which of the following is a good example of a thesis statement

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

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. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

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 question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

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 that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

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How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.

Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?

• to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
• to better organize and develop your argument
• to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument

In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.

How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?

Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences answering that question.

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”

A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

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How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned

Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.

A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:

• take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
• deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment
• express one main idea
• assert your conclusions about a subject

Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.

Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.

You start out with a thesis statement like this:

Sugar consumption.

This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.

You change your thesis to look like this:

Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.

This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.

Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.

You revise your thesis statement to look like this:

More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.

This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Use specific language . You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:

Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.

Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:

Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar consumption by children, and who should do it?” When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more specific. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..

Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

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

This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.

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.

This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.

2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.

Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:

My family is an extended family.

This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.

While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.

This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.

3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.

Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:

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

This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:

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.

This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because , since , so , although , unless , and however .

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. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:

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

This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.

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25 Thesis Statement Examples

A thesis statement is needed in an essay or dissertation . There are multiple types of thesis statements – but generally we can divide them into expository and argumentative. An expository statement is a statement of fact (common in expository essays and process essays) while an argumentative statement is a statement of opinion (common in argumentative essays and dissertations). Below are examples of each.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples

1. School Uniforms

“Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate

Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons

2. Nature vs Nurture

“This essay will explore how both genetic inheritance and environmental factors equally contribute to shaping human behavior and personality.”

Best For: Compare and Contrast Essay

Read More: Nature vs Nurture Debate

3. American Dream

“The American Dream, a symbol of opportunity and success, is increasingly elusive in today’s socio-economic landscape, revealing deeper inequalities in society.”

Best For: Persuasive Essay

Read More: What is the American Dream?

4. Social Media

“Social media has revolutionized communication and societal interactions, but it also presents significant challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation.”

Best For: Expository Essay

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Social Media

5. Globalization

“Globalization has created a world more interconnected than ever before, yet it also amplifies economic disparities and cultural homogenization.”

Read More: Globalization Pros and Cons

6. Urbanization

“Urbanization drives economic growth and social development, but it also poses unique challenges in sustainability and quality of life.”

Read More: Learn about Urbanization

7. Immigration

“Immigration enriches receiving countries culturally and economically, outweighing any perceived social or economic burdens.”

Read More: Immigration Pros and Cons

8. Cultural Identity

“In a globalized world, maintaining distinct cultural identities is crucial for preserving cultural diversity and fostering global understanding, despite the challenges of assimilation and homogenization.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay

Read More: Learn about Cultural Identity

9. Technology

“Medical technologies in care institutions in Toronto has increased subjcetive outcomes for patients with chronic pain.”

Best For: Research Paper

10. Capitalism vs Socialism

“The debate between capitalism and socialism centers on balancing economic freedom and inequality, each presenting distinct approaches to resource distribution and social welfare.”

11. Cultural Heritage

“The preservation of cultural heritage is essential, not only for cultural identity but also for educating future generations, outweighing the arguments for modernization and commercialization.”

12. Pseudoscience

“Pseudoscience, characterized by a lack of empirical support, continues to influence public perception and decision-making, often at the expense of scientific credibility.”

Read More: Examples of Pseudoscience

13. Free Will

“The concept of free will is largely an illusion, with human behavior and decisions predominantly determined by biological and environmental factors.”

Read More: Do we have Free Will?

14. Gender Roles

“Traditional gender roles are outdated and harmful, restricting individual freedoms and perpetuating gender inequalities in modern society.”

Read More: What are Traditional Gender Roles?

15. Work-Life Ballance

“The trend to online and distance work in the 2020s led to improved subjective feelings of work-life balance but simultaneously increased self-reported loneliness.”

Read More: Work-Life Balance Examples

16. Universal Healthcare

“Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right and the most effective system for ensuring health equity and societal well-being, outweighing concerns about government involvement and costs.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Universal Healthcare

17. Minimum Wage

“The implementation of a fair minimum wage is vital for reducing economic inequality, yet it is often contentious due to its potential impact on businesses and employment rates.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

18. Homework

“The homework provided throughout this semester has enabled me to achieve greater self-reflection, identify gaps in my knowledge, and reinforce those gaps through spaced repetition.”

Best For: Reflective Essay

Read More: Reasons Homework Should be Banned

19. Charter Schools

“Charter schools offer alternatives to traditional public education, promising innovation and choice but also raising questions about accountability and educational equity.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

20. Effects of the Internet

“The Internet has drastically reshaped human communication, access to information, and societal dynamics, generally with a net positive effect on society.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of the Internet

21. Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action is essential for rectifying historical injustices and achieving true meritocracy in education and employment, contrary to claims of reverse discrimination.”

Best For: Essay

Read More: Affirmative Action Pros and Cons

22. Soft Skills

“Soft skills, such as communication and empathy, are increasingly recognized as essential for success in the modern workforce, and therefore should be a strong focus at school and university level.”

Read More: Soft Skills Examples

23. Moral Panic

“Moral panic, often fueled by media and cultural anxieties, can lead to exaggerated societal responses that sometimes overlook rational analysis and evidence.”

Read More: Moral Panic Examples

24. Freedom of the Press

“Freedom of the press is critical for democracy and informed citizenship, yet it faces challenges from censorship, media bias, and the proliferation of misinformation.”

Read More: Freedom of the Press Examples

25. Mass Media

“Mass media shapes public opinion and cultural norms, but its concentration of ownership and commercial interests raise concerns about bias and the quality of information.”

Best For: Critical Analysis

Read More: Mass Media Examples

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

✅ Position: If your statement is for an argumentative or persuasive essay, or a dissertation, ensure it takes a clear stance on the topic. ✅ Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay. ✅ Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable. ✅ Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument, narrative, or explanation. ✅ Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay. ✅ Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

Try These AI Prompts – Thesis Statement Generator!

One way to brainstorm thesis statements is to get AI to brainstorm some for you! Try this AI prompt:

💡 AI PROMPT FOR EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTUCTIONS]. I want you to create an expository thesis statement that doesn’t argue a position, but demonstrates depth of knowledge about the topic.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTRUCTIONS]. I want you to create an argumentative thesis statement that clearly takes a position on this issue.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THESIS STATEMENT I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that remain objective.

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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

• In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
• While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
• Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

• Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
• Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
• School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
• Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
• Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
• Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
• Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
• Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
• Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
• Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
• Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
• Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
• Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
• University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
• Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
• Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
• Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
• The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
• Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
• Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
• Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
• Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
• Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
• Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

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Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Parts of a Paper / How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis can be found in many places—a debate speech, a lawyer’s closing argument, even an advertisement. But the most common place for a thesis statement (and probably why you’re reading this article) is in an essay.

Whether you’re writing an argumentative paper, an informative essay, or a compare/contrast statement, you need a thesis. Without a thesis, your argument falls flat and your information is unfocused. Since a thesis is so important, it’s probably a good idea to look at some tips on how to put together a strong one.

Guide Overview

What is a “thesis statement” anyway.

• 2 categories of thesis statements: informative and persuasive
• 2 styles of thesis statements
• Formula for a strong argumentative thesis
• The qualities of a solid thesis statement (video)

You may have heard of something called a “thesis.” It’s what seniors commonly refer to as their final paper before graduation. That’s not what we’re talking about here. That type of thesis is a long, well-written paper that takes years to piece together.

