or
Because , .
If you are just starting out, and you are still developing an original, evidence-based claim to defend, a simpler formula is probably best. Once you have done the research, and you understand the subject, then a formula like the following won’t look like random words; it will suggest a way to frame a nuanced, complex argument that goes beyond making non-controversial factual statements.
While says , says . While the two authors disagree over , they both share a deep concern over . refusal to accept suggests that is . | |
What really matters is not guessing the magically correct words to fit some secret formula that your mean instructor is refusing to tell you. What matters is that you have researched your subject, that you have found and engaged meaningfully with peer-reviewed academic sources, and that you are developing an evidence-based claim, rather than summarizing or giving unsupported opinion. |
Academic Argument: Evidence-based Defense of a Non-obvious Position
Parts of a Thesis Statement
The thesis statement has 3 main parts : the limited subject , the precise opinion , and the blueprint of reasons .
Make sure you’ve chosen a subject that meets your instructor’s requirements for the assignment. (It never hurts to ask.)
The precise opinion gives your answer to a question about the subject. A good precise opinion is vital to the reader’s comprehension of the goal of the essay .
A blueprint is a plan. It lets the builder know that the foyer will be here, the living room will be to the east, the dining room to the west, and the family room will be north.The blueprint of an essay permits you to see the whole shape of your ideas before you start churning out whole paragraphs.While it’s okay for you to start writing down your ideas before you have a clear sense of your blueprint, your reader should never encounter a list of details without being told exactly what point these details are supposed to support. (For more details on the reasoning blueprint, see Blueprinting .)
The biography challenges the Western genre’s stereotype of the “savage Indian” through . | |
In the blueprint, the author . The author of the example above introduces three different kinds of evidence: Informed by this blueprint, the reader expects to encounter one section (a paragraph or more) devoted to each subtopic.The . |
If your thesis statement introduces three reasons A, B and C, the reader will expect a section on reason A, a section on reason B, and a section on reason C.
For a single paragraph, you might only spend one sentence on each reason. For a 2-3 page paper, each reason might get its own paragraph. For a 10-page paper, each reason might contain its own local thesis statement, with its own list of reasons, so that each section involves several paragraphs.To emphasize the structure of your essay, repeat keywords or paraphrased ideas from the blueprint as you introduce the sections in which you expand on each point. Crafting good transitions is a skill that takes time and practice. ( See Transitions and Reminders of Thesis ).
Note : If you repeat your blueprint phrases and your thesis statement robotically (“The third point I want to talk about is how Black Elk Speaks accurately represents the Indian lifestyle through its direct quotes from Black Elk.”), your writing will be rather dry and lifeless. Dull writing is probably better than aimless rambling, although neither is terribly effective. |
Note : A thesis statement amounts to nothing if the paper is not completely focused on that main point . Blueprinting helps create the coherency of the thesis throughout the entire essay, which makes it a necessary part of the thesis statement.
accurately represents Indian lifestyle through its attention to cultural detail, its use of Indian words, and its direct quotes from Black Elk. | |
: The representation of Indian lifestyle in the book Black Elk Speaks : the book is accurate : the book pays attention to it uses , and it uses . (The rest of the paper will establish the truth of teach of these supporting points, and then explain why they add up to support the truth of the thesis statement.) |
Is a tragedy? | |
This is a question, not a statement. It’s fine to sit down at the keyboard with the intention of writing a paper to answer this question, but before you start churning out the sentences, you should have a clear idea of what answer you’re trying to support. |
This paper will look at the book’s attention to cultural detail, its use of Indian words, and its direct quotations from Black Elk, in order to determine whether accurately represents Indian lifestyle. | |
The above sample is slightly better because it offers more detail, but it still doesn’t say what position the author is taking on the topic of whether the book is accurate. |
Because the events in the story emphasize Black Elk’s role as a Sioux Warrior, and do not describe his eventual conversion to Catholicism and membership in the Society of St. Joseph, presents a skewed and simplified view of the complex history of Native Americans. | |
Note that the above sample contains a (the accuracy of Black Elk Speaks), (it is skewed and simplified), and (because the book only tells part of the story). You don’t need to present those three parts in that exact order every time; furthermore, your instructor may have a good reason to ask you for a different organization. But most of the time, including these three parts will help your reader to follow your ideas much more closely. |
Biographies of all types can teach us many things about the past. What was the culture like? What was the language like? And what did the people say? One such book is Black Elk Speaks, which tells the story of a Sioux warrior in the late 1800s. How accurate is this book? This paper will investigate the cultural details, the language, and what Black Elk actually said, in order to determine the answer. | |
The above sample starts off with a wordy, general statement about biographies. But the main topic isn’t about biographies of all types, it’s specifically about one book, Black Elk Speaks. |
17 Oct 2000 — originally posted by Nicci Jordan, UWEC Junior 08 Dec 2000 — first posted here. Maintained by Prof. Jerz. 13 Dec 2003 — links updated 22 Sep 2006 — moderate revisions by Jerz 29 Oct 2011 — updated by Jerz 14 June 2015 — minor adjustments
Blueprinting: Planning Your Essay A blueprint is a rough but specific plan , or outline, which defines the structure of your whole essay. The blueprint, usually located within the thesis statement, is a brief list of the points you plan to make, compressed into just a few words each, in the same order in which they appear in the body of your paper.
Hochstein, Jordan, and Jerz Thesis Reminders A thesis reminder is a direct echo of the thesis statement . In a short paper, the topic sentence of each paragraph should repeat words or phrases from the thesis statement.
Dennis G. Jerz Timed Essays: Planning and Organizing in a Crunch
this did not help at all
I can’t win them all.
