Follow these tips to craft an effective and impactful thesis statement:

  • Be Clear and Specific : Your thesis statement should convey a clear and specific argument or research question. Avoid vague or general statements.
  • Reflect Your Focus : Your thesis statement should accurately reflect the main focus of your research. It sets the tone for your entire thesis.
  • Make It Debatable : A good thesis statement is one that can be debated or challenged. Avoid statements that are universally accepted or obvious.
  • Avoid Ambiguity : Ensure that your thesis statement is not open to multiple interpretations. Ambiguity can confuse readers.
  • Use Concise Language : Keep your thesis statement concise, usually consisting of one or two sentences. Avoid unnecessary wordiness.
  • Incorporate Key Terms : Include important keywords or concepts relevant to your field. This helps readers understand the context of your research.
  • Highlight Significance : Your thesis statement should communicate why your research is significant and what contributions it will make to your field.
  • Refine Through Revision : Your thesis statement may evolve as you progress in your research. Don’t hesitate to revise and refine it for accuracy and clarity.
  • Align with Evidence : Ensure that your thesis statement aligns with the evidence you gather during your research. Avoid making claims that your data cannot support.
  • Seek Feedback : Share your thesis statement with mentors or peers for feedback. Their input can help you refine and improve it before finalizing.

Writing a postgraduate thesis demands dedication, diligence, and a keen eye for detail. By following these guidelines, you can craft an engaging introduction, navigate the thesis writing process, and create a compelling thesis statement that captures the essence of your research. Remember that the journey of research and writing is as important as the final product, as it allows you to contribute to your field and showcase your expertise. You should also take a look at our  thesis statement for review .

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25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

JBirdwellBranson

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

Perfecting Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

  • Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
  • Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
  • School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
  • Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
  • Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
  • Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
  • Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
  • Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
  • Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
  • Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
  • Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
  • Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
  • Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
  • Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
  • University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
  • Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
  • Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
  • Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
  • The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
  • Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
  • Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
  • Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
  • Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
  • Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
  • Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

Thesis statement

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

  • Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
  • Answer your project’s main research question.
  • Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
  • Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

  • Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
  • Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
  • Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

  • The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

graduate level thesis statement examples

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

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When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

  • Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
  • Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
  • Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

  • What impact did reality TV have on American society?
  • How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
  • Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

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graduate level thesis statement examples

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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

  • In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
  • While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
  • Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.

Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?

  • to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
  • to better organize and develop your argument
  • to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument

In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.

How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?

Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences answering that question.

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”
A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

[ Back to top ]

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned

Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.

A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:

  • take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
  • deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment
  • express one main idea
  • assert your conclusions about a subject

Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.

Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.

You start out with a thesis statement like this:

Sugar consumption.

This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.

You change your thesis to look like this:

Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.

This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.

Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.

You revise your thesis statement to look like this:

More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.

This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Use specific language . You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:

Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.

Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:

Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar consumption by children, and who should do it?” When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more specific. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..

Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.

2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.

Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:

My family is an extended family.

This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.

While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.

This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.

3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.

Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:

Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.

This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:

Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.

This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because , since , so , although , unless , and however .

4. A strong thesis statement is specific.

A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say:

World hunger has many causes and effects.

This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:

Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.

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Thesis Statements

A thesis statement is a sentence (sometimes more than one sentence) in the introduction that tells the reader the following information:

  • What the topic of the paper is
  • How the writer intends to discuss that topic
  •  It gives a blueprint for how the essay will be structured
  •  How the writer intends to prove or demonstrate his or her main points.

Think of your paper as a human body, and your thesis statement as the spinal cord. Without it, there is no structure.

For you as the writer, the thesis statement:

Develops through the interrelationship of thinking, reading, and writing;

Limits your research by providing you with one controlling main idea that intrigues you;

Narrows your writing to one specific claim that you can develop or prove;

Organizes your ideas so you know the important points you want to make in your paper; and

Clarifies your writing by keeping you on target to fulfill your proposed purpose.

For your readers, the thesis statement:

 Identifies the main point and sub-points of your essay clearly and quickly;

Functions as a road map so your readers can easily follow your ideas; and

Gives satisfaction at the conclusion of the paper when your readers discover you have fulfilled your promise by proving or developing your main point.

Characteristics of Effective Thesis Statements

An effective thesis statement must be  factual and narrow.

An effective thesis statement prepares readers for facts and details, but it cannot itself be a fact. It must always be an inference that demands proof or further development. These proofs come from the literature. 

UNT Dallas campus has two buildings.

Not factual enough: The UNT Dallas campus is the perfect size.

Just Right:  While some might see small universities as a disadvantage, the small campus of UNT Dallas holds many advantages for students, including a close-knit campus community, smaller class sizes, and better support from professors.

2. Narrow Topic

A good thesis should be narrow, and not too broad or too vague. If the topic is too broad, you won’t be able to cover the entire topic in your paper.  If it’s too narrow, you might not be able to find research, and your paper probably won’t be long enough. 

Too Broad: College students have a lot of responsibilities.

Too Narrow: Student workers in the Learning Commons at UNT Dallas have many responsibilities in their course work and tutoring. 