Instead, we’re talking about a single sentence that ties together the main idea of any argument . In the context of student essays, it’s a statement that summarizes your topic and declares your position on it. This sentence can tell a reader whether your essay is something they want to read.

2 Categories of Thesis Statements: Informative and Persuasive

Just as there are different types of essays, there are different types of thesis statements. The thesis should match the essay.

For example, with an informative essay, you should compose an informative thesis (rather than argumentative). You want to declare your intentions in this essay and guide the reader to the conclusion that you reach.

To make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you must procure the ingredients, find a knife, and spread the condiments.

This thesis showed the reader the topic (a type of sandwich) and the direction the essay will take (describing how the sandwich is made).

Most other types of essays, whether compare/contrast, argumentative, or narrative, have thesis statements that take a position and argue it. In other words, unless your purpose is simply to inform, your thesis is considered persuasive. A persuasive thesis usually contains an opinion and the reason why your opinion is true.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best type of sandwich because they are versatile, easy to make, and taste good.

In this persuasive thesis statement, you see that I state my opinion (the best type of sandwich), which means I have chosen a stance. Next, I explain that my opinion is correct with several key reasons. 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 first style uses a list of two or more points . This style of thesis is perfect for a brief essay that contains only two or three body paragraphs. This basic five-paragraph essay is typical of middle and high school assignments.

C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series is one of the richest works of the 20th century because it offers an escape from reality, teaches readers to have faith even when they don’t understand, and contains a host of vibrant characters.

In the above persuasive thesis, you can see my opinion about Narnia followed by three clear reasons. This thesis is perfect for setting up a tidy five-paragraph essay.

In college, five paragraph essays become few and far between as essay length gets longer. Can you imagine having only five paragraphs in a six-page paper? For a longer essay, you need a thesis statement that is more versatile. Instead of listing two or three distinct points, a thesis can list one overarching point that all body paragraphs tie into.

Good vs. evil is the main theme of Lewis’s Narnia series, as is made clear through the struggles the main characters face in each book.

In this thesis, I have made a claim about the theme in Narnia followed by my reasoning. The broader scope of this thesis allows me to write about each of the series’ seven novels. I am no longer limited in how many body paragraphs I can logically use.

Formula for a Strong Argumentative Thesis

One thing I find that is helpful for students is having a clear template. While students rarely end up with a thesis that follows this exact wording, the following template creates a good starting point:

___________ is true because of ___________, ___________, and ___________.

Conversely, the formula for a thesis with only one point might follow this template:

___________________ is true because of _____________________.

Students usually end up using different terminology than simply “because,” but having a template is always helpful to get the creative juices flowing.

The Qualities of a Solid Thesis Statement

When composing a thesis, you must consider not only the format, but other qualities like length, position in the essay, and how strong the argument is.

Length: A thesis statement can be short or long, depending on how many points it mentions. Typically, however, it is only one concise sentence. It does contain at least two clauses, usually an independent clause (the opinion) and a dependent clause (the reasons). You probably should aim for a single sentence that is at least two lines, or about 30 to 40 words long.

Position: A thesis statement always belongs at the beginning of an essay. This is because it is a sentence that tells the reader what the writer is going to discuss. Teachers will have different preferences for the precise location of the thesis, but a good rule of thumb is in the introduction paragraph, within the last two or three sentences.

Strength: Finally, for a persuasive thesis to be strong, it needs to be arguable. This means that the statement is not obvious, and it is not something that everyone agrees is true.

Example of weak thesis:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are easy to make because it just takes three ingredients.

Most people would agree that PB&J is one of the easiest sandwiches in the American lunch repertoire.

Example of a stronger thesis:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are fun to eat because they always slide around.

This is more arguable because there are plenty of folks who might think a PB&J is messy or slimy rather than fun.

Composing a thesis statement does take a bit more thought than many other parts of an essay. However, because a thesis statement can contain an entire argument in just a few words, it is worth taking the extra time to compose this sentence. It can direct your research and your argument so that your essay is tight, focused, and makes readers think.

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Thesis statements, formulating a working thesis.

• Define: Explain a complex term’s meaning. Select words with disputed definitions or words that lend themselves to extended, thoughtful definition, such as “life” or “intelligence.”
• Classify: Explain a topic by categorizing it with like items. Athletes can be placed in the same category as dancers because of their training; plagiarism can be categorized as fraud.
• Compare/Contrast: Illustrate the similarities or differences between set topics, or introduce an outside idea to illuminate a difficult concept. Metaphors can be a powerful method for exploring or explaining. The circulatory system can be compared to geographical structure: it is like rivers but unlike lakes.
• Cause: Consider the cause or root of something. Was a car accident simply driver error? Or was it caused by fatigue? What about our society causes so many people to fall asleep behind the wheel? Do we live in a culture where exhaustion is promoted? Why?
• Effect: Discuss the effects of something. If obesity leads to disease, what does this suggest about policy, laws, or education? How can we avoid bad effects and replicate good ones?
• Evaluate: Determine whether something is good or bad, desirable or undesirable, ethical or unethical, effective or ineffective, etc. Or is it is somewhere in-between?
• Propose: Suggest a necessary action to take, or a solution for a problem.

Types of Thesis Statements

Thesis placement, thesis checklist.

• Specific and precise. “Vouchers are important to schools” is too vague to be useful.
• Arguable. “The Civil War was a crucial event in U.S. history” is too obvious to make a solid thesis.
• The right “size” for the assignment. “The American civil war is the defining event in our country’s history” is arguable, but probably too big to cover in a two-page paper.
• Suited to the assignment. Read back over the assignment prompt to make sure your thesis (and paper as a whole) address the right issue.
• Supported by the content of your paper. Read back over your supporting paragraphs and make sure they demonstrate what your thesis is arguing. If the paper has veered in an unexpected direction during the course of your writing process, revise your thesis to fit your evidence. It may help to write a summary sentence for each key piece of support and then compare those to your thesis statement.

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• 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 evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

Learning objectives.

• Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.
• Revise your thesis statement.

Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.

Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.

Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.

Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.

Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

Even in a personal essay that allows the use of first person, your thesis should not contain phrases such as in my opinion or I believe . These statements reduce your credibility and weaken your argument. Your opinion is more convincing when you use a firm attitude.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.

• Texting while driving
• The legal drinking age in the United States
• Steroid use among professional athletes

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements

Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the following requirements:

• Specificity
• Ability to be argued
• Ability to be demonstrated
• Forcefulness
• The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
• Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
• Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
• J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
• Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
• Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
• In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

You can find thesis statements in many places, such as in the news; in the opinions of friends, coworkers or teachers; and even in songs you hear on the radio. Become aware of thesis statements in everyday life by paying attention to people’s opinions and their reasons for those opinions. Pay attention to your own everyday thesis statements as well, as these can become material for future essays.

Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look at the pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis:

A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.

Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.

A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.

Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.

A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.

Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.

A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.

Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.

Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the requirements of a strong thesis.

• The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
• The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.
• Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
• In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
• Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to support civil rights legislation.
• Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.
• My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.

