Formulating a proper thesis statement in an argumentative essay significantly strengthens your argument on a subject. Argumentation must be well-guided. While writing an argumentative essay, the thesis statement must explain your position on the issue.
This blog focuses on a thesis statement, how to develop one, examples of a thesis statement, and adding value to your writing. After reading this blog, you will understand how to get a good thesis statement for an argumentative essay.
What is a Thesis Statement for an Argumentative Essay?
An argumentative essay thesis statement refers to the overall purpose of the given essay. It is a brief statement of the author’s major theory. It should generally be included at the end of the introduction, emphasizing exactly what your essay is all about. A strong thesis statement should:
- Provide recommendations that support the topic at hand.
- Provide a roadmap for your arguments.
- Be specific and focused.
Read related blog: How to Write the Best Argumentative Essay?
Importance of a Strong Thesis Statement
A strong thesis statement serves several important functions in an argumentative essay:
- It assists the reader in grasping the author’s main concern and conclusion of the essay.
- The thesis statement makes your work easy because it offers a framework to arrange your arguments reasonably.
- It usually gives the reader an indication of what to expect from the essay and what is likely to be covered in it.
Thesis for an Argumentative Essay Example
Knowing how to write a thesis statement for an argumentative essay is easier when you have some examples. Let’s consider a topic related to environmental policies:
- Example Topic: The effectiveness of single-use plastic bans.
- Example Thesis Statement: The exclusion of single-use plastics is crucial to fighting environmental pollution. It limits the use of plastic products in the sea, supports the utilization of environmentally friendly materials, and improves consumers’ awareness.
In the example above, the thesis statement is what the paper is trying to prove. It expects the considerations and arguments made in the structure and completes the requirements of an argumentative essay thesis statement.
Breaking Down the Example
To better understand why this is a strong thesis statement for an argumentative essay, let’s break it down:
- Clear Position: The writers align quite explicitly with the proposition that banning single-use plastics is necessary.
- Specificity: The statement on why single-use plastics should be banned is very clear, as discussed below.
- Roadmap: They will mention the key concerns covered in the given type of academic paper. The problems relate to minimizing plastic consumption and increasing the use of eco-friendly materials.
Step-by-Step Guide To write Thesis Statement for an Argumentative Essay
Making a strong thesis statement for an argumentative essay includes various steps:
Understand the Topic
It should be noted that a thesis statement should always follow a clear understanding of the subject being written on and the author’s stance. Get some facts and information in support of your position. Explaining yourself with the topic ensures that you develop a thesis statement that is informed and one that carries a lot of arguments.
Research Tips
- Ensure you get information from reliable sources, such as journal articles, printed books, and recognized websites.
- Find out what people are arguing about over that topic and the most crucial matters of contention.
- Document all the facts you obtained during your research, including the sources. This process will prove useful when you begin writing your essay and want to include citations.
Take a Clear Position
Your thesis statement for an argumentative essay should not simply announce the topic but state the main argument in a specific way. Also, always stay clear of strong terms and ensure your site is arguable.
Examples of Clear Positions
- Weak Position: However, stating, ‘There is plastic pollution,’ will only make sense to some readers.
- Strong Position: Governments should completely remove single-use plastics to address plastic pollution effectively.
The weak position is not defined and does not clearly state its position. At the same time, the strong position strongly states the stand and gives a clear call to action.
Outline Your Main Points
List at least three points that prove your opinion. This outline will help you to plan your argumentative essay and keep you on track. Every large part should mirror the guidelines of your thesis statement and be verified by research findings.
Creating an Outline
- Introduction: The introduction presents your topic and thesis statement.
- Body Paragraphs: Generally, you should state only one idea in each body paragraph. Begin an argument paragraph with a topic sentence that states what the rest of the paragraph will say, along with support and analysis.
- Conclusion: Again, present your major ideas and redevelop the thesis statement.
Be Specific
A good thesis statement expresses a clear argument and is limited. Do not generalize for which you cannot provide essential and solid proof.
Examples of Specificity
- Broad Statement: Thus, considering technological developments, educational systems are impacted.
- Specific Statement: Thus, integrating digital textbooks into high school teaching and learning improves students’ understanding due to the opportunities for interactivity, decreased price, and availability.
