A thesis statement is the main idea of the essay.

It is your answer to the prompt in one sentence.​

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​A good strategy is to use words from the prompt to help write your thesis statement:

​Example:

​Write an essay to explain the importance of tying your shoes.

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​Thesis: Tying your shoes is critical because....

A good thesis statement will include one or two reasons that will be explained in the body section.

​EX: Why did the chicken cross the road?

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​Thesis: The chicken crossed the road because it needed water and wanted a snack.

Each of these reasons will be the main idea of one of the body paragraphs.

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• Body Paragraph #1 will discuss why the chicken needs water from the other side of the road.

• ​Body Paragraph #2 will discuss what delicious snacks the chicken is hoping for.

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​Thesis: The chicken crossed the road because it needed water and wanted a snack.

​Flip the Script (and the thesis)

​You can also turn the sentence around, which may be useful for your thesis or restated thesis!

​We can save the world by reducing carbon emissions.

​Reducing carbon emissions is the best way to save the world.

Having two reasons in your thesis is great, but so is having one MAIN reason with two "sub-reasons"

Thesis: "We can save the world by reducing carbon emissions."

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​Topic Sentence 1: One way to reduce carbon emissions is to drive less.

​Topic Sentence 2: Another way to reduce carbon emissions is to improve manufacturing processes.

Thesis: "We can save the world by reducing carbon emissions."

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​Topic Sentence 1: One way to reduce carbon emissions is to drive less. Evidence: For example, ...

​Explanation: This is important because...

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​Topic Sentence 2: Another way to reduce carbon emissions is to improve manufacturing processes.

​Evidence: Chemical plants, for instance, ....

​Explanation: With less manufacturers doing this, the world will be better off.

​The "sub-reasons" will be the main idea of each body paragraph.