A good thesis statement will accomplish the same thing. It gives readers an idea of the most important points of an essay, shows the highlights, and makes them want to read more. It will also help keep you, the writer, from getting lost in a convoluted and directionless argument. Most importantly, a good thesis statement makes a statement.
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. 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.
Just like a research paper, a good thesis statement is important for an essay also. However, an essay is different, it is less detailed than the one that is for a research paper. For writing a thesis statement for an essay, it can be written in a direct or indirect method. Both methods are acceptable.
Thesis Statements: The Roadmap to Your Paper. WHAT IS A THESIS? A thesis statement is one or two sentences in your introduction that explains the core idea of your paper. The thesis is the foundation of the paper and should act as a roadmap for your paper. It should not only be a guide for the reader, but for the writer as well.