Writing Center Tutorial - Writing a Paper

Thesis Statements

1. For English 101 students:
   

   Is it detailed and specific?

   For English 102 students:
   

   Is it argumentative?

2. Are all aspects of the thesis covered in the paper?
3. Are there any points in the paper not covered by the thesis?

A strong thesis statement is specific.

Weak
World hunger has many causes and effects.

Strong
Hunger persists in Appalachia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

A strong thesis expresses one main idea.

Weak
Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.

Strong
Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.

A strong thesis takes some sort of stand.

Weak
There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

Strong
Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.