difference between a thesis statement and a theme

Theme vs Thesis: The Main Differences & When To Use Them

Regarding discussing the difference between theme and thesis, it is essential to understand the distinct roles they play in various forms of writing. While theme and thesis are both integral components of a piece of work, they serve different purposes and convey different meanings. In simple terms, theme refers to the central idea or message that runs throughout a literary work, whereas thesis represents the main argument or claim made in an academic or research paper.

Theme, in literature, is the underlying concept or recurring idea that gives a work its depth and meaning. It is often expressed through motifs, symbols, and character development, allowing readers to explore universal truths and gain insights into the human condition. Themes can be broad and abstract, such as love, justice, or freedom, or they can be more specific, focusing on topics like the loss of innocence or the pursuit of power. In essence, themes provide a framework for understanding and interpreting a piece of literature, offering readers a deeper understanding of the author’s intentions.

On the other hand, a thesis is a concise statement that presents the main argument or claim of an academic or research paper. It serves as a roadmap for the entire work, guiding the reader through the writer’s perspective and supporting evidence. A thesis is typically found in the introduction of a paper and is supported by logical reasoning and evidence in subsequent paragraphs. Unlike themes, which are often open to interpretation, a thesis is a clear and specific assertion that the writer aims to prove or support throughout the paper. It acts as a focal point, providing direction and coherence to the overall argument.

Understanding the difference between theme and thesis is crucial for writers and readers alike. While themes allow us to explore the deeper meaning and universal truths within a piece of literature, the thesis provides a clear and concise statement of the main argument in an academic or research paper. By distinguishing between these two concepts, we can better appreciate the distinct roles they play in different forms of writing and engage more effectively with the ideas and messages conveyed by authors and researchers.

The Definitions

In order to fully understand the differences between a theme and a thesis, it is essential to establish clear definitions for both terms. Let us begin by defining the concept of a theme.

Define Theme

A theme, in the context of literature or any form of artistic expression, refers to a recurring or central idea that permeates throughout a work. It is the underlying message or concept that the author intends to convey to the audience. Themes often explore universal truths, moral dilemmas, or societal issues, and they provide a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Themes are not explicitly stated within the text, but rather, they are subtly woven into the narrative, characters, and symbols. They require careful analysis and interpretation by the reader to grasp their significance. Themes can be multifaceted, allowing for multiple interpretations and perspectives.

For example, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, “The Great Gatsby,” one of the prominent themes is the corrupting influence of wealth and the illusion of the American Dream. This theme is explored through the characters’ pursuit of material success, the decadence of the Jazz Age, and the tragic consequences that result from the obsession with wealth.

Define Thesis

While a theme focuses on the overall message or idea of a work, a thesis, on the other hand, is a specific claim or argument that an author puts forth in an academic or persuasive writing piece. A thesis serves as the central point of an essay or research paper and provides a clear direction for the entire work.

A thesis is typically found in the introductory paragraph of an essay and is supported by evidence, analysis, and logical reasoning throughout the body paragraphs. It presents a concise statement that encapsulates the main argument or position the writer aims to prove or discuss.

Unlike a theme, a thesis is explicitly stated and serves as a guiding principle for the entire essay. It helps the reader understand the purpose of the writing and the writer’s stance on a particular topic.

For instance, in an essay analyzing the effects of climate change on biodiversity, a thesis statement could be: “The alarming rate of climate change poses a significant threat to global biodiversity, leading to the extinction of numerous species and disrupting ecosystems.”

In summary, while a theme encompasses the broader message or idea explored in a work of art, a thesis is a specific claim or argument that guides an essay or research paper. Understanding the distinction between these two terms is crucial for effective analysis and interpretation of literary works and academic writing.

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

In order to effectively convey your ideas and arguments, it is crucial to understand how to properly use the words “theme” and “thesis” in a sentence. While both terms are commonly used in academic and literary contexts, they have distinct meanings and should be used appropriately. Let’s explore how to use these words correctly.

How To Use “Theme” In A Sentence

The word “theme” refers to a central idea or concept that is explored or developed in a work of literature, art, or any other form of creative expression. When using “theme” in a sentence, it is important to provide context and clarity to ensure your message is effectively conveyed.

Here are a few examples of how to use “theme” in a sentence:

The theme of love and betrayal is prevalent throughout Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliet.”
In her latest novel, the author skillfully explores the theme of identity and self-discovery.
The film beautifully captures the theme of resilience in the face of adversity.

As you can see, when using the word “theme,” it is essential to specify the work or context in which the theme is being discussed. This helps to provide a clear understanding of the central idea being addressed.

How To Use “Thesis” In A Sentence

The word “thesis” typically refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be proved or maintained. It is commonly used in academic writing, particularly in research papers and dissertations. When using “thesis” in a sentence, it is crucial to articulate your main argument or claim concisely and precisely.

Here are a few examples of how to use “thesis” in a sentence:

The author’s thesis argues that socioeconomic factors play a significant role in educational attainment.
In his groundbreaking research, Dr. Smith presents a compelling thesis on the effects of climate change.
The thesis of this paper is that technology has revolutionized the way we communicate.

When using the word “thesis,” it is important to clearly state your main argument or hypothesis. This helps to guide your reader and ensures that your point is effectively communicated.

More Examples Of Theme & Thesis Used In Sentences

In this section, we will provide you with a variety of examples that demonstrate the application of both theme and thesis in sentences. These examples will help you grasp a better understanding of how these concepts are used in different contexts.

Examples Of Using Theme In A Sentence

The theme of love and sacrifice is beautifully portrayed in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet.
In the novel, the author explores the theme of redemption through the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery.
The theme of social inequality is a recurring motif in many works of literature.
The film’s underlying theme of forgiveness resonated deeply with the audience.
Through vivid descriptions and symbolism, the poet conveys the theme of nature’s power and beauty.

Examples Of Using Thesis In A Sentence

The author’s thesis argues that technology has both positive and negative impacts on society.
In his research paper, the student presents a compelling thesis on the effects of climate change.
The thesis of the documentary challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding the origins of the universe.
Through extensive research and analysis, the scholar develops a groundbreaking thesis on the history of ancient civilizations.
The thesis statement of the essay clearly outlines the main argument and supporting points.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to discussing academic writing, it is crucial to understand the distinction between theme and thesis. Unfortunately, many individuals tend to use these terms interchangeably, unaware of the significant differences they entail. In order to prevent any confusion and ensure the accuracy of your work, it is important to avoid the following common mistakes:

1. Using Theme And Thesis As Synonyms:

One of the most prevalent mistakes is using theme and thesis as interchangeable terms, assuming they hold the same meaning. However, while both elements play a crucial role in academic writing, they serve distinct purposes and convey different messages.