Writing at Work

Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an e-mail. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your e-mail request. While your e-mail will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.

Thesis Statement Revision

Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that your thesis statement begins as a working thesis statement , an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.

Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the 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.

Ways to Revise Your Thesis

You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:

1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people , everything , society , or life , with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness.

Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.

Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.

The revised thesis makes a more specific statement about success and what it means to work hard. The original includes too broad a range of people and does not define exactly what success entails. By replacing those general words like people and work hard , the writer can better focus his or her research and gain more direction in his or her writing.

2. Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis.

Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.

Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.

A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience. By asking questions, the writer can devise a more precise and appropriate explanation for joke . The writer should ask himself or herself questions similar to the 5WH questions. (See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information on the 5WH questions.) By incorporating the answers to these questions into a thesis statement, the writer more accurately defines his or her stance, which will better guide the writing of the essay.

3. Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs are forms of the verb to be , a verb that simply states that a situation exists.

Working thesis: Kansas City schoolteachers are not paid enough.

Revised thesis: The Kansas City legislature cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are . Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Rather, they connect words and phrases to the second half of the sentence. Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:

• Who is not paying the teachers enough?
• What is considered “enough”?
• What is the problem?
• What are the results

4. Omit any general claims that are hard to support.

Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.

Revised thesis: Teenage girls who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a woman’s worth depends on her sensuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behavior.

It is true that some young women in today’s society are more sexualized than in the past, but that is not true for all girls. Many girls have strict parents, dress appropriately, and do not engage in sexual activity while in middle school and high school. The writer of this thesis should ask the following questions:

• Which teenage girls?
• What constitutes “too” sexualized?
• Why are they behaving that way?
• Where does this behavior show up?
• What are the repercussions?

In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you determined your purpose for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently experienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three methods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.

Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revision to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. Using the techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.

Key Takeaways

• Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
• A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
• 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.
• Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
• Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

Strong Thesis Statement

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Navigating the vast ocean of ideas, every writer seeks that anchor – a robust thesis statement. This statement not only provides direction to the essay but also gives it a foundation. It distills the essence of the argument into a concise format, guiding the reader and asserting the writer’s perspective. To craft a compelling thesis statement, one must grasp its intricacies and nuances. This guide illuminates the path to creating magnetic thesis statements , backed by compelling examples and actionable tips.

What is a Powerful Thesis Statement?

A powerful thesis statement is a concise, specific declaration that presents the main point or argument of a piece of writing. It acts as a roadmap for the reader, outlining the central theme and position the writer will adopt or argue for. A potent final thesis statement not only states a fact but also takes a stance, establishes a perspective, and gives a hint about the line of reasoning the essay will adopt.

What is an Example of a Strong Thesis Statement?

“While global climate change is influenced by natural phenomena, predominant evidence indicates that human activities, especially the emission of greenhouse gases, are the primary contributors to the accelerated rate of global warming experienced in the last century.”

This statement presents a clear position, is debatable (therefore, not a mere fact), and hints at the reasoning that will be laid out in the essay or paper.

100 Strong Thesis Statement Examples

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Crafting a robust thesis statement is pivotal for any successful essay or research paper. This statement should encapsulate your main argument, presenting readers with a clear insight into your stance and the direction of your work.   you may also be interested to browse through our other thesis statement for research paper . Below are some strong thesis statement examples that provide a firm foundation for compelling arguments:

