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What is a claim?
A claim is a statement that presents an idea or series of ideas as arguments. Arguments therefore consist of claims, or another way to put it is, to say that claims are the building blocks of a good argument.
In research writing, claims will be the backbone that form a thesis or a hypothesis (here the term ‘hypothesis’ refers to the argument that is evidenced within the scope of the work).
According to Heady (2013) “Claims are the points you want to prove, interpretations you want to offer, and assertions you want to make” (p. 74). Importantly, in academia claims are statements that can be supported by evidence.
‘Traditional classroom teaching is boring’
For example, claiming that traditional classroom teaching is boring is not a good claim because it lacks definition (what does ‘traditional classroom teaching’ actually mean? and how do we measure ‘boring’)? It may also be a ‘sweeping statement’ (meaning it’s far too general in scope). However, claiming that “traditional teaching methods, like didactic instruction, do not provide sufficient interaction with students and lead to poor learning outcomes” is a good argumentative claim, because it can be investigated and measured.
Characteristics of a good claim
In order to make effective claims it is important to understand the difference between statements and sentences. While a statement is also a sentence (in that it is a grammatical unit with subject, verb, object clause), not all sentences are statements (in other words, not all sentences consist of a stance or a position).
The following provides examples of the difference between sentences and statements. The statements present a stance or position about the topic under discussion. This is important to understand as all claims must consist of a stance towards the topic.
Function of claims
The function of claims in academic writing is to provoke, analyse, or interpret rather than merely describe or present facts. They can do this by affirming, acknowledging, confirming, or refuting the proposition being made. In this way, claims do the job of building an overall argument or thesis in a piece of work (i.e. each claim progresses the key argument). It is for this reason that claims will appear in topic sentences, thesis statements, introductory and concluding sentences/paragraphs.
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Definition of thesis
Did you know.
In high school, college, or graduate school, students often have to write a thesis on a topic in their major field of study. In many fields, a final thesis is the biggest challenge involved in getting a master's degree, and the same is true for students studying for a Ph.D. (a Ph.D. thesis is often called a dissertation ). But a thesis may also be an idea; so in the course of the paper the student may put forth several theses (notice the plural form) and attempt to prove them.
Examples of thesis in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thesis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
in sense 3, Middle English, lowering of the voice, from Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, from Greek, downbeat, more important part of a foot, literally, act of laying down; in other senses, Latin, from Greek, literally, act of laying down, from tithenai to put, lay down — more at do
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a(1)
Dictionary Entries Near thesis
the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children
thesis novel
Cite this Entry
“Thesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thesis. Accessed 9 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
Kids definition of thesis, more from merriam-webster on thesis.
Nglish: Translation of thesis for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of thesis for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thesis
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Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence
Thesis statements, claims, and evidence, introduction.
The three important parts of an argumentative essay are:
- A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with. Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct.
- Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement, are not facts. Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence.
- Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true. Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas. The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports.
Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence.
Paragraphs 1-7
Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” It is a thesis statement for three reasons:
- It is the article’s main argument.
- It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education.
- It requires evidence to show that it is true.
Finding Claims. A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement. Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence.
You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”
Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree. For this reason, a claim needs support.
- Question 1. Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence.
Finding Evidence.
Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question. Reread paragraphs 5-7.
- Question 2. Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?
Paragraphs 8-10
Finding Claims
Paragraph 8 makes two claims:
- “The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.”
- “The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.”
Finding Evidence
Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence:
- “The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.”
- “Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.”
Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)?
Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?
Paragraphs 11-13
Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that:
- “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement)
- “More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim)
Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story.
Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one?
Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)?
Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence? Does it persuade you to agree with him?
Paragraphs 14-16
Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14. Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16. If you can’t find any evidence, write “none.”
Claim: The more education a person has, the higher their income.
Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.
Paragraphs 17-19
Evaluating Evidence
In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs.
Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far? Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer.
Paragraphs 20-23
Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.”
To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist. One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people.
What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants?
Paragraphs 24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms)
In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions. To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application.
What statistic does he include?
In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid.
What do you think about this assumption? Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions?
Supporting English Language Learners in First-Year College Composition Copyright © by Breana Bayraktar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Thesis Statements
What this handout is about.
This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.
Introduction
Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.
What is a thesis statement?
A thesis statement:
- tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
- is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
- directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
- makes a claim that others might dispute.
- is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)
How do I create a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.
Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .
How do I know if my thesis is strong?
If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :
- Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
- Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.
Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:
Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.
You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.
- Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?
After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:
Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.
This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.
Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:
Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.
You begin to analyze your thesis:
- Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.
Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.
- Do I answer the question? Yes!
- Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
- Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
- Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
- Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”
After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.
This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.
Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.
Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.
Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.
a subject for a composition or essay.
a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.
Music . the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. : Compare arsis (def. 1) .
a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.
(less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. : Compare arsis (def. 2) .
Philosophy . See under Hegelian dialectic .
Origin of thesis
Word story for thesis, other words for thesis, words that may be confused with thesis.
- 1. antithesis , synthesis , thesis
- 2. dissertation , thesis
Words Nearby thesis
- shit will hit the fan, the
- shoe is on the other foot, the
- short end of the stick, the
- The show must go on
- thesis play
- thesis statement
- Sketch Book, The
- Skin of Our Teeth, The
- sky's the limit, the
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use thesis in a sentence
“The Saudis have been proving the thesis of the film — they do in fact have an army,” said Thor Halvorssen, founder and chief executive of the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation, which funded the movie.
It’s a hypothesis that Bush pursued in her master’s thesis , and last year she began attending virtual Goth parties in a final round of field work before defending her doctoral thesis later this year.
While this partnership was planned prior to the coronavirus outbreak, co-founder Jordana Kier said the pandemic instantly proved out the expansion thesis .
They’ve had to defend that thesis for a very, very long time in front of a variety of different customers and different people.
Over the past decade, In-Q-Tel has been one of the most active investors in the commercial space sector, with a broad investment thesis that touches many aspects of the sector.
In “Back Home,” Gil also revisits the nostalgia for the South explored in his Johns Hopkins thesis , “Circle of Stone.”
At least father and son were in alignment on this central thesis : acting “gay”—bad; being thought of as gay—bad.
Her doctoral thesis , says Ramin Takloo at the University of Illinois, was simply outstanding.
Marshall McLuhan long ago argued the now accepted thesis that different mediums have different influences on thinking.
He wrote his Master's thesis on the underrepresentation of young people in Congress.
And indeed for most young men a college thesis is but an exercise for sharpening the wits, rarely dangerous in its later effects.
It will be for the reader to determine whether the main thesis of the book has gained or lost by the new evidence.
But the word thesis , when applied to Systems, does not mean the 'position' of single notes, but of groups of notes.
This conclusion, it need hardly be said, is in entire agreement with the main thesis of the preceding pages.
Sundry outlying Indians, with ammunition to waste, took belly and knee rests and strengthened the thesis to the contrary.
British Dictionary definitions for thesis
/ ( ˈθiːsɪs ) /
a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma
a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument
a subject for a discussion or essay
an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument
music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting
(in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus : Compare arsis
philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for thesis
The central idea in a piece of writing, sometimes contained in a topic sentence .
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
A claim is a type of argumentative thesis – we usually call it a claim when it is being used in a persuasive essay. Claims need to be defended by you with logical, persuasive reasoning. Claims can also be challenged.
The most common types of claims are
- claims of policy (we must do something!),
- claims of value (this is good! or this is bad!),
- claims of definition (this is what it is)
- claims of cause/effect (X has caused Y or X will cause Y)
A Guide to Rhetoric, Genre, and Success in First-Year Writing by Melanie Gagich & Emilie Zickel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Developing a Thesis Statement
Many papers you write require developing a thesis statement. In this section you’ll learn what a thesis statement is and how to write one.
Keep in mind that not all papers require thesis statements . If in doubt, please consult your instructor for assistance.
What is a thesis statement?
A thesis statement . . .
- Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic.
- Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper.
- Is focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper.
- Is generally located near the end of the introduction ; sometimes, in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or in an entire paragraph.
- Identifies the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are using to support your argument.
Not all papers require thesis statements! Ask your instructor if you’re in doubt whether you need one.
Identify a topic
Your topic is the subject about which you will write. Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic; or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper.
Consider what your assignment asks you to do
Inform yourself about your topic, focus on one aspect of your topic, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts, generate a topic from an assignment.
Below are some possible topics based on sample assignments.
Sample assignment 1
Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II.
Identified topic
Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis
This topic avoids generalities such as “Spain” and “World War II,” addressing instead on Franco’s role (a specific aspect of “Spain”) and the diplomatic relations between the Allies and Axis (a specific aspect of World War II).
Sample assignment 2
Analyze one of Homer’s epic similes in the Iliad.
The relationship between the portrayal of warfare and the epic simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64.
This topic focuses on a single simile and relates it to a single aspect of the Iliad ( warfare being a major theme in that work).
Developing a Thesis Statement–Additional information
Your assignment may suggest several ways of looking at a topic, or it may name a fairly general concept that you will explore or analyze in your paper. You’ll want to read your assignment carefully, looking for key terms that you can use to focus your topic.
Sample assignment: Analyze Spain’s neutrality in World War II Key terms: analyze, Spain’s neutrality, World War II
After you’ve identified the key words in your topic, the next step is to read about them in several sources, or generate as much information as possible through an analysis of your topic. Obviously, the more material or knowledge you have, the more possibilities will be available for a strong argument. For the sample assignment above, you’ll want to look at books and articles on World War II in general, and Spain’s neutrality in particular.
As you consider your options, you must decide to focus on one aspect of your topic. This means that you cannot include everything you’ve learned about your topic, nor should you go off in several directions. If you end up covering too many different aspects of a topic, your paper will sprawl and be unconvincing in its argument, and it most likely will not fulfull the assignment requirements.