A theme, in essence, refers to the underlying message or central idea that a writer conveys through their work. It is a broader concept that encapsulates the overall subject matter or topic explored in a piece of writing. Themes are often abstract and can be interpreted differently by various readers.

On the other hand, a thesis statement serves as a concise and specific declaration of the writer’s main argument or claim. It is a focused statement that guides the reader and provides a clear direction for the entire essay or research paper. Unlike a theme, a thesis statement is more concrete and serves as the backbone of the entire piece of writing.

Therefore, it is crucial to avoid using theme and thesis interchangeably, as doing so can lead to confusion and weaken the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

2. Neglecting The Specificity Of The Thesis Statement:

Another common mistake is failing to recognize the importance of a specific and well-crafted thesis statement. Some writers mistakenly believe that a broad or general statement can suffice as a thesis. However, a strong thesis statement should be clear, concise, and specific, providing a focused argument that can be effectively supported throughout the piece.

By neglecting the specificity of the thesis statement, writers risk presenting vague or ambiguous arguments that lack the necessary depth and coherence. A strong thesis statement should not only guide the reader but also serve as a roadmap for the writer, ensuring that the subsequent paragraphs and evidence align with the central claim.

3. Overemphasizing The Theme At The Expense Of The Thesis:

While themes are undoubtedly important in literary analysis and other forms of academic writing, it is essential to strike a balance between discussing the theme and maintaining a strong thesis statement. Some writers make the mistake of prioritizing the exploration of the theme over the development and support of their thesis, resulting in a lack of focus and coherence.

Remember, the thesis statement should remain the primary focus of your writing, guiding the reader through a well-structured argument. While analyzing the theme is undoubtedly valuable, ensure that it aligns with and supports your thesis, rather than overshadowing it.

4. Failing To Revise And Refine The Thesis Statement:

Lastly, a common mistake is treating the thesis statement as a static element of the writing process. Some writers neglect the importance of revising and refining their thesis statement as they progress through their work. As your understanding of the topic deepens and your argument evolves, it is crucial to revisit and adjust your thesis statement accordingly.

Failure to revise and refine the thesis statement can result in a mismatch between the argument presented and the subsequent content of the essay or research paper. Regularly reassessing and revising your thesis statement ensures that it remains aligned with the evolving nature of your work and maintains its relevance and coherence.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance the clarity, effectiveness, and overall quality of your academic writing, ensuring that both your theme and thesis statement are utilized correctly and contribute to a well-structured and compelling piece of work.

Context Matters

When it comes to the choice between theme and thesis, context plays a crucial role in determining which one is more suitable. Both theme and thesis serve different purposes and are used in various contexts, depending on the nature of the writing and the intended audience. Understanding the context in which these terms are used can help writers make an informed decision about which one to employ.

Examples Of Different Contexts

Let’s explore a few examples of different contexts and how the choice between theme and thesis might change:

Academic Writing: In academic writing, such as research papers or dissertations, the emphasis is often on presenting a clear and arguable thesis statement. A thesis statement is a concise and focused claim that guides the entire paper and is supported by evidence and analysis. In this context, the thesis statement acts as the main argument or central idea that the writer aims to prove or explore.
Literary Analysis: When analyzing a piece of literature, such as a novel or poem, the focus shifts towards identifying and discussing the underlying themes. Themes are broader concepts or ideas that emerge from the text and provide insights into its deeper meaning. In this context, the theme serves as a lens through which the reader can interpret and understand the work.
Creative Writing: In creative writing, such as short stories or personal essays, the choice between theme and thesis depends on the writer’s intention. If the writer wants to convey a specific message or argument, a thesis statement can be employed to provide a clear focus. On the other hand, if the writer aims to explore various ideas or evoke emotions without a rigid argument, incorporating themes can add depth and richness to the narrative.
Marketing and Advertising: In the realm of marketing and advertising, the choice between theme and thesis depends on the desired impact on the target audience. While a thesis statement may be too direct and formal for promotional materials, a theme can be used to create a cohesive and memorable brand image. Themes in marketing often revolve around core values, emotions, or aspirations associated with a product or service.

These examples illustrate how the choice between theme and thesis can vary depending on the specific context. It is essential for writers to consider the purpose, audience, and desired effect of their writing in order to make an informed decision about which approach to adopt.

Exceptions To The Rules

While it is important to understand the general guidelines for using theme and thesis, there are certain exceptions where these rules may not apply. In these cases, it is crucial to recognize the unique circumstances that call for a different approach. Let’s explore a few key exceptions and provide brief explanations and examples for each case:

1. Creative Writing

In the realm of creative writing, the boundaries between theme and thesis can often blur. Unlike academic or research-based writing, creative writing allows for more artistic freedom and experimentation. In this context, authors may choose to focus more on developing a central theme rather than presenting a clear thesis statement.

For example, in a fictional short story exploring the complexities of human relationships, the author may emphasize the theme of love and its various manifestations. While there may not be a specific thesis statement explicitly stated, the story’s narrative and character interactions contribute to the overarching theme.

2. Personal Essays

Personal essays, particularly those of a reflective or introspective nature, may deviate from the traditional structure of a thesis-driven argument. Instead, these essays often revolve around personal experiences, emotions, and self-discovery.

Consider a personal essay recounting a transformative travel experience. Rather than presenting a thesis statement, the writer might focus on conveying the emotions and insights gained from the journey. The theme of personal growth and cultural exploration becomes the driving force behind the essay, guiding the reader through a meaningful narrative.

3. Philosophical Discourse

In philosophical discourse, the use of theme and thesis can take on a different form. Philosophers often engage in complex discussions and debates, exploring abstract concepts and theories. While a thesis statement may be present, it is more common to encounter philosophical texts centered around a central theme.

For instance, in a philosophical treatise on the nature of existence, the author might explore various perspectives and arguments without a clear-cut thesis statement. Instead, the theme of existentialism permeates the text, guiding the reader through different philosophical inquiries and interpretations.