• “The rise of electronic communications in the modern era has diminished the significance of face-to-face interaction.” This highlights the impact of technology on human relationships.
• “Despite its perceived threats, artificial intelligence can be a beneficial tool when used ethically and can revolutionize sectors such as healthcare, finance, and education.” Here, AI’s advantages are emphasized despite potential pitfalls.
• “Mandatory voting laws can potentially undermine democratic processes by forcing uninformed voters to make decisions.” This statement questions the efficiency of compulsory voting.
• “Organic foods aren’t necessarily healthier than non-organic ones, but their production is more environmentally friendly and ethical.” A take on the broader implications of organic farming.
• “The portrayal of women in media has evolved over the decades, yet it still adheres to aged stereotypes.” A comment on gender representation in media.
• “Modern education must evolve with technological advancements, integrating digital literacy as a core component.” This underscores the importance of technology in today’s education.
• “While many argue the death penalty serves as a deterrent to crime, studies have shown that states without it have lower murder rates.” A statement countering a popular belief.
• “The cultural shift towards plant-based diets can lead to positive health outcomes and combat climate change.” This advocates for dietary change for health and environmental reasons.
• “Remote working, although beneficial for work-life balance, can hinder team cohesion and organizational culture.” A nuanced view on the rise of remote work.
• “Childhood vaccinations should be mandatory because they prevent outbreaks of contagious diseases, supporting herd immunity.” A statement emphasizing public health.
• “Banning single-use plastics can drastically reduce ocean pollution and promote sustainable consumer behaviors.” An environmental call to action.
• “Financial literacy education should be integrated into high school curricula to prepare students for real-world challenges.” Advocating for essential life skills in education.
• “Despite its historical significance, Christopher Columbus’ celebration ignores the negative impact of his expeditions on indigenous populations.” A call for a more nuanced historical perspective.
• “Excessive screen time can lead to a myriad of health issues in children, including impaired sleep and developmental issues.” A health-focused stance on technology.
• “Urban green spaces not only enhance city aesthetics but also promote mental well-being and biodiversity.” Emphasizing the multifaceted benefits of urban greenery.
• “A four-day workweek can boost productivity, improve mental health, and promote a better work-life balance.” A modern perspective on work culture.
• “The gender pay gap persists not solely due to discrimination but also societal norms and occupational segregation.” A multifaceted look at wage disparities.
• “Animal testing, while controversial, has led to numerous medical breakthroughs, but alternative methods should be explored more rigorously.” Balancing the pros and cons of a debated practice.
• “The digital age’s advent, while promoting connectivity, has also escalated mental health issues due to increased isolation.” A dual-sided view of technology’s impact.
• “Affirmative action, although divisive, is essential for redressing historical racial and ethnic injustices in higher education.” Advocating for a policy with historical context.
• “Corporate social responsibility initiatives benefit not only the community but also companies themselves by improving their public image.” An insight into business ethics.
• “E-sports should be recognized at the Olympic level, given their global popularity and demand for strategic mental agility.” Advocating for the evolving nature of sports.
• “Experiencing art through virtual reality can democratize access but may diminish the genuine essence of artworks.” Balancing tech advancement with traditional experiences.
• “The educational system should prioritize teaching emotional intelligence to foster healthier interpersonal relationships and decision-making.” Emphasizing holistic education.
• “Although nuclear energy presents potential dangers, its efficiency and low carbon footprint make it essential for a sustainable future.” A balanced view on energy resources.
• “Language learning should be compulsory in schools, fostering global understanding and cognitive development.” Advocating for a global perspective in education.
• “The gig economy, despite offering flexibility, can undermine workers’ rights and financial security.” A take on modern employment trends.
• “Fast fashion’s allure, from its affordability to trendiness, masks its detrimental environmental impact and exploitative production methods.” A statement on sustainable consumerism.
• “Universal basic income can be a solution to growing automation, ensuring financial stability in the evolving job landscape.” A futuristic economic perspective.
• “While social media platforms foster global connectivity, they can also perpetuate echo chambers and spread misinformation.” Highlighting the double-edged sword of technology.
• “Mindfulness practices in the workplace can enhance productivity, mental well-being, and job satisfaction.” Advocating for holistic approaches to work.
• “A holistic approach to criminal justice, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, can lead to reduced recidivism rates.” A call for reform.
• “Solar and wind energy, given their sustainability and decreasing costs, should be central in future energy policies.” A sustainable view on future energy.
• “Despite its challenges, homeschooling offers personalized education, fostering in-depth knowledge and independence.” A take on alternative education methods.
• “Space exploration, beyond its scientific merits, can unite humanity under a shared goal and perspective.” A broader perspective on space endeavors.
• “Cultural appropriation, when done disrespectfully, not only offends but can erase the significance of traditional practices.” A statement on cultural sensitivity.
• “Declining bee populations, if unchecked, threaten global food systems and biodiversity.” Emphasizing an often-overlooked environmental issue.
• “Biographies, while insightful, can sometimes unintentionally perpetuate biases and inaccuracies of their subjects.” A take on the nature of historical recounting.
• “The rise of autonomous vehicles can revolutionize urban infrastructure and sustainability but introduces new ethical dilemmas.” Balancing innovation with ethics.
• “While international tourism boosts economies, it’s essential to balance it with local culture and environment preservation.” A sustainable view on tourism.
• “Introducing coding and digital literacy from primary education prepares students for the modern workforce and fosters logical thinking.” Advocating for a tech-savvy curriculum.
• “Consumerism during holidays, while boosting the economy, detracts from genuine cultural and familial significance.” A reflection on modern-day celebrations.
• “Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), when regulated, can address food insecurity without compromising ecological balance.” A stance on biotechnology.
• “Telemedicine, propelled by the pandemic, can revolutionize healthcare accessibility but also poses challenges in personal rapport and diagnosis accuracy.” A modern medical perspective.
• “Biodiversity’s decline, more than just species loss, compromises ecosystem services and resilience.” Highlighting the broad implications of species conservation.
• “3D printing in medicine holds the potential to revolutionize transplants and prosthetics but raises ethical concerns.” On the frontier of medical technology.
• “Sports not only foster physical health but also cultivate teamwork, discipline, and resilience.” A multifaceted view of sports’ significance.
• “Blockchain, beyond cryptocurrency, can enhance transparency and efficiency in sectors like supply chain and public records.” Broadening the scope of a tech trend.
• “While antibiotics revolutionized medicine, their overuse threatens a rise in resistant superbugs, necessitating judicious use.” A cautionary medical perspective.
• “Hydroponic and vertical farming, leveraging urban spaces, can meet food demands sustainably.” Innovations in agriculture
• “Digital detox, in an era of constant connectivity, can rejuvenate mental well-being and restore personal relationships.” Emphasizing the need for tech boundaries.
• “Mandatory voting laws, though seemingly undemocratic, can foster a more engaged and informed citizenry.” A new perspective on electoral participation.
• “Plant-based diets, beyond personal health benefits, play a pivotal role in addressing climate change and resource conservation.” Food’s role in sustainability.
• “Augmented reality (AR) in education can make learning immersive but requires careful integration to not overshadow foundational skills.” Balancing tech with foundational learning.
• “Remote work, while offering flexibility, requires robust digital infrastructure and new strategies to maintain team cohesion.” Navigating the new work paradigm.
• “Music therapy has proven benefits in cognitive rehabilitation, emotional well-being, and even physical recovery.” The therapeutic powers of melodies.
• “Zero-waste lifestyles, more than a trend, embody a critical approach to sustainable consumption and waste management.” Advocating for conscious living.
• “Classical literature, despite being rooted in bygone eras, offers timeless insights into human nature and society.” The enduring power of classics.
• “Urban green spaces, beyond recreational benefits, enhance air quality, biodiversity, and even property values.” A case for urban planning with nature.
• “Affordable housing initiatives, while challenging to implement, can revolutionize urban landscapes and socioeconomic equity.” Addressing urbanization challenges.
• “Virtual reality (VR) in therapy holds potential for exposure treatment, phobia management, and even PTSD rehabilitation.” A dive into therapeutic tech innovations.
• “Fair trade practices not only ensure equitable pay but also promote sustainable farming and community development.” Making a case for conscious consumerism.
• “Pet therapy has demonstrated efficacy in reducing stress, anxiety, and even improving cardiovascular health.” Pets’ unrecognized therapeutic roles.
• “Desalination, despite high costs, is a promising solution to freshwater scarcity in coastal regions.” Addressing global water challenges.
• “Blended learning models, combining traditional and online methods, cater to diverse learning styles and enhance engagement.” Reinventing modern education.
• “Incorporating mindfulness practices in schools can significantly reduce stress, increase focus, and foster emotional intelligence among students.” For holistic education.
• “Agroforestry, blending agriculture with forestry, offers a sustainable approach to land use, ensuring productivity and biodiversity.” A green thumb approach to farming.
• “While cryptocurrency promises decentralization and financial inclusivity, it also poses significant volatility and regulatory challenges.” A balanced financial perspective.
• “Emphasizing soft skills in education, from empathy to problem-solving, prepares students for modern collaborative workspaces.” Beyond the traditional curriculum.
• “Local farmers’ markets, more than just community hubs, support sustainable agriculture and strengthen local economies.” A fresh take on shopping sustainably
• “Community gardens not only provide fresh produce but also foster neighborhood ties and promote sustainable practices.” Cultivating more than just vegetables.
• “Artificial intelligence in healthcare can streamline diagnosis and treatment but raises ethical concerns about data privacy and decision-making autonomy.” The double-edged sword of AI.
• “Multilingual education not only promotes linguistic skills but also enhances cognitive flexibility and cultural understanding.” Celebrating linguistic diversity.
• “Adopting renewable energy sources isn’t just environmentally prudent; it can drive job creation and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.” A brighter, greener future.
• “While e-commerce offers convenience, supporting local businesses is crucial for community sustainability and personalized shopping experiences.” Balancing online with local.
• “Stem cell research, despite controversy, has the potential to revolutionize medicine, offering treatments for previously incurable conditions.” Pushing medical boundaries.
• “Intergenerational programs, bringing together the young and old, can bridge cultural gaps and combat age-related stereotypes.” Mending age-old divides.
• “Public transportation infrastructure investments not only ease urban congestion but also reduce carbon emissions and foster social equity.” A move towards sustainable mobility.
• “Incorporating financial literacy programs in school curricula prepares students for real-world challenges and fosters responsible money management.” The value of early financial education.
• “Biophilic design in urban planning, integrating nature with architecture, can enhance residents’ well-being and reduce urban heat islands.” Designing with nature in mind.
• “The circular economy model, emphasizing recycling and reuse, is not just eco-friendly but also a sustainable business strategy.” Rethinking consumption patterns.
• “Investing in mental health services in workplaces can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and foster overall well-being among employees.” Prioritizing mental well-being at work.
• “Personalized learning, tailoring education to individual needs, can cater to diverse learners and elevate overall educational outcomes.” A customized approach to education.
• “Restorative justice practices, focusing on reconciliation, can transform traditional punitive systems, fostering community healing and offender rehabilitation.” Rethinking justice.
• “Microfinance initiatives not only provide capital to the underserved but also empower communities, especially women, towards financial independence.” Small loans, significant impacts.
• “Nature-based tourism, if managed responsibly, can boost local economies while promoting environmental conservation.” Travelling with purpose.
• “Public libraries, beyond being knowledge repositories, act as community hubs, fostering inclusivity, and lifelong learning.” The unsung heroes of communities.
• “Co-working spaces, beyond their modern appeal, facilitate networking, foster collaboration, and can even promote work-life balance.” Redefining the modern workspace.
• “Inclusion of arts in education can stimulate creativity, enhance critical thinking, and foster holistic intellectual development.” Championing the arts.
• “Edible landscaping, integrating food crops with ornamental plants, can transform urban spaces into productive, sustainable ecosystems.” Gardens that feed communities
• “Cultural exchange programs at the student level can promote global understanding, fostering peace and cooperation for future generations.” Bridging global divides early on.
• “Telehealth, although born out of necessity in many cases, has the potential to revolutionize healthcare accessibility, especially in remote areas.” Healthcare at your fingertips.
• “Urban farming initiatives not only provide local produce but also combat the urban heat island effect and promote biodiversity.” Cityscapes turned green.
• “Ethical consumerism isn’t just a trend; it can drive businesses to adopt sustainable and socially responsible practices.” Voting with your wallet.
• “The integration of mindfulness practices in schools can enhance student focus, reduce stress, and promote emotional intelligence.” Breathing life into education.
• “Pet therapy, beyond the evident joys, can significantly aid in emotional healing, reducing anxiety and depression.” Healing with a paw or a purr.
• “Preserving indigenous languages is essential, not only for cultural heritage but also for the unique worldviews they offer.” Linguistic treasures of humanity.
• “Supporting women in STEM fields is not just about gender equality; it enriches research and drives innovation through diverse perspectives.” Science, enhanced by diversity.
• “Green rooftops, apart from being aesthetically pleasing, can significantly reduce energy consumption and support urban wildlife habitats.” Elevating green solutions.
• “Incorporating urban greenways promotes physical health, fosters community interactions, and enhances the overall livability of cities.” Paths to a healthier urban future.