For the sample assignment above, both Spain’s neutrality and World War II are topics far too broad to explore in a paper. You may instead decide to focus on Franco’s role in the diplomatic relationships between the Allies and the Axis , which narrows down what aspects of Spain’s neutrality and World War II you want to discuss, as well as establishes a specific link between those two aspects.
Before you go too far, however, ask yourself whether your topic is worthy of your efforts. Try to avoid topics that already have too much written about them (i.e., “eating disorders and body image among adolescent women”) or that simply are not important (i.e. “why I like ice cream”). These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic.
As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times . Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.
Derive a main point from topic
Once you have a topic, you will have to decide what the main point of your paper will be. This point, the “controlling idea,” becomes the core of your argument (thesis statement) and it is the unifying idea to which you will relate all your sub-theses. You can then turn this “controlling idea” into a purpose statement about what you intend to do in your paper.
Look for patterns in your evidence
Compose a purpose statement.
Consult the examples below for suggestions on how to look for patterns in your evidence and construct a purpose statement.
- Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis
- Franco turned to the Allies when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from the Axis
Possible conclusion:
Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: Franco’s desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power.
Purpose statement
This paper will analyze Franco’s diplomacy during World War II to see how it contributed to Spain’s neutrality.
- The simile compares Simoisius to a tree, which is a peaceful, natural image.
- The tree in the simile is chopped down to make wheels for a chariot, which is an object used in warfare.
At first, the simile seems to take the reader away from the world of warfare, but we end up back in that world by the end.
This paper will analyze the way the simile about Simoisius at 4.547-64 moves in and out of the world of warfare.
Derive purpose statement from topic
To find out what your “controlling idea” is, you have to examine and evaluate your evidence . As you consider your evidence, you may notice patterns emerging, data repeated in more than one source, or facts that favor one view more than another. These patterns or data may then lead you to some conclusions about your topic and suggest that you can successfully argue for one idea better than another.
For instance, you might find out that Franco first tried to negotiate with the Axis, but when he couldn’t get some concessions that he wanted from them, he turned to the Allies. As you read more about Franco’s decisions, you may conclude that Spain’s neutrality in WWII occurred for an entirely personal reason: his desire to preserve his own (and Spain’s) power. Based on this conclusion, you can then write a trial thesis statement to help you decide what material belongs in your paper.
Sometimes you won’t be able to find a focus or identify your “spin” or specific argument immediately. Like some writers, you might begin with a purpose statement just to get yourself going. A purpose statement is one or more sentences that announce your topic and indicate the structure of the paper but do not state the conclusions you have drawn . Thus, you might begin with something like this:
- This paper will look at modern language to see if it reflects male dominance or female oppression.
- I plan to analyze anger and derision in offensive language to see if they represent a challenge of society’s authority.
At some point, you can turn a purpose statement into a thesis statement. As you think and write about your topic, you can restrict, clarify, and refine your argument, crafting your thesis statement to reflect your thinking.
As you work on your thesis, remember to keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Sometimes your thesis needs to evolve as you develop new insights, find new evidence, or take a different approach to your topic.
Compose a draft thesis statement
If you are writing a paper that will have an argumentative thesis and are having trouble getting started, the techniques in the table below may help you develop a temporary or “working” thesis statement.
Begin with a purpose statement that you will later turn into a thesis statement.
Assignment: Discuss the history of the Reform Party and explain its influence on the 1990 presidential and Congressional election.
Purpose Statement: This paper briefly sketches the history of the grassroots, conservative, Perot-led Reform Party and analyzes how it influenced the economic and social ideologies of the two mainstream parties.
Question-to-Assertion
If your assignment asks a specific question(s), turn the question(s) into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or reasons for your opinion.
Assignment : What do Aylmer and Rappaccini have to be proud of? Why aren’t they satisfied with these things? How does pride, as demonstrated in “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” lead to unexpected problems?
Beginning thesis statement: Alymer and Rappaccinni are proud of their great knowledge; however, they are also very greedy and are driven to use their knowledge to alter some aspect of nature as a test of their ability. Evil results when they try to “play God.”
Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write.
Main idea: The reason some toys succeed in the market is that they appeal to the consumers’ sense of the ridiculous and their basic desire to laugh at themselves.
Make a list of the ideas that you want to include; consider the ideas and try to group them.
- nature = peaceful
- war matériel = violent (competes with 1?)
- need for time and space to mourn the dead
- war is inescapable (competes with 3?)
Use a formula to arrive at a working thesis statement (you will revise this later).
- although most readers of _______ have argued that _______, closer examination shows that _______.
- _______ uses _______ and _____ to prove that ________.
- phenomenon x is a result of the combination of __________, __________, and _________.
What to keep in mind as you draft an initial thesis statement
Beginning statements obtained through the methods illustrated above can serve as a framework for planning or drafting your paper, but remember they’re not yet the specific, argumentative thesis you want for the final version of your paper. In fact, in its first stages, a thesis statement usually is ill-formed or rough and serves only as a planning tool.
As you write, you may discover evidence that does not fit your temporary or “working” thesis. Or you may reach deeper insights about your topic as you do more research, and you will find that your thesis statement has to be more complicated to match the evidence that you want to use.
You must be willing to reject or omit some evidence in order to keep your paper cohesive and your reader focused. Or you may have to revise your thesis to match the evidence and insights that you want to discuss. Read your draft carefully, noting the conclusions you have drawn and the major ideas which support or prove those conclusions. These will be the elements of your final thesis statement.
Sometimes you will not be able to identify these elements in your early drafts, but as you consider how your argument is developing and how your evidence supports your main idea, ask yourself, “ What is the main point that I want to prove/discuss? ” and “ How will I convince the reader that this is true? ” When you can answer these questions, then you can begin to refine the thesis statement.
Refine and polish the thesis statement
To get to your final thesis, you’ll need to refine your draft thesis so that it’s specific and arguable.
- Ask if your draft thesis addresses the assignment
- Question each part of your draft thesis
- Clarify vague phrases and assertions
- Investigate alternatives to your draft thesis
Consult the example below for suggestions on how to refine your draft thesis statement.
Sample Assignment
Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your essay should cause the reader to think critically about the society which produces and enjoys that activity.
- Ask The phenomenon of drive-in facilities is an interesting symbol of american culture, and these facilities demonstrate significant characteristics of our society.This statement does not fulfill the assignment because it does not require the reader to think critically about society.
Drive-ins are an interesting symbol of American culture because they represent Americans’ significant creativity and business ingenuity.
Among the types of drive-in facilities familiar during the twentieth century, drive-in movie theaters best represent American creativity, not merely because they were the forerunner of later drive-ins and drive-throughs, but because of their impact on our culture: they changed our relationship to the automobile, changed the way people experienced movies, and changed movie-going into a family activity.
While drive-in facilities such as those at fast-food establishments, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize America’s economic ingenuity, they also have affected our personal standards.
While drive-in facilities such as those at fast- food restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and dry cleaners symbolize (1) Americans’ business ingenuity, they also have contributed (2) to an increasing homogenization of our culture, (3) a willingness to depersonalize relationships with others, and (4) a tendency to sacrifice quality for convenience.
This statement is now specific and fulfills all parts of the assignment. This version, like any good thesis, is not self-evident; its points, 1-4, will have to be proven with evidence in the body of the paper. The numbers in this statement indicate the order in which the points will be presented. Depending on the length of the paper, there could be one paragraph for each numbered item or there could be blocks of paragraph for even pages for each one.
Complete the final thesis statement
The bottom line.
As you move through the process of crafting a thesis, you’ll need to remember four things:
- Context matters! Think about your course materials and lectures. Try to relate your thesis to the ideas your instructor is discussing.
- As you go through the process described in this section, always keep your assignment in mind . You will be more successful when your thesis (and paper) responds to the assignment than if it argues a semi-related idea.
- Your thesis statement should be precise, focused, and contestable ; it should predict the sub-theses or blocks of information that you will use to prove your argument.
- Make sure that you keep the rest of your paper in mind at all times. Change your thesis as your paper evolves, because you do not want your thesis to promise more than your paper actually delivers.
In the beginning, the thesis statement was a tool to help you sharpen your focus, limit material and establish the paper’s purpose. When your paper is finished, however, the thesis statement becomes a tool for your reader. It tells the reader what you have learned about your topic and what evidence led you to your conclusion. It keeps the reader on track–well able to understand and appreciate your argument.
Writing Process and Structure
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Getting Started with Your Paper
Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses
Generating Ideas for
Creating an Argument
Thesis vs. Purpose Statements
Architecture of Arguments
Working with Sources
Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources
Using Literary Quotations
Citing Sources in Your Paper
Drafting Your Paper
Generating Ideas for Your Paper
Introductions
Paragraphing
Developing Strategic Transitions
Conclusions
Revising Your Paper
Peer Reviews
Reverse Outlines
Revising an Argumentative Paper
Revision Strategies for Longer Projects
Finishing Your Paper
Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist
How to Proofread your Paper
Writing Collaboratively
Collaborative and Group Writing
OASIS: Writing Center
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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Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples, How to Write, Tips
Unlock the power of concise and persuasive argumentation with Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples. This approach provides a dynamic framework for crafting compelling essays by presenting a claim followed by the reasoning behind it. Delve into how to effectively employ this method and uncover valuable tips to enhance your writing. Elevate your ability to articulate strong arguments and engage readers with well-structured, impactful thesis statements.
What is a Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement? – Definition
A Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement is a succinct and persuasive way to present an argument in academic writing. It consists of two essential components: the claim, which states the main point or position you’re asserting, and the reason, which provides a concise explanation or justification for why that claim is valid. This approach adds depth and clarity to your thesis statement, setting the stage for a well-structured and persuasive essay.