Just Right: College students who are financially independent have many responsibilities as they must maintain good grades, pay living expenses, and balance work and school.

Remember, a thesis statement is not: 

  • Instead , you should argue, based on facts and literature, why or why not NASA should receive more funding.  
  • Ask yourself--can I find anything in literature to prove this point, or is this MY opinion? 
  • Instead, you should argue why or why not people like chocolate OR why or why not chocolate is healthy for you based on facts and literature findings. 
  • Similar to the subjective opinion, ask yourself is this statement is based on facts and literature findings or if this is YOUR opinion. Although it is ok to have your own opinion, professors usually do not like to read articles about beliefs (students have been writing about these for years and years). 
  • Instead, you could discuss theories about politics or religions and use literature to prove or disprove those theories.
  • This is too factual (the Himalayas WERE formed from a collision of tectonic plates), and there is nothing to discuss because this IS a fact in itself. 
  • Instead, you could compare and contrast the tectonic plate formation of different mountains. 

Examples of Thesis Statements

A thesis statement f or a 5 paragraph essay conta ins three parts:.

1. A Topic: the main idea of the essay

2. The Controlling Idea: what you want to say about the topic

3. The subtopics: usually 3 examples/reasons you will discuss in your paper

Here is an example  of a thesis statement.

Ex: Regularly visiting the Writing Center at UNT Dallas will help you become the best writer on the planet because it offers superhero tutors, current technology, and fantastic handouts.

The main topic explores the idea that regularly vsiting the writing center will help you become the best writer on the planet, and the subtopics further expand this opinion with three distinct examples: 1) tutors, 2) technology, and 3) the handouts.

Outline Example

The paper should be organized around the subtopics.  For example, for the thesis written above, the writer would write one body paragraph about the tutors, one about technology, and one about the handouts. 

Here is a sample essay outline based on this thesis:

  • Introduce the topic of tutoring
  • Thesis (last sentence of intro): Regularly visiting the Writing Center at UNT Dallas will help you become the best writer on the planet because it offers superhero tutors, current technology, and fantastic handouts.
  • topic sentence
  • Restate thesis
  • Concluding remarks

For further assistance with the structure, see our handouts on Introductions and Conclusions and Topic Sentences.

A thesis statement for a LONG ESSAY contains two parts: A Topic: the main idea of the essay The Controlling Idea: what you want to say about the topic 

Throughout the paper, your thesis promises your readers that you will prove specific facts or develop certain ideas ; therefore, every paragraph, sentence, and word in your paper must relate to this controlling idea.

Here are some examples of thesis statements.

  • Baseball, once a national pastime and even an addiction, has lost its popularity because of the new interest in more violent sports.
  • Since the space program has yet to provide the American people with any substantial, practical returns, it is a waste of money and should be dissolved.
  • To stop the alarming rise in the number of violent crimes committed every year, our courts must hand out tougher sentences.
  • Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills.
  • Hemingway's war stories helped to create a new prose style.
  • Bronte utilizes light and fire to symbolize the emotional expressions of the characters.

Here is a suggested outline for a long essay and how that would look in terms of your thesis statement, topic, and controlling ideas:

  • Introduce the novel Jane Eyre and the topic of symbolism
  • Thesis (last sentence of intro): Bronte utilizes light and fire to symbolize the emotional expressions of the characters.
  • textual examples and elaboration

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Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples

Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation . One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer’s block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.

This article collects a list of undergraduate, master’s, and PhD theses and dissertations that have won prizes for their high-quality research.

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Table of contents

Award-winning undergraduate theses, award-winning master’s theses, award-winning ph.d. dissertations, other interesting articles.

University : University of Pennsylvania Faculty : History Author : Suchait Kahlon Award : 2021 Hilary Conroy Prize for Best Honors Thesis in World History Title : “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the “Noble Savage” on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807”

University : Columbia University Faculty : History Author : Julien Saint Reiman Award : 2018 Charles A. Beard Senior Thesis Prize Title : “A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man”: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947

University: University College London Faculty: Geography Author: Anna Knowles-Smith Award:  2017 Royal Geographical Society Undergraduate Dissertation Prize Title:  Refugees and theatre: an exploration of the basis of self-representation

University: University of Washington Faculty:  Computer Science & Engineering Author: Nick J. Martindell Award: 2014 Best Senior Thesis Award Title:  DCDN: Distributed content delivery for the modern web

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graduate level thesis statement examples

University:  University of Edinburgh Faculty:  Informatics Author:  Christopher Sipola Award:  2018 Social Responsibility & Sustainability Dissertation Prize Title:  Summarizing electricity usage with a neural network

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Education Author:  Matthew Brillinger Award:  2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize Title:  Educational Park Planning in Berkeley, California, 1965-1968

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty: Social Sciences Author:  Heather Martin Award:  2015 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  An Analysis of Sexual Assault Support Services for Women who have a Developmental Disability

University : University of Ottawa Faculty : Physics Author : Guillaume Thekkadath Award : 2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Sciences Prize Title : Joint measurements of complementary properties of quantum systems