A strong thesis statement paves the way for well-researched and impactful discussions, guiding readers through the intended narrative of the work.

Strong vs Weak Thesis Statement Examples

An impactful thesis statement captures the essence of an argument concisely, presenting a clear stance on an issue. On the other hand, a weak thesis might be vague, lacking a definitive point of view. Comparing strong vs. weak thesis statements helps in understanding the difference in depth, clarity, and precision. Below is a table illustrating this contrast:

Strong Thesis Statement Examples for Argumentative Essay

A potent argumentative essay thesis statement explicitly presents an argument, setting the foundation for persuasion. Here are ten examples:

• The death penalty is an outdated form of punishment and should be abolished due to its potential for irreversible mistakes.
• Animal testing is not only cruel but also ineffective and should be replaced by alternative research methods.
• GMOs, when regulated and appropriately used, can help combat world hunger and reduce pesticide usage.
• The gender wage gap is not only a matter of equality but also an economic imperative for a progressive society.
• Censoring media under the guise of national security restricts freedom of expression and curtails democratic discourse.
• The normalization of gig economy jeopardizes worker rights, leading to exploitation.
• The Second Amendment shouldn’t be an excuse against common-sense gun regulations.
• The electoral college system is archaic and does not truly represent the democratic wishes of the modern American populace.
• Legalizing marijuana can aid in reducing the burden on the legal system and provide medicinal and economic benefits.
• Privatization of essential services like water and electricity often leads to monopolies that neglect public welfare.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples for High School

Crafting a compelling thesis statement in high school lays the groundwork for effective argumentation and critical thinking. Here are ten examples:

• The influence of social media on teenagers’ self-esteem has more negative implications than positive ones.
• The “Great Gatsby” is not just a tragic love story but a portrayal of the decay of the American Dream.
• Extracurricular activities in high school are essential for holistic development and should be equally emphasized as academics.
• The portrayal of women in classic literature often reflects societal biases, as evident in Austen’s novels.
• Adolescents should have a say in their educational curriculum to foster engagement and passion.
• Cyberbullying in high schools is a by-product of technology misuse and requires stringent school policies for prevention.
• Early school start times adversely affect student health and academic performance.
• Parental involvement, while beneficial, can become counterproductive if excessively intrusive in high school education.
• Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” exemplifies the dangers of impulsive decisions in youth.
• Implementing financial literacy courses in high school is crucial for preparing students for adulthood.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples for Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a contemporary issue with profound effects. A strong thesis on this topic should address the nuances of digital harassment:

• The rise of social media platforms has inadvertently created an arena for cyberbullying, impacting mental health.
• Anonymity on the internet emboldens bullies, making it essential to have stricter online identity verifications.
• Cyberbullying can lead to long-term psychological trauma, highlighting the need for robust support systems.
• Schools need to adapt and incorporate cyberbullying awareness in their curriculum, preparing students for digital citizenship.
• Legislation against cyberbullying is not just a necessity but a testament to recognizing online spaces as extensions of our society.
• Online platforms should bear a shared responsibility in combating cyberbullying through better content monitoring.
• The normalization of trolling culture on the internet is a gateway to more severe forms of cyberbullying.
• The psychological impacts of cyberbullying are intensified due to the permanence and ubiquity of digital content.
• Parents and guardians should be educated about the signs of cyberbullying to protect and support their children effectively.
• Digital literacy programs should incorporate cyberbullying prevention as a foundational element to foster respectful online interactions.

How to Start a Strong Thesis Statement?

Understanding the Essence: Before you even begin, understand that a thesis statement encapsulates the main point of your paper in a concise manner. It’s not just a simple statement; it needs to be arguable and definitive.

1. Choose a Clear Topic: To craft a potent thesis statement, you first need a clear and specific topic. This could be anything from the subject of your research to the argument you wish to defend or refute.

2. Take a Stand: Your thesis statement shouldn’t merely state a fact. Instead, it should take a position or make an assertion.

3. Be Precise: Narrow down your statement to be as specific as possible. Avoid vague words and ensure your statement clearly expresses what you intend to discuss.

Good vs. Strong Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement might be clear and take a position, but a strong thesis statement goes further. It’s:

• Debatable: There should be a genuine controversy surrounding your statement, not something universally agreed upon.
• Specific: It uses concrete facts, figures, or points and doesn’t rely on generalities.
• Concise: It gets to the point quickly, avoiding unnecessary words.
• Informed: It shows a deep understanding of the topic.

For instance, a good statement might be: “Reading helps brain development in children.” A strong version would be: “Regular reading of literature from diverse genres between the ages 5 to 10 significantly boosts neural connectivity and cognitive flexibility in children.”

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement?