What is an example of a Two-Part (Claim + Reason) thesis statement?
Claim: “Mandatory physical education in schools is crucial.” Reason: “Regular physical activity not only improves students’ physical health but also enhances their cognitive abilities, contributing to better academic performance.”
In this example, the claim is that mandatory physical education in schools is essential. The reason provided explains why this claim is valid, highlighting the positive impact of physical activity on both physical health and academic achievement. This two-part structure effectively outlines the argument and its rationale.
100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples
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Explore 100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples, each carefully crafted to present compelling arguments along with their supporting rationales. This comprehensive collection spans various topics, allowing you to grasp the art of concise and impactful argumentation. Enhance your essay writing skills by learning how to effectively structure your ideas and convince your readers with well-reasoned claims.
- Claim: “Social media platforms have revolutionized communication.” Reason: “Their instant connectivity and vast user base facilitate global interactions, transforming how people connect and share information.”
- Claim: “Artificial intelligence is shaping the future of industries.” Reason: “Its ability to analyze massive data sets and automate complex tasks boosts efficiency and innovation across sectors.”
- Claim: “Climate change demands urgent attention and action.” Reason: “Mounting evidence of rising temperatures and extreme weather events underscores the critical need to mitigate environmental risks.”
- Claim: “Literature plays a pivotal role in fostering empathy.” Reason: “Engaging with diverse characters’ experiences cultivates understanding and compassion among readers.”
- Claim: “Diversity in the workplace enhances creativity and innovation.” Reason: “A range of perspectives fuels dynamic discussions and encourages fresh approaches to problem-solving.”
- Claim: “Higher education is a gateway to socioeconomic mobility.” Reason: “Access to advanced knowledge and skill development equips individuals to access better job opportunities.”
- Claim: “Government surveillance threatens individual privacy rights.” Reason: “Mass surveillance infringes on personal liberties and erodes the balance between security and freedom.”
- Claim: “Renewable energy sources are the solution to the climate crisis.” Reason: “Harnessing solar, wind, and hydro power reduces reliance on fossil fuels, curbing greenhouse gas emissions.”
- Claim: “Mandatory voting promotes a more engaged and informed citizenry.” Reason: “Compulsory participation ensures broader representation and encourages citizens to stay informed.”
- Claim: “Cultural diversity enriches a society’s social fabric.” Reason: “Different backgrounds and traditions contribute to a vibrant tapestry of experiences and perspectives.”
- Claim: “Online learning is revolutionizing education.” Reason: “Flexible schedules and interactive platforms enhance accessibility and engagement for learners worldwide.”
- Claim: “Gender equality is essential for societal progress.” Reason: “Empowering women in all spheres fosters innovation, economic growth, and social harmony.”
- Claim: “Space exploration drives technological advancements.” Reason: “The pursuit of cosmic knowledge inspires breakthroughs in engineering, materials science, and communication.”
- Claim: “Censorship of artistic expression hampers creative freedom.” Reason: “Limiting artistic freedom stifles cultural innovation and inhibits open dialogue on societal issues.”
- Claim: “Critical thinking is a crucial skill for modern education.” Reason: “Nurturing critical thinking abilities empowers students to analyze information, solve problems, and make informed decisions.”
- Claim: “Universal healthcare ensures equitable access to medical services.” Reason: “Healthcare for all reduces disparities, provides preventative care, and promotes overall well-being.”
- Claim: “The digital age has transformed the way we consume information.” Reason: “Instant access to online content and personalized algorithms reshape information consumption patterns.”
- Claim: “Financial literacy is essential for personal financial well-being.” Reason: “Understanding money management empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions.”
- Claim: “Technology addiction poses a significant societal concern.” Reason: “Excessive screen time impairs mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall productivity.”
- Claim: “The preservation of natural habitats is crucial for biodiversity.” Reason: “Conserving ecosystems maintains species diversity and supports ecological balance.”
- Claim: “Ethical consumerism drives positive social and environmental change.” Reason: “Supporting eco-friendly and socially responsible products encourages responsible business practices.”
- Claim: “The advancement of robotics will redefine the job market.” Reason: “Automated tasks and AI technologies will reshape employment opportunities and skill requirements.”
- Claim: “Social media fosters both connection and isolation.” Reason: “Online interactions offer global connectivity, yet excessive screen time can lead to real-world disconnection.”
- Claim: “Youth involvement in civic activities cultivates active citizenship.” Reason: “Engaged young individuals contribute fresh perspectives and energize public discourse.”
- Claim: “Freedom of speech should have limitations to prevent hate speech.” Reason: “Balancing free expression with societal well-being safeguards marginalized communities and social harmony.”
- Claim: “Music therapy offers holistic healing for mental health.” Reason: “Engaging with music promotes emotional release, stress reduction, and cognitive improvement.”
- Claim: “Urbanization poses environmental challenges and opportunities.” Reason: “Concentrated urban living accelerates innovation and necessitates sustainable infrastructure solutions.”
- Claim: “Social inequality hinders economic growth and stability.” Reason: “Unequal distribution of resources stifles human potential and undermines social cohesion.”
- Claim: “The arts are essential for well-rounded education.” Reason: “Cultivating creative expression enhances critical thinking, communication, and empathy.”
- Claim: “Personalized learning empowers diverse student needs.” Reason: “Tailoring education to individual strengths fosters engagement and academic success.”
- Claim: “Ethical considerations should guide advancements in genetic engineering.” Reason: “Prioritizing ethical guidelines ensures responsible innovation and prevents unintended consequences.”
- Claim: “Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful relationships.” Reason: “Clear communication fosters mutual understanding, trust, and resolution of conflicts.”
- Claim: “Social media activism has transformed modern advocacy.” Reason: “Online platforms amplify voices, mobilize communities, and raise awareness about social issues.”
- Claim: “Multilingualism benefits cognitive development and cultural understanding.” Reason: “Learning multiple languages enhances brain function and promotes cross-cultural empathy.”
- Claim: “Early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning.” Reason: “Quality early education nurtures cognitive, social, and emotional development.”
- Claim: “The gig economy provides flexible work options but lacks stability.” Reason: “Freelance opportunities offer autonomy, but inconsistent income poses financial challenges.”
- Claim: “Effective time management is key to academic success.” Reason: “Balancing priorities and deadlines enhances productivity and reduces stress.”
- Claim: “Alternative energy sources are vital for reducing carbon emissions.” Reason: “Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables mitigates climate change and supports sustainability.”
- Claim: “Media literacy is essential in the digital age.” Reason: “Critical analysis of media sources promotes informed decision-making and safeguards against misinformation.”
- Claim: “Preserving indigenous languages safeguards cultural heritage.” Reason: “Language is intrinsic to identity, reflecting unique worldviews and historical legacies.”
- Claim: “Flexible work arrangements enhance work-life balance.” Reason: “Remote work and flexible hours accommodate personal needs, leading to improved well-being.”
- Claim: “Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and empowerment.” Reason: “Proficiency in reading and writing enables access to information, education, and opportunities.”
- Claim: “Rapid technological advancements pose ethical dilemmas in AI development.” Reason: “Ensuring AI aligns with human values and respects privacy is essential for responsible innovation.”
- Claim: “Universal basic income can address socioeconomic inequality.” Reason: “Providing a basic income cushion fosters economic security and reduces poverty.”
- Claim: “Cultural appropriation perpetuates stereotypes and erases history.” Reason: “Appropriating elements from marginalized cultures trivializes their significance and disregards their origins.”
- Claim: “Physical activity is crucial for overall health and mental well-being.” Reason: “Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, and improves cardiovascular health.”
- Claim: “Preserving biodiversity is essential for ecological balance.” Reason: “Each species contributes to ecosystem stability and resilience against environmental changes.”
- Claim: “Government transparency strengthens democracy and public trust.” Reason: “Open governance fosters accountability, ensures informed decisions, and curbs corruption.”
- Claim: “Critical reflection enhances personal growth and self-awareness.” Reason: “Examining experiences and beliefs promotes continuous learning and personal development.”
- Claim: “Technological advancements in healthcare improve patient outcomes.” Reason: “Innovations like telemedicine and precision medicine tailor treatments for better results.
- Claim: “Early childhood vaccinations are vital for public health.” Reason: “Immunizations prevent the spread of diseases, safeguarding individual and community well-being.”
- Claim: “Media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion.” Reason: “Information dissemination influences perspectives, leading to informed decisions and societal change.”
- Claim: “Globalization fosters cultural exchange and interconnectedness.” Reason: “Cross-cultural interactions promote understanding, collaboration, and shared values.”
- Claim: “Animal testing should be replaced with alternative research methods.” Reason: “Ethical considerations demand the use of cruelty-free testing methods that yield accurate results.”
- Claim: “Financial literacy education empowers responsible money management.” Reason: “Teaching budgeting and investment basics ensures informed financial decision-making.”
- Claim: “Promoting gender diversity in STEM fields drives innovation.” Reason: “Inclusive environments harness diverse perspectives, fostering creative problem-solving.”
- Claim: “Education empowers individuals to break the cycle of poverty.” Reason: “Access to quality education equips individuals with skills to overcome economic challenges.”
- Claim: “Cybersecurity measures are essential to protect digital assets.” Reason: “Preventing cyber threats safeguards personal information and prevents cybercrime.”
- Claim: “Economic growth should prioritize environmental sustainability.” Reason: “Balancing growth with conservation ensures future generations’ access to resources.”
- Claim: “Healthy eating habits contribute to overall well-being.” Reason: “Nutrient-rich diets support physical health, energy levels, and disease prevention.