4. Artistic Interpretations

Artistic expressions, such as paintings, sculptures, or performances, may not conform to the traditional rules of theme and thesis. These forms of art often rely on visual or sensory experiences to convey meaning, rather than explicit written statements.

Imagine a thought-provoking contemporary art installation that challenges societal norms. While it may not present a thesis statement in the conventional sense, the installation may explore a theme of social critique or cultural commentary, encouraging viewers to question and interpret the artwork in their own unique ways.

While the general guidelines for using theme and thesis provide a solid foundation for effective writing, it is essential to recognize that there are exceptions to these rules. Creative writing, personal essays, philosophical discourse, and artistic interpretations often require a different approach, focusing more on themes and narratives rather than explicit thesis statements. By understanding these exceptions, writers can adapt their style and approach to effectively convey their intended message in diverse contexts.

Understanding the distinction between a theme and a thesis is crucial for any writer or reader seeking to engage with complex texts. While both concepts contribute to the overall meaning of a piece of writing, they serve different purposes and operate on different levels.

Themes are overarching ideas or concepts that emerge from a text and provide a lens through which readers can interpret and analyze the work. They often explore universal human experiences, such as love, loss, power, or identity, and can be found in various forms of literature, including novels, poems, and plays. Themes allow readers to connect with the deeper layers of a text and explore its underlying messages and implications.

On the other hand, a thesis is a specific claim or argument that a writer puts forth in their work. It serves as the central focus and guiding principle of an essay or academic paper, providing a clear direction for the reader. A thesis statement outlines the main point or stance the writer is taking and is supported by evidence and analysis throughout the text. Unlike themes, the thesis is more limited in scope and directly addresses the specific topic or issue being discussed.

While themes and theses may intersect at times, they operate on different levels of abstraction and serve distinct purposes in the realm of writing and literary analysis. Recognizing the difference between these two concepts enables readers to engage with texts more critically and allows writers to effectively convey their intended messages.

Shawn Manaher

Shawn Manaher is the founder and creative force behind GrammarBeast.com. A seasoned entrepreneur and language enthusiast, he is dedicated to making grammar and spelling both fun and accessible. Shawn believes in the power of clear communication and is passionate about helping people master the intricacies of the English language.

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Theme vs. Thesis: Key Differences and How to Write each

by Judy Jeni
January 18, 2024

Many students confuse between these two terms, a theme and a thesis. In practice, they are two distinct aspects.

By reading the content in this write-up, you will appreciate the difference between the two items. A theme is a central message in a text, whereas a thesis is an argument about a text.

Theme vs. Thesis

While it is possible to write items based on a theme or a project based on a thesis, the two are different. While their focus may seem similar, they are different.

A theme is a focus topic that a writer bases his argument on. It is the direction that guides the points that a writer argues. On the other hand, a thesis is a stand that a writer seeks to prove in his or her writing.

In a theme, a writer bases points on a concept, but in a thesis, the writer writes to prove a specific assertion.

A theme and a thesis are two different items that we can elaborate through the following points:

A theme is the crucial idea of the piece of literature or any art you are writing about.
It is the recurrent idea in your work before you identify other elements such as characters, conflict, setting, and plot.
A thesis is a statement that you will try to prove by backing it with necessary facts. It is a position that the author takes to maintain a particular argument.

Differences between a Theme and a Thesis

A theme is the general topic of your essay, whereas a thesis is the precise statements that the author tries to prove.
A theme could be more general as the writer cannot necessarily state it expressly. On the other hand, a thesis is a direct message at the beginning of the paragraph that indicates what the entire paper will be talking about.
A theme is the motif of the piece or an underlying idea, whereas the thesis is the argument in favor of something that you believe you are presenting to your audience.

How to Write a Theme Based Essay

A theme-based essay writes about something based on a theme that you can derive from a novel, song, or short story. Before you begin to write such an essay, you should identify the underlying theme in your literature work.

Steps When Writing a Theme Based Essay

1. identify the character.

One should locate the characters that you will discuss in the essay. Such should relate to the identified theme in your essay.

For instance, if you locate ‘violence’ in the novel ‘The Shadow of Death,’ it is reasonable to talk about the characters that promote violence in the novel.

2. Maintain the Chosen Theme

As indicated above, suppose violence is the main theme in the novel, then you should maintain the same thing by writing about violence. Such could include incidences of violence, including blood baths and more.

The point is you should endeavor to remain as close to the theme of violence by highlighting incidences and situations from the novel, drama, or story.

3. Avoid Mixing the Theme with the Key Subject

A theme is not a plot but an idea that binds up the story. It is the message that the author wants to convey to the audience or the readers. It is, therefore, wrong to try to write on the plot or story. Stick to the idea only.

Let your thoughts remain organized and well-knitted in the essay body. In the same vein, the body should relate to the central theme as you refer to the characters and incidents in the source matter.

How to Write a Thesis

One can use the following steps to come up with a strong thesis statement:

Start with a Question

One should come up with a question in case the assignment did not offer the question.

After that, you should state your topic, which is the essential idea of the paper.

This thesis statement is usually a phrase or a few words that summarize the main subject of your paper.

The thesis statement makes the topic to be as precise as possible.

Write an Initial Answer

After performing initial research, it is now time to formulate a tentative answer. At this point, it could be just simple, or you can craft it to guide the process of writing and researching.

In case you are writing an argumentative essay, your answer should take a position on the matter. This is different from a thesis statement. Check more about thesis statements to know the idea of the two.

Develop the Answer

This section should prove why you believe it is your answer and convince the reader to agree with your position.

The more you write about the topic, the more you develop more details for your response. The final essay should summarize your overall arguments.

One should know what they are trying to prove in a topic. While you are expressing your opinion, it is vital to state one major idea. Also, you should name the topic and state something specific about it.

Furthermore, you should take a position and back it up with facts and reasons as an author. It is vital to support your reasons with evidence and logical facts.

Include Opposing Viewpoint

The correct thesis statement should acknowledge that there is another side of the argument. It is excellent to include your opposing viewpoints in your opinion. It is also essential to capture another person’s view who may have a different opinion about your topic.

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Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement

by Kinglove | Writing

Identifying a thesis

“The first thing to remember is that a thesis is the point the author is trying to prove . That means that a topic, which can be expressed in a phrase, like “alcoholism” or “effect of corruption on poverty,” is not a thesis. A thesis can only be expressed by a complete, declarative sentence (not a question, either). So, be sure to write out a complete sentence when identifying the source’s thesis.