Gibberish person may be skimming too fast. This always helps. I’m in the middle of replying to a student email on how to rework her thesis statement and I use your explanation as a clear explanation.
This has helped a lot, thank you.
I find this page helpful. Thank you!
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please I want some more examples of how to construct a very good acedamic essays
From this class,I kind of know what is thesis statement.It is a strong support of a whole passage,it can inform people of what the passage is telling,only by using a few words .It should have the keywords and a good organization to make itself brief but rich.After learning this class,I think I will be better at writing the thesis statement.Thanks
I am doing a project for my MST…but iam finding it difficult in putting up my paragraphs which needs to include my subject and limited subject…..pliz advice me on how to put up my paragraph
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I am doing preparation of ielts exam . but I faface difficulty in grammar and especially in thesis line which I confuse that what should i write in thesis line among all kinds of essay …plz tell me but should I do to improve it.
I think you should read more and write more.After writing,you can ask someone that is good at English learning to help you know what your mistakes are.
Vehicles has become a essential part of human being life. People used to bicycle but by the time mode of commute has been replaced by car .however, still in some cities people prefer to ride bicycle for travelling.
Plz tell me how can I impressive to my intro and how can I improve my writing skill
Jonu, I’d say the most important helpful thing you can do is expose yourself to English as spoken by native English speakers, talking with people who know the language well enough that they can correct you immediately, in casual conversation, when you make one of the word-level errors that only an expert user of the language would spot. There is no shortcut — exposing yourself to a language is the only way to learn it.
I happened to come across this video, which is geared towards a young audience, but is written for English language learners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqxuNrhKhMc
Hi i am doing the preparation of competitive exam , i have to write an Essay of 2500-2800 words, data should be critical and researched base, for example there is Essay on Climate change , then please tell me how i develop a thesis statement, and how we write thesis statement, is it is written in the start of Essay or in the end of introduction, some people said that thesis satement should be written in start other say that this written in end of introductory paragraph. please help me with example thanks
Rab, if you are looking for my advice on thesis statements, you have found the right page. If you have any specific questions or comments about the content of this page, I’d be happy to address them. I’ve already put lots of time into this page, and at the moment I can’t think of a way to present my advice any more clearly.
Although you did say “please,” even so, “tell me how I develop a thesis statement” is asking for quite a lot.
What is your college major or your area of professonal expertise? If I asked you to tell me, right here on my blog, what I need to know in order to succeed in a competitive exam in your field, what would you say?
If I went to a doctor and said “Tell me how to diagnose a patient,” or I went to a judge and said “Tell me how to interpret the law,” or I went to an artist and said “Tell me how to be creative,” do you think they would be able give me a few sentences that completely answer my question and prepare me for professional work as a doctor, judge, or artist? If they had spent years as students learning their subject matter, and additional years teaching or writing a textbook on their specialty, they might be very good in their professions but I’d bet they’d all find it tough to answer such a question in any meaningful way.
I won’t be evaluating your submission, so my opinion on debatable topics such as where the thesis should go won’t be of any specific use to you.
thesis statement should be the last statement in your introductory paragraph, it will consist of a short explanation as to why you are writing the essay and what is involved.
That’s certainly a valid place to put a thesis statement, jentar. If your instructor tells you to put a thesis statement in a certain place, then putting it anywhere else is risky. But it’s also possible to start with a paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention with a gripping example that illustrates what’s at stake, and then give the thesis statement in the second paragraph.
This is great stuff. I wonder if you didn’t mean expansive rather than expensive in the following sentence. “Instead of claiming that a book “challenges a genre’s stereotypes,” you might instead argue that some text “provides a more expensive but more ethical solution than X” or “challenges Jim Smith’s observation that ‘[some quote from Smith here]’” instead.
Thanks for your feedback. I’m glad you found the page useful. I really did mean “expensive” in that example, though I am simply suggesting that considering cost is worth exploring in an argument, depending on the kind of argument you are making.
I found the information to be very informative and easy to understand. Thank you
Hi. I began an essay on the topic ; reasons why pursuing college education is important. I had it started off this way… Aristotle said it best when he stated, “Education is the best provision for life’s journey.” Pursuing a college education provides individuals with career pportunities, higher income and experiences necessary in the journey of life. Please do you think I started off good or too weak? I need your help as this is a great assignment for me to make up for my mid semester examination which I was unable to attend!
Your instructor is the one who will grade the assignment, so he or she is the best source of feedback. Without knowing what grade/level you are, or what kind of class you are taking, I can’t really advise you. However, unless you have read Aristotle’s works yourself and can place that quote in its context, I would not recommend pulling a random quote from a website and using it to start a paper. The complete quote is “Education is the best provision for the journey to old age,” but what does that mean?
The word “best” means there is at least a “good” and a “better,” and that by some measurement or judgement, a third thing is “best.” What are the two other sayings (at least) that you have compared to Aristotle, and what are the two other things (at least) that Aristotle thinks are not as good provision for life’s journey to old age? Why does your opinion (on at least three different sayings, of which the best is Aristotle’s), and at least three different provisions for old age (of which the best is education) help you to answer your instructor’s prompt about the reasons for pursing a college education?
What we think of as “college” is very different from the education that Aristotle would have received (or provided). I suggest you look into ways that a college education encourages critical thinking, which is a different way of thinking than “Did I get the right answer? Will my teacher approve? What’s the secret ‘correct’ answer in the back of my instructor’s book that I should memorize and spit back?” Maybe your instructor wants you to determine for yourself whether you feel gaining a college education is worth the intellectual effort.
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A step-by-step guide to crafting an effective opinion essay.
Expressing your opinion on a particular topic can be a powerful way to engage with your audience and showcase your critical thinking skills. Opinion essays allow you to share your perspective, argue your position, and persuade others to see things from your point of view.