1. Ask Questions: Start by posing questions about your topic. Your answers might form a preliminary version of your thesis statement.

2. Avoid the Obvious: Don’t just state a fact. Push yourself to think critically about the subject.

3. Use Strong Language: Avoid wishy-washy language. Use definitive language that shows you are making an assertion.

4. Test it Out: Before finalizing, test your thesis. Can you argue against it? If not, it might not be strong enough.

5. Revise as Necessary: Your first draft of a thesis statement won’t always be the best one. As your paper evolves, ensure that your thesis evolves with it.

Tips for Writing a Strong Thesis Statement

• Stay Focused: Your thesis should be specific enough to stay within the boundaries of your paper.
• Position it Right: Typically, your thesis statement should be the last one or two sentences in your introductory paragraph.
• Stay Objective: A thesis statement shouldn’t be a subjective judgment. Instead, it should be based on evidence.
• Seek Feedback: Before finalizing, get opinions from peers or mentors. Fresh eyes might catch ambiguities or areas of improvement.
• Avoid Clichés: Make your statement original, even if the topic is common. Avoid predictable thoughts and challenge existing viewpoints if possible.

Remember, your thesis statement is the backbone of your paper. Invest time in crafting a strong one, and your paper will stand tall and clear.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

Trump trial: After guilty verdict, former president makes statement at Trump Tower in New York

What comes next after trump's guilty verdict.

• Former President Donald Trump lashed out at New York state Judge Juan Merchan, prosecutors and the verdict in the hush money trial at a news conference at Trump Tower this morning.
• Allies of Trump rushed to his defense and condemned the outcome of the trial, in which he was convicted on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
• Trump's attorneys vowed to appeal the verdict as soon as possible . Merchan yesterday scheduled Trump's sentencing for July 11, at which point he will officially become a convicted felon under state law.
• While many Democrats applauded the verdict, President Joe Biden's campaign has been careful not to strike a celebratory tone in its reaction. Biden has yet to publicly comment on Trump's conviction.

Biden slams Trump and his allies for calling the hush money verdict ‘rigged’

Alexandra Marquez is based in Washington, D.C.

In his first remarks since a New York jury  found Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts  of falsifying business records, President Joe Biden took a thinly veiled swipe at the former president’s attacks on the justice system.

“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden said, speaking to reporters at the White House.

The president’s comments came hours after Trump blamed him for his legal woes in remarks  to the press and supporters , saying: “This is all done by Biden and his people. This is done by Washington. No one has ever seen anything like this.”

Read the full story here.

Final day of Trump trial whiplashes from sleepy courtroom to historic verdict

Katherine Doyle

For most of Thursday, there were few signs of life from the jury in  Donald Trump’s hush money trial .

That all changed shortly after 4 p.m., when the panel of 12 New Yorkers delivered a note to the judge saying they had reached a verdict in  the first criminal trial  of a former U.S. president.

Follow live updates here.

The jury foreperson read the verdict aloud just feet from Trump, who has spent more than six weeks in court listening to testimony from 22 witnesses. Moments earlier, Trump and his legal team were in good spirits, with defense attorney Todd Blanche laughing and Trump smiling.

It took the jury less than two days to find Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Here’s what happened on Day 23 — the final day — of Trump’s hush money trial .

‘Access Hollywood’ vs. now: How the GOP learned to stand behind Trump

Mark Murray

Almost eight years ago, key figures in the Republican Party distanced themselves from Donald Trump after the “Access Hollywood” video revealed him making lewd and aggressive comments about women.  

Then-House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.,  disinvited Trump  from a campaign event. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah,  asked him  to step down as the GOP nominee. And then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah,  withdrew his endorsement .  

“I’m out. I can no longer in good conscience endorse this person for president. It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine,” Chaffetz said in October 2016. 

Then Trump won the presidency just a month later. 

Since then — after two impeachments, a 2020 presidential defeat and multiple indictments — today’s Republican Party has learned to stand 100% behind Trump when it is faced with bad news about its former president and current presumptive presidential nominee. 

Pennsylvania voter said she was 'relieved' by Trump verdict

Emma Barnett

Kyla Guilfoil

Heather Dana, an Erie County voter, said she was "relieved" and "happy" after the jury's verdict in the Trump hush money case, but she added she was not expecting the jury to deliver a verdict by Thursday.

"I was kind of surprised that they all unanimously were able to come to that verdict," Dana said. "I kind of thought there would be — it would take a long time, it would be hard to get everyone to decide.”

"It’s kind of time to answer to some of the things he has done," she said. "He is not beyond the law’s reach" and "he’s just like everyone else.”

Trump campaign and RNC say they raised $34.8 million online on day of verdict

Ben Kamisar

Team Trump has long seen fundraising boosts pegged to Trump's legal woes and, according to a new press release from the campaign, Thursday was a massive day for Trump's election campaign.

The campaign announced it raised $34.8 million yesterday through the GOP fundraising platform WinRed. Anna Kelly, a Republican National Committee spokesperson, clarified in an email to NBC News that the total was raised into a joint fundraising committee that includes both Trump's campaign and the RNC. It's unclear how much money will go into each entity, and the national party can accept much bigger checks than the Trump campaign can. But this way of combining a nominee and the national party's fundraising haul is common in the campaign finance world.

While every indication from the Trump campaign and the RNC is that this was a massive haul, NBC News cannot independently confirm that, both because of lags in campaign finance reporting and the byzantine way the presidential campaigns (on both sides of the aisle) raise funds. 

Biden campaign reacts to Trump remarks: 'This man cannot be president of the United States'

Rebecca Shabad is in Washington, D.C.

In response to Trump's remarks slamming the verdict, President Joe Biden's campaign spokesperson, Michael Tyler, said in a statement that Trump "cannot be president of the United States."

“America just witnessed a confused, desperate, and defeated Donald Trump ramble about his own personal grievances and lie about the American justice system, leaving anyone watching with one obvious conclusion: This man cannot be president of the United States," he said.

"Unhinged by his 2020 election loss and spiraling from his criminal convictions, Trump is consumed by his own thirst for revenge and retribution. He thinks this election is about him. But it’s not. It’s about the American people: lowering their costs, protecting their freedoms, defending their democracy," Tyler continued. He also said Trump "is sowing chaos, attacking the rule of law, and fighting for the only thing in the world he gives a damn about: Donald Trump.”

House 'weaponization' panel calls on DA Bragg to testify

Rebecca Kaplan

The House Judiciary Committee’s weaponization of government subcommittee is demanding that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and prosecutor Matthew Colangelo testify before the committee on June 13, the panel said in a post on X .

The chair of the committee, Trump ally Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is overseeing an investigation into Bragg and Colangelo, but this is the first substantive move by House Republicans since Trump's conviction yesterday.

A committee aide told NBC News that this is a request, not a subpoena. Prosecutors would be all but certain to not testify in the middle of an ongoing case, which the case will be if Trump appeals it, as expected.

‘These are bad people’: Trump unloads after his historic guilty verdict

Less than 24 hours after being  found guilty on 34 felony counts , Donald Trump stood in front of a backdrop of American flags and was ready to get weeks of frustration off his chest. 