- Claim: “Empathy is crucial for fostering harmonious interpersonal relationships.” Reason: “Understanding others’ perspectives cultivates compassion, reduces conflicts, and builds trust.”
- Claim: “Economic inequality hampers social mobility and undermines democracy.” Reason: “Unequal distribution of resources perpetuates disparities and limits equal opportunities.”
- Claim: “Online education offers accessible and flexible learning opportunities.” Reason: “Virtual learning platforms cater to diverse schedules and geographical constraints.”
- Claim: “Historical preservation maintains cultural heritage and identity.” Reason: “Preserving artifacts and landmarks ensures future generations connect with their past.”
- Claim: “Social entrepreneurship addresses societal challenges while generating profits.” Reason: “Innovative business models prioritize social impact, driving positive change and sustainability.”
- Claim: “Effective parenting strategies shape children’s emotional development.” Reason: “Nurturing emotional intelligence fosters resilience, empathy, and healthy relationships.”
- Claim: “Ethical fashion practices promote sustainable clothing production.” Reason: “Supporting ethically produced garments reduces environmental impact and supports fair labor practices.”
- Claim: “Inclusive education benefits students with diverse learning needs.” Reason: “Adapting curriculum and teaching methods empowers all students to thrive academically.”
- Claim: “Cultural preservation is integral to indigenous identity and rights.” Reason: “Preserving cultural traditions upholds sovereignty and protects indigenous ways of life.”
- Claim: “Volunteering enhances personal well-being and community resilience.” Reason: “Contributing time and skills fosters a sense of purpose and strengthens social ties.
- Claim: “A balanced work-life routine improves overall productivity and satisfaction.” Reason: “Prioritizing personal well-being and leisure time enhances focus and reduces burnout.”
- Claim: “Cultural diversity fosters innovation and global collaboration.” Reason: “Combining perspectives from different backgrounds sparks creative problem-solving and mutual understanding.”
- Claim: “Literacy rates correlate with socioeconomic development and empowerment.” Reason: “High literacy levels enhance access to education, employment opportunities, and civic engagement.”
- Claim: “Sustainable tourism preserves natural and cultural resources.” Reason: “Responsible travel practices protect fragile ecosystems and local traditions.”
- Claim: “Quality healthcare is a fundamental human right.” Reason: “Access to medical services promotes well-being and ensures equal opportunities for health.”
- Claim: “Community engagement enhances neighborhood safety and cohesion.” Reason: “Involved residents collectively address concerns and create a strong sense of belonging.”
- Claim: “Ethical considerations should guide AI’s role in decision-making.” Reason: “Responsible AI use prevents biased outcomes and respects human values.”
- Claim: “The arts promote emotional expression and healing.” Reason: “Creating and engaging with art facilitates catharsis and emotional release.”
- Claim: “Cultural sensitivity is vital for effective global communication.” Reason: “Understanding cultural nuances fosters mutual respect and minimizes misunderstandings.”
- Claim: “Social media’s impact on mental health warrants ethical guidelines.” Reason: “Balancing online engagement with mental well-being safeguards against digital stressors.
- Claim: “Economic globalization accelerates income inequality.” Reason: “Transnational corporations exploit cheap labor, exacerbating disparities between affluent and impoverished regions.”
- Claim: “Investing in early childhood education yields long-term societal benefits.” Reason: “Early learning programs enhance cognitive development and reduce future educational disparities.”
- Claim: “Active participation in local governance strengthens democracy.” Reason: “Engaging citizens in decision-making promotes accountability and responsive policies.”
- Claim: “Promoting mental health initiatives in schools benefits student well-being.” Reason: “Early support and awareness campaigns address psychological challenges and reduce stigma.”
- Claim: “Technology integration in education enhances student engagement.” Reason: “Interactive digital tools cater to diverse learning styles, encouraging active participation.”
- Claim: “Criminal justice reform is necessary for equitable legal outcomes.” Reason: “Eliminating biases in sentencing and addressing systemic flaws ensures fair justice.”
- Claim: “Sustainable agriculture practices are essential for food security.” Reason: “Regenerative farming methods preserve soil health and mitigate climate change impacts.”
- Claim: “Freedom of the press is integral to a functioning democracy.” Reason: “Unbiased journalism informs public discourse and holds authorities accountable.”
- Claim: “Intercultural education fosters global understanding and cooperation.” Reason: “Teaching cultural awareness cultivates empathy and prepares individuals for a diverse world.”
- Claim: “Inclusive urban planning improves accessibility and quality of life.” Reason: “Designing cities for all residents accommodates diverse needs and enhances urban livability.
With these 100 Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement examples, you have a diverse array of topics and arguments to explore, analyze, and incorporate into your essays.
Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples for Essay
- Claim: “Exploring diverse cultures enriches personal growth.” Reason: “Cultural exposure broadens perspectives, fostering tolerance and empathy.”
- Claim: “Effective time management enhances academic success.” Reason: “Balancing study and leisure optimizes focus and reduces stress.”
- Claim: “Mindfulness practices improve mental well-being.” Reason: “Mindful techniques cultivate self-awareness, reducing anxiety and enhancing emotional balance.”
- Claim: “Literature is a powerful tool for social commentary.” Reason: “Fictional narratives offer insights into societal issues, prompting reflection and dialogue.”
- Claim: “Personalized learning caters to individual student needs.” Reason: “Tailoring education to learning styles boosts engagement and comprehension.”
- Claim: “Responsible social media usage preserves mental health.” Reason: “Setting boundaries online reduces comparison and fosters authentic connections.”
- Claim: “Community service fosters a sense of belonging.” Reason: “Volunteering connects individuals to their surroundings, enhancing civic engagement.”
- Claim: “Promoting eco-friendly habits protects the environment.” Reason: “Green choices like recycling and energy conservation reduce carbon footprint.”
- Claim: “Inclusive workplaces enhance employee morale.” Reason: “Valuing diversity creates a positive environment that promotes collaboration and creativity.”
- Claim: “Critical thinking skills are essential for informed decisions.” Reason: “Analytical thinking empowers individuals to evaluate information and make reasoned choices.”
Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay
- Claim: “Government surveillance infringes on individual privacy rights.” Reason: “Mass monitoring undermines civil liberties, opening doors to abuse of power.”
- Claim: “Social media platforms should implement stricter content moderation.” Reason: “Addressing harmful content reduces misinformation and protects user well-being.”
- Claim: “Mandatory voting promotes active citizenship and representative democracy.” Reason: “Compulsory participation ensures diverse voices are heard in political decisions.”
- Claim: “Gun control measures are necessary to prevent mass shootings.” Reason: “Stricter regulations reduce access to firearms, curbing potential violence.”
- Claim: “Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right.” Reason: “Affordable medical services ensure equitable well-being and protect lives.”
- Claim: “Climate change is a result of human activity.” Reason: “Scientific evidence links rising emissions to global temperature increases.”
- Claim: “Animal testing should be replaced with humane alternatives.” Reason: “Ethical considerations demand cruelty-free research methods that yield accurate results.”
- Claim: “Social media has negative effects on mental health.” Reason: “Excessive usage correlates with increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation.”
- Claim: “School dress codes infringe on students’ freedom of expression.” Reason: “Restrictive policies limit individuality and discourage self-confidence.”
- Claim: “Capital punishment should be abolished as it violates human rights.” Reason: “Irreversible consequences and the potential for wrongful convictions oppose ethical principles.”
Two-Part Thesis Statement Examples for Research Paper
- Claim: “AI-driven healthcare innovations enhance medical diagnostics.” Reason: “Machine learning algorithms analyze complex data, aiding accurate disease identification.”
- Claim: “Economic globalization impacts income distribution within nations.” Reason: “Global trade can lead to unequal wealth distribution among different socioeconomic groups.”
- Claim: “Gender pay gap persists despite progress in workplace equality.” Reason: “Societal norms and biases contribute to unequal compensation between genders.”
- Claim: “Urbanization affects mental health and well-being.” Reason: “City living can lead to increased stress levels due to noise and social pressures.”
- Claim: “Digital media’s influence on children’s development warrants scrutiny.” Reason: “Excessive screen time can hinder cognitive and social skills during formative years.”
- Claim: “Artificial intelligence has transformative potential in education.” Reason: “AI-powered personalized learning adapts to individual student needs, enhancing outcomes.”
- Claim: “Effects of climate change impact vulnerable populations disproportionately.” Reason: “Marginalized communities suffer more from environmental changes due to resource disparities.”
- Claim: “The role of genetics in mental disorders requires further exploration.” Reason: “Genetic factors contribute to mental health conditions, prompting research for targeted treatments.”
- Claim: “Criminal justice reform is needed to address racial disparities.” Reason: “Biased sentencing and profiling lead to unequal treatment within the justice system.”
- Claim: “Ethical implications of gene editing demand regulatory frameworks.” Reason: “CRISPR technology raises concerns about unintended consequences and responsible usage.”
Can you have a two point thesis?
Yes, you can have a two-point thesis, also known as a Two-Part Thesis Statement. This type of thesis statement presents two distinct aspects or ideas that will be discussed in your essay, each supported by specific reasons or evidence. It provides a clear structure for organizing your arguments and helps you convey a well-rounded perspective on your topic.
How to Write a Two Part Thesis Statement? – Step by Step Guide
Crafting a Two-Part Thesis Statement involves careful consideration of your topic and the main points you want to address. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create an effective Two-Part Thesis Statement:
- Choose a Specific Topic: Select a topic for your essay that is focused and manageable. Your thesis statement should address a specific aspect of the topic.
- Identify Two Key Points: Determine the two main points or arguments you want to make about the topic. These points should be distinct and complementary, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
- Create a Claim for Each Point: Develop a clear and concise claim for each of the two points. These claims should represent the main ideas you will be discussing in your essay.