Often, all you need to identify the thesis of an article is the abstract —the brief summary, usually just a short paragraph, provided with the listing of many articles in most databases. This explains the main idea of the article and states what point it is trying to prove.

However, an abstract is not always provided. In those cases, you may need to read the first few paragraphs to get the gist of the article. This is typically where the author will lay out the argument and, again, state the point that they are trying to prove. In more difficult cases, it may be necessary to read the conclusion as well since this is often where they sum up the argument one last time. Sometimes, it’s clearer in the conclusion than in the introduction.

With books, the thesis may be stated on the back, on the jacket flap, in the preface or introduction, or early on in the first chapter. On the back and on the jacket look for phrases like “the author argues that…” In the preface, introduction or first chapter, look for “I argue…” or similar phrases.

Keep in mind: Reference works do not have theses. Remember the definition of a thesis: a point that an essay is trying to prove. Reference works don’t try to prove a point. They simply report information. Usually it’s the more in-depth general interest works, and especially the scholarly sources, that have theses. So those are the ones you’ll want to focus on.” From Shoreline community college.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary:

Definition of thesis:

“a: a proposition to be proved or one advanced without proof: HYPOTHESIS

“ 5.3 Turn Your Working Hypothesis into a Claim We described the early stages of research as finding a question and imagining a tentative answer. We called that answer your working hypothesis. Now as we discuss building an argument to support that hypothesis, we change our terminology one last time. When you think you can back up your hypothesis with good reasons and evidence, you’ll present that hypothesis as your argument’s claim . A claim is an assertion (which could be one sentence or several) that demands support. Your main claim is the assertion supported by your whole research argument. Some call this assertion your thesis. ” From the Turabian Manual, 9th Edition

Thesis Statements vs. Topic Statements

“ Thesis Statements Every paper must argue an idea and every paper must clearly state that idea in a thesis statement. A thesis statement is different from a topic statement. A topic statement merely states what the paper is about. A thesis statement states the argument of that paper. Be sure that you can easily identify your thesis and that the key points of your argument relate directly back to your thesis.

Topic statements: This paper will discuss Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. The purpose of this paper is to delve into the mindset behind Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. This paper will explore how Harry Truman came to the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

Thesis statements: Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima was motivated by racism. The US confrontation with the Soviets was the key factor in Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. This paper will demonstrate that in his decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, Truman was unduly influenced by hawks in his cabinet.” Source: University of Mary Washington.

The theme is the central idea of a piece. It is an implicit or recurrent idea in the work.

“ To identify the central idea or theme, one must also look at the other elements of fiction (plot, characters, setting, conflict, etc.) to explain how the author has tied all of these together. In order to understand the central idea or theme of the story ask yourself the following questions:

How is the central idea or theme expressed through the characters, setting, point of view, tone, language, or conflict?
In what way does the resolution of the external conflict indicate the central idea or theme? How does the resolution of the internal conflict express the story’s theme?
Are symbols, metaphors, or similes used to portray the central idea or theme?
What are the repeated images, words, or expressions in the story?
How does the title make sense in terms of the story? Is it significant?
What the story reveals about society, people in general, the roles of men and women, the time period in which the story takes place?
Does the central idea make sense in light of the story and the title?

Remember, there is no one way to express the central idea of a story (but some statements are definitely better than others). The best stories have multiple levels of meaning and require MORE THAN ONE READING before the central idea becomes clear. ” http://www.austincc.edu/bvillarr/theme.htm

What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme?

“Theme is the main idea of the piece of literature, art, film, etc.– whatever it is you are being asked to write about. It is the “lesson” that is being taught. For example, “greed” in an incomplete theme, but “greed is the root of all evil” would be a valid theme of a work.

The thesis is the actual statement in your paper that expresses what the idea behind your essay is. It is what YOUR paper is about, which in turn, is a statement that also conveys what the work being discussed is about. Therefore, a “thesis” normally contains a “theme”. An example might be: In “The Pardoner’s Tale”, Chaucer expresses through both the actions of the Pardoner as well as through the actions of the characters in his tale, the notion that greed is the root of all evil. ” Source: From Yahoo Answers

“There are some very strong parallels between both themes and thesis statements. I think you will find there will be much in the way of responses to how each will be different. For my bet, I would like to think of themes as something that can be found in writing that expresses the intent of what the author is trying to show. Themes can be found in literature and other forms of writing where an idea is explored in a complex and intricate manner. Examples of themes can be courage, the quest for justice, the collision between equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, or the notion of identity formation. These themes are proven from a base that is not purely evidential and argumentative, which differentiates them from a thesis statement. For example, when Homer explores the theme of equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible courses of action, he does not do so in a strictly linear and evidential manner. Rather, he shows us a character who must endure such a theme and how it plays out is built within the development of the character. Hektor’s character evolution is how we, as the reader, see Homer’s theme develop.

In contrast to this, a thesis statement is something that is built through evidence, analysis, and persuasion. It seems to me to be more linear and directed than a theme. For instance, a thesis statement can be analytical, which analyzes an idea and deconstructs it through a paper. A thesis statement could also be persuasive, and it hopes to do so through evidence and analysis. The websites below give examples of thesis statements. I think I differentiate both concepts as a thesis statement trying to prove something, while a theme seeks to explore it.” Source: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-difference-between-thesis-statement-theme-110021

Thesis Statements

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What is a thesis?

difference between a thesis statement and a theme

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
makes a claim that others might dispute.
is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

Do I answer the question? Yes!
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Knowledge Base
Dissertation
What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

What Is a Thesis? | Ultimate Guide & Examples

Published on September 14, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on April 16, 2024.

A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master’s program or a capstone to a bachelor’s degree.

Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation , it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete. It relies on your ability to conduct research from start to finish: choosing a relevant topic , crafting a proposal , designing your research , collecting data , developing a robust analysis, drawing strong conclusions , and writing concisely .

Thesis template

You can also download our full thesis template in the format of your choice below. Our template includes a ready-made table of contents , as well as guidance for what each chapter should include. It’s easy to make it your own, and can help you get started.

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Thesis vs. thesis statement, how to structure a thesis, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your thesis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about theses.

You may have heard the word thesis as a standalone term or as a component of academic writing called a thesis statement . Keep in mind that these are two very different things.