University:  London School of Economics Faculty: International Development Author: Lajos Kossuth Award:  2016 Winner of the Prize for Best Overall Performance Title:  Shiny Happy People: A study of the effects income relative to a reference group exerts on life satisfaction

University : Stanford University Faculty : English Author : Nathan Wainstein Award : 2021 Alden Prize Title : “Unformed Art: Bad Writing in the Modernist Novel”

University : University of Massachusetts at Amherst Faculty : Molecular and Cellular Biology Author : Nils Pilotte Award : 2021 Byron Prize for Best Ph.D. Dissertation Title : “Improved Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths”

University:  Utrecht University Faculty:  Linguistics Author:  Hans Rutger Bosker Award: 2014 AVT/Anéla Dissertation Prize Title:  The processing and evaluation of fluency in native and non-native speech

University: California Institute of Technology Faculty: Physics Author: Michael P. Mendenhall Award: 2015 Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics Title: Measurement of the neutron beta decay asymmetry using ultracold neutrons

University:  Stanford University Faculty: Management Science and Engineering Author:  Shayan O. Gharan Award:  Doctoral Dissertation Award 2013 Title:   New Rounding Techniques for the Design and Analysis of Approximation Algorithms

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Developing Strong Thesis Statements

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The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.

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How to write a graduate-level essay

  • 2. Create a preliminary document plan

Draft your thesis statement

  • 4a. Become familiar with the information landscape
  • 4b. Select the appropriate search tool
  • 4c. Develop effective searches
  • 4d. Beyond keyword searching
  • 4e. Find statistical information
  • 4f. Evaluate the resources you find
  • 4g. Read, absorb, and organize the information you find
  • 5. Finalize your document plan
  • 6. Double-check your research
  • 7. Start writing the first draft
  • 8. Overcome writer's block
  • 9. Revise the draft
  • 10. Edit the draft
  • 11. Prepare the final version
  • 12. Submit the assignment

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The benefit to having a strong thesis statement is that it gives you and your reader clear parameters of what will be discussed within the paper. For example, if my thesis statement is that Royal Roads University is unique amongst post-secondary institutions on Vancouver Island because of its history, diversity of wildlife, Hatley Park, and educational programs, I know exactly what I need to prove to my reader within the document. Depending on the breadth of my study, I have the four body paragraphs or perhaps four sections for my essay: history, diversity of wildlife, Hatley Park, and educational programs.

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Think about how you would describe the focus of your paper to a stranger in one or two sentences. "What's your paper about?", asks the stranger. You know that the individual doesn't want a detailed description, but is rather looking for a high-level summary of the focus of the paper. How would you answer that question in one or two sentences?

If you're having a hard time writing it out, have an actual conversation with someone where you can verbally describe your paper. Have your conversation partner ask you questions if they're not clear on the direction of the paper until you have that one or two sentence succinct description. Remember to  keep in mind the assignment description  so that you can be sure that your thesis statement addresses the expectations for the essay.

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How to Write a Thesis: A Guide for Master’s Students

By Dr. David James Kritz   |  09/29/2023

how to write a thesis

Let’s face it. Researching and writing a quality thesis can be daunting for many reasons, including:

  • A lack of knowledge on where to begin the assignment process
  • What key arguments and questions to ask in relation to the thesis statement
  • How to get to the data and subject matter
  • How to cope with writer's block, a professor's expectations, and time constraints

According to Dictionary.com , a thesis is “a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections.”

Therefore, avoiding a weak thesis statement is vital when writing an applicable paper. Thesis statement examples are pivotal in understanding this position.

Currently, master’s students who select the thesis capstone within American Public University's School of Security and Global Studies intelligence master's degree program must choose a relevant subject.

Typically, these students must write a thesis statement that consists of at least one compelling sentence and at least 50 pages of content, then turn it in within 16 weeks.

I have taught graduate students, primarily from the U.S. Intelligence Community, how to conduct research for over eight years.

Based on my experience as an educator, I have 10 tips for creating good thesis statements. These tips, combined with some apt thesis statement examples, can elucidate the process.

Tip #1 for Effective Thesis Statements: Select an Appropriate Topic and Research Question

First, it is necessary to use a lengthy thinking process before developing a good thesis statement, whether it’s an expository thesis statement or an argumentative one. This process begins with many questions related to how to write a thesis statement, such as:

  • What would be an interesting topic?
  • What would be an original and interesting research question?
  • What will be the main claim, key arguments, and central idea of the thesis statement?
  • What is an appropriate research design?
  • How will I get to the data to address my central research question?

Regardless of the thesis statement or topic, all research begins with a research question.

Without the right question, the analysis, literature review, and implications might miss their mark. This question should be unique, intriguing, and beyond a mere “yes” or “no” answer.

For instance, rather than asking, “Will Country X pursue nuclear proliferation?”, it's better to pose open-ended questions like, “How does…?” or “To what extent…?” Such an approach ensures nuanced and substantive answers.

Additionally, supplementary key questions should support the main research question's depth and intent.

Tip #2: Begin Work on the Thesis Statement and Break Up the Thesis into Manageable Sections

After selecting an appropriate topic and developing a central research question for the thesis statement, it is then necessary to apply the research and writing skills you have learned throughout your degree program.

