the main idea of an essay is: the topic sentence the title the thesis statement none of the above
Your readers—especially your instructors—want to read writing that engages them. Consequently, you must write thesis statements that are arguable, not factual. Statements of fact seem easy to write about because, well, they are easy to prove. After all, they’re facts. The problem is that you cannot write engaging papers around statements of fact. Such theses prevent you from demonstrating critical thinking and analytical skills, which you want to show your instructor. If you were to write a paper around the next two statements, your writing would probably be quite dull because you would be restating facts that the general public already knows.
You can read chapter four of Schaum’s Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers an eBook in our online collection, click the title to open: “How Do I Write a Thesis Statement?”.
Avoid announcing the thesis statement as if it were a thesis statement. In other words, avoid using phrases such as “The purpose of this paper is . . . . ” or “In this paper, I will attempt to . . . .” Such phrases betray this paper to be the work of an amateur. If necessary, write the thesis statement that way the first time; it might help you determine, in fact, that this is your thesis statement. But when you rewrite your paper, eliminate the bald assertion that this is your thesis statement and write the statement itself without that annoying, unnecessary preface.
Here are the first two paragraphs of George Orwell’s classic essay, “Politics and the English Language” (1946). Which of these sentences would you say is or are the thesis statement of the essay which is to follow? Everything that follows in this essay, then, would have to be something that fits under the “umbrella” of that thesis statement.
A thesis statement that stops at the first story isn’t usually considered a thesis. A two-story thesis is usually considered competent, though some two-story theses are more intriguing and ambitious than others. A thoughtfully crafted and well informed three-story thesis puts the author on a smooth path toward an excellent paper.
The best way to revise your thesis statement is to ask questions about it and then examine the answers to those questions. By challenging your own ideas and forming definite reasons for those ideas, you grow closer to a more precise point of view, which you can then incorporate into your thesis statement.
The second, stronger example specifically states the requirements for writing a paper, and attaches importance to one particular requirement, thus focusing the reader on what the author feels is essential.
Research paper topic: The relationship between policy and research (argument)
The thesis statement is the sentence that states the main idea of a writing assignment and helps control the ideas within the paper. It is not merely a topic. It often reflects an opinion or judgment that a writer has made about a reading or personal experience. For instance: Tocqueville believed that the domestic role most women held in America was the role that gave them the most power, an idea that many would hotly dispute today.
A good practice is to put the thesis statement at the end of your introduction so you can use it to lead into the body of your paper. This allows you, as the writer, to lead up to the thesis statement instead of diving directly into the topic. If you place the thesis statement at the beginning, your reader may forget or be confused about the main idea by the time he/she reaches the end of the introduction. Remember, a good introduction conceptualizes and anticipates the thesis statement.
References:
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/composition/thesis.htm
http://human.libretexts.org/Courses/City_College_of_San_Francisco/Writing%2C_Reading%2C_and_College_Success%3A_A_First-Year_Composition_Course_for_All_Learners_(Kashyap_and_Dyquisto)/05%3A_Thesis_Statements%2C_Topic_Sentences_and_the_First_Draft/5.01%3A_Developing_a_Strong%2C_Clear_Thesis_Statement
http://www.seattleu.edu/education/graduate-writing-center/parts-of-writing/parts-of-the-paper/thesis-statement/
http://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/thesis_statements.php
http://www.verywellmind.com/general-rules-for-apa-format-2794840