- Provide Reasons or Evidence: For each claim, outline the reasons or evidence that support your point. These reasons will help you elaborate on each point in your essay.
- Arrange the Structure: Organize your Two-Part Thesis Statement by presenting both claims in a logical order. You can choose to present one claim before the other or arrange them based on their significance.
- Concise Language: Write your Two-Part Thesis Statement in clear and concise language. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex sentence structures.
- Revise and Refine: Review your Two-Part Thesis Statement for clarity and coherence. Make sure that each part is distinct and contributes to the overall argument.
- Alignment with Essay Content: Ensure that the points you’ve identified in your Two-Part Thesis Statement are directly related to the content of your essay. This alignment helps maintain a focused and organized essay.
How do you split a thesis statement?
Splitting a thesis statement refers to breaking it down into two distinct parts: the claim and the reason. The claim represents the main idea or argument you are making, while the reason provides a brief explanation or justification for that claim. Here’s how you can split a thesis statement:
Original Thesis Statement: “Online education is beneficial.”
Split Thesis Statement:
- Claim: “Online education offers numerous benefits.”
- Reason: “It provides flexible scheduling and access to a variety of courses.”
By splitting the thesis statement, you clearly separate the main claim from the reason that supports it. This structure sets the foundation for a Two-Part Thesis Statement.
Tips for Writing a Two Part Thesis Statement
- Be Clear and Specific: Ensure that your claims and reasons are clear, specific, and focused on the main points you want to discuss.
- Balance the Two Points: Choose two points that are relevant to your topic and provide a well-rounded perspective on the subject.
- Logical Order: Present your claims in a logical order that flows well and contributes to the coherence of your essay.
- Support with Evidence: Make sure you have enough evidence or reasoning to support each claim. This strengthens the credibility of your arguments.
- Avoid Overcomplication: Keep your language simple and straightforward. Avoid overly complex sentence structures that might confuse the reader.
- Consider Counterarguments: Anticipate potential counterarguments to your claims and address them in your essay to strengthen your position.
- Stay Focused: Each part of your thesis statement should relate directly to the points you’ll discuss in your essay. Avoid including unnecessary information.
- Revise and Edit: Like any other part of your essay, revise and edit your Two-Part Thesis Statement to ensure it effectively conveys your intended message.
A well-crafted Two-Part Thesis Statement guides your essay’s structure, helps you stay focused on your main points, and provides your readers with a clear roadmap of what to expect.
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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
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This resource provides tips for creating a thesis statement and examples of different types of thesis statements.
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:
- An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
- An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
- An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.
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.
3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.
Thesis Statement Examples
Example of an analytical thesis statement:
The paper that follows should:
- Explain the analysis of the college admission process
- Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors
Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:
- Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers
Example of an argumentative thesis statement:
- Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college
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4.3: What is a Thesis Statement?
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Once the topic has been narrowed to a workable subject, then determine what you are going to say about it; you need to come up with your controlling or main idea. A thesis is the main idea of an essay. It communicates the essay’s purpose with clear and concise wording and indicates the direction and scope of the essay. It should not just be a statement of fact nor should it be an announcement of your intentions. It should be an idea, an opinion of yours that needs to be explored, expanded, and developed into an argument .
A thesis statement:
- tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
- is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
- is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick ; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
- makes a claim that others might dispute.
- is usually a single sentence somewhere in the introductory paragraph that presents the writer’s argument to the reader. However, as essays get longer, a sentence alone is usually not enough to contain a complex thesis. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the readers of the logic of their interpretation.
If an assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that the writer needs a thesis statement because the instructor may assume the writer will include one. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively.
How do I get a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. (See chapter on argument for more detailed information on building an argument.) Once you have done this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis,” a basic or main idea, an argument that you can support with evidence. It is deemed a “working thesis” because it is a work in progress, and it is subject to change as you move through the writing process. Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic to arrive at a thesis statement.
For example, there is the question strategy. One way to start identifying and narrowing a thesis idea is to form a question that you want to answer. For example, if the starting question was “Do cats have a positive effect on people with depression? If so, what are three effects? The question sends you off to explore for answers. You then begin developing support. The first answer you might find is that petting cats lowers blood pressure, and, further question how that works. From your findings (research, interviews, background reading, etc.), you might detail how that happens physically or you might describe historical evidence. You could explain medical research that illustrates the concept. Then you have your first supporting point — as well as the first prong of your thesis: Cats have a positive effect on people with depression because they can lower blood pressure.... When you start with a specific question and find the answers, the argument falls into place. The answer to the question becomes the thesis, and how the answer was conceived becomes the supporting points (and, usually, the topic sentences for each point).
How do I know if my thesis is strong?
If there is time, run it by the instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center ( https://tinyurl.com/ybqafrbf ) to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own.
When reviewing the first draft and its working thesis, ask the following:
TOPIC + CLAIM = THESIS STATEMENT
- Animals + Dogs make better pets than cats. =When it comes to animals, dogs make better pets than cats because they are more trainable, more social, and more empathetic.
- Movies & Emotions + Titanic evoked many emotions. = The movie Titanic evoked many emotions from an audience.
- Arthur Miller & Death of a Salesman + Miller’s family inspired the Loman family. = Arthur Miller’s family and their experiences during the Great Depression inspired the creation of the Loman family in his play Death of a Salesman .
( https://tinyurl.com/y8sfjale ).
Exercise: Creating Effective Thesis Statements
Using the formula, create effective thesis statements for the following topics:
- Drone Technology
- Helicopter Parents
Then have a partner check your thesis statements to see if they pass the tests to be strong thesis statements.
Once a working thesis statement has been created, then it is time to begin building the body of the essay. Get all of the key supporting ideas written down, and then you can begin to flesh out the body paragraphs by reading, asking, observing, researching, connecting personal experiences, etc. Use the information from below to maintain the internal integrity of the paragraphs and smooth the flow of your ideas.
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- What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples
Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.
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. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely .
Thesis template
You can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started.
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Table of contents
Thesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses.
You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things.
- A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
- A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
- In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
- In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.
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The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as:
- Your discipline
- Your theoretical approach
Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis.
In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section , results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix .
Thesis examples
We’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started.
- Example thesis #1: “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
- Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.
The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including:
- Your full title
- Your full name
- Your department
- Your institution and degree program
- Your submission date.
Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure.
Read more about title pages
The acknowledgements section is usually optional. Its main point is to allow you to thank everyone who helped you in your thesis journey, such as supervisors, friends, or family. You can also choose to write a preface , but it’s typically one or the other, not both.
Read more about acknowledgements Read more about prefaces
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An abstract is a short summary of your thesis. Usually a maximum of 300 words long, it’s should include brief descriptions of your research objectives , methods, results, and conclusions. Though it may seem short, it introduces your work to your audience, serving as a first impression of your thesis.
Read more about abstracts
A table of contents lists all of your sections, plus their corresponding page numbers and subheadings if you have them. This helps your reader seamlessly navigate your document.
Your table of contents should include all the major parts of your thesis. In particular, don’t forget the the appendices. If you used heading styles, it’s easy to generate an automatic table Microsoft Word.
Read more about tables of contents
While not mandatory, if you used a lot of tables and/or figures, it’s nice to include a list of them to help guide your reader. It’s also easy to generate one of these in Word: just use the “Insert Caption” feature.
Read more about lists of figures and tables
If you have used a lot of industry- or field-specific abbreviations in your thesis, you should include them in an alphabetized list of abbreviations . This way, your readers can easily look up any meanings they aren’t familiar with.
Read more about lists of abbreviations
Relatedly, if you find yourself using a lot of very specialized or field-specific terms that may not be familiar to your reader, consider including a glossary . Alphabetize the terms you want to include with a brief definition.
Read more about glossaries
An introduction sets up the topic, purpose, and relevance of your thesis, as well as expectations for your reader. This should:
- Ground your research topic , sharing any background information your reader may need
- Define the scope of your work
- Introduce any existing research on your topic, situating your work within a broader problem or debate
- State your research question(s)
- Outline (briefly) how the remainder of your work will proceed
In other words, your introduction should clearly and concisely show your reader the “what, why, and how” of your research.
Read more about introductions
A literature review helps you gain a robust understanding of any extant academic work on your topic, encompassing:
- Selecting relevant sources
- Determining the credibility of your sources
- Critically evaluating each of your sources
- Drawing connections between sources, including any themes, patterns, conflicts, or gaps
A literature review is not merely a summary of existing work. Rather, your literature review should ultimately lead to a clear justification for your own research, perhaps via:
- Addressing a gap in the literature
- Building on existing knowledge to draw new conclusions
- Exploring a new theoretical or methodological approach
- Introducing a new solution to an unresolved problem
- Definitively advocating for one side of a theoretical debate
Read more about literature reviews
Theoretical framework
Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on.
Read more about theoretical frameworks
Your methodology chapter shows your reader how you conducted your research. It should be written clearly and methodically, easily allowing your reader to critically assess the credibility of your argument. Furthermore, your methods section should convince your reader that your method was the best way to answer your research question.
A methodology section should generally include:
- Your overall approach ( quantitative vs. qualitative )
- Your research methods (e.g., a longitudinal study )
- Your data collection methods (e.g., interviews or a controlled experiment
- Any tools or materials you used (e.g., computer software)
- The data analysis methods you chose (e.g., statistical analysis , discourse analysis )
- A strong, but not defensive justification of your methods
Read more about methodology sections
Your results section should highlight what your methodology discovered. These two sections work in tandem, but shouldn’t repeat each other. While your results section can include hypotheses or themes, don’t include any speculation or new arguments here.