It might be necessary to refine the thesis statement after some preliminary research; after all, you want a strong thesis statement rather than a weak thesis statement.

It is also essential to break up the thesis paper into manageable sections during the writing process. This strategy will help you to overcome the most common types of mental hurdle of creating a thesis paper that can be 50 or more pages in length.

For writing a thesis statement, this way of thinking is helpful before you begin writing. Instead of attempting to write every single sentence of a thesis statement in one long stretch, you can work on one section at a time, turn it in for review and work on the next section of the thesis statement while awaiting feedback.

Tip #3: Pay Attention to Your Professor's Feedback about Your Assignment

When I give my essay assignment to my students with advice on how to write a thesis, I also explain the importance of a strong thesis statement.

I advise them to avoid becoming emotionally attached to the thesis. That emotional attachment can lead to a battle of wills and wits with the capstone course's professor over the thesis statement examples they present.

When it comes to implementing feedback, revisions to the thesis paper often need to occur. Faculty members are there to help guide you and assist you in the production of a good-quality, argumentative thesis statement that will provide new insights for the reader.

Just go with the feedback you receive from your instructor as you write a sentence, or more, and move on to complete your thesis paper more efficiently.

Tip #4: Complete an Abstract

The abstract of a thesis is vital, so it must be carefully crafted. The abstract may be the only section of a published, scholarly paper or article that someone may take the time to read, based on their time constraints and interest.

Ideally, the abstract should be 250 words or less and must contain the main point of the paper. I advise students drafting an abstract for scholarly journal editors to ensure that the abstract has these elements:

An introductory sentence

A “hook” (why the reader should care about the thesis statement or its topic and to motivate the reader to look at your paper)

The central research question to show the main point of your paper

The research design – how you collected evidence to support your arguments

The results and implications, such as the negative and positive aspects of your main topic and the broader context of your research

Tip #5: Write the Literature Review

When crafting a literature review, incorporate multiple peer-reviewed articles from academic sources like ProQuest and EBSCOHost. Opt for articles frequently cited in other works to enhance your paper's credibility.

The review examines arguments in thesis statements and their counterarguments from scholarly works. For clear discussions, organize your review thematically, showing topic synthesis and your position. This reduces confusion.

For example, if 40 articles discuss open-source intelligence and seven focus on social media, that could be a central theme.

Rather than just listing articles, create broader themes and keep synthesizing. When crafting the thesis, evaluate each paragraph's relevance to the main research question. I advise students to assess the “So what?” factor. If a paragraph isn't pertinent, it might be best to remove it.

Tip #6: Develop a Theoretical Framework within Your Thesis Statement

Theories in theses are often mishandled, reflecting a student’s unclear grasp. Academic theory goes beyond mere "I have a theory" statements and leans on robust, time-tested frameworks.

For instance, a strategic intelligence studies thesis statement might employ national security theory or national defense theory. This theory should align with the thesis's central question.

For example, if probing how Country X uses social media for misinformation, a student might be directed to the communication theory, which aligns well with the study's main topic and question.

Tip #7: Select a Research Design

Before conducting research, students must devise a strategy to address their central question. The research design is their roadmap for data collection. This encompasses methodology, methods, and data gathering instruments like surveys or interviews. Research on humans requires IRB approval, which I advise against due to time constraints in a 16-week paper cycle. Additionally, it's vital to distinguish between “methodology” and “methods,” terms often mistakenly used interchangeably.

Methodology involves the justification of the how and why a research method was selected to address the central research question , according to Indeed. The three primary methodologies include:

  • Qualitative methodology
  • Quantitative methodology
  • Mixed methods

“Mixed methods” involves a researcher’s use of at least one research method from a qualitative methodology and another research method from a quantitative methodology, then explaining how those methods will be integrated into a study.

But if two methods from the same methodology are used in a study, that is referred to as a multi-method approach. An example of a multi-method approach would be using a comparative case study as the first qualitative research method and process tracing as the second research method.

Research methods are linked to either qualitative or quantitative methodologies. They focus on “what” a researcher selected to interpret data.

Research method types include:

  • Archival records
  • Alternative futures
  • Case studies
  • Comparative case studies
  • Content analysis
  • Correlational research
  • Descriptive research
  • Ethnography
  • Experimental research
  • Phenomenology
  • Process tracing

Tip #8: Write about Research Findings and Data

After gathering data for a thesis, analyzing its significance is crucial, with methods including coding. While qualitative methodology doesn't aim to prove anything, unlike the quantitative approach which tests hypotheses, it can discuss correlations, causation, and delve into theoretical implications in data.

Some may view qualitative research as subjective, but selecting variables in quantitative research has its subjectivity too. Ultimately, it's essential to adhere closely to the scientific method, rather than relying on opinions or claims without concrete evidence.

Tip #9: Consider How Bias Will Affect Your Thesis Statement

When writing thesis statements, it is necessary to consider how bias will affect your writing and your reader. Being 100% objective is an admirable goal, but it is impossible to avoid biases as we are human beings.