A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay , and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay .
A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to complete. It is generally a degree requirement for Master’s programs, and is also sometimes required to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts colleges.
In the US, a dissertation is generally written as a final step toward obtaining a PhD.
In other countries (particularly the UK), a dissertation is generally written at the bachelor’s or master’s level.

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The final structure of your thesis depends on a variety of components, such as:

Your discipline
Your theoretical approach

Humanities theses are often structured more like a longer-form essay . Just like in an essay, you build an argument to support a central thesis.

In both hard and social sciences, theses typically include an introduction , literature review , methodology section , results section , discussion section , and conclusion section . These are each presented in their own dedicated section or chapter. In some cases, you might want to add an appendix .

Thesis examples

We’ve compiled a short list of thesis examples to help you get started.

Example thesis #1: “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the ‘Noble Savage’ on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807” by Suchait Kahlon.
Example thesis #2: “’A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man’: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947″ by Julian Saint Reiman.

The very first page of your thesis contains all necessary identifying information, including:

Your full title
Your full name
Your department
Your institution and degree program
Your submission date.

Sometimes the title page also includes your student ID, the name of your supervisor, or the university’s logo. Check out your university’s guidelines if you’re not sure.

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework, but these are not the same thing. A theoretical framework defines and analyzes the concepts and theories that your research hinges on.

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Process , Writing

What are Thesis and Theme?

Going Back to the Basics:

Thesis and theme are two words that everyone knows they know but they typically can’t describe these terms succinctly. Chances are, unless you’re in a writing-dominated field, you probably haven’t given these terms much thought since college or high school English classes. That’s okay, but if you’re embarking on writing a book, you’ll need to brush up on these key terms.

Thesis and theme are the foundations of all writing, professional or informal. They both convey the subject of the text. Despite this similarity, there’s a stark difference between the functions of the thesis and the theme.

The theme of a piece of writing is less intricate than its thesis. A theme is the main idea of a paper. It can be described in a word or short phrase, and these themes are demonstrated throughout the work by the content. Within a longer piece, such as an article or a book, there can be multiple themes. Oftentimes, these are divided by chapters or headings. Theme offers some room for interpretation—while the overall message should be received the same by each reader, the word(s) they use to describe it has some flexibility.

That’s not the case with the thesis statement. A thesis statement is the argument that a writer constructs throughout the work. It can be described in a phrase, sentence, or even a paragraph. The thesis statement must define the purpose of the paper, mention the points you’ll explore, and serve as an abbreviated summary of the work. There’s the misconception that a thesis statement and a topic sentence are interchangeable terms. While the thesis statement may act as a topic sentence, it usually comes later in the introductory text and it’s more specific than topic sentences are allowed to be.

A strong thesis requires some effort and workshopping. When you’re writing the outline for your book, determine the core ideas that you want to discuss, think about your purpose for writing, and then find a way to piece all of the components together. A key to obtaining a good thesis is to unify your key points and be specific about your intentions for the piece.

Let’s take a look at an example:

A paper on traditional vs independent publishing can have themes of diversity, empowerment, change through social media, individual identity, etc. Subheadings would show these themes for each of the sections throughout the paper.

A topic sentence could be: “In the internet age, small independent publishing is growing as an alternative for authors .” This is a fact that can be proven; it doesn’t show the author’s opinion or intention for the paper.

But a thesis statement would be: “ Small presses use social media as a tool to celebrate the diverse voices that they publish while enacting slow scale social change through challenging identities perpetuated by the media.” Now that thesis encompasses a lot of topics that the reader will expect to have reviewed. It also makes an argument for how small presses operate and what their lasting effects might be.

Your thesis should be just as specific, though it doesn’t have to be as polished and complete before you start writing your book. However, you should still have a placeholder thesis statement to guide you through your writing. Later, you can refine your thesis to better reflect the content you cover. I suggest having several people review your thesis statement to make sure it’s 1) clear, 2) concise, and 3) accurately describes what your book is about. If your thesis is still giving you trouble, try completing some thesis exercises, available in most writing books and online.

We understand the fundamental importance of crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement to guide your writing journey. Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you articulate your core ideas and intentions effectively, ensuring that your book’s thesis serves as a strong foundation for your narrative. With our comprehensive publishing services, including writing, editing, and promotion, we can support you every step of the way to transform your manuscript into a polished and impactful book.

Schedule a call with us today to discover how BrightRay Publishing can help you bring your book to life and share your message with the world.

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July 30, 2021

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Theme Definition

What is theme? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. One key characteristic of literary themes is their universality, which is to say that themes are ideas that not only apply to the specific characters and events of a book or play, but also express broader truths about human experience that readers can apply to their own lives. For instance, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath (about a family of tenant farmers who are displaced from their land in Oklahoma) is a book whose themes might be said to include the inhumanity of capitalism, as well as the vitality and necessity of family and friendship.

Some additional key details about theme:

All works of literature have themes. The same work can have multiple themes, and many different works explore the same or similar themes.
Themes are sometimes divided into thematic concepts and thematic statements . A work's thematic concept is the broader topic it touches upon (love, forgiveness, pain, etc.) while its thematic statement is what the work says about that topic. For example, the thematic concept of a romance novel might be love, and, depending on what happens in the story, its thematic statement might be that "Love is blind," or that "You can't buy love . "
Themes are almost never stated explicitly. Oftentimes you can identify a work's themes by looking for a repeating symbol , motif , or phrase that appears again and again throughout a story, since it often signals a recurring concept or idea.

Theme Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce theme: theem

Identifying Themes

Every work of literature—whether it's an essay, a novel, a poem, or something else—has at least one theme. Therefore, when analyzing a given work, it's always possible to discuss what the work is "about" on two separate levels: the more concrete level of the plot (i.e., what literally happens in the work), as well as the more abstract level of the theme (i.e., the concepts that the work deals with). Understanding the themes of a work is vital to understanding the work's significance—which is why, for example, every LitCharts Literature Guide uses a specific set of themes to help analyze the text.

Although some writers set out to explore certain themes in their work before they've even begun writing, many writers begin to write without a preconceived idea of the themes they want to explore—they simply allow the themes to emerge naturally through the writing process. But even when writers do set out to investigate a particular theme, they usually don't identify that theme explicitly in the work itself. Instead, each reader must come to their own conclusions about what themes are at play in a given work, and each reader will likely come away with a unique thematic interpretation or understanding of the work.

