Other
Research Assistant: For Students: Purpose Statement
This site gives advice on how to write an effective purpose (thesis) statement. The summary is given as answers to four questions: what? why? when? how?.
SUNY Empire State College
Empire State College: Thesis and Shaping Information
This tutorial on writing essays contains several sections pertaining to the thesis. These include thesis definition, characteristics, analysis of thesis to gather and shape information, and topic sentences. Many examples given. W.9-10.2...
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Constructing Thesis Statements
Readable, but thorough handout on the thesis statement. Covers what it is, why it's important, how to come up with one, examples, and how to evaluate. Bibliography included. W.9-10.2a Intro/org/graphics
Harvard University
Harvard College Writing Center: Developing a Thesis
Superbly written explanation of thesis development. Use the links on the right to work through the writing process.
University of Washington
Guide to Writing Thesis Statements
These guidelines show how to write effective thesis statements with examples of effective and ineffective statements.
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School: Writing a Statement of Purpose
An excellent tip sheet for creating and perfecting a statement of purpose. Also includes information about thesis statements and examples.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Writing Essays: The Statement of Your Thesis
Brief explanation of the thesis statement, followed by examples of faulty and improved thesis statements.
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania: The Thesis Statement
This site has an examination of five different thesis statements with examples of how to write each of the statements.
Indiana University
Indiana University: How to Write a Thesis Statement
This page defines the thesis statement and tells how to develop one when the topic is assigned and when the topic is not assigned. Also gives guidelines for determining whether the thesis statement is strong or weak.
Other
Paradigm Online Writing Assistant: Occasions for Thesis/support Essays
The basic thesis/support pattern promotes clear, systematic thinking on a single subject and can, therefore, be helpful whenever you want to set forth ideas and facts in an efficient, orderly way.
University of Wisconsin
Univ. Of Wisconsin Madison: Writing Center: Thesis and Purpose Statements
Explains the thesis statement and distinguishes it from the purpose statement. Gives an example of a paragraph containing both. Be sure try the link at the bottom of the page, "Developing a Thesis Statement." This page goes into further...
The Write Place
Literacy Education Online: Thesis Statement
This site describes the thesis statement in a series of "A thesis is a ____, not a ____" statements. Gives examples of improper and improved thesis statements.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Using Thesis Statements
The first part of this page lists five characteristics of a thesis statement and gives examples of a poor and an effective statement for each characteristic. The second part of the handout dispels common myths about the thesis statement.