Your results section should:
- State each (relevant) result with any (relevant) descriptive statistics (e.g., mean , standard deviation ) and inferential statistics (e.g., test statistics , p values )
- Explain how each result relates to the research question
- Determine whether the hypothesis was supported
Additional data (like raw numbers or interview transcripts ) can be included as an appendix . You can include tables and figures, but only if they help the reader better understand your results.
Read more about results sections
Your discussion section is where you can interpret your results in detail. Did they meet your expectations? How well do they fit within the framework that you built? You can refer back to any relevant source material to situate your results within your field, but leave most of that analysis in your literature review.
For any unexpected results, offer explanations or alternative interpretations of your data.
Read more about discussion sections
Your thesis conclusion should concisely answer your main research question. It should leave your reader with an ultra-clear understanding of your central argument, and emphasize what your research specifically has contributed to your field.
Why does your research matter? What recommendations for future research do you have? Lastly, wrap up your work with any concluding remarks.
Read more about conclusions
In order to avoid plagiarism , don’t forget to include a full reference list at the end of your thesis, citing the sources that you used. Choose one citation style and follow it consistently throughout your thesis, taking note of the formatting requirements of each style.
Which style you choose is often set by your department or your field, but common styles include MLA , Chicago , and APA.
Create APA citations Create MLA citations
In order to stay clear and concise, your thesis should include the most essential information needed to answer your research question. However, chances are you have many contributing documents, like interview transcripts or survey questions . These can be added as appendices , to save space in the main body.
Read more about appendices
Once you’re done writing, the next part of your editing process begins. Leave plenty of time for proofreading and editing prior to submission. Nothing looks worse than grammar mistakes or sloppy spelling errors!
Consider using a professional thesis editing service or grammar checker to make sure your final project is perfect.
Once you’ve submitted your final product, it’s common practice to have a thesis defense, an oral component of your finished work. This is scheduled by your advisor or committee, and usually entails a presentation and Q&A session.
After your defense , your committee will meet to determine if you deserve any departmental honors or accolades. However, keep in mind that defenses are usually just a formality. If there are any serious issues with your work, these should be resolved with your advisor way before a defense.
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.
If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .
If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.
When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:
- Your anticipated title
- Your abstract
- Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)
A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.
Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:
- Plan to attend graduate school soon
- Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
- Are considering a career in research
- Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience
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The Supreme Court’s “Unanimous” Trump Ballot Ruling Is Actually a 5–4 Disaster
On Monday, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed a Colorado Supreme Court decision removing Donald Trump from the ballot because of his engagement in an insurrection on Jan. 6. But that top-line holding is where the unanimity ended because five conservative justices just couldn’t help themselves: They went much further than the case required, announcing an entirely new rule that Congress alone, through “a particular kind of legislation,” may enforce the constitutional bar on insurrectionists holding office. As the three liberal justices pointed out, in a separate opinion that glows white-hot with indignation, the majority’s overreach “attempts to insulate all alleged insurrectionists from future challenges to their holding federal office.” They are, of course, correct. After this decision, it is impossible to imagine a federal candidate, up to and including the president, ever being disqualified from assuming office because of their participation in an insurrection.
Monday’s case, Trump v. Anderson , is proof positive that the Supreme Court can act at rapid speed to resolve a dispute of national importance—at least when Trump’s own interests are under threat. The Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Trump on Dec. 19. SCOTUS took up the case on Jan. 5 and heard arguments on Feb. 8. Now, less than a month later, the justices have resolved the case in Trump’s favor. The court’s ultra-accelerated consideration of Anderson sits in sharp contrast with its treatment of Trump’s claim of absolute immunity in his criminal trial over Jan. 6, which the justices have, by comparison, slow-walked to the point that it appears unlikely the former president could face trial before November. This disparity alone may provide a clue that there is something other than law afoot in these cases.
Anyone in need of another clue can look to the majority’s unsigned opinion in Anderson shielding Trump from removal by the states. This case involved a genuinely difficult dispute: Section 3 of the 14 th Amendment, enacted in the wake of the Civil War, bars former insurrectionists from reclaiming office but does not explain how this bar should operate. A group of voters urged the Colorado courts to enforce the amendment on their own, under a state law that lets voters challenge any candidate’s legal qualifications for office. The Colorado Supreme Court heeded the call and dumped Trump from the ballot. All nine justices have now agreed that states may not unilaterally disqualify a presidential candidate. Doing so, they reasoned, would allow a handful of states to effectively determine the outcome of a presidential election, undermining the inherently national nature of both the election and the presidency itself. The Constitution’s division of authority between the federal and state governments cannot permit a state’s go-it-alone effort to disqualify a federal candidate who’s running to represent the entire country.
That, however, is where the agreement ends. Five justices—Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh—went further: They declared that only Congress may enforce the insurrection clause against federal candidates. How, exactly? The majority says that Congress must “prescribe” specific procedures to “ascertain” when an individual is disqualified under the 14 th Amendment. Such procedures, of course, do not exist today. And without them, the majority insists—in just a few paragraphs of sparse reasoning—the insurrection clause cannot be enforced against office seekers. It derives this conclusion from two primary sources: “Griffin’s Case,” an 1869 opinion written by Chief Justice Salmon Chase, acting as a circuit judge, and Section 5 of the 14 th Amendment, which says, “Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.”
The three liberal justices wrote a separate opinion, authored jointly, to explain why this reasoning fails. First, Griffin’s Case was, until Monday, widely discredited as the political handiwork of a chief justice plotting to run for the presidency as a great conciliator between North and South. It is “a nonprecedential, lower court opinion by a single Justice in his capacity as a circuit judge,” as the liberal justices wrote. Moreover, Sen. Lyman Trumbull, an author of the 14 th Amendment, resisted the logic of Griffin’s Case, declaring that while congressional legislation might provide a “more efficient and speedy remedy” for disqualifying a candidate, it is the 14 th Amendment itself that “prevents a person from holding office.”
Second, it is bizarre to claim that the insurrection clause requires enabling legislation by Congress when the remainder of the 14 th Amendment—indeed, all three amendments ratified after the Civil War—is “self-executing” (meaning it does not require congressional action for enforcement). Everyone agrees that Congress need not pass a law to ensure that all persons have due process, equal protection, and freedom from enslavement. Why, the liberals wondered, did the majority create “a special rule” for the insurrection clause alone? They added that the clause does mention congressional action, but only to say that Congress may lift a disqualification by two-thirds vote: “It is hard to understand why the Constitution would require a congressional supermajority to remove a disqualification if a simple majority could nullify Section 3’s operation by repealing or declining to pass implementing legislation.”
These disagreements matter a great deal. As the liberals point out, the majority’s sweeping Congress-only approach “forecloses judicial enforcement” of the insurrection clause—in, for instance, the context of a criminal trial involving an insurrectionist. It also bars future enforcement on the basis of “general federal statutes” that compel “the government to comply with the law,” since the majority says any congressional enforcement must be “tailored” to the insurrection clause. And it even empowers the Supreme Court to prevent Congress from disqualifying an insurrectionist in the future, because the court can claim that any enabling legislation did not adhere to the made-up rules in Monday’s opinion. By blocking off these pathways, the liberals wrote, the majority “foreclose future efforts to disqualify a presidential candidate under that provision. In a sensitive case crying out for judicial restraint, it abandons that course.” They continued:
Section 3 serves an important, though rarely needed, role in our democracy. The American people have the power to vote for and elect candidates for national office, and that is a great and glorious thing. The men who drafted and ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, however, had witnessed an “insurrection [and] rebellion” to defend slavery. They wanted to ensure that those who had participated in that insurrection, and in possible future insurrections, could not return to prominent roles. Today, the majority goes beyond the necessities of this case to limit how Section 3 can bar an oathbreaking insurrectionist from becoming President.
Notably, the liberals actually had Justice Amy Coney Barrett on their side too. She authored a separate opinion expressing her disapproval of the majority’s overreach but declining to say more because “the court should turn the national temperature down, not up.” So, in effect, Anderson is a 5–4 decision, with a bare majority effectively repealing the insurrection clause for federal officeholders. The liberals’ disapproving citations to Bush v. Gore and Dobbs give a sense of how disastrously they believe the majority went astray.
It should go without saying that Congress will not enact legislation enforcing Section 3. The Republican Party is about to renominate the alleged insurrectionist in this case as its candidate for the presidency in 2024. The party is complicit in the violent events of Jan. 6. It will not allow any insurrection-related laws to clear the Senate filibuster. The whole point of a written constitution is that it can protect individual rights and democracy even when the democratic process itself is corrupted or compromised. SCOTUS has backtracked from that guarantee just when American democracy needs it most.
In their incandescent opinion, the liberal justices walk right up to the line of accusing the majority of doing a special favor for Trump. They are right to do so, and they would have been justified to cross it. The majority had no reason to nullify the insurrection clause other than an obvious desire to ensure that no other federal candidates are nixed from the ballot because of their participation in Jan. 6. An optimist might say that by doing so, the majority was just trying to inject stability into the upcoming election. But close court-watchers know that every time this Supreme Court waves the flag of stability, it does so on behalf of Trump and his allies. Anderson ’s bottom-line outcome is certainly defensible. But the rest of it serves as an unwarranted gift to Donald Trump and the oathbreakers who violently assisted his efforts to overturn a free and fair election.
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FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Plan to Lower Housing Costs for Working Families
Building and preserving over 2 million new homes to lower rents and the cost of buying a home
President Biden believes housing costs are too high, and significant investments are needed to address the large shortage of affordable homes inherited from his predecessor and that has been growing for more than a decade. During his State of the Union Address, President Biden will call on Congressional Republicans to end years of inaction and pass legislation to lower costs by providing a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and people who sell their starter homes; build and renovate more than 2 million homes; and lower rental costs. President Biden also announced new steps to lower homebuying and refinancing closing costs and crack down on corporate actions that rip off renters.
