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Example Thesis Statement: Argumentative Paper

For an argumentative paper, you will be making a claim for specific reasons that are supported with your evidence. Thus, writing the claim and its reasons can form the thesis statement. The paper will subsequently provide the evidence for the reasons (Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2003; Karper, 2002).

Example #1

Research paper topic: The importance of art to society (argument)

Thesis Statement	Stronger Thesis Statement
Art is important to society in many ways, and I will talk about them in this essay. The controversial artist Mapplethorpe will be my focus. (Babington & LePan, 1991, p. 19).	The homoerotic art of Robert Mapplethorpe deserves to be exhibited at public expense even though most people find it offensive.

The first example states the thesis in general terms and introduces the reader to the idea of Mapplethorpe as a controversial artist.

The second actually presents an argument, a point of view that can be agreed or disagreed with. It does not, however, offer reasons, which weakens the thesis statement. If "The homoerotic art of Robert Mapplethorpe functions as political and social commentary, and deserves to be exhibited at public expense to expose the general public to lifestyles that are as acceptable, although not as accepted, as their own" were used, the thesis statement would be even stronger.

Example #2

Research paper topic: The relationship between policy and research (argument)

Thesis Statement	Stronger Thesis Statement
This essay will explain why provincial policy when making monetary allocations should widen its information base to include various research studies.	Provincial economic policy must be informed by not only public opinion and fiscal responsibility, but also research funded outside of corporate interest. Without careful consideration of environmental impacts, short-term economic gain becomes longterm fiasco.

The first statement offers a general idea of what the essay will address.

The second stronger statement specifically states three areas that the author identifies as important to developing policy:

• public opinion,
• fiscal responsibility, and
• research

but highlights the need to include research of a specific type (non-corporate-based and focusing on environmental impacts) to avoid fiasco. Fiasco could have been defined to focus the thesis statement further, but the second statement is already more precise and interesting.