The pugilistic former president spent 40 minutes unloading rambling comments peppered with mistruths and distortions to defend himself during a news conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

The event was the beginning of a new reality: Trump is now the first former president to be convicted of a crime.

“This is all done by Biden and his people,” Trump said opening the news conference, continuing without evidence to directly blame President Joe Biden for his legal woes. “This is done by Washington. No one has ever seen anything like this.”

Former White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said many Americans believe former President Trump’s conviction in his criminal hush money trial was the result of a biased judge and jury in New York.

Trump says Nov. 5 is 'the most important day in the history of our country'

Trump finished his remarks saying that Election Day, Nov. 5, is "the most important day in the history of our country."

He then walked off without taking questions from the media.

Trump supporters outside Trump Tower

Trump calls the two impeachments against him hoaxes, disparages lawmakers who investigated Jan. 6

Trump brought up the two impeachments against him — the first in 2019 and the second not long after the Jan. 6 insurrection in 2021. He called both impeachments by the House hoaxes.

He then called the House select committee that investigated the attack on the Capitol in the last Congress a "committee of thugs."

"They call it select committee. I call it the unselect committee of thugs," he said.  

Trump refuted the testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, saying he didn't attack the Secret Service agent who didn't want to drive him to the Capitol after the "Stop the Steal" rally on the day of the insurrection.

"I supposedly went to the driver and I grabbed him around the neck," he said. "And he rebuffed me, and then I went to the other guy, who I think is a black belt in karate, and he's slightly younger than me."

Trump said a friend told him not to dispute that because it "makes you look like the toughest cookie we've ever seen."

"You should have let that go on. But the fact is, it never happened. It was all made up," he said.

Trump: 'It's not hush money'

Trump repeated his claim about the nondisclosure agreement that Michael Cohen paid porn actor Stormy Daniels for, saying the related payments were legal because they were for standard NDAs.

"It’s a big deal, the nondisclosure agreement, totally honorable, totally good, totally accepted," Trump said. "Every company has nondisclosure agreements."

"It's a disgrace," the former president continued, going on to emphasize that because the payments were made for NDAs, they should not be considered "hush money."

"So it's not hush money. It's a nondisclosure agreement. Totally legal. Totally common," Trump said.

Trump says he's going to appeal the verdict 'on many different things' and calls judge a 'tyrant'

Trump said that "the people of our country know it's a hoax. ... They get it, you know, they're really smart."

"We're going to be appealing this scam. We're going to be appealing it on many different things," he said.

The judge "wouldn't allow us to have witnesses, you wouldn't allow us to talk, you wouldn't allow us to do anything," Trump added. "The judge was a tyrant."

Trump says he's going to jail for '187 years' — he could actually face a fine, probation or up to four years in prison

Dareh Gregorian

As Trump railed against the verdict, calling the trial "ridiculous," he claimed that he is "going to jail for 187 years."

As a first-time, nonviolent offender, it is unlikely that Trump will face a long sentence — and perhaps could not even have to go jail at all.

Trump was convicted on 34 counts of  falsifying business records , a class E felony that is punishable by a fine, probation or up to four years in prison per count. It’s expected that any sentence would be imposed concurrently, instead of consecutively.

Trump complains about his lawyers as they watch to speech

Trump jumped back to one of his repeated defenses that he didn't know what the case was even about, adding that he was "very upset" with his own lawyers for not being clear about the charges being brought against him.

"Even my own lawyers, I get very upset with them because they don't say what it is," Trump said.

Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche was smiling in the crowd as Trump said this and complained that the charges didn't make sense.

Trump rips judge, verdict and trial, says witnesses were 'literally crucified'

Trump questioned the DA's indictment charging him with 34 counts of falsifying business records.

"I paid a lawyer, totally legal. I paid a lawyer, a legal expense," he said.

"It's not Sheetrock construction, or any other thing. It's a legal expense. Think of that. This is what the falsification of business records were. And I said, what else are you going to call it?"

Trump said he would have testified during the trial and wanted to testify, but he said: "The theory is you never testify because as soon as you testify ... they'll get you on something that you said slightly wrong, and then they sue you for perjury, but I didn't care about that. I wanted to."

Trump continued: "This is a scam. There's a rigged trial. It shouldn't have been in that venue. We shouldn't have had that judge."

"As far as the trial itself, it was very unfair. We weren't allowed to use our election expert under any circumstances," said Trump, who said that witnesses were "crucified" by Judge Merchan.

"You saw what happened to some of the witnesses that were on our side," he said. "They were literally crucified by this man who looks like an angel but he’s really a devil. He looks so nice and soft. People always say he seems like such a nice man. No, unless you saw him in action. And you saw that with a certain witness that went through hell."

Speaker Johnson suggests justices 'deeply concerned' about Trump prosecution

Lawrence Hurley Supreme Court reporter

Kyle Stewart

House Speaker Mike Johnson said today about Trump's conviction that he believes Supreme Court justices, some of whom he knows personally, are "deeply concerned" and he urged the court to step in when the case is appealed.

In an interview on "Fox and Friends," Johnson, R-La., said the conviction was "totally unprecedented" and "dangerous to our system" because it diminishes people's faith in the criminal process and the courts.

"People have to believe that justice is fair, that there’s equal justice under law. They don’t see that right now," he said. "And I think that the justices on the court, I know many of them personally, I think they’re deeply concerned about that, as we are. So I think they’ll set this straight but it’s going to take a while."

It is unclear if he was speaking generally about justices being concerned about the administration of justice or about Trump's case specifically, or whether he had spoken to any of them about it.

Trump's initial appeal will be in the New York state court system. The U.S. Supreme Court takes up a tiny proportion of cases and will only intervene in state cases if there is a constitutional or federal law issue.

Trump begins remarks saying 'these are bad people'

Trump started his off-the-cuff remarks saying, "These are bad people. These are in many cases, I believe, sick people."

He said "millions of people are flowing in from all parts of the world, not just South America, from Africa, from Asia from the Middle East, and they're coming in from jails and prisons, and they are coming in from mental institutions and insane asylums. They're coming in from all over the world into our country."

"We have a president and a group of fascists that don't want to do anything about it because they could right now, today, he could stop it," he continued. "But he's not. They're destroying our country. Our country is in very bad shape. And they're very much against me, saying these things."

Protesters are outside Trump Tower

Protesters are demonstrating outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan ahead of Trump's press conference there. They're holding signs that say, for example, "lock him up" and "guilty" in all caps.

How Trump and his allies are spinning his historic guilty verdict

Allan Smith

Bianca Seward

Trump and his allies immediately tried to flip the script after a New York jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records yesterday.

Most of their pushback on the airwaves and social media echoed the points they were making as the trial was ongoing: They felt that Judge Juan Merchan was conflicted, the jury was made up of liberals and the case amounted to election interference to boost Biden.

As the dust from the historic criminal verdict began to settle , Trump and his backers sought to flood the zone to insist that the system was rigged against him the whole time.

“We didn’t do a thing wrong,” Trump said outside the courthouse yesterday after the unanimous guilty verdict. “I’m a very innocent man.”