All of us have biases, including latent ones. At best, we can mitigate biases, such as using coding software, but never holistically remove bias. As researchers, we just need to be aware of biases and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Tip #10: Be Aware of the Limitations of a Study

The study's limitations section is a pivotal part of a thesis. It highlights the research's shortcomings and indicates what might be done differently.

For instance, a student may mention a 16-week time constraint or contemplate a different research design or question.

This section not only helps students recognize how to enhance their research but also guides future scholars. They can learn from prior omissions or envision alternative research avenues.

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How to write a thesis statement (with examples)

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What exactly is a thesis statement?

What if I told you that one sentence in your essay or thesis could be the difference between a First and a Fail?

It may sound absurd – perhaps even unfair – but it’s true. I refer, of course, to the thesis statement. A thesis statement is your entire essay if it were condensed into a single sentence. If your essay title is a question, then your thesis statement is the one-sentence answer.

It tends to arrive near the end of the first paragraph of a thesis.

Let’s take a look at an example from a Master of Education degree thesis:

Thesis title What constitutes ‘good writing’ for GCSE students of English?

Thesis statement The examination rubric by which GCSE English writing performance is assessed, influenced by a long history of variable ‘tastes’, may now be said to describe ‘good writing’ as that which is grammatically accurate, sophisticated, and suited to purpose, genre and audience.

(The thesis statement would be located in paragraph 1, after a brief overview of the subject).

Why is a thesis statement important?

As I mentioned, the way your thesis statement is written can be the difference between a First and a Fail. But how?

To answer that, let’s think about what ‘thesis’ means. From the Greek thésis, meaning ‘proposition’, your thesis is your main argument.

It is the position you have to support and defend for the remainder of your essay. Without something clear to defend, the fortress you build will crumble and the army you deploy will run about like headless chickens.

In essence: without a clear thesis statement, you don’t have an essay.

“Establishing a clear thesis at the start of your essay is crucial for both you and your examiner. For your examiner, it’s evidence that you have answered the question. For you, it can function as an essay plan.”

For both of you, it’s a litmus test for the quality of the argument: if you can’t fit your essay’s arguments into a sentence, they are too diffuse; and if you can’t stick to your thesis statement’s focus throughout your essay, you are not focused.

A precisely focused and well-grounded essay is more worthy of a First Class grade than one with a scattergun approach.

What should a thesis statement include?

What your thesis statement includes is determined by three things:

1. The subject and topic of the essay. 2. The purpose of the essay. 3. The length of the essay.

Let’s examine each of those in more detail to see how they can help us refine our thesis statement.

The subject and topic of the essay

Look at this real-life title from an undergraduate Sports Science essay:

What are the key differences between training recommendations for maximising muscular strength and maximising muscular hypertrophy?

The first task is, of course, to determine the subject of the essay.

In this example, that would be ‘training recommendations for maximising muscular strength and training recommendations for maximising muscular hypertrophy’.

Knowing that means that I know I will need to deploy my knowledge about those two similar but distinct areas. It also means that I should be using the specialist terminology relevant to the field, such as load, isotonic and volume.

Next, I need to determine the topic.

Here it would be ‘the key differences’ between training recommendations for those two goals. That phrase ‘key differences’ is likely to be at the heart of my thesis statement, to show that I’m on track.

With that in mind, my thesis statement might look like this:

Whilst both training outcomes require resistance training centred upon isotonic contractions, it is likely that the absolute load requirements may need to be higher for strength purposes, whilst the total training volume may need to be higher for hypertrophy purposes.

It is by no means a complete essay, but it states clearly what the ‘short answer’ to the question is, whilst paving the way for the ‘long answer’ to follow.

But what if the essay isn’t just looking for the facts organised into a specific order? What if the essay is asking for analysis? Or an argument?

The purpose of the essay

Different essay purposes require different thesis statements. Fortunately, there are only three main essay purposes, and they’re pretty easy to recognise:

1. The expository essay: This is an essay type that asks for the key facts on a subject to be laid out, with explanations. The Sports Science question above is an example of this. It asks for the WHAT and HOW of something.

2. The analytical essay: This essay type asks you not only to lay out the facts, but also to analyse and deconstruct them to better understand them. It is typical in subjects such as English Literature and Fine Art. It asks for the WHY of something.

3. The argumentative essay: This type of essay asks you to use the facts available, to analyse them for value, and then to provide a point of view about the subject. It moves more quickly through the WHAT, HOW and WHY of a topic through to: WHY DOES IT MATTER?

All of the above essay types need a thesis statement that includes a proposition (a statement which answers the question or addresses the title).

Beyond that, these three essay types all require different additions.

For the expository essay , you need to add an overview of the details of the conclusion. Let’s look at an example:

Expository essay title: What are the key differences between training recommendations for maximising muscular strength and maximising muscular hypertrophy? (BSc in Sports Science)

Expository thesis statement: Whilst both training outcomes require resistance training centred upon isotonic contractions, it is likely that the absolute load requirements may need to be higher for strength purposes, whilst the total training volume may need to be higher for hypertrophy purposes. (The basic conclusion is that both approaches need isotonic resistance training; the details are teased out in bold.)

