Ideas on how to Find Good Examples of Good Thesis Statements in High School
A good essay has a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a declaration, which captures your claim and the position you intend to defend throughout the paper. Its role is immense and always acts as the backbone of your paper. This means crafting a good thesis that brings out your argument can be a mind boggling task. Thus, you need examples of good thesis statements in high school to help you master the art of penning an excellent thesis before you embark on your paper.
What you should expect in this handout:
- Understanding a thesis statement
- How to write a good thesis statement
- Evaluating your thesis
- What to avoid when drafting thesis statement
- Selected examples of excellent thesis statements
Read on and become a better writer.
What you should know when looking for examples of good thesis statements in high school
The basic of high school writing is a persuasion; convincing the reader to agree with your viewpoint on a particular subject matter. However, you become good in persuasion through daily practice.
While in school, you will mostly present academic arguments, which have a predictable pattern to follow. By the end of your introduction paragraph, the reader should be aware of your claim, which you capture in a single sentence called a thesis statement. A good thesis should summarize your argument.
About a thesis statement:
- Shows how you will explore the importance of the topic of discussion
- It is a roadmap and signals the reader of what to expect in the rest of the paper in terms of the scope, purpose and direction.
- It gives answers to the main question of your assignment. It offers a better way of understanding the subject.
- It presents a claim, which other people could nullify.
- It is always focused and specific
- It appears near the end of the intro. In long papers, your thesis could be in several sentences or even a whole paragraph.
- It brings out the relationship between different pieces of evidence, which you use to support your claim.
These points should help you find examples of good thesis statements in high school. Use them as your checklist as you draft your thesis whenever you have written assignment.
Note: While a thesis statement is an essential element of an essay, not every essay requires one. Always talk to your lecturer and seek clarification.
How to get your thesis statement
The first question that should ring in your mind is how to find a good thesis statement when handling a written assignment. Notably, this process can be lengthy, as you think through your topic.
Formulating a thesis statement is not the first thing when handling a writing assignment. Firstly, organize your support materials, establish relationships between existing known facts on the topic and reflect on the importance of such connections.
At this stage, you have a tentative thesis or main idea or a working basis, summarizing the argument you feel you can convincingly support using collected evidence. Importantly, feel free to adjust your tentative thesis since the purpose and direction of your paper may change as you progress.
At this point, let us consider a practical example before we move to another important segment of this manual.
Example #1
Take a look at the intro of Cigarette Smoking, a nicely written essay, discussing a real issue in our society. The excerpt says:
“Cigarette smoking and branding of cigar packets elicit divergent views from the public. Why does the government allow its citizens to smoke when cigarette packets bear a warning message? This forms the basis of people question the morality and legality of the state allowing its people to endanger their lives through puffing. Every smoker knows that’ Smoking is Injurious to health’ yet the government makes the cigars available on the market. [Thesis]: Even though cigarette smoking is harmful, its advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far, making it hard for the government to impose a ban.”
This introductory paragraph shows you the position of a thesis statement. From the claim, the reader expects the writer to talk about the factors, which favor cigar smoking. It is a good way of structuring your thesis. It also shows you some of the elements to consider when in need of examples of good thesis statements in high school.
Guiding questions to help you determine the strength of a thesis statement
When writing your thesis statements, ensure that they are strong. However, determining the strength of your thesis is not an easy task. Seek the opinion of experts especially if you have time and allow them to evaluate your argument before developing it.
As you review the first draft of your thesis, ask yourself the following questions:
Is it answering the question? Reread your question prompt after drafting your tentative thesis. This will help you fix the thesis in case it misses the focus of the question at hand.
Is there a counterargument for my position? If your claim does not have room for others to oppose then you are probably stating a fact or giving a summary of the topic and not making an argument.
Is my argument specific enough? Avoid a vague thesis statement because you will not have a strong argument. For example, instead of saying that something is good, focus on what makes it good.
Does it pass the so what test? If the first thing that pops into the reader’s mind is so what, then you need to rework your thesis statement and make it stronger.
Does my paper support my thesis without wandering? If your thesis and the rest of your paper do not rhyme, then one has to change. It is easier to adjust your thesis statement so that it captures the evidence in the paper.
These questions are so crucial that you should also have them in mind when going through examples of good thesis statements in high school.
Tips that will give you a nice thesis statement for your essay
From the onset of your paper, your thesis should be clear and visible. This plays a major role in orienting your audience on what you are discussing. The following hints will help you craft an excellent thesis statement:
Hints when writing thesis:
Hint 1: Determine the type of paper you are writing. The main type of papers you will in encounter in high school and beyond are:
- Analytical Paper – It breaks down the issue into smaller elements, evaluates the issue, and puts together the breakdown and evacuation for the reader.
- Expository Paper – It gives a detailed explanation of an issue or idea to the audience. It focuses on helping the reader to understand the issue better.
- Argumentative Paper – This type of essay makes a claim on an issue and provides enough evidence to support the claim. The aim of this paper is to persuade the audience that the claim holds.
However, in case you are writing an essay that falls out of this bracket, e.g. a narrative, having a thesis statement in your introductory paragraph would still help.
Hint 2: Make your thesis as specific as possible – Ensure that your thesis only covers what your paper will prove using specific evidence from authentic sources.
Hint 3: Your thesis should come towards the end of the intro. While some writers may have a thesis within the body of the intro, we recommend that you place your thesis as the last statement of your intro. This is a good rule especially if you are not a veteran writer or when sourcing examples of good thesis statements in high school.
Hint 4: Always revise your thesis statement – The purpose and direction of your paper may change as you develop your paper. Be flexible, revisit your thesis and ensure that it is in harmony with the rest of the essay.
Always apply these hints not only when drafting own thesis but also when seeking writing help, so that you present a high quality paper to your lecturer.
Here are more of essays with excellent thesis statements to consider. They will help you a great deal to become a distinguished writer. Take time and see how examples of good thesis statements in high school look like.
- Changes in Gender Impact
- Financial Education and Management Curriculum
- Is Recycling Worth It
- Should Government Invest More Money In Building Shelter House?
- Should Handguns be banned?
These selected essays and tips above will provide you with all the skills, knowledge and wisdom that you need to master the art of crafting a holistic thesis statement.
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