However, crafting a compelling opinion essay requires careful planning, structure, and effective communication. In this ultimate guide, we will provide you with valuable tips and tricks to help you master the art of writing an opinion essay that captivates readers and makes a lasting impression.
Opinion essays are a valuable form of writing that allows individuals to express their thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives on various topics. These essays provide a platform for individuals to share their opinions in a structured and organized manner, allowing them to make compelling arguments and persuade readers to see their point of view.
Additionally, opinion essays encourage critical thinking and analytical skills as writers must consider different viewpoints, conduct research to support their arguments, and present their ideas in a clear and concise manner. By engaging in opinion essay writing, individuals can refine their communication skills and develop their ability to articulate complex ideas effectively.
Furthermore, opinion essays play a crucial role in fostering discussions and debates on important issues, allowing individuals to engage in meaningful dialogue and exchange ideas with others. Through opinion essays, writers can contribute to the collective understanding of diverse topics and promote intellectual growth and development.
In conclusion, opinion essays are an essential form of writing that enables individuals to express their opinions, engage in critical thinking, and contribute to the broader conversation on various subjects. By honing their writing skills through opinion essays, individuals can become more effective communicators and thoughtful participants in discussions and debates.
Before delving into writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to understand its purpose. An opinion essay aims to express the writer’s viewpoint on a particular topic or issue. It allows the writer to share their thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives in a structured and coherent manner. The purpose of an opinion essay is not only to inform readers about the writer’s opinion but also to persuade and convince them of the validity of that opinion.
Key Points: |
When it comes to writing an opinion essay, one of the most crucial steps is selecting a compelling topic. The topic you choose will set the tone for your entire essay and will determine how engaging and persuasive your arguments will be. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect topic for your opinion essay:
By following these tips, you can choose a compelling topic that will capture your readers’ attention and make your opinion essay stand out.
A thesis statement is the backbone of your opinion essay. It summarizes the main point or claim of your essay in one or two sentences. To craft a strong thesis statement, you should make sure it is clear, specific, and arguable. Avoid vague and broad statements and instead focus on a specific argument that you can support with evidence.
Additionally, your thesis statement should be concise and to the point. It should clearly state your opinion on the topic and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow. A strong thesis statement will help guide the rest of your essay and keep you focused on your main argument throughout.
When crafting your thesis statement, take the time to brainstorm and refine your ideas. Consider the main points you want to make in your essay and how they all relate back to your overall opinion. By taking the time to craft a strong thesis statement, you will set yourself up for success in writing a persuasive and impactful opinion essay.
When writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to structure your text properly to ensure clarity and coherence. Follow these guidelines to create a well-organized and engaging essay:
Introduction: Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly states your opinion on the topic. Provide a brief overview of your main points and grab the reader’s attention.
Body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea and provide supporting evidence or examples. Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph, and make sure to include smooth transitions between paragraphs.
Counterarguments: Address potential counterarguments to your opinion and provide a reasoned response to strengthen your argument.
Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final statement that reinforces your opinion.
By structuring your essay in this way, you can effectively present your opinion and persuade your audience to consider your viewpoint.
When writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to back up your opinions with solid evidence. Without supporting evidence, your argument may seem weak and unconvincing. To strengthen your opinion, consider the following tips:
By incorporating strong evidence into your opinion essay, you can make a compelling case for your point of view and persuade your readers to agree with you.
When writing an opinion essay, it is essential to use persuasive language techniques to convince your readers of your viewpoint. Here are some effective techniques to incorporate:
1. Emotive Language: Use words that evoke strong emotions in your readers, such as anger, compassion, or excitement. This can help create a connection with your audience and make them more receptive to your argument.
2. Rhetorical Questions: Pose thought-provoking questions that prompt your readers to consider the topic from a different perspective. This can encourage critical thinking and engage your audience in the discussion.
3. Repetition: Repeat key phrases or arguments throughout your essay to emphasize their importance and reinforce your point of view. This can help drive your message home and make it more memorable.
4. Anecdotes: Share personal stories or examples to illustrate your argument and add a human element to your essay. This can make your writing more relatable and persuasive to your readers.
5. Power words: Use strong, impactful words that resonate with your readers and command attention. Words like “imperative,” “crucial,” or “transformative” can help convey the urgency of your message and persuade your audience to take action.
By employing these persuasive language techniques in your opinion essay, you can effectively communicate your viewpoint and sway your readers to agree with your argument.
When writing the conclusion of your opinion essay, it is important to effectively summarize your main points and restate your opinion clearly. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion, as it should primarily serve as a closure for your argument.
To conclude your essay effectively:
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The thesis statement is an essential part of an essay introduction, and it is very important that you know where to put it and how to write it.
Getting it wrong could very likely reduce your IELTS score as it could affect the coherency of your essay and if it's an opinion essay, it may mean that your opinion is not clear.
They are a crucial part of writing an introduction .
If you prefer you can also watch this video lesson about thesis statements for IELTS:
What is a thesis statement.
Very basically, it tells the person reading your essay what will be in it . It may also give your opinion if the question asks you for this.
It is the last sentence of your introduction.
Don't get it mixed up with the topic of your essay - this is usually at the beginning of your introduction.
In order to make it effective, you must have first identified the task of the essay. If you are unsure about this, check out this lesson on identifying the task .
The task is what you have to do , and is usually at the end of the rubric . For example, look at this IELTS essay question:
As global trade increases, many goods including those we use on a daily basis are produced in other countries and transported long distances.
Do the benefits of this trend *outweigh the drawbacks?
What you have to do (the task) is explain whether you think, overall, an increase in the production of goods in other countries and their subsequent transportation over long distances is more advantageous or disadvantageous .
