THE BASICS: How do you write a thesis?
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Your thesis statement belongs at the end of your introductory paragraph. It should be one sentence long and clearly explain three things:
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✔️A good thesis:
- Focuses on the topic of your paper.
- Makes an argument and not a statement of fact.
- Lists its supporting points in the order that they will be discussed in the essay
- Sounds original and not mechanical.
- Is phrased as a statement, not a question.
🚫Things to avoid in your thesis:
- Being unclear or vague:
“The voting age should be lowered to sixteen for many reasons.”
→ Doesn’t say what the reasons are or why they matter. - Making a statement of fact that can't be argued:
“You must be eighteen-years-old to vote in Canada.”
→ States a fact, not an argument. A thesis should be debatable. - Not taking a clear stance on the issue:
“I think the voting age should be lowered to sixteen, but keeping it at eighteen would be fine too."
→ Sends mixed messages. A thesis should be confident, clear and focused. - Formulaic, mechanical or generic phrasing:
“In this essay I will discuss why sixteen-year-olds deserve the vote because, first, they are mature; second, they are affected by government decisions; and third, they have the support they need to understand how to vote."
→ Unnecessary and unoriginal wording can make readers confused or bored. Let your argument speak for itself without all the filler words. - Using an example:
"Teenagers are responsible enough to vote; for example, they can drive a car.”
→ Examples belong in body paragraphs, not in the thesis. - Including contradictory or off-topic information:
“Sixteen-year-olds should be able to vote, and we should lower the drinking age too."
→ A thesis should stay focused on one topic. - Asking a question:
“Should the voting age be lowered to sixteen?”
→ A thesis answers the question — it doesn’t ask it.
What Kind of Thesis Should You Write?
While you can state your thesis in positive or negative terms, it is easier to make a positive argument (argue in favour of a position) rather than a negative one (argue that something was never the case). A negative argument usually requires more detail to support it, which is time consuming and difficult to gather, and hard to clearly communicate in a short essay. These examples highlight the difference between arguing for a positive or negative thesis.
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👎Negative Thesis
The voting age should not be lowered for any reason. This argument would be difficult to support because the writer would have to take into account every possible argument in favour of lowering the voting age and show all of them to be invalid. |
👍Positive Thesis The voting age should be lowered to sixteen because youth are highly impacted by government decisions, and they are willing and responsible enough to take on this important civic duty. This argument would be easier to prove because the writer can focus on developing only the specific points mentioned in the thesis.
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Narrow Your Topic For a Strong Thesis
It is common to be given a very general writing topic on projects and tests. Trying to create a thesis that covers every possible aspect of the topic is far too difficult, especially if you are only writing a short essay. Instead, most instructors will expect you to narrow the topic and develop a more specific thesis.
For example, if you're given a broad topic like “The voting age in Canada needs to be lowered,” don't try to cover every angle; your essay will be too general and unfocused. Instead, narrow the topic to a specific age and give clear reasons why that age is appropriate.
Trying to argue that all teens should vote, or that more teens should vote, is too vague. Instead, focus on a specific age group — like sixteen-year-olds — and explain why they are ready for the responsibility.
✅ Example of a Focused ThesisSixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote in Canadian elections because they are already taking on adult responsibilities and learning about government in school.
Why this works:
For example, if you're given a broad topic like “The voting age in Canada needs to be lowered,” don't try to cover every angle; your essay will be too general and unfocused. Instead, narrow the topic to a specific age and give clear reasons why that age is appropriate.
Trying to argue that all teens should vote, or that more teens should vote, is too vague. Instead, focus on a specific age group — like sixteen-year-olds — and explain why they are ready for the responsibility.
✅ Example of a Focused ThesisSixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote in Canadian elections because they are already taking on adult responsibilities and learning about government in school.
Why this works:
- It takes a clear stance.
- It focuses on a specific age group.
- It gives two strong, arguable reasons that can be developed in body paragraphs.
- It’s manageable within a short essay format.
