156 What’s the Point: Finding Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

In academic writing, thesis statements help readers understand the topic and purpose of the composition you’re sharing with them. Thesis statements put up a signpost that identifies your destination and the direction you’ll take. Thesis statements also help you, the writer, focus your work; as you write, you can return to this statement periodically and consider how well you’re sticking to the topic and how well you’re proving your thesis.

By the way, thesis statements may be present in other types of writing, from news articles to memoirs, as well as the focused academic, professional, and scholarly works you’ll use for research and to compose your own essays, reports, and more.

For example, consider these thesis statements:

1. Healthcare reform in America is long overdue, and there is no other policy proposition more unequivocally prepared to provide substantial and affordable healthcare, mental health and substance abuse treatment than a single-payer, national health insurance program — better known as Medicare for All. (Cantu 2021)
2. I am going to write an essay describing my experiences with fat oppression and the ways in which feminism and punk have affected my work. (Lamm 1975/2001).
3. The concept of infinity has different applications in mathematical, philosophical, and cosmological studies.
4. We argue that as we are talking about what we “know,” we also need to pivot and think about what we (as composition scholars) don’t know, as well as what novices (such as graduate students) need to know to be effective teachers of writing. (Brewer & di Gennaro 2022)

These examples all fulfill the definition provided in the textbook First-Year Composition: Writing as Inquiry and Argumentation: “A solid thesis statement notifies readers of the writer’s topic and prepares readers for the argument to come.” In other words, a thesis is both a signpost (“notifies readers”) and a roadmap (“prepares readers”).

Activity

Let’s consider thesis statements in another way:

• Watch Martha Ann Kennedy’s short YouTube video, “How to Identify the Thesis Statement.”
• While you watch, take notes so you can answer the following questions:
  • What are thesis statements?
  • What clues help you find them?

How Do I Find the Thesis Statement?

Thesis statements can be difficult to find, even for experienced readers. Sometimes, they’re located at the start of the first paragraph of the essay or article. Sometimes, they’re located at the end of that first paragraph. Sometimes — especially in longer articles and in academic books — they’re located several paragraphs or pages into the piece.

What’s a reader to do?

Tips for Finding Thesis Statements

1. First, read the title. Scholarly articles, essays, books, and studies usually provide very descriptive and detailed titles that identify the topic. Titles often provide a clue to the author’s point of view, position on the topic, direction of the piece, and key argument.
2. Second, read the abstract, if there is one. These entries usually give a somewhat detailed overview. Good abstracts clearly identify the topic, outline the study methods used (if any), and clearly state the author’s argument, conclusions, or findings. Quite often, the thesis statement is the last full sentence of the abstract.
3. Third, read the first paragraph or — for longer articles and books — the first page or so. The idea is to get the sense of the piece. But, as with the abstract, pay close attention to the first and last sentences. Quite often, the thesis statement is the last full sentence of the first paragraph.
4. As you read, look for sentences that use words like “argue,” “claim,” “conclude,” “contend,” “will,” “in this …,” “should.” There are a few other key words that are common, but these will get you started.
5. Finally, ask yourself if the steps above have helped you identify what the essay or article is about, what the author’s position is, and what argument they’re making (or what conclusions they are presenting). Is there one sentence that sums up these details? If so, that’s a candidate for the thesis statement.
6. If you’re not sure, repeat or revisit one of the steps above.

Want to learn more?

• “What is a Thesis Statement and Why is it Important?”
• “What is a Thesis Statement? I Need Some Examples, Too.”
• “How to Find Thesis Statements”