So your essay is obviously going to be discussing the advantages and disadvantages of this issue, and this is what needs to be made clear in your thesis statement.
It is also an opinion essay as it is asking you to make a decision on whether you think there are more advantages or disadvantages. So you need to make this clear as well.
Here is an example introduction, with the thesis in bold:
Due to the increase in global trade, many of the goods that we consume every day are made in a different country and then transported over a long distance in order to reach us. In my opinion, this trend has more disadvantages than advantages .
You would then go on to write about the advantages and disadvantages of global trade ( focusing more on the disadvantages as you think there are more of these).
*Just a quick note on the word ' outweigh '. This word often confuses students and they end up writing a thesis statement opinion that contradicts what they write in the essay.
The simple answer - don't use the word! It is just asking you if there are more advantages than disadvantages. So just state what you think in the thesis without using the word, as in the example.
We will now look at how thesis statements can vary with different question types. However, you should not try to learn set phrases or sentences to fit certain essays.
There are some broad types of essay question that are common to see, but they can all vary slightly.
The golden rule is to always read the question very carefully ( never rush this as you may not fully answer the question ) and work out what you have to do.
Your thesis statement will then follow on from this, depending on what you have decided you need to write about in order to answer the question.
So below are some suggestions of what you could do for certain common kinds of essay question, but this is not to say these are right and other ways are wrong. There are numerous ways to write good thesis statements and these are just possibilities.
Some questions ask you specifically to discuss two opinions and to give your opinion .
Some people think that young children should be allowed to do paid work, while others think that this should be illegal.
Discuss both opinions and give your opinion.
There are various ways you could choose to write an introduction and thesis for this.
You could begin by paraphrasing the two opinions, then stating in the thesis what you will do:
Some people believe that it is acceptable for young children to undertake jobs that they are paid for, whereas others believe that this is wrong and should be illegal. This essay will discuss both sides of the issue.
This is quite simplistic but it makes it very clear what you are going to do.
You will obviously need to give your opinion as well in the essay, but stating this in the thesis ("This essay will discuss both sides of the issue and then give my opinion") sounds awkward so it is better without it.
Another possible way to do it is by having a sentence to introduce the topic first, and then paraphrasing the two opinions to make them your thesis:
At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, others believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal.
This is fine as your thesis will match with your essay - you go on to discuss the first opinion and then the second one.
Or of course you could modify this slightly to include your opinion:
At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, I believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal.
As long as you go on to discuss both sides of the argument, this is fine.
Another type of question is when you are asked to agree or disagree with one opinion.
Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
For this type of question, you need to state what your opinion is in the thesis statement.
Although you could feasibly do this in the conclusion, I think it is better to do it first so it is clear to someone reading the essay what your opinion is upfront. It is not wrong though to put it in the conclusion - this is your choice.
Your thesis statement here will depend on whether you agree, disagree, or partly agree. Here are some examples of each:
A thesis statement that agrees with the opinion :
Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. However, I strongly believe that this form of medicine does not work and is possibly a danger to those using it.
A thesis statement that disagrees with the opinion :
Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is dangerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be useful.
A thesis statement that partly agrees with the opinion :
Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I agree that for certain conditions this type of medicine is ineffective and could even be dangerous, but for some illnesses it is a good alternative choice.
These examples illustrate why it is important to ananlyze the question carefully and brainstorm your ideas first so you have a clear idea of what you will be writing and what your opinion is.
Some other essays may not ask you for your opinion specifically, but may ask you to discuss, for example, problems and solutions , causes and effects , advantages and disadvantages .
If you are asked to do this, then you should just clearly state that you will be discussing these two things in your essay. Here are some examples:
Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.
Sample thesis in bold:
Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas. It is critical to understand what these issues are and how both governments and individuals can overcome them.
The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years.
Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.
Over the last ten years, Western societies have seen close to a 20% rise in the number of children who are overweight. It is important to understand not only why this is happening but also the consequences of this worrying trend.
In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money to improve public transportation.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution?
Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to make public transport better. These measures would have both benefits and drawbacks.
This lesson has provided you with some broad guidance on writing a thesis statement for different types of essay.
It is important to stress again though that questions can vary so you must always analyze if carefully and identify exactly what you need to do and what should therefore be in your thesis statement.
Remember, a thesis statement is just telling the reader what the focus of your essay is and giving your opinion if necessary.
Follow this link to see some examples of IELTS essay questions .
25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.
The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.
Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.
Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.
Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.
Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.
Getting to an IELTS Band 7 is a struggle for many candidates. This lesson explains exactly what you have to do to reach this band score.
Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?
You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.
This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.
Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.
Learn key steps on how to write an IELTS Essay. This guides you on how to write a great essay plus other lessons to improve your writing skills.
In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.
In IELTS problem solution essays you have to discuss a particular issue and present ideas to solve that problem.
An advantage disadvantage essay is one type of essay that you may get in the test. This lesson shows how to write a pros cons essay.
Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.
IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.
To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.
The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.
An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.
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This unit is intended to refresh your memory of how to work through the research process and begin work on your paper.
Creating an Outline
An outline helps you plan out how the main body paragraphs of your paper will be used to support your thesis.
Microsoft Office Word has easy to use tools to create outlines. I like to start my outline with an introduction section. I can add lines ot my outline by hitting enter for additional numbered lines and hitting tab to create supporting points.
I'll use the numbered lines to outline my body paragraphs. Each body paragraph focuses on one main point which is presented and then supported. There are many ways to arrange the body paragraphs of your paper to best support your argument and it's worth checking out guides for ideas on how to best construct yours.