We are starting to see some progress. More housing units are under construction right now than at any time in the last 50 years, rents have fallen over the last year in many places, and the homeownership rate is higher now than before the pandemic. But rent is still too high, and Americans who want to buy a home still have difficulty finding one they can afford. That is why President Biden has a landmark plan to build over 2 million homes, which will lower rents, make houses more affordable, and promote fair housing.
Lowering Costs of Homeownership For many Americans, owning a home is the cornerstone of raising a family, building wealth, and joining the middle class. Too many working families feel locked out of homeownership and are unable to compete with investors for a limited supply of affordable for-sale homes. President Biden is calling on Congress to enact legislation to enable more Americans to purchase a home, including:
- Mortgage Relief Credit. President Biden is calling on Congress to pass a mortgage relief credit that would provide middle-class first-time homebuyers with an annual tax credit of $5,000 a year for two years. This is the equivalent of reducing the mortgage rate by more than 1.5 percentage points for two years on the median home, and will help more than 3.5 million middle-class families purchase their first home over the next two years. The President’s plan also calls for a new credit to unlock inventory of affordable starter homes, while helping middle-class families move up the housing ladder and empty nesters right size. Many homeowners have lower rates on their mortgages than current rates. This “lock-in” effect makes homeowners more reluctant to sell and give up that low rate, even in circumstances where their current homes no longer fit their household needs. The President is calling on Congress to provide a one-year tax credit of up to $10,000 to middle-class families who sell their starter home, defined as homes below the area median home price in the county, to another owner-occupant. This proposal is estimated to help nearly 3 million families.
- Down Payment Assistance for First-Generation Homeowners. The President continues to call on Congress to provide up to $25,000 in down payment assistance to first-generation homebuyers whose families haven’t benefited from the generational wealth building associated with homeownership. This proposal is estimated to help 400,000 families purchase their first home.
The President isn’t waiting for Congress to lower costs for homebuyers and homeowners. Last year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reduced the mortgage insurance premium for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages, saving an estimated 850,000 homebuyers and homeowners an estimated $800 per year. And today, the President is announcing new actions to lower the closing costs associated with buying a home or refinancing a mortgage.
- Lowering Closing Costs for Refinancing. The Federal Housing Finance Agency has approved policies and pilots to reduce closing costs for homeowners, including a pilot to waive the requirement for lender’s title insurance on certain refinances. This would save thousands of homeowners up to $1500, and an average of $750, and the lower upfront fees will unlock substantial savings for homeowners as mortgage rates continue to fall and more homeowners are able to refinance. According to independent analysis , across the market title insurance typically pays out only 3% to 5% of premiums in claims to consumers, compared to more than 70% in other types of insurance. Homeowners can still purchase their own title insurance policies if they choose to do so.
- Lowering Closing Costs for Home Mortgages. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will pursue rulemaking and guidance to address anticompetitive closing costs imposed by lenders on homebuyers and homeowners. These charges—which benefit the lender but not the borrower—can add thousands to the upfront costs of a mortgage. Those upfront costs cut into the amount of homebuyers’ down payments and reduce homeowners’ available equity.
In the coming months, the Department of Treasury’s Federal Insurance Office will convene a roundtable of relevant industry stakeholders, including consumer advocates and academics, in order to discuss the title insurance industry and analyze potential reforms. Building on today’s announcements, President Biden is calling on federal agencies to take all available actions to lower costs for consumers at the closing table and help more Americans access homeownership.
Lowering Costs by Building and Preserving 2 Million Homes America needs to build more housing in order to lower rental costs and increase access to homeownership. That’s why the President is calling on Congress to pass legislation to build and renovate more than 2 million homes , which would close the housing supply gap and lower housing costs for renters and homeowners. This legislation would build on executive actions in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Housing Supply Action Plan that contributed to record housing construction last year.
- Tax Credits to Build More Housing. President Biden is calling for an expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to build or preserve 1.2 million more affordable rental units. Renters living in these properties save hundreds of dollars each month on their rent compared with renters with similar incomes who rent in the unsubsidized market. The President is also calling for a new Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, the first tax provision to build or renovate affordable homes for homeownership, which would lead to the construction or preservation of over 400,000 starter homes in communities throughout the country.
- Innovation Fund for Housing Expansion. The President is unveiling a new $20 billion competitive grant fund as part of his Budget to support communities across the country to build more housing and lower rents and homebuying costs. This fund would support the construction of affordable multifamily rental units; incentivize local actions to remove unnecessary barriers to housing development; pilot innovative models to increase the production of affordable and workforce rental housing; and spur the construction of new starter homes for middle-class families. According to independent analysis, this will create hundreds of thousands of units which will help lower rents and housing costs.
- Increasing Banks’ Contributions Towards Building Affordable Housing. The President is proposing that each Federal Home Loan Bank double its annual contribution to the Affordable Housing Program – from 10 percent of prior year net income to 20 percent – which will raise an additional $3.79 billion for affordable housing over the next decade and assist nearly 380,0000 households. These funds will support the financing, acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of affordable rental and for-sale homes, as well as help low- and moderate-income homeowners to purchase or rehabilitate homes.
Lowering Costs for Renters President Biden is also taking actions to lower costs and promote housing stability for renters. The White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights lays out the key principles of a fair rental market and has already catalyzed new federal actions to make those principles a reality. Today, President Biden is announcing new steps to crack down on unfair practices that are driving up rental costs:
- Fighting Rent Gouging by Corporate Landlords . The Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to combat egregious rent increases and other unfair practices that are driving up rents. Corporate landlords and private equity firms across the country have been accused of illegal information sharing, price fixing, and inflating rents. As part of the Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing announced by President Biden on Tuesday, the President is calling on federal agencies to root out and stop illegal corporate behavior that hikes prices on American families through anti-competitive, unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices. In a recent filing , the Department of Justice (DOJ) made clear its position that inflated rents caused by algorithmic use of sensitive nonpublic pricing and supply information violate antitrust laws. Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission and DOJ filed a joint brief further arguing that it is illegal for landlords and property managers to collude on pricing to inflate rents – including when using algorithms to do so.
- Cracking Down on Rental Junk Fees . Millions of families incur burdensome costs in the rental application process and throughout the duration of their lease, from “convenience fees” simply to pay rent online to fees charged to sort mail or collect trash. These fees are often more than the actual cost of providing the service, or are added onto rents to cover services that renters assume are included—or that they don’t even want. Last fall, the FTC proposed a rule that if finalized as proposed would ban misleading and hidden fees across the economy, including in housing rental agreements. Last month, HUD released a summary of banned non-rent fees within their rental assistance programs. These actions build on voluntary commitments the President announced last summer from major rental housing platforms to provide customers with the total, upfront cost on rental properties on their platform.
- Expanding Housing Choice Vouchers . Over the last three years, the Administration has secured rental assistance for more than 100,000 additional households. The President is calling on Congress to further expand rental assistance to more than half of a million households, including by providing a voucher guarantee for low-income veterans and youth aging out of foster care – the first such voucher guarantees in history. Receiving a voucher would save these households hundreds of dollars in rent each month.
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Supreme Court narrows the lens as it takes up Trump's immunity claim
WASHINGTON — As former President Donald Trump tells it, his efforts in 2020 to overturn the election results were a core part of his presidential duties, meaning he should have immunity from any criminal prosecution.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Trump, sees it very differently, arguing that there is no precedent for such a broad claim of immunity for actions taken while in office.
It is that key question that the Supreme Court will drill down into when it hears oral arguments in April on Trump's bid to toss out his election interference indictment.
The final decision could set the rules of the road not just for Trump but also for the actions of any future president.
The court indicated in a brief order Wednesday how it will approach the case by laying out precisely the legal question it will consider: " Whether and if so to what extent does a former President enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office."
Lawyers are now poring over those 29 words, which — some speculate — were most likely the product of intense negotiations among the justices. That may have accounted for why the court took almost two weeks to decide how to act on Trump's request that it hear his appeal — a time frame that prompted criticism that the court was playing into Trump's desire to drag out the process.
With much focus on the timing of the Supreme Court's intervention and whether its involvement means that a trial might not be able to take place before the election , there has been less attention on what exactly the justices will decide.
The language does not track exactly how either Trump or Smith framed the issue.
"My best guess is that they don't want to leave the impression that there's never any presidential immunity under any circumstances and they want to write something more nuanced," said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at George Washington University Law School.
Norm Eisen, who worked for House Democrats during the first unsuccessful effort to impeach Trump, described the court's language as "extremely carefully crafted" in part to narrow the issue before the justices.
It signals the court will reject Trump's "crazy absolute immunity idea," he said.
Trump's lawyers asked the justices in court papers to decide "whether the doctrine of absolute presidential immunity includes immunity from criminal prosecution for a president's official acts," notably making no distinction between whether that person is a current or a former president.
Smith meanwhile said in his filings that the court should decide "whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office." It makes no reference to whether the alleged conduct involves official acts.
The Supreme Court's framing makes it clear that it is considering only immunity for a former president and conduct that may be an official act.
That would suggest the court might conclude that presidents cannot be prosecuted for acts central to their role, such as ordering military actions, issuing pardons or firing officials, said Jack Goldsmith, a professor at Harvard Law School who served in the administration of President George W. Bush.
A ruling that rejects Trump's broad immunity claims while protecting some core presidential functions would "not unduly chill a president in office from exercising key powers," Goldsmith said.
Lower courts have rejected Trump's immunity claim in the case. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who would oversee any eventual trial, ruled categorically that former presidents can be prosecuted for "any criminal acts undertaken while in office."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit then ruled along similar lines, although it assumed for the basis of the decision that Trump's conduct constituted official acts.
