A thesis statement is the primary assertion that tells a reader the main point that you wish to explore in your essay. A good thesis is narrow, specific, and purposeful. It’s usually a sentence long, although it might stretch to two sentences in some cases. Given the significant role that it plays, can a thesis statement be at the end of an essay?
A thesis statement should appear immediately after the introduction paragraph of your essay. However, you can tweak the placement if you’re writing a narrative essay, in which case you can write it at the end of the paper. That’s because the narrative usually sets up your point or moral lesson.
We at Help for Assessment strongly recommend placing the thesis statement in the introduction. After all, that has always been the tradition and it’s best to stick to the format that your professor looks forward to see.
Moreover, we can’t reiterate enough just how significant being specific with your thesis statement is. Essay readers are smart enough to base their judgment of the paper on the construction of this statement, so make it so interesting that a reader will find it easy to make a guess about what to expect from the rest of the essay.
Can a Thesis Statement Be at the End of an Essay? (What You Should Know)
A thesis statement in an essay isn’t merely a topic. It’s a sentence that clearly states the primary idea of writing your essay. Every idea you will introduce and support with statistics and evidence will build upon what the thesis.
Generally, the statement demonstrates a very strong opinion that a writer has about a topic based on facts, personal experiences, or in-depth analysis.
It’s important to note that your professor wants to know exactly what an essay is about before reading it. So it doesn’t make sense to include the thesis statement at the end of an essay. The statement should appear in the introduction paragraph. It’s short, usually a complete sentence although it’s okay to stretch it into two sentences.
The statement that comes before the thesis statement is what introduces it, and the ideas that follow will not only explain but also support it. Given that its PURPOSE is to help readers recognize what is to follow, it would make little sense to include the thesis statement at eh very end of the essay.
Do Thesis Statements Really Vary?
A thesis statement will vary depending on the type of essay your instructor asks you to write. So it’s important to first check the assignment guidelines issued to you before you structure and write the essay.
For example:
- The thesis for an argumentative essay should clearly show your stance and state your opinion on an issue. Everything else you write in the body parts of the argumentative essay will support the statement.
- In the case of a compare and contrast essay, you will have to write the thesis in such a way that it shows how two issues are similar and different.
The variation is quite significant because it makes it quite easy for your target audience (you professor in this case) to reflect on the objective of the paper.
What Does a Good Thesis Statement Look Like?
Regardless of the type of essay your instructor asks you to write, you want to make sure your thesis statement draws in the attention of anyone who would be interested in writing your essay.
The statement should be interesting, short, and concise. It can even be controversial as with the case of an argumentative writing. That way, it can easily draw in the attention of the reader to the paper and give them the curiosity to keep reading.
You may have to write your thesis more than once to give it the sparkle that can easily draw in the attention of the reader. However, make sure that whatever you write not only makes sense but also matches the overall objective of your paper.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when writing your thesis is that it should instantly make a statement of purpose or reveal your point. Re-read it to make sure it meets this criterion. If it doesn’t, it’s likely too general and therefore would need revision.
Should Your Essay Ideas Tie Back to the Thesis Statement?
Each idea that you introduce in your essay should tie back to the thesis statement.
First, introduce your idea, making sure it relates to the topic under investigation. Second, provide sufficient information to support your idea, making sure that they idea is on its own paragraph. Lastly, tie back the idea to the thesis statement by demonstrating how well it answers the question.
One of the most important things to remember when writing an essay is that a thesis statement is not your research question. Rather, it’s a part of the essay that makes your primary assertion about your points of view on the topic under investigation.
Can I Tweak My Thesis Statement?
If your ideas change, particularly as you do your research, tweaking the thesis statement to match up what you find can go a long way to make it more precise and interesting to read.
You may have to change your thesis statement more than once, and that’s completely fine. Just make sure it reflects the ideas that you would like to present in the essay.
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Final Thoughts
That’s it for the placement of a thesis statement in an essay.
Always make sure that the thesis statement you write for any essay appears only in the introduction paragraph. Doing so will make it easy for you to draw in the attention of your professor and get them to read the body of the essay to learn more about your arguments.
After all, the main objective of the statement is to provide a clear roadmap that you and your reader can use as a clear guide throughout the essay.