This is useful since the specific statement has a rational perspective, offers clear reasons, and sets the ground for complex arguments.
Revise and Refine
The last word is where your paper on an argumentative essay that revolves around the thesis statement gets started. You should revise it thoroughly. Remember, it reflects your stand and the significant issues you want to convey to your readers. Revision of the thesis statement helps in enhancing the argument because it involves the appearance of clearer ideas.
Revision Tips
- Share your thesis statement with your teacher, and then make any adjustments based on the feedback you get.
- One technique for checking the thesis statement in its final form is to read it out loud.
- Review your developed thesis statement using the characteristics of good thesis statements.
Read related blog: How to write a law essay
Argumentative Thesis Statement Ideas
The most crucial difficulty starts with the selection of the topic. Here are some ideas of the argumentative thesis statement:
Education
- Standardized testing detects the education system by exercising its so-called standard assessment. It categorizes in conditions of performance rather than content and skills.
- About School Uniforms: School uniforms should be worn in public schools to promote equality and self-esteem and to stop bullying.
Technology
- Shockingly, more teenagers suffer from mental health problems due to effects such as cyberbullying and the beauty standards set on social media.
- AI must be reeled in to avoid making ethical choices while protecting human occupations.
Environment
- Currently, the government must enhance laws about CO2 emissions to stop global warming and the degradation of the environment in future generations.
- It is a strongly adapted statement in the sense of effectively and efficiently creating renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels and influencing global climate change.
Health
- Vaccination should be mandatory to protect people from infectious diseases and prevent further increases.
- People should learn from the case, force the government to succeed, and place certain measures on the fast-food industry to decrease obesity.
Social Issues
- The criminal justice system requires change to target and remove inequality in society based on ethnic background.
- The media should take the blame for showing the wrong models that delay the development of the young, healthy body image.
Argumentative Essay Thesis Examples AP Lang
Coming up with the best statement that is dominant is quite important for AP Language and Composition students. Here are some examples:
Social Issues
- This paper argues that fast fashion destroys environmental and labor rights. It requires customers’ awareness and social policies.
- Mandatory minimum sentences applied in the criminal justice system do not address the problem of crime and are opposed to minority populations.
Government and Politics
- Calls for campaign finance reform are being made because some political candidates sell their votes to the highest bidder. These actions influence the political process and debase the democracy of all citizens.
- Any immigration laws must have humane aspects. There should be a clear provision for people who come to the country without papers.
Education
- Online learning provides flexible education delivery, but it deepens the issue of digital inclusion or the lack of equal access to computing technology.
- The importance of combining art in the school curriculum grips the following benefits: creativity and critical thinking skills among students.
Health and Science
- Significantly a lot of Internet users expressed fearful and highly volatile reactions to those informed campaigns that the anti-vaccines threaten public health.
- Biotechnology is one strategic tool that could offer solutions to food security questions. At the same time, it raises ethical questions that can only be tackled through management.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
When writing your thesis statement, Avoid of the following pitfalls:
Being Too Elusive
One major flaw of an elusive thesis statement is that it gives direction to undefined writing. Make sure you are as elusive as possible about the exact point you are trying to make.
Lacking a Clear Position
Your paper’s thesis statement should effectively cut across the middle and explain your side of the story. Also, do not try to boil things down to black-and-white extremes.
Overcomplicating the Statement
Ensure that your thesis statement is simple. DO NOT use big words and make it too scholarly; “plain English” is preferred.
Tips for the Formulation of a Good Thesis Statement
Below are some helpful tips for setting up an effective thesis statement.
Start with a Question
For this reason, it is sometimes difficult to formulate a thesis by beginning with the question.
Be Assertive
A thesis statement must be clear and not delay or protect its expression. Avoid using weak words that diminish the authority of the standpoint being taken.
Address Counterarguments
Be sure to include opposition to your view in your thesis statement to defeat them later. This counterargument displays that you have thought about various viewpoints, clears your argument, and enhances your view.
Final Words
This blog has highlighted guidelines to follow and mistakes to avoid while drafting a thesis statement to improve the clarity and arguments of an argumentative essay. We hope these words will assist you well to to get your writing goal. However if you need help regarding essay writing, don’t skip to contact us to get the best. Happy writing!