A thesis is the very backbone of your project. It is an expression of the central claim – the main idea – that you will explain and defend in your project. A solid thesis will help you to decide what to include, what to exclude and how to structure your argument. 

Keep your thesis manageable. A common mistake is to work with a thesis that is either too narrow or too broad. 

• TOO BROAD: A thesis that is too broad attempts to cover more than can be achieved within the word limit of a project. This typically results in claims that are vague, analysis that is superficial and a project that reads much more like a summary or overview than a well-crafted argument.
• TOO NARROW: A thesis that is too narrow is typically true but trivial, meaning that there is very little for the student to analyse or defend. 

 

As a heuristic, a good thesis is ambitious enough to be interesting, while being limited such that it can be reasonably defended within the criteria of the project.

For Example, for 2500-word Social Psychology project:

• Too Broad: This project will examine self-perception.
• Too Narrow: This project will analyse the wording of one survey question used in a single self-perception
• More Manageable: This project argues that self-perception theory helps explain how individuals form attitudes in ambiguous situations, but that its explanatory power is limited when strong prior beliefs are already in place.

 

The manageable thesis affords you the space to interpret, analyse and make an argument, but does not force the paper to cover everything.

A thesis should make a claim that is worth arguing for or against. It need not be revolutionary or radically original or shocking, but it ought certainly to do more than merely restate what is obvious or widely accepted. 

When devising a thesis, ask yourself:

Does my thesis say something substantive?

Does my thesis take a position rather than merely describe a topic?

Would a reasonable person be able to disagree with my thesis?

However, bear in mind that your thesis should be plausible. If your paper is unable to persuade the reader of your argument, either because the thesis is too radical or has insufficient support, then the project will not succeed. A good thesis is somewhere between the obvious and the implausible. 

Articulate your thesis in a thesis statement. If you can formulate your main thesis in a sentence or two then you have something to work with. Such a statement should appear at the beginning of your project and should:

• Tell your reader what the project will argue
• Set the expectations for the kind of analysis that you will present
• Help the author of the project to remain focused on the main point

Your thesis statement will most likely undergo revision as you work. A first draft or outline of your paper may work with a broader thesis statement that gets refined and sharpened as your thinking becomes more nuanced and precise. It is a part of the writing process to revise your thesis.

Beware of the following common mistakes:

• Do not announce a topic instead of making as specific claim:

 

This project will discuss mindset theory.

(This only states what the project is about, but does not tell us what it will argue.)

 

• Do not use a purely descriptive statement for your thesis:

 

Descartes argues that the senses can be misleading.

(This is true, but it does not explain why this is important, why it matters, or what we can learn from this.)

 

• Do not overload your thesis:

 

Your thesis statement should be a short and powerful sentence that gets to the point. Adding every sub-argument and detail will confuse your reader and leave you with an unwieldy thesis statement.

To recap: A good thesis:

1. Is manageable in scope for the length of the project.
2. Makes a clear, interesting and defensible claim.
3. Is explicitly stated and is used to guide the structure of your project.

 

Crafting a good thesis takes a little time and is work in progress. As you write, think and rewrite, your thesis will develop more clearly and cogently. When you have refined your thesis, it will support the rest of the writing process.