What is a thesis statement?
The thesis formula
Position + because + reasons. Example: 'US universities should cap class sizes at 30 because smaller cohorts raise retention, improve feedback quality, and reduce grading errors.' Anything a reasonable person cannot disagree with is a topic sentence, not a thesis.
Where it goes
Place the thesis as the final sentence of the introduction in essays under 3,000 words. In a dissertation, the equivalent statement appears at the end of chapter one as the research aim.
Weak vs strong
Weak: 'Social media has effects on teenagers.' Strong: 'Algorithmic feeds harm teenage sleep more than screen time itself, because engagement ranking rewards late-night novelty.'
Although remote learning widened access, it lowered completion rates for first-generation students because it removed the informal support networks that campus life provides.
Related questions
How long should a thesis statement be?
One sentence of 20–40 words in most college essays. Two sentences are acceptable for complex arguments in papers over 3,000 words.
Can a thesis statement be a question?
No. A question frames the topic; a thesis answers it. Turn the question into a declarative claim.