Symbol, Motif, and Leitwortstil

Writers often use three literary devices in particular—known as symbol , motif , and leitwortstil —to emphasize or hint at a work's underlying themes. Spotting these elements at work in a text can help you know where to look for its main themes.

Near the beginning of Romeo and Juliet , Benvolio promises to make Romeo feel better about Rosaline's rejection of him by introducing him to more beautiful women, saying "Compare [Rosaline's] face with some that I shall show….and I will make thee think thy swan a crow." Here, the swan is a symbol for how Rosaline appears to the adoring Romeo, while the crow is a symbol for how she will soon appear to him, after he has seen other, more beautiful women.
Symbols might occur once or twice in a book or play to represent an emotion, and in that case aren't necessarily related to a theme. However, if you start to see clusters of similar symbols appearing in a story, this may mean that the symbols are part of an overarching motif, in which case they very likely are related to a theme.
For example, Shakespeare uses the motif of "dark vs. light" in Romeo and Juliet to emphasize one of the play's main themes: the contradictory nature of love. To develop this theme, Shakespeare describes the experience of love by pairing contradictory, opposite symbols next to each other throughout the play: not only crows and swans, but also night and day, moon and sun. These paired symbols all fall into the overall pattern of "dark vs. light," and that overall pattern is called a motif.
A famous example is Kurt Vonnegut's repetition of the phrase "So it goes" throughout his novel Slaughterhouse Five , a novel which centers around the events of World War II. Vonnegut's narrator repeats the phrase each time he recounts a tragic story from the war, an effective demonstration of how the horrors of war have become normalized for the narrator. The constant repetition of the phrase emphasizes the novel's primary themes: the death and destruction of war, and the futility of trying to prevent or escape such destruction, and both of those things coupled with the author's skepticism that any of the destruction is necessary and that war-time tragedies "can't be helped."

Symbol, motif and leitwortstil are simply techniques that authors use to emphasize themes, and should not be confused with the actual thematic content at which they hint. That said, spotting these tools and patterns can give you valuable clues as to what might be the underlying themes of a work.

Thematic Concepts vs. Thematic Statements

A work's thematic concept is the broader topic it touches upon—for instance:

Forgiveness

while its thematic statement is the particular argument the writer makes about that topic through his or her work, such as:

Human judgement is imperfect.
Love cannot be bought.
Getting revenge on someone else will not fix your problems.
Learning to forgive is part of becoming an adult.

Should You Use Thematic Concepts or Thematic Statements?

Some people argue that when describing a theme in a work that simply writing a thematic concept is insufficient, and that instead the theme must be described in a full sentence as a thematic statement. Other people argue that a thematic statement, being a single sentence, usually creates an artificially simplistic description of a theme in a work and is therefore can actually be more misleading than helpful. There isn't really a right answer in this debate.

In our LitCharts literature study guides , we usually identify themes in headings as thematic concepts, and then explain the theme more fully in a few paragraphs. We find thematic statements limiting in fully exploring or explaining a the theme, and so we don't use them. Please note that this doesn't mean we only rely on thematic concepts—we spend paragraphs explaining a theme after we first identify a thematic concept. If you are asked to describe a theme in a text, you probably should usually try to at least develop a thematic statement about the text if you're not given the time or space to describe it more fully. For example, a statement that a book is about "the senselessness of violence" is a lot stronger and more compelling than just saying that the book is about "violence."

Identifying Thematic Statements

One way to try to to identify or describe the thematic statement within a particular work is to think through the following aspects of the text:

Plot: What are the main plot elements in the work, including the arc of the story, setting, and characters. What are the most important moments in the story? How does it end? How is the central conflict resolved?
Protagonist: Who is the main character, and what happens to him or her? How does he or she develop as a person over the course of the story?
Prominent symbols and motifs: Are there any motifs or symbols that are featured prominently in the work—for example, in the title, or recurring at important moments in the story—that might mirror some of the main themes?

After you've thought through these different parts of the text, consider what their answers might tell you about the thematic statement the text might be trying to make about any given thematic concept. The checklist above shouldn't be thought of as a precise formula for theme-finding, but rather as a set of guidelines, which will help you ask the right questions and arrive at an interesting thematic interpretation.

Theme Examples

The following examples not only illustrate how themes develop over the course of a work of literature, but they also demonstrate how paying careful attention to detail as you read will enable you to come to more compelling conclusions about those themes.

Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald explores many themes in The Great Gatsby , among them the corruption of the American Dream .

The story's narrator is Minnesota-born Nick Caraway, a New York bonds salesman. Nick befriends Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, who is a wealthy man who throws extravagant parties at his mansion.
The central conflict of the novel is Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, whom he met and fell in love with as a young man, but parted from during World War I.
He makes a fortune illegally by bootlegging alcohol, to become the sort of wealthy man he believes Daisy is attracted to, then buys a house near her home, where she lives with her husband.
While he does manage to re-enter Daisy's life, she ultimately abandons him and he dies as a result of her reckless, selfish behavior.
Gatsby's house is on the water, and he stares longingly across the water at a green light that hangs at the edge of a dock at Daisy's house which sits across a the bay. The symbol of the light appears multiple times in the novel—during the early stages of Gatsby's longing for Daisy, during his pursuit of her, and after he dies without winning her love. It symbolizes both his longing for daisy and the distance between them (the distance of space and time) that he believes (incorrectly) that he can bridge.
In addition to the green light, the color green appears regularly in the novel. This motif of green broadens and shapes the symbolism of the green light and also influences the novel's themes. While green always remains associated with Gatsby's yearning for Daisy and the past, and also his ambitious striving to regain Daisy, it also through the motif of repeated green becomes associated with money, hypocrisy, and destruction. Gatsby's yearning for Daisy, which is idealistic in some ways, also becomes clearly corrupt in others, which more generally impacts what the novel is saying about dreams more generally and the American Dream in particular.

Gatsby pursues the American Dream, driven by the idea that hard work can lead anyone from poverty to wealth, and he does so for a single reason: he's in love with Daisy. However, he pursues the dream dishonestly, making a fortune by illegal means, and ultimately fails to achieve his goal of winning Daisy's heart. Furthermore, when he actually gets close to winning Daisy's heart, she brings about his downfall. Through the story of Gatsby and Daisy, Fitzgerald expresses the point of view that the American Dream carries at its core an inherent corruption. You can read more about the theme of The American Dream in The Great Gatsby here .

