Stages of Developing a Thesis

Introduction

  • Thesis statement: a single, complete sentence that succinctly expresses your argument concerning a particular topic.
  • It will generally be included in the introductory paragraph of your essay, and you must be sure that you can support the statement in the body of the essay.
  • The thesis should be specific and debatable.
  • Every thesis statement is an argument to be proved and supported by the body of the essay.

Developing the Thesis

  • Understand and think about argument the text is making.
    • Annotating can help with this
  • Brainstorm through free writing and discussion to create a tentative thesis.
  • Write a first draft using that tentative or working thesis.
    • Tentative: not certain or fixed
    • Working thesis: thesis that’s in progress, and will likely change as you write and think more about your argument.
  • Get feedback from readers of your first draft.
    • Peer review
  • Discuss and brainstorm more.
    • We usually figure out our essay’s argument through the act of writing the first draft.
    • In revision, you must revise both the thesis and the overall essay, so that the essay proves that revised thesis.
  • Revise the essay so it proves your refined thesis.

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