Once the main body paragraphs have been outlined, I'm going to start adding supporting evidence points. I like adding the direct quotes I've discovered during my research because they remind me of the exact point I was hoping to emphasize and speed up my writing process.
By keeping everything aligned this way, I can clearly see what parts of my outline are main body paragraphs and what points, or evidence, I will use to support them. If I mess something up, I can either hit the backspace button or I can use the decrease/increase indent buttons.
Outlines are only a guide -- they should be flexible . If you see holes in your research or argument, you should do additional work to address those issues. If the flow of your paper isn't right, feel free to move around paragraphs or sections until it sounds right and your argument is fully supported. Finally, if something simply doesn't fit, you shouldn't be afraid to delete it from your outline/paper entirely.
Thesis Statments
You need a good thesis statement for your essay but are having trouble getting started. You may have heard that your thesis needs to be specific and arguable, but still wonder what this really means.
Let's look at some examples. Imagine you're writing about John Hughes's film Sixteen Candles (1984).
You take a first pass at writing a thesis:
Sixteen Candles is a romantic comedy about high school cliques.
Is this a strong thesis statement? Not yet, but it's a good start. You've focused on a topic - high school cliques - which is a smart move because you've settled on one of many possible angles. But the claim is weak because it's not yet arguable. Intelligent people would generally agree with this statement - so there's no real "news" for your reader. You want your thesis to say something surprising and debatable. If your thesis doesn't go beyond summarizing your source, it's descriptive and not yet argumentative.
The key words in the thesis statement are "romantic comedy" and "high school cliques." One way to sharpen the claim is to start asking questions .
For example, how does the film represent high school cliques in a surprising or complex way? how does the film reinforce stereotypes about high school groups and how does it undermine them? Or why does teh flim challenge our expectations about romantic comedies by focusing on high school cliques? If you can answer one of those questions (or others of your own), you'll have a strong thesis.
Tip: Asking "how" or "why" questions will help you refine your thesis, making it more arguable and interesting to your readers.
Take 2. You revise the thesis. Is it strong now?
Sixteen Candles is a romantic comedy criticizing the divisiveness created by high school cliques.
You're getting closer. You're starting to take a stance by arguing that the film identifies "divisiveness" as a problem and criticizes it, but your readers will want to know how this plays out and why it's important. Right now, the thesis still sounds bland - not risky enough to be genuinely contentious.
Tip: Keep raising questions that test your ideas. And ask yourself the "so what" question. Why is your thesis interesting or important?
Take 3. Let's try again. How about this version?
Although the film Sixteen Candles appears to reinforce stereotypes about high school cliques, it undermines them in important ways, questioning its viewers' assumptions about what's normal.
Bingo! This thesis statement is pretty strong. It challenges an obvious interpretation of the movie (that it just reinforces stereotypes), offering a new and more complex reading in its place. We also have a sense of why this argument is important. The film's larger goal, we learn, is to question what we think we understand about normalcy.
What's a Strong Thesis?
As we've just seen, a strong thesis statement crystallizes your paper's argument and, most importantly, it's arguable .
This means two things. It goes beyond merely summarizing or describing to stake out an interpretation or position that's not obvious, and others could challenge for good reasons. It's also arguable in the literal sense that it can be argued , or supported through a thoughtful analysis of your sources. If your argument lacks evidence, readers will think your thesis statement is an opinion or belief as opposed to an argument.
Exercises for Drafting an Arguable Thesis
A good thesis will be focused on your object of study (as opposed to making a big claim about the world) and will introduce the key words guiding your analysis. To get started, you might experiment with some of these "mad libs." They're thinking exercises that will help propel you toward an arguable thesis.
By examining ___________________[topic/approach], we can see ____________________[thesis- the claim that's surprising, which is important because _____________________.[1]
" By examining Sixteen Candles through the lens of Georg Simmel's writing on fashion, we can see that the protagonist's interest in fashion as an expression of her conflicted desire to be seen as both unique and accepted by the group. This is important because the film offers its viewers a glimpse into the ambivalent yearnings of middle class youth in the 1980s.
Although readers might assume __________ [the commonplace idea you're challenging], I argue that _____________[your surprising claim].
Example:
Although viewers might assume the romantic comedy Sixteen Candles is merely entertaining, I believe its message is political. The film uses the romance between Samantha, a middle class sophomore and Jake, an affluent senior, to reinforce the fantasy that anyone can become wealthy and successful with enough cunning and persistence.
Still Having Trouble? Let's Back Up...
It helps to understand why readers value the arguable thesis. What larger purpose does it serve? Your readers will bring a set of expectations to your essay. The better you can anticipate the expectations of your readers, the better you'll be able to persuade them to entertain seeing things your way.
Academic readers (and readers more generally) read to learn something new. They want to see the writer challenge commonplaces - either everyday assumptions about your object of study or truisms in the scholarly literature. In other words, academic readers want to be surprised so that their thinking shifts or at least becomes more complex by the time they finish reading your essay. Good essays problematize what we think we know and offer an alternative explanation in its place. They leave their reader with a fresh perspective on a problem.
We all bring important past experiences and beliefs to our interpretations of texts, objects, and problems. You can harness these observational powers to engage critically with what you are studying. The key is to be alert to what strikes you as strange, problematic, paradoxical, or puzzling about your object of study. If you can articulate this and a claim in response, you're well on your way to formulating an arguable thesis in your introduction.
How do I set up a "problem" and an arguable thesis in response?
All good writing has a purpose or motive for existing. Your thesis is your surprising response to this problem or motive. This is why it seldom makes sense to start a writing project by articulating the thesis. The first step is to articulate the question or problem your paper addresses.
Here are some possible ways to introduce a conceptual problem in your paper's introduction.