Themes in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In Things Fall Apart , Chinua Achebe explores the theme of the dangers of rigidly following tradition .

Okonkwo is obsessed with embodying the masculine ideals of traditional Igbo warrior culture.
Okonkwo's dedication to his clan's traditions is so extreme that it even alienates members of his own family, one of whom joins the Christians.
The central conflict: Okonkwo's community adapts to colonization in order to survive, becoming less warlike and allowing the minor injustices that the colonists inflict upon them to go unchallenged. Okonkwo, however, refuses to adapt.
At the end of the novel, Okonkwo impulsively kills a Christian out of anger. Recognizing that his community does not support his crime, Okonkwo kills himself in despair.
Clanswomen who give birth to twins abandon the babies in the forest to die, according to traditional beliefs that twins are evil.
Okonkwo kills his beloved adopted son, a prisoner of war, according to the clan's traditions.
Okonkwo sacrifices a goat in repentence, after severely beating his wife during the clan's holy week.

Through the tragic story of Okonkwo, Achebe is clearly dealing with the theme of tradition, but a close examination of the text reveals that he's also making a clear thematic statement that following traditions too rigidly leads people to the greatest sacrifice of all: that of personal agency . You can read more about this theme in Things Fall Apart here .

Themes in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken

Poem's have themes just as plot-driven narratives do. One theme that Robert Frost explores in this famous poem, The Road Not Taken , is the illusory nature of free will .

The poem's speaker stands at a fork in the road, in a "yellow wood."
He (or she) looks down one path as far as possible, then takes the other, which seems less worn.
The speaker then admits that the paths are about equally worn—there's really no way to tell the difference—and that a layer of leaves covers both of the paths, indicating that neither has been traveled recently.
After taking the second path, the speaker finds comfort in the idea of taking the first path sometime in the future, but acknowledges that he or she is unlikely to ever return to that particular fork in the woods.
The speaker imagines how, "with a sigh" she will tell someone in the future, "I took the road less travelled—and that has made all the difference."
By wryly predicting his or her own need to romanticize, and retroactively justify, the chosen path, the speaker injects the poem with an unmistakeable hint of irony .
The speaker's journey is a symbol for life, and the two paths symbolize different life paths, with the road "less-travelled" representing the path of an individualist or lone-wolf. The fork where the two roads diverge represents an important life choice. The road "not taken" represents the life path that the speaker would have pursued had he or she had made different choices.

Frost's speaker has reached a fork in the road, which—according to the symbolic language of the poem—means that he or she must make an important life decision. However, the speaker doesn't really know anything about the choice at hand: the paths appear to be the same from the speaker's vantage point, and there's no way he or she can know where the path will lead in the long term. By showing that the only truly informed choice the speaker makes is how he or she explains their decision after they have already made it , Frost suggests that although we pretend to make our own choices, our lives are actually governed by chance.

What's the Function of Theme in Literature?

Themes are a huge part of what readers ultimately take away from a work of literature when they're done reading it. They're the universal lessons and ideas that we draw from our experiences of works of art: in other words, they're part of the whole reason anyone would want to pick up a book in the first place!

It would be difficult to write any sort of narrative that did not include any kind of theme. The narrative itself would have to be almost completely incoherent in order to seem theme-less, and even then readers would discern a theme about incoherence and meaninglessness. So themes are in that sense an intrinsic part of nearly all writing. At the same time, the themes that a writer is interested in exploring will significantly impact nearly all aspects of how a writer chooses to write a text. Some writers might know the themes they want to explore from the beginning of their writing process, and proceed from there. Others might have only a glimmer of an idea, or have new ideas as they write, and so the themes they address might shift and change as they write. In either case, though, the writer's ideas about his or her themes will influence how they write.

One additional key detail about themes and how they work is that the process of identifying and interpreting them is often very personal and subjective. The subjective experience that readers bring to interpreting a work's themes is part of what makes literature so powerful: reading a book isn't simply a one-directional experience, in which the writer imparts their thoughts on life to the reader, already distilled into clear thematic statements. Rather, the process of reading and interpreting a work to discover its themes is an exchange in which readers parse the text to tease out the themes they find most relevant to their personal experience and interests.

Other Helpful Theme Resources

The Wikipedia Page on Theme: An in-depth explanation of theme that also breaks down the difference between thematic concepts and thematic statements.
The Dictionary Definition of Theme: A basic definition and etymology of the term.
In this instructional video , a teacher explains her process for helping students identify themes.

The printed PDF version of the LitCharts literary term guide on Theme

Falling Action
Rising Action
Characterization
Connotation
Slant Rhyme
Dynamic Character
Internal Rhyme
Anachronism
Tragic Hero
Dramatic Irony

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Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms - Definition and Examples

An Introduction to Punctuation
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

Definitions

(1) In literature and composition , a theme is the main idea of a text , expressed directly or indirectly. Adjective: thematic .

(2) In composition studies , a theme is a short essay or composition assigned as a writing exercise. See also:

"Composing My First College Essay," by Sandy Klem
Five-Paragraph Essay
Models of Composition
Theme Writing
What's Wrong With the Five-Paragraph Essay?

See Examples and Observations below. Also, see:

From the Greek, "placed" or "laid down"

Examples and Observations (definition #1):

