Thesis Statements

If your thesis is too broad, the reader will assume you are going to cover the whole topic.

Ex: There have been a lot of technological changes.

There have been a lot of technological changes.

The technological changes of the last hundred years have been amazing.

The technological changes of the last hundred years have made a big impact on how people communicate.

Over the last 20 years, changes in technology have made a big impact on how people communicate.

Over the last 20 years, changes in technology have made a profound difference in the way American students communicate.

The broad subject matter (technological changes) is still written into the statement, but it shows what you will not be covering in your paper, too.

A narrow thesis tends to be long.

Avoid words that imply all-inclusive language or absolutes. Ex: always, never, every time, all, none, etc.

Your statement doesn't ask something; it declares something.

In persuasive and argumentative writing, the topic is debatable.