1. Challenge a commonplace interpretation (or your own first impressions).
How are readers likely to interpret this source or issue? What might intelligent readers think at first glance? (Or, if you've been given secondary sources or have been asked to conduct research to locate secondary sources, what do other writers or scholars assume is true or important about your primary source or issue?).
What does this commonplace interpretation leave out, overlook, or under-emphasize?
2. Help your reader see the complexity of your topic.
Identify and describe for your reader a paradox, puzzle, or contradiction in your primary source(s).
What larger questions does this paradox or contradiction raise for you and your readers?
3. If your assignment asks you to do research, piggyback off another scholar's research.
Summarize for your reader another scholar's argument about your topic, primary source, or case study and tell your reader why this claim is interesting.
Now, explain how you will extend this scholar's argument to explore an issue or case study that the scholar doesn't address fully.
4. If your assignment asks you to do research, identify a gap in another scholar's or a group of scholars' research.
Summarize for your reader another scholar's argument about your topic, primary source, or case study and tell your reader why this claim is interesting. Or, summarize how scholars in the field tend to approach your topic.
Next, explain what important aspect this scholarly representation misses or distorts. Introduce your particular approach to your topic and its value.
5. If your assignment asks you to do research, bring in a new lens for investigating your case study or problem.
Summarize for your reader how a scholar or group of scholars has approached your topic.
Introduce a theoretical source (possibly from another discipline) and explain how it helps you address this issue from a new and productive angle.
Testing Your Thesis
You can test your thesis statement's arguability by asking the following questions:
Does my thesis only or mostly summarize my source?
If so, try some of the exercises above to articulate your paper's conceptual problem or question.
Is my thesis arguable - can it be supported by evidence in my source, and is it surprising and contentious?
If not, return to your sources and practice the exercises above.
Is my thesis about my primary source or case study, or is it about the world?
If it's about the world, revise it so that it focuses on your primary source or case study. Remember you need solid evidence to support your thesis.
"Formulating a Thesis" was written by Andrea Scott, Princeton University . CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
[1] Adapted from Erik Simpson’s “Five Ways of Looking at a Thesis” at http://www.math.grinnell.edu/~simpsone/Teaching/fiveways.html
Information Literacy Tutorial by Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License . Based on a work at guides.library.uwm.edu
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Being a student and writing essays is not something everybody enjoys, but in my personal opinion as a writer, anyone can find contentment and pleasure in writing, especially when it comes to argumentative essays. While they may seem tricky to navigate, they offer this unique opportunity to express your opinions and make your voice heard. Consider this a growing process—once you overcome the challenges of writing argumentative essays, you will learn the art of agreeing or disagreeing with popular opinions and defending your stance. As far as the essay is concerned, I will show you how to master this process on how to write an argumentative essay.
You will likely be required to write argumentative essays throughout your academic life, from high school to university. These assignments will present opportunities to develop and showcase your critical thinking and persuasive writing skills. Here are some scenarios where you might encounter the need to write argumentative essays:
Academic Assignments
Often assigned in school or college courses to help students develop critical thinking and persuasive writing skills. These assignments encourage students to research thoroughly, form coherent arguments, and present their viewpoints convincingly.
Debates and Discussions
Serve as the basis for presenting and defending viewpoints in academic or competitive settings. Argumentative essays provide a structured way to organize thoughts and evidence, helping participants articulate their arguments effectively during debates.
Opinion Pieces
Commonly used in newspapers, magazines, and online publications to influence public opinion on current issues. These essays allow writers to present their stance on controversial topics, backed by evidence and reasoning, to sway readers' views.
Policy Proposals
Utilized in government and policy-related fields to propose and defend specific policy changes or solutions to societal problems. Argumentative essays in this context present well-researched arguments to persuade policymakers and stakeholders of the necessity and viability of the proposed changes.
Persuasive Speeches
Prepared as a foundation for delivering persuasive speeches. Writing an argumentative essay helps speakers organize their thoughts and evidence logically, providing a solid framework for their oral presentations.
An argumentative essay uses factual evidence and logical support to convince the reader of a particular point of view. Here's a breakdown of the structure and what goes into each part of an argumentative essay:
Basic Argumentative Essay Structure
1.Introduction
Purpose: Introduce the topic, present the thesis, and set up the argument.
Hook: A sentence to grab the reader’s attention.
Background Information: Brief context about the topic.
Thesis Statement: The main argument or claim.
2.Body Paragraphs
Purpose: Present arguments and evidence to support the thesis and refute opposing arguments.
Topic Sentence: Introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
Evidence and Analysis: Present facts, statistics, quotes, or examples to support the argument.
Counterarguments and Rebuttals: Address opposing views and explain why they are invalid or less significant.
3.Conclusion
Purpose: Summarize the arguments, restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented, and offer final thoughts.
Restate Thesis: Reiterate the main argument.
Summarize Key Points: Highlight the main points made in the body paragraphs.
Final Thought: A closing statement that underscores the importance of the topic
As an experienced writer, I've come to understand the structure of argumentative essays quite well. But what I found truly challenging when I first started was nailing the right approach. Many beginners, myself included at one point, fall into traps like letting personal biases creep in or thinking that being argumentative means being aggressive. Trust me, that's not the case at all!
In this section, I'm going to lay out an effective approach on how to write an argumentative essay step by step for beginners. I'll break it down in a way that I wish someone had done for me when I was starting out. Plus, I'll share some insider tips on tools like WPS Office that I've come to rely on to streamline my writing process. So let's learn how to write an argumentative essay with a few examples.
When I sit down to craft an argumentative essay, my first step is to engage in a comprehensive brainstorming session. This is your opportunity to let your creativity run wild and explore every angle of your topic. Write down every idea that comes to you, whether it supports or opposes your topic. Remember, at this stage, there are no bad ideas.
