Developing Your Thesis Statement

Print out or save a copy of the confirmation page you receive after submitting this form.

Enter your name, your e-mail address and your trial thesis statement in the boxes below. Then answer the following questions about your trial thesis statement. If you don't understand the question or would like to review the explanation of the question or issue click on "Explain" below the question. Please submit this form from your e-mail address, not from an anonymous library account. You will receive a reply that you should print out and retain.

Your Name:

Your E-mail Address:

Your Trial Thesis Statement:

1. Is your thesis statement a single declarative sentence?

Yes No

Explain

2. Does your thesis statement state what you want your readers to know, believe, or understand after reading your essay?

Yes No

Explain

3. Does your thesis statement reflect everything in the essay? Does your essay develop everything in the thesis statement?

Yes No

Explain

4. Can you ask and answer the questions "why?" and "how?" of your trial thesis statement?

Yes No

If you answered "Yes" to this question, what would your answer to the questions "why?" or "how?" be? Give your response below.

Explain

5. Is your thesis statement a positive statement, not a negative one?

Yes No

If your thesis statement is worded negatively, restate it in positive form below:

Explain

6. Do you use the active voice in every clause in your thesis statement?

Yes No

List the subjects and verbs of each clause in your thesis statement below to illustrate your answer:

Explain

7. Is your thesis statement clear and unambiguous?

Yes No

What terms in your thesis are least clear and most open to different meanings?

Explain

8. Is your thesis statement precise and limited?

Yes No

List below any terms that are more general than they need to be or that might be narrowed down.

Explain

9. Is your thesis statement controversial or informative?

Yes No

Explain below what is informative about your thesis or what is controversial.

Explain

10. Is your thesis statement defensible?

Yes No

Explain

Having worked through the development questions, would you like to revise your thesis statement? If so, type the revise version here:

After you have completed the form, click the Submit button. If you wish to redo the form, click Reset. But be careful. If you click Reset you will lose anything that you have entered on the form. If you want to go back and change any individual answer you can do that easily just by deleting any text you want to change and entering the new text in its place.

You will receive a confirmation page after you submit this form. Please print out or save a copy of the confirmation page. Submit it to your instructor or tutor, who will assist you in reviewing your thesis statement.