{"id":2186,"date":"2018-06-25T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T00:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=2186"},"modified":"2018-11-15T10:27:44","modified_gmt":"2018-11-15T18:27:44","slug":"thesis-statement-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/thesis-statement-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Thesis Statement Examples to Inspire Your Next Argumentative Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever watched a great film trailer and thought, \u201cI have to see that movie!\u201d? A good trailer gives you the basic premise of the movie<\/a>, shows you the highlights, and encourages you to want to see more.<\/p>\n

A good thesis statement<\/a> will accomplish the same thing. It gives readers<\/a> an idea of the most important points of an essay, shows the highlights, and makes them want to read more.<\/p>\n

It will also help keep you, the writer, from getting lost in a convoluted and directionless argument.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, a good thesis statement makes a statement. After all, it\u2019s called a thesis statement<\/i><\/b> for a reason!<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an interesting statement!\u201d you want your reader to think. \u201cLet\u2019s see if this author can convince me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This blog post will dissect the components of a good thesis statement and give you 15 thesis statement examples that you can use to inspire your next argumentative essay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Thesis Statement Dissected<\/b><\/h2>\n

Before I give you a blanket list of thesis statement examples, let\u2019s run through what makes for a good<\/i> thesis statement. I\u2019ve distilled it down to four main components.<\/p>\n

1. A good argumentative thesis is focused and not too broad.<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s important to stay focused! Don\u2019t try to argue an overly broad topic in your essay, or you\u2019re going to feel confused and unsure about your direction and purpose.<\/p>\n

“Eating fast food is bad and should be avoided.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This statement is too general and would be nearly impossible for you to defend. It leaves a lot of big questions to answer. Is all fast food bad? Why is it bad? Who should avoid it? Why should anyone care?<\/p>\n

“Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because a fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In this example, I\u2019ve narrowed my argument<\/a> to the health consequences related to a diet of fast food<\/a>. I\u2019ve also chosen to focus on Americans rather than everyone in the universe.<\/p>\n

2. A good argumentative thesis is centered on a debatable<\/i> topic.<\/h3>\n

Back in the \u201880s, teens loved to say \u201cthat\u2019s debatable<\/i>\u201d about claims they didn\u2019t agree with (such as “you should clean your room\u201d<\/em> and “you shouldn\u2019t go to that movie\u201d<\/em>).<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t write:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“There are high numbers of homeless people living in Berkeley, California.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

No one can argue for or<\/i> against this statement. It\u2019s not debatable. It\u2019s just a fact.<\/p>\n

An argument over this non-debatable statement would go something like this:<\/p>\n

“There are lots of homeless people in Berkeley.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

“Yes, there sure are a bunch of them out there.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

“Yup.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As you can see, that\u2019s not much of an argument.<\/p>\n

“Homeless people in Berkeley should be given access to services\u2014such as regular food donations, public restrooms, and camping facilities\u2014because it would improve life for all inhabitants of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Now that\u2019s<\/i> debatable<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Opponents could also easily argue that homeless people in Berkeley already receive adequate services (\u201cjust look at all those luxurious sidewalks!\u201d<\/i>) or perhaps that they shouldn\u2019t be entitled to services at all (\u201cget a job, ya lazy loafers!\u201d<\/i>).<\/p>\n

Interested in picking up a few more tips about debating issues and perfecting the art of persuasion? Read How to Write a Persuasive Essay That\u2019s Convincing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. A good argumentative thesis picks a side.<\/h3>\n
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Picking a side is pretty much the whole entire point of an argumentative essay.<\/a><\/div>\n

Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

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Picking a side is pretty much the whole entire point of an argumentative essay. Just as you can\u2019t root for both the Yankees and the Mets, you can\u2019t argue both sides of a topic in your thesis statement.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the importance of picking sides by reading the post The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Secondhand smoke is bad and can cause heart disease and cancer; therefore, smoking should be outlawed in public places, but outlawing smoking is unfair to smokers so maybe non-smokers can just hold their breath or wear masks around smokers instead.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A wishy-washy statement like this will make your reader scratch his head in puzzlement. Are you for smoking laws or against them? Yankees or Mets? Mets or Yankees?<\/p>\n

Pick a side<\/a>, and stick with it!<\/p>\n

Then stick up for it.<\/p>\n

“Secondhand smoke is just as harmful as smoking and leads to a higher prevalence of cancer and heart disease; therefore, smoking in any public place should be banned.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n
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Pick a side, and stick with it! Then stick up for it.<\/a><\/div>\n

Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

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4. A good thesis makes claims that will be supported later in the paper.<\/h3>\n

As I explained in the post How to Create a Powerful Argumentative Essay Outline<\/a>, your claims<\/a> make up a critical part of building the roadmap to your argument.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to first include a summary of your claims in your thesis statement. During the course of your essay, you will back each of your claims<\/a> with well-researched evidence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHumans should relocate to Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This statement doesn\u2019t include any supporting claims. Why should humans move to Mars? What are the benefits of moving to a planet without oxygen or trees?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is too late to save earth; therefore, humans should immediately set a date for their relocation to Mars, where they can, with proper planning, avoid issues of famine, war, and global warming.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This statement includes some thought-provoking claims. The reader will wonder how the author plans to defend them. (\u201cFamine, war, and global warming can be easily avoided on Mars? Go on\u2026\u201d)<\/i><\/p>\n

Looking for even more help understanding the key components of a strong thesis statement? Check out these posts:<\/p>\n