Now, while there's nothing wrong with the classic pen and paper approach, I've found that using WPS Office takes my brainstorming to a whole new level. It's not just about having a digital notepad; the AI features often toss out ideas that I might never have thought of on my own. It's like having a creative partner who never gets tired! Let me show you how I use it:
Let's say our topic is "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?"
Step 1: Open WPS Office and type "@AI" on a blank document to activate WPS AI.
Step 2: Click on the "Brainstorm" option and enter your prompt. Make sure it's detailed and clearly explains what you want. Here's an example of an effective prompt:
"Generate a list of arguments both for and against the idea that electric cars are better for the environment. Consider factors like emissions, manufacturing processes, battery disposal, and energy sources"
Step 3: WPS AI will generate several arguments on both sides. If you want more, simply click "Rewrite”.
Jot down any valuable arguments before hitting "Rewrite", as you might not see the same ones again.
With these arguments in hand, you'll likely find yourself leaning towards one side of the debate. Armed with a variety of points and counterpoints, you'll be well-equipped to write an effective argumentative essay. Remember, a strong argumentative essay is built on a foundation of thorough preparation and diverse ideas.
Now that we've generated our initial arguments and counterarguments, it's time to dive deeper into research to strengthen our position. Let's continue with our example topic: "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?"
Let's continue with our example topic: "Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?" Our next step is to select the most impactful supporting arguments and conduct in-depth research to substantiate them with solid evidence. Simultaneously, we'll identify the strongest counterarguments and explore ways to address or neutralize them through our research.
All of this might seem a little overwhelming, but with the help of WPS AI, the research phase becomes significantly more manageable. As we gather research papers, we can upload them to WPS Office and quickly gain insights using the AI features.
Here's how to leverage WPS AI for efficient research:
Step 1: Open your research paper PDFs in WPS Office, then click on the WPS AI widget in the top right corner.
Step 2: In the WPS AI panel that appears on the right side of your screen, click "Upload" to add your PDF.
Step 3: Once processed, WPS AI will provide you with key insights from the PDF at a glance.
Step 4: For more specific information, click on the "Inquiry" tab and use the WPS AI chatbot to ask further questions about the PDF contents.
As you conduct your research, begin organizing your findings into an outline. Remember to structure your outline according to the elements we discussed in previous sections. This will ensure your outline contains all the necessary components for an effective argumentative essay.
Now that we have our research and outline ready, it's time to start writing our first draft. This is where your essay really starts to take shape. Don't worry about perfection at this stage—the goal is to get your ideas down coherently.
Using the outline we prepared during our research, you'll find it easier to organize your thoughts for your essay. To make things simpler, use WPS Office editing tools. When I write my essay, I always ensure it is properly formatted, giving it a cleaner look and helping me focus better.
Now, simply start your draft on WPS Office with an introduction, followed by a body paragraph, and conclude with a strong summary that reviews your main points and leaves the reader with something to think about.
Once you have your draft ready, make use of WPS Office's AI features, which can help you improve writing, shorten or elongate your paragraphs, and much more. Let's say you've written your first body paragraph, and it's a bit too long. So, let's shorten it with WPS AI:
Step 1: Select the paragraph you want to shorten, then click on the WPS AI icon in the hover menu.
Step 2: From the list of options, simply click on "Make shorter" to shorten your paragraph.
Step 3: WPS AI will display the shorter version on a small screen. Click on "Replace" to replace the original text with the shorter version.
Congratulations on completing your first draft! However, there is one crucial step remaining: revising and proofreading. Revising and proofreading are where good essays become great essays.
A method I find most effective for revising my essay is reading it aloud. This technique helps in identifying awkward phrasing and run-on sentences that may go unnoticed when reading silently. As you read, ask yourself:
Does my introduction effectively grab the reader's attention and clearly state my thesis?
Do my body paragraphs each focus on a single main idea that supports my thesis?
Have I provided enough evidence to support each of my arguments?
Have I addressed potential counterarguments?
Does my conclusion effectively summarize my main points and leave a lasting impression?
You might find that you need to make some structural changes. For instance, you might realize that your second body paragraph would be more effective if it came first. Don't be afraid to move things around!
Once you have made the necessary changes to your essay, the next step is to ensure it does not have any grammatical errors. For this, I use WPS AI's spell check feature. With just a single click, WPS AI spell check ensures that my essay is complete and ready to be submitted!
WPS Office is already a premium choice among students, offering all the features needed to write a perfect essay. With WPS Office, students can write better without payment issues, annoying ads, or difficulty navigating the tools. It's a free tool with advanced features, including WPS AI, which supports the entire writing process.
WPS AI carefully scans your essay for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, ensuring that your writing is polished and professional. This feature not only helps you avoid common errors but also enhances the readability and credibility of your work.
WPS AI offers suggestions to improve the style and tone of your writing, making it more engaging and suitable for your target audience. Whether your essay requires a formal academic tone or a more conversational approach, WPS AI tailors its recommendations to fit your needs, ensuring your writing is coherent and compelling.
Here's an example of WPS AI's 'Improve Writing' feature in action, enhancing the formality and persuasiveness of my body paragraph for the reader.
From the initial brainstorming phase to the final touches, WPS AI provides comprehensive writing assistance. It helps you structure your arguments logically, develop clear and concise thesis statements, and refine your conclusions. WPS AI also offers suggestions for enhancing clarity and coherence, making the writing process smoother and more efficient.
With the assistance of WPS AI's 'Continue Writing' feature, we can extend our essays by seamlessly incorporating additional sections that complement the existing content's flow and tone.
1. what’s the difference between an expository essay and an argumentative essay.