For the analytical essay , you need to add an overview of the analysis performed. Here’s an example:

Analytical essay title: Why did England and Wales vote to leave the European Union? (BA in Politics)

Analytical thesis statement: A close consideration of the voter demographics, the populist nature of political messages leading up to the referendum, and the history of Britain’s status in the EU, will demonstrate that Brexit was primarily motivated by the machinations of the Right.

(The basic conclusion is that Brexit was influenced by politicians; the analytical approach is in bold.)

For the argumentative essay , you need to add an overview of your reasoning. Another example:

Argumentative essay title: To what extent do you consider the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays to be in question? (BA in English Literature)

Argumentative thesis statement: Shakespeare’s authorship of his plays is beyond question, given both the entirely unconvincing nature of any counter-theories and the relatively unstable conception of the playwright’s identity as it stands. (The basic conclusion is that Shakespeare did write his plays; the reasoning is in bold.)

As you can see from these examples, the purpose of the essay gives a very clear demand for something beyond a simple answer.

But, there’s more!

The length of the essay

The prescribed length of the essay also defines what you need to do with your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement is a microcosm : a miniature, compressed version of your whole essay.

So, it makes sense that the length of the actual essay is going to impact upon the content of the thesis statement.

If, for example, your essay is expected to be 800 words long and on the subject of Eve in the Bible, then it would be overly ambitious for your thesis statement to say: ‘through comprehensive study of the Bible and extant criticism’. For an 800 essay, more precision will be necessary. It would be better for your thesis statement to say: ‘with due awareness of the complexity of the issue, focusing on feminist readings of Genesis .’

“Matching the scope given in your thesis statement to the depth you provide in your essay is a very effective way to ensure precision.”

Contrastingly, if your essay is expected to be 80,000 words long (a PhD thesis, for example), on the subject of stop-motion animation, it would be rather unambitious to suggest that the essay will ‘provide a visual analysis of Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers’, only. For a PhD, we would expect more content to be covered, and multiple approaches to analysis to be considered.

Indeed, matching the scope given in your thesis statement to the depth you provide in your essay is a very effective way to ensure precision.

So, to summarise, how do I write a thesis statement?

It’s a simple, three-part process:

1. Identify the question in the title (or make a question from the statement). 2. Answer that question in as few words as possible. 3. Complete the sentence by providing an overview of the foundation behind your answer.

Easy, right? It can be!

That said, there are plenty of traps that essayists can fall into with this part of the essay. Let’s look at some of these pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Pitalls to Avoid

Pitfall #1: amateurish style.

This is common throughout academic essays written by beginners. It’s not just the thesis statement that falls foul of sounding amateurish. There are plenty of ways this happens, which are beyond the scope of this argument, but the following example is a prime example: In this essay, I will explore the various pieces of evidence before concluding.

This is amateurish for a few reasons. Firstly, it doesn’t actually say anything. You could otherwise word it, ‘I will write an essay which answers the question’ – a rather wasted sentence. The next, and more forgivable issue is the use of the first-person. We want to get a sense that an individual wrote this essay, but we never want to hear them mentioned! Make sense? No? Sorry.

This should instead read more like:

This essay considers evidence from X in light of Y which ultimately reveals Z at the heart of the issue.

(It focuses on the specifics, X, Y, and Z, and is devoid of any mention of its author.)

Pitfall #2: empty phrasing

This is similar to amateurish style. However, empty phrasing is not just amateur-sounding; it’s manipulative-sounding.

Using phrases such as “in order to” instead of, simply, “to” – or “due to the fact that” instead of just “as” – look like attempts to fill up the word count with waffle rather than content. The same goes for phrases that can be substituted for one word: ‘it is evident that’ can (and should) become ‘evidently’.

Watch this thesis statement from a GCSE essay on Music go from hideous to tolerable:

Beethoven was unable to hear his work, due to the fact that he was deaf, so it is evident that he musically conceptualised the notes in order to compose. (Wordy!)

Beethoven was unable to hear his work, as he was deaf, so it is evident that he musically conceptualised the notes to compose. (Slightly less wordy.)

Beethoven’s deafness made him unable to hear his work, so evidently he musically conceptualised the notes to compose. (About as concise as such a complex sentence will get…)

Do not mistake wordiness for sophistication. Your ideas should be sophisticated; your writing should be clear.

Pitfall #3: non-standard grammar

For an examiner, the English language is not just a vehicle for your ideas. It should be, but the academic process always involves the assessment of your expression.

So, to satisfy our examiners’ prescriptive tastes, we need to adhere to the basic tenets of Standard English.

Take a look at the following thesis statement example from an A Level Sociology essay: Considering the status of BAME in Internet culture, the demonstrably racist treatment at the hands of the police, and the energy behind the BLM protests, concluding that there is hope for the future.

This sentence has no finite main verb, so it is technically not a sentence. To become a grammatical sentence, we would need to make ‘concluding’ finite: ‘it can be concluded’, or ‘we conclude’.