In weighing the official acts issue, the Supreme Court may also take into account a separate case involving civil claims against Trump for his role on Jan. 6, 2021.
In that case, a different panel of judges on the same appeals court in Washington rejected his immunity claim, ruling that he was not engaged in official acts because he was acting in his capacity as a candidate for office.
Trump opted against appealing that case to the Supreme Court.
It is uncharted territory for the high court. It was never required to weigh in when former President Richard Nixon potentially faced prosecution after the Watergate scandal because President Gerald Ford issued a pardon.
Trump puts much weight on a 1982 ruling in a case called Nixon v. Fitzgerald, also involving Nixon, which addressed presidential immunity in a civil case. Then, the court ruled that presidents have immunity when the conduct in question was within the "outer perimeter" of their official duties.
But, as Smith points out, that was not a criminal case, meaning its application may be limited.
The Supreme Court has narrowed the case in other ways, too, most notably by refusing to consider Trump's secondary argument that presidents cannot be prosecuted if they were previously subject to impeachment but then acquitted by the Senate.
"They have taken that off the table," Eliason said.
Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News.
Scientists Claim There Is Not a ‘Simple' Answer to Define ‘Woman'
W hat is a woman? Or rather, what defines someone as a woman? Ask 100 women, and you might get 100 different answers. This is because there are a variety of contexts in which you could define a woman, and within each of these contexts, there will still not be one straight answer. Socially or biologically, there is still so much variation. This is the problem Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson ran into in her Supreme Court Confirmation hearing this past Tuesday. Senator Marsha Blackburn asked her to define the word woman. Jackson's response was rather controversial and has sparked a debate on how to define a woman.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Struggles To Define A Woman
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearing Tuesday was a long, grueling affair. It lasted more than 13 hours and was full of extremely tough and at times harsh questions. One of the toughest, however, was when Senator Marsha Blackburn asked the judge to define the word "woman". ( 1 )
"Not in this context, I'm not a biologist," Judge Jackson responded. "In my work as a judge, what I do is I address disputes. If there's a dispute about a definition, people make arguments, and I look at the law, and I decide."
Blackburn was not at all impressed with the answer. She chastised Jackson immediately.
“the fact that you can't give me a straight answer about something as fundamental as what a woman is underscores the dangers of the kind of progressive education that we are hearing about.” Blackburn stated in the hearing.
The Grand Debate: What Defines A Woman?
You may be wondering why Jackson's answer and why learning how a potential supreme court judge defines a woman is so important. It is because, as a Supreme Court Judge, Jackson will most definitely preside over cases involving trans rights and gender politics. Gender politics in the United States of America is a hot topic currently. This is especially so with several trans rights issues currently in debate. Senators on both sides have since used Jackson's response to talk about their own issues with the debate. ( 2 )
Scientists Can't Define "Woman" Either
Many scientists, biologists, and gender law scholars have commended Jackson for her response. They agree that her response might be slightly misleading, but still it wasn't a bad one. This is because while they agree that science and biology could help create a definition for the word, it can't create a conclusive answer, either.
There are billions of women on the planet. Each woman is unique and different, both in a social context and a biological one. Most scientists agree that there is too much variation to be able to clearly, scientifically, define what is a woman.
Rebecca Jordan-Young is a scientists and gender studies scholar. In her work, she explores the relationship between science and the social side of gender and sexuality. She says that while biology is a part of what makes a woman a woman and a man a man, it cannot offer a complete definition.
“I don’t want to see this question punted to biology as if science can offer a simple, definitive answer,” she said. “The rest of her answer was more interesting and important. She said ‘as a judge, what I do is I address disputes. If there’s a dispute about a definition, people make arguments, and I look at the law, and I decide.’ In other words, she said context matters – which is true in both biology and society. I think that’s a pretty good answer for a judge.”
Read: Midwives told to say ‘chestfeeding' instead of ‘breastfeeding' in gender-inclusive move
Not A Simple Question
After the hearing, Blackburn tweeted that her question to define the word " woman " was a simple one. She said that the fact that Jackson couldn't answer it was a major red flag. Many scientists, however, say that it's true: It really is not a simple question.
The answer is not as binary as we once used to say. It used to be "If you are born with a penis, you are a boy and identify as one. If you are born with a vagina, you are a woman and identify as one." . As gender experts point out, however, it is much more complex than that.
In terms of biology, there are at least six different markers for "sex". This includes genitals, gonads, chromosomes, internal reproductive organs, hormones, and their levels, and secondary sex characteristics. These markers don't always align, however, and aren't necessarily opposite or completely different. Therefore, according to biologists, it is nearly impossible to define a woman based on biology alone.
It Is A Social Question and Needs To Be Answered On A Contextual Basis
While there are biological markers that exist for sex, we can't completely hinge the definition of male or female in science. In the terms of the law and the judicial system, each case involving this debate needs to take into account both the biological and the social context of the debate.
“As is so often the case, science cannot settle what are really social questions,” said Sarah Richardson, a Harvard scholar, historian and philosopher of biology who focuses on the sciences of sex and gender and their policy dimensions. “In any particular case of sex categorization, whether in law or in science, it is necessary to build a definition of sex particular to context.”
Gender studies professor Kate Mason says that in many cases, judges have to recognize that gender is not a binary thing. It is fluid. Many people will have their own idea of what gender, or a gender, is, and with what and how they identify.
“I do think that judges and justices sometimes have to make determinations about who is meant by ‘man’ or ‘woman’ in written statutes – and they may have to acknowledge the reality that sex and gender are not binary,” Mason said. “I think Blackburn would prefer a world in which reality was much simpler.”
Keep Reading: Mom sparks war of words after spotting ‘exaggerated' lips on Black doll
- “ Scientists Claim There Is Not a ‘Simple’ Answer to Define ‘Woman’ .” IJR . Bradley Cortright . March 25, 2022.
- “ Marsha Blackburn asked Ketanji Brown Jackson to define ‘woman.’ Science says there’s no simple answer. .” USA Today . Alia E. Dastagir. March 24, 2022.
The post Scientists Claim There Is Not a ‘Simple’ Answer to Define ‘Woman’ appeared first on Secret Life Of Mom .
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Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example: ... 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. ...
Definition. A claim is a statement that presents an idea or series of ideas as arguments. Arguments therefore consist of claims, or another way to put it is, to say that claims are the building blocks of a good argument. In research writing, claims will be the backbone that form a thesis or a hypothesis (here the term 'hypothesis' refers to ...
Thesis statement definition: . See examples of THESIS STATEMENT used in a sentence.
Thesis. Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore ...
How to use thesis in a sentence. Did you know? a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view; especially : one written by a candidate for …
Finally, in the introduction is the thesis (claim). The thesis provides the main argument for the essay as well as an outline for the rest of the essay. Body--The body of a five-paragraph essay is ...
Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence Introduction. The three important parts of an argumentative essay are: A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article's main point. It is not a fact; it's a statement that you could disagree with.
Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don't use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences. Contentious: Your thesis shouldn't be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
The Claim part of your thesis is your argument; it is a stance on the issue you brought up in the topic. For example, the commercial fishing industry is making subsistence living in Alaska harder on Indigenous peoples. The "So What?" of your thesis lets your readers know why they should care about the topic and claim you are making.
Thesis definition: a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections. See examples of THESIS used in a sentence.
A thesis statement usually appears in the introductory paragraph of a paper.It offers a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay, research paper, etc. It is usually expressed in one sentence, and the statement may be reiterated elsewhere. It contains the topic and the controlling idea. There are two types of thesis statements: direct and indirect. The indirect thesis statement ...
Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way. An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn't have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way.
A claim is a type of argumentative thesis - we usually call it a claim when it is being used in a persuasive essay. Claims need to be defended by you with logical, persuasive reasoning. Claims can also be challenged. The most common types of claims are. claims of policy (we must do something!), claims of value (this is good! or this is bad ...
These topics may lead to a thesis that is either dry fact or a weird claim that cannot be supported. A good thesis falls somewhere between the two extremes. To arrive at this point, ask yourself what is new, interesting, contestable, or controversial about your topic. ... Choose an activity and define it as a symbol of American culture. Your ...
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.
- Definition. A Two-Part (Claim + Reason) Thesis Statement is a succinct and persuasive way to present an argument in academic writing. It consists of two essential components: the claim, which states the main point or position you're asserting, and the reason, which provides a concise explanation or justification for why that claim is ...
A thesis statement is: The statement of the author's position on a topic or subject. Clear, concise, and goes beyond fact or observation to become an idea that needs to be supported (arguable). Often a statement of tension, where the author refutes or complicates an existing assumption or claim (counterargument).
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement. 1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing: An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.; An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.; An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies ...
A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World ...
An effective thesis statement has two parts: (1) the topic and (2) your claim about the topic. [Image: Edu Lauton | Unsplash] Definition to Remember: Thesis = Topic + Claim; Rules to Remember: A thesis statement is the main idea or subject of your paper, while a topic sentence is the main idea of a single paragraph. Sometimes the thesis may ...
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.
The court's ultra-accelerated consideration of Anderson sits in sharp contrast with its treatment of Trump's claim of absolute immunity in his criminal trial over Jan. 6, which the justices ...
According to independent analysis, across the market title insurance typically pays out only 3% to 5% of premiums in claims to consumers, compared to more than 70% in other types of insurance ...
Thesis Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore needs
Lower courts have rejected Trump's immunity claim in the case. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who would oversee any eventual trial, ruled categorically that former presidents can be ...
Scientists Can't Define "Woman" Either. Many scientists, biologists, and gender law scholars have commended Jackson for her response. They agree that her response might be slightly misleading, but ...