Here’s how Trump and his allies went on the offensive.

Can Trump vote in November now that he’s been convicted of felony charges?

Jane C. Timm

Trump  is joining the millions of Americans whose voting rights depend on their criminal records after a New York jury  convicted him of felony charges  in a hush money case.

But experts say Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is unlikely to be disenfranchised by the felony convictions in the New York case, noting that it would come down to whether he goes to prison as part of his sentence.

Forty-eight states prohibit some or all Americans with felony convictions on their records from voting, according to the Sentencing Project, and an estimated 4.4 million Americans — about 2% of the voting-age population — could not vote in the 2022 elections because of those laws.  The group estimates  that more than 1 million of them live in Florida, where Trump established his official residency in 2019.

Senate, House Republican campaign committees say they each had their best fundraising day of the cycle

The National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, the official campaign arms of Senate Republicans and House Republicans, respectively, said they each had their best fundraising day of the cycle yesterday.

Following the verdict, Jason Thielman, the NRSC's executive director, said in a post on X, "Outrage over the sham verdict against Trump has spurred average Americans into action! The NRSC just had its largest online daily fundraising haul of the cycle."

And Jack Pandol, communications director for the NRCC, posted on X that his committee also "shattered" a previous record for the best fundraising day of the cycle. Punchbowl first reported the NRCC news.

Biden campaign staff asked not to share personal opinions about Trump verdict on social media, sources say

Monica Alba

An email went out to Biden campaign staff yesterday asking them not to post personal opinions or their own takes about the verdict on social media, instead suggesting they amplify the official campaign and White House statements, two sources familiar told NBC News.

In a statement yesterday after the verdict, Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director Michael Tyler said: “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law. Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box."

Group identifies online threats against Trump jurors, judge

Ken Dilanian

Ryan J. Reilly

A group that monitors right-wing social media, Advance Democracy, says it has identified online calls to dox jurors, Judge Merchan and others.

On the far-right website 8kun, an anonymous user posted the purported personal contact information and addresses for journalists, the presiding judge and some purported jurors. Advance Democracy said it has not determined whether the posted information is accurate.

Advance Democracy said it also identified “a high volume of social media posts containing violent rhetoric targeting Justice Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The group said it has not identified, however, any posts that could be perceived as concrete plans to engage in violence."

The group also said it detected general calls to organize in reaction to the verdict, but not specific details or plans for in-person activity. Some of the calls to organize include violent rhetoric (for example, calls “to go to Washington and hang everyone”).

In the lead-up to Trump's guilty verdict, false reports that spread on right-wing media about the jury instructions led to threats against Judge Merchan.

GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake says husband was subpoenaed as verdict was handed down

Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake reacted to Trump’s conviction on Newsmax last night and announced that her husband was subpoenaed while the verdict was coming down. 

“As this was all coming down, a process server showed up at my door and served a subpoena on my husband. They’re, they’re lawfaring me to death,” she said.

Lake faces her  own legal trouble  after she was accused of defaming a Republican election official in Maricopa County, Stephen Richer, after her loss in the 2022 race for governor. 

“They’re going to have to kill me to stop me,” she said, painting herself as the victim of judicial warfare. 

Lake said she wasn’t surprised by the verdict, using one of her favorite campaign lines: “We’re living on planet crazy right now.” She also urged Trump supporters to empty their pockets to help him win the November election. 

Trump downplays paper trail and reiterates NDAs are standard practice

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump downplayed the evidence presented at the hush money trial, saying he was “not involved” in writing “legal expense” on the business records and expressing incredulity that such a thing would be considered a crime.

“My bookkeeper called a “Legal Expense,” on the “tiny” description line of the Ledger, a “Legal Expense,” openly paid to my lawyer, at that time a fully accredited one. I was not involved in that designation, but what else would you have called it? It was, in fact, a LEGAL EXPENSE. That is the so-called “CRIME,” Trump wrote. 

Referring to Michael Cohen's efforts to secure the non-disclosure agreement with porn actor Stormy Daniels, Trump added, “My lawyer, at the time, did virtually everything on the NDA (NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT), and I assumed that what he did was correct.”

Trump reiterated that he did “nothing wrong” and said NDAs are “standard, commonly used, and LEGAL.”

“IF THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ME, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!” he wrote. 

Trump attorney Todd Blanche not surprised by verdict, vows to win on appeal

Patrick Smith

Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney in the hush money case, said this morning that he's not surprised about yesterday's historic verdict, but is confident the former president's conviction will be overturned on appeal.

Appearing on NBC’s "TODAY" show, a little over 12 hours since his client was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records, Blanche said: "This was a verdict we were expecting. We’re going to appeal and we’re going to win on appeal," he said.

Blanche repeated the Trump team’s long-held belief that it was impossible to get a fair trial in Manhattan, where Trump has low approval ratings.

Asked whether he was surprised that not one juror questioned the unanimous verdicts, Blanche complained that the outcome may have been different if the defense team was able to submit certain evidence, such as the tax records of witnesses.

As for whether Trump could face up to four years of jail time, one of the options available at his July 11 sentencing, Blanche said he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

"Putting aside the fact he was president of the United States, he’s a grandfather, a husband, a father. He should not, he should not go to prison," he said.

"TODAY" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie asked whether Blanche might intervene and ask his client to stop personally attacking Judge Merchan, who will decide his fate.

"It’s not just President Trump who has complained about the judge, so have I," he said, before adding "it’s not my job to tell him how to communicate to the American people."

Blanche said that in the aftermath of the verdicts, Trump remained calm and he was "shocked at how he reacted in a very positive way."

NBC News’ Shaq Brewster spoke with voters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who explained why they would still vote for Trump despite the New York conviction.

Trump campaign newsletter attacks trial's credibility

Megan Lebowitz

A Trump campaign newsletter, the Palm Beach Playbook, urged supporters to get involved in the campaign after the verdict.

The campaign also reiterated criticisms of the trial, calling it a "sham" and arguing that the verdict "is the result of the Left shredding the Constitution in their savage pursuit of raw political power."

Trump lawyer says appeal is coming 'soon'

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said in an interview on CNN last night that "as soon as we can appeal, we will."

Blanche said in multiple news interviews yesterday that he believed Trump did not get a fair trial, pointing to the trial's venue, timing and judge.

Trump expected to hold news conference today

Trump said yesterday that there would be a news conference at 11 a.m. today in the Trump Tower atrium.

He will deliver remarks, the campaign said.

Trump spoke outside the courtroom following his guilty verdict, but he has yet to answer questions from reporters.

How Biden and his campaign use the verdict ahead of the election

The Biden campaign reacted to the verdict yesterday by saying Trump finally got his comeuppance.

Trump "has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain," campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement. "But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president."

The campaign also sent a fundraising text and email to supporters about the verdict.

Biden hasn't spoken publicly about the verdict, though he solicited campaign donations after the trial o n X , writing, "There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box."

Yesterday was the anniversary of his son Beau Biden's death, and he spent part of the day commemorating the somber moment by going to church and visiting the cemetery where his son is buried.

It's unclear to what extent both Biden and his campaign will highlight Trump’s conviction going forward.