The writer got lost in this example because the sentence was so long!

Long sentences can also lead to a failure to make subject and verb agree, like in the next thesis statement example from a school Geography essay:

The most populous municipalities of Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Zaragoza, does not rank in the top ten most dense populations of the country, with the exception of Barcelona.

Because the subject ‘municipalities’ is separated from the verb ‘does’ by eight words, it is easy to forget that they do not agree. It should, of course, be ‘do, not ‘does’.

Final words

The thesis statement, as I said at the start, can be the difference between a First and a Fail. So, take your time with it.

Write it carefully.

Then redraft and refine it several times, until it’s as good as you can make it.

The payoff is a slick, coherent thesis statement that paves the way to a great essay that really impresses your examiner.

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Thesis Statement

In writing a master’s thesis, you will need a topic and a thesis statement. The thesis statement is the crucial roadmap to form the rest of the paper that tells the reader the core “so what of the paper.” For example, “While there is a general consensus about differences in emotional intelligence among the sexes, those differences tend to be less as individuals get older.”

This thesis statement has several characteristics. This statement tells the reader what we are studying: emotional intelligence, sex differences, and age differences. The thesis statement tells the reader that the rest of the thesis will discuss and examine these constructs. The statement is arguable, where not everyone may agree with the statement, thus making it interesting. Additionally, the reader may ask themselves at what ages the difference change or why age influences the changes in emotional intelligence.

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To create a thesis statement, identify the precise constructs you want to examine, then clearly state the relationship among them.

Where to go for help. The online writing lab at Purdue University have some great resources for writing at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/ as well as some great examples. If you don’t find what you need there, please call us for a complementary consultation.

Thesis Topic In writing a master’s thesis, you will need a thesis topic and a thesis statement. The thesis topic, in addition to the thesis statement, answers the overarching question of what you’re doing in the paper. The thesis topic must state the constructs and variables of interest. For example, if my topic includes the constructs of emotional intelligence, sexes, and age, I need to delineate these for the reader. If I study emotional intelligence, I might be referring to EI as perceiving emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions, or I might be operationalizing emotional intelligence as self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation. When your studying sexes, specify if you’re referring to biological sexes, or do you mean self-identified gender, and so forth.

The point is that your thesis topic needs to clearly tell the reader what you will be studying, and how you will operationalize or measure the constructs.

Thesis Consulting Conducting the research to write a thesis is a novel task for graduate students. The good news is that the rigor to write a thesis has a much lower bar than writing a dissertation. So what is the task at hand? Essentially, look at previous research and add a twist to it. In my thesis for example, I wondered if the type and intensity of an emotional experience was a function of the outcome’s valence (positive or negative) and the pattern of causal attributions about the cause of that outcome. While I was not the first to identify the attributions of internal/external locus of control, stability, personal control—this was the work of Dr. Weiner at UCLA—I was able to ask a slightly different question.

Even with a body of work in front of you, the literature review, methodology and research design, analysis of the results and discussion chapter can be challenging.

Descriptive statistics Conducting descriptive statistics—means, standard deviations, min and max, frequencies and percentages—is a crucial step in preparing to do quantitative analyses. Descriptives are important both as a preliminary step to the analyses and as providing the extent to which the results can be generalized. Data is messy, but your results don’t have to be, and conducting descriptive statistics will facilitate clean results. Very often data is either missing, inaccurately recorded, or there are outliers, all of which make it messy. When the statistics researcher goes to analyze the data with that messy data the picture gets worse because that one variable that ranges from 1-7 has a 117 as a score, throwing off your analysis. Having examined the max and seen the value of 117 would have had you correct it and had more accurate results.

Descriptive statistics also help the researcher speak to the limits of who the results can be generalized to. For example, knowing that 100% of the participants were male would imply that they can not necessarily generalize to females.

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Criminal Justice Guide for Graduate Students: Write a Thesis

  • Introduction
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  • Evaluate Sources
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  • Write a Literature Review
  • Write a Reflective Essay
  • Use APA Style
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  • Sage Research Methods SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. SAGE Research Methods links over 175,000 pages of SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since SAGE Research Methods focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and more. Subject coverage includes sociology, health, criminology, education, anthropology, psychology, business, political science, history, economics, among others.

Research Methods Books for Criminal Justice

graduate level thesis statement examples

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The UNT College of Education, Office of Research Consulting supports faculty and graduate students' research and statistical needs. The office serves faculty, doctoral and master students in support of advanced coursework and independent research such as theses and dissertations and preparation for professional publication. You can submit a request for assistance on their website:  https://coe.unt.edu/research/research-consulting 

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The UNT Writing Center offers services just for graduate students. Graduate students needing help with course papers, publications, a thesis, or a dissertation may contact graduate tutors at  [email protected]  to set up an appointment. Graduate tutors do more than merely proofread; they teach strategies and techniques to improve writing for the long term. 