An argumentative essay is typically more extensive and requires independent research to establish a unique claim regarding a specific topic. It includes a thesis statement that presents a debatable assertion, which must be supported by objective evidence. In contrast, an expository essay strives for objectivity but does not propose an original argument. Instead, it aims to clarify and explain a topic straightforwardly, such as a process or concept. Generally, expository essays are shorter and do not rely as heavily on research.
In a college environment, accurately citing sources is vital for essays, research papers, and other academic assignments, but this requirement does not extend to exams or in-class tasks. Proper citations are needed for direct quotes, paraphrased material, and summaries, and it is necessary to provide complete source information in a bibliography or reference list. Following the specified citation style, such as APA or MLA, is essential for maintaining academic integrity. Whenever you utilize information or ideas from another work in college-level writing, proper citation is required to acknowledge the original source.
An argumentative essay is a type of writing that asserts a specific stance on a debatable issue, backing it up with reasoning and evidence. The main objective is to convince the reader to accept or seriously consider the author's viewpoint. This essay usually contains a clear thesis statement and develops arguments while addressing opposing views to reinforce its position. Ultimately, it seeks to encourage critical engagement with the topic at hand.
Argumentative essays are possibly the most thought-provoking when it comes to writing, presenting a higher difficulty level. Despite the challenge on how to write an argumentative essay, they are also the most fun to write, as they allow you to express your opinions in a highly opinionated form. WPS Office strives to enhance your writing experience, and as a writer, I can vouch for this. WPS Office not only offers advanced tools like WPS AI to help refine and improve your writing skills but also provides options to make your work as presentable as you want it to be. Download WPS Office today to experience the difference.
15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.
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Your thesis statement doesn't have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you'll explain. Example: Argumentative essay thesis statement Although surveillance is viewed negatively by many people, its positive social effects outweigh its downsides.
How to write a thesis statement for persuasive essays. Similar to argumentative essays, persuasive essays follow many of the same guidelines for their thesis statements: decisive language, specific details, and mentions of subtopics. However, the main difference is that, while the thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays state facts, the thesis statements for persuasive essays ...
In an IELTS opinion essay for writing task 2, your introduction has a Background Statement and a Thesis Statement. You should aim for between 40 to 50 words for the length of your essay introduction. While the background statement introduces the topics, the thesis statement is your answer to the task given by IELTS.
Paragraph 1: Introduction. Capture your reader's attention with a good hook. Present the prompt and state your opinion. Some tips for a good opinion essay hook: Use a surprising statistic. Profess an unpopular opinion. Ask a rhetorical question. Share an anecdote.
It is a brief statement of your paper's main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about. Organize your papers in one place. Try Paperpile. No credit card needed. Get 30 days free. You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the ...
4. A strong thesis statement is specific. A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say: World hunger has many causes and effects. This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons.
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.
Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing. Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and ...
This persuasive type of thesis can be used in any essay that contains the writer's opinion, including, as I mentioned above, compare/contrast essays, narrative essays, and so on. 2 Styles of Thesis Statements. Just as there are two different types of thesis statements (informative and persuasive), there are two basic styles you can use. The ...
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 ...
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 ...
A statement of personal conviction or opinion. A generalization or overly broad claim. For the writer, the thesis statement: Helps the writer determine the essay's real focus. What are you trying to say with the evidence presented? A thesis provides a theory to be tested by evidence. Serves as a planning tool.
For each essay type this is what should be in the Thesis statement: 1. Opinion essays: write 2 reasons for your opinion. 2. Advantage disadvantage essays: state the advantage and the disadvantage, 3. Problem solution essays: briefly state 1 or 2 problems and possible solutions. 4.
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 ...
A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated. A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence. A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
A thesis statement provides the foundation for your entire research paper or essay. This statement is the central assertion that you want to express in your essay. A successful thesis statement is one that is made up of one or two sentences clearly laying out your central idea and expressing an informed, reasoned answer to your research question.
Elements of an Opinion Essay. An opinion essay typically includes the following elements: 1. Introduction paragraph: The introduction should grab the reader's attention and provide background information on the topic. It should also include a clear thesis statement that outlines the writer's position. 2.
The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable. An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no ...
A thesis statement is the single, specific claim that your essay supports. A strong thesis answers the question you want to raise; it does so by presenting a topic, the position you wish to defend, and a reasoning blueprint that sketches out your defense of your chosen position. A good thesis is not merely a factual statement, an observation, a personal opinion or preference, or the question ...
Additionally, your thesis statement should be concise and to the point. It should clearly state your opinion on the topic and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow. A strong thesis statement will help guide the rest of your essay and keep you focused on your main argument throughout. When crafting your thesis statement, take the time to ...
Writing an effective opinion essay involves understanding the essay's topic, researching facts or data supporting the topic, creating a persuasive introduction, including a strong thesis statement, providing logically ordered arguments with evidence, and concluding the essay with a strong finish.
Writing a Thesis Statement in IELTS. The thesis statement is an essential part of an essay introduction, and it is very important that you know where to put it and how to write it. Getting it wrong could very likely reduce your IELTS score as it could affect the coherency of your essay and if it's an opinion essay, it may mean that your opinion ...
You need a good thesis statement for your essay but are having trouble getting started. You may have heard that your thesis needs to be specific and arguable, but still wonder what this really means. ... If your argument lacks evidence, readers will think your thesis statement is an opinion or belief as opposed to an argument. Exercises for ...
Purpose: Introduce the topic, present the thesis, and set up the argument. Contents: Hook: A sentence to grab the reader's attention. Background Information: Brief context about the topic. Thesis Statement: The main argument or claim. 2.Body Paragraphs. Purpose: Present arguments and evidence to support the thesis and refute opposing ...