Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences - Tutorial 26 - Learn writing thesis statements and topic sentences

Sep 22, 2026

Tutorial #26 explains how thesis statements and topic sentences function as the controlling idea and organizing core of an academic essay. It defines what a thesis statement is, why it matters, and how a writer develops one through questioning, exploration, reading, and drafting. It also describes the thesis as a contract between writer and reader, showing how it guides focus, predicts direction, and unifies topic sentences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPaper Templates

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time7 min

AccessFree to download

Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

What is a thesis statement good for?

How do I develop a thesis statement?

Thesis as a strategy for the writer and reader

Topic Sentences

Essay and Paragraph Development Tutorial: Tutorial \#26: Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences Creating Thesis Statements Creating Topic Sentences Writing Center English 800 Center All notes and exercises can be done on separate sheets of paper, which you should bring to your conference with an instructor in the center . As you work through the tutorial, make sure to see an instructional aide at the front desk in the Writing Center or English 800 Center if you have any questions or difficulties . I. Thesis Statements WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT? The main point or controlling idea of any essay is its thesis. It is an arguable assertion—your opinion or position—on your topic and is, without question, the most important sentence in an academic essay. Having a thesis is useful to both the writer and the reader since its primary function is to organize, predict, control, and define the entire paper. In many cases, a thesis sentence will not only outline the essay’s main point, but also predict and control the direction that the paper is going to take. The thesis thus serves as a contract between the reader and the writer because it promises both the central purpose of the essay and the structure of the paper as well. It gives the essay a sense of unity and helps keep the writer focused while writing. Generally located at the end of the introduction, the thesis is usually only one or two sentences (although in a longer paper the thesis may be stated in several sentences) . WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT GOOD FOR? A good thesis statement ~~ ~~ is more than a statement of fact and makes an arguable assertion about a topic; it states the position a writer has reached about the topic and is usually at the end of the introduction ~~ ~~ is a complete sentence that expresses an opinion or an idea about a topic that can be supported or more fully developed in the body of the essay ~~ ~~ summarizes the whole essay in one sentence and promises or reflects the essay’s main purpose or “so what” ~~ ~~ provides the structure or unifying framework for the scope, focus, and direction of the essay ~~ ~~ predicts, controls, and obligates and serves as a contract between the reader and the writer ~~ ~~ limits the topic to be narrow enough to make it manageable so it can be fully supported but not too broad for the scope of an essay HOW DO I DEVELOP A THESIS STATEMENT? While the topic is what the paper is about, the thesis defines your opinion or position on that particular topic. For this reason, it is important to develop a tentative or working thesis statement early in composing your essay because it will help guide your thoughts and possible research. When you have decided on your essay’s topic, you can begin to develop your thesis by examining your topic, perhaps doing some exploratory reading and writing, or reflecting and pulling from class discussions or conversations with classmates and friends. A writer develops a thesis by asking questions about the topic and by focusing on a basic point or question which the topic raises. The answer to such a question will be your thesis: what you think about a specific topic. The topic is your question, and the thesis your answer to that question. For this reason, as you write your paper, your thesis statement may change. In fact, in its initial stages, a thesis statement usually is rough and works only as a tentative planning tool. Writing promotes thinking. As you write, you will discover precisely what you think about the topic, and your thesis will probably change. As you continue writing, a more specific, complex, and final thesis will emerge as you narrow your focus. Remember that writing is rewriting, a continual process that takes many revisions. As you write and do more research, you might even notice that you have lost your original thesis as you find evidence that does not support your thesis. This is absolutely normal since as you write you often reach d

FAQs

What is a thesis statement in an academic essay?

It is the main point or controlling idea of the essay: an arguable assertion expressing the writer’s opinion or position.

What makes a thesis statement “good”?

A good thesis makes an arguable claim, is a complete supported sentence, summarizes the essay’s purpose, provides a unifying structure, predicts direction, and limits the topic to a manageable scope.

How can a writer develop or revise a thesis statement?

Start with a tentative working thesis early, explore the topic through reading and writing, and revise as thinking deepens; thesis statements often change during drafting and research.

Sep 22, 2026

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