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IMAGES

  1. Mastering the Thesis Statement: Examples and Tips for Academic Success

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  2. 36 Examples of Strong Thesis Statement

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  3. How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper: Steps and

    graduate level thesis statement examples

  4. 36 Examples of Strong Thesis Statement

    graduate level thesis statement examples

  5. 45 Perfect Thesis Statement Templates (+ Examples) ᐅ TemplateLab

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  6. 45 Perfect Thesis Statement Templates (+ Examples) ᐅ TemplateLab

    graduate level thesis statement examples

VIDEO

  1. Introduction to thesis writing for Journalism Studies

  2. What is thesis statement and example?

  3. How to write a thesis statement

  4. Lecture # 1| English Essay writing (Basics+Thesis Statement) #css #upsc #englishessaywriting

  5. How to write thesis statement in english essay

  6. What is THESIS STATEMENT? Definition with Examples. Urdu / Hindi

COMMENTS

  1. Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips

    If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader. 2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

  2. 25 Thesis Statement Examples

    Strong Thesis Statement Examples. 1. School Uniforms. "Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.". Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate. Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons.

  3. How to Write a Thesis Statement

    Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education.

  4. Postgraduate Thesis Statement

    Postgraduate Thesis Statement Examples for Environmental Law. Environmental law at the postgraduate level delves into the legal aspects of environmental protection and sustainable development. These thesis statements emphasize the regulatory, ethical, and global dimensions of laws formulated to protect our planet.

  5. 25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

    What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute. An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic. Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's ...

  6. How to write a thesis statement + Examples

    It is a brief statement of your paper's main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about. Organize your papers in one place. Try Paperpile. No credit card needed. Get 30 days free. You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the ...

  7. 15 Thesis Statement Examples for Research Papers to Inspire You

    If these topics and thesis statement examples for research papers don't do it for you, don't worry. There's still hope. The following posts contain a combined total of 167 thesis statements. While most of the thesis statements are for papers other than research papers, you can use the topics and thesis statements for ideas.

  8. What Is a Thesis?

    Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.

  9. How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

    Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing. Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and ...

  10. Academic Guides: Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

    Writing a Paper. Thesis Statements. Print Page Report a broken link. Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences. Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the ...

  11. How to Write a Thesis Statement

    How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One 1. A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand. Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

  12. PDF Write a strong thesis statement!

    Example thesis statement: Shaped by religious tradition and belief the supremacy of Western culture, 20th century United States foreign policy has reinforced racism against the Middle East. • Argumentative Makes a claim about a topic and defends this claim Example thesis statement: High school graduates should be required to

  13. Thesis Statements

    A thesis statement f or a 5 paragraph essay conta ins three parts: 1. A Topic: the main idea of the essay. 2. The Controlling Idea: what you want to say about the topic. 3. The subtopics: usually 3 examples/reasons you will discuss in your paper . Here is an example of a thesis statement.

  14. Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples

    Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples. Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on July 18, 2023. It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation.One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer's block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.

  15. Developing Strong Thesis Statements

    This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

  16. 3. Draft your thesis statement

    How to write a graduate-level essay. Step-by-step guidance and resources for planning, researching, and writing essays as a graduate student. ... For example, if my thesis statement is that Royal Roads University is unique amongst post-secondary institutions on Vancouver Island because of its history, diversity of wildlife, Hatley Park, and ...

  17. 15 Thesis Statement Examples to Inspire Your Next Argumentative ...

    Schools should start at a later time of day. Inspired by this sample essay about school start times. Beginning the school day at a later time would stabilize students' sleep patterns, improve students' moods, and increase students' academic success. #15. Schools should distribute birth control to teens.

  18. How to Write a Thesis: A Guide for Master's Students

    Typically, these students must write a thesis statement that consists of at least one compelling sentence and at least 50 pages of content, then turn it in within 16 weeks. I have taught graduate students, primarily from the U.S. Intelligence Community, how to conduct research for over eight years.

  19. How to write a thesis statement (with examples)

    What your thesis statement includes is determined by three things: 1. The subject and topic of the essay. 2. The purpose of the essay. 3. The length of the essay. Let's examine each of those in more detail to see how they can help us refine our thesis statement.

  20. Thesis or Dissertation Templates and Examples

    Thesis and Dissertation Office Graduate School Williston Hall 100 Phone: 815-753-9409 Fax: 815-753-6366 [email protected] Office Hours By appointment only Teams and in-person available Email [email protected] for an appointment or other assistance

  21. Thesis Statement Examples

    Master the art of creating a thesis statement! Compare good and poor thesis statement examples to find out just what a strong thesis statement should be.

  22. Thesis Statement

    In writing a master's thesis, you will need a topic and a thesis statement. The thesis statement is the crucial roadmap to form the rest of the paper that tells the reader the core "so what of the paper.". For example, "While there is a general consensus about differences in emotional intelligence among the sexes, those differences tend ...

  23. Criminal Justice Guide for Graduate Students: Write a Thesis

    Thesis Books. A Thesis Resource Guide for Criminology and Criminal Justice by Marilyn D. McShane; Frank P. Williams. Call Number: HV6024.5 .M37 2008. ISBN: 0132368951. Publication Date: 2019. This handbook is a comprehensive guide to developing and writing graduate level research. It takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the entire ...