"Simply put, a story's theme is its idea or point (formulated as a generalization). The theme of a fable is its moral; the theme of a parable is its teaching; the theme of a short story is its implied view of life and conduct. Unlike the fable and parable, however, most fiction is not designed primarily to teach or preach. Its theme, thus, is more obliquely presented. In fact, theme in fiction is rarely presented at all; readers abstract it from the details of characters and action that compose the story." (Robert DiYanni, Literature . McGraw-Hill, 2002)
Orwell's Theme(s) in the Essay "A Hanging" - " ' A Hanging ' is [George] Orwell's first distinctive work. It gives an apparently objective account of a ritualistic execution--from fixed bayonets to a bag over the head of the condemned--in which the narrator officially and actively participates. . . . At this halfway point Orwell states his theme : 'till that moment I had never realized what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man. When I saw the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle, I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide.' Instead of invoking religion, he asserts a quasi-religious sense of life's sacredness--the first expression of the instinctive humanism that characterizes all his work." (Jeffrey Meyers, Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation . Norton, 2000) - "A variation on this theme occurs in several of Orwell's most famous texts containing epiphanies , moments of illumination in which the humanity of people he has hitherto viewed in terms of dehumanizing generalizations suddenly breaks through, and Orwell's perception is jarred as he understands, with a shock, that these are people like himself. . . . In the early sketch entitled ' A Hanging' (1931), Orwell describes how his idea of what it means to kill a man is altered by the Hindu prisoner's gesture of stepping aside to avoid a puddle on the way to the gallows. What the text reveals, however, is that the prisoner at first looks to Orwell like a mere insignificant object. Into this scene, well defined in terms of the prisoner's already marginal existence, breaks the unexpected gesture, making Orwell (or the Orwellian narrative persona ) realize that the prisoner is alive, just as he is . . . . This chronicle is generally interpreted along the lines Orwell lays down, as the revelation of the barbarity of execution, but its primary meaning, I believe, is another. An inferiorized human being has for an instant become a genuine person in the eyes of one of the masters." (Daphne Patai, The Orwell Mystique: A Study in Male Ideology . University of Massachusetts Press, 1984)
The Themes of the Novel Charlotte's Web - " Themes are subject to readers' interpretation, so different individuals may identify different themes in the same book; the dominant idea or theme, however, should be apparent to readers. " Charlotte's Web offers many layers of meaning to readers. Younger children are apt to understand this book as an animal fantasy. Older children are ready to apprehend the cycle of life and death, while adults recognize the irony in a situation that gives one character credit for the creativity of another. This is why we recommend using Charlotte's Web in the third or fourth grade, when children are ready to understand its major theme ." (Barbara Stoodt et al., Children's Literature:Discovery for a Lifetime . Macmillan, 1996) - "Identifying theme is typically a bit more difficult perhaps because theme is often confused with plot summary or motif . . . . ' Charlotte's Web (White, 1952) is a story about a pig whose life is saved by a spider' is not a theme statement! It is a plot statement. ' Charlotte's Web is a story about friendship' is also not a theme statement! Rather, it is a statement identifying one of the most important motifs in the story--friendship. 'A theme in Charlotte's Web is that true friendship involves responsibilities as well as privileges' is a theme statement!" (R. Craig Roney, The Story Performance Handbook . Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001) - "Besides mortality itself, throughout many idyllic scenes [in Charlotte's Web ] Andy [White] dabbed colorful spots of melancholy. He translated the song sparrow's aria as 'sweet, sweet, sweet interlude' and informed the reader that it referred to life's brevity. Crickets harped on the same theme . But overall Andy's theme was the joy of being alive, of reveling in the moment with visceral attention. What seemed like two themes were really one." (Michael Sims, The Story of Charlotte's Web . Walker, 2011)
The Difference Between Plot and Theme "If you sometimes confuse plot with theme , keep the two elements separate by thinking of theme as what the story is about, and plot as the situation that brings it into focus. You might think of theme as the message of the story--the lesson to be learned, the question that is asked, or what it is the author is trying to tell us about life and the human condition. Plot is the action by which this truth will be demonstrated." (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, quoted by Kenneth John Atchity and Chi-Li Wong in Writing Treatments That Sell , rev. ed. Henry Holt, 2003)
Thesis and Theme "The thesis is the main point you are trying to argue [in a composition ]: for instance, that abortion is every woman's right or that housing discrimination is wrong. The theme , on the other hand, is a motif established by orchestrated connotative language that reinforces the thesis. Theme differs from thesis in that theme relies on inference and suggested meaning rather than on direct statement." (Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers . Wadsworth, 1991)

Pronunciation: THEEM

Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing
Definition and Examples of Progymnasmata in Rhetoric
Definition and Examples of Formal Essays
Unity in Composition
Definition and Examples of Composition-Rhetoric
Learn How to Use Extended Definitions in Essays and Speeches
Advanced Composition
Specificity in Writing
Panegyric (Rhetoric)
Monologues in Speech and Composition
Padding and Composition
What Is Tone In Writing?
dramatism (rhetoric and composition)
What Is Clarity in Composition?
Motifs in Fiction and Nonfiction

Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

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Writing Center

Effective introductions and thesis statements, make them want to continue reading.

Writing an effective introduction is an art form. The introduction is the first thing that your reader sees. It is what invests the reader in your paper, and it should make them want to continue reading. You want to be creative and unique early on in your introduction; here are some strategies to help catch your reader’s attention:

Tell a brief anecdote or story
As a series of short rhetorical questions
Use a powerful quotation
Refute a common belief
Cite a dramatic fact or statistic

Your introduction also needs to adequately explain the topic and organization of your paper.

Your thesis statement identifies the purpose of your paper. It also helps focus the reader on your central point. An effective thesis establishes a tone and a point of view for a given purpose and audience. Here are some important things to consider when constructing your thesis statement.

Don’t just make a factual statement – your thesis is your educated opinion on a topic.
Don’t write a highly opinionated statement that might offend your audience.
Don’t simply make an announcement (ex. “Tuition should be lowered” is a much better thesis than “My essay will discuss if tuition should be lowered”).
Don’t write a thesis that is too broad – be specific.

The thesis is often located in the middle or at the end of the introduction, but considerations about audience, purpose, and tone should always guide your decision about its placement.

Sometimes it’s helpful to wait to write the introduction until after you’ve written the essay’s body because, again, you want this to be one of the strongest parts of the paper.

Example of an introduction:

Innocent people murdered because of the hysteria of young girls! Many people believe that the young girls who accused citizens of Salem, Massachusetts of taking part in witchcraft were simply acting to punish their enemies. But recent evidence shows that the young girls may have been poisoned by a fungus called Ergot, which affects rye and wheat. The general public needs to learn about this possible cause for the hysteria that occurred in Salem so that society can better understand what happened in the past, how this event may change present opinion, and how the future might be changed by learning this new information.

By Rachel McCoppin, Ph.D. Last edited October 2016 by Allison Haas, M.A.

Module 7: Drafting a Research Paper

Argument and thesis, learning objectives.

Recognize the difference between argument, working thesis, and thesis statement

Drafting the Argument

As we’ve seen, the argument is the overall claim being made by your essay, as well as the reasons given to support this claim. During the drafting phase, the argument is in a tricky transitional state. On the one hand, you don’t want to lose track of the overall argument; forgetting about the argument can cause your paper to meander into side-points, stall out at dead-end details, or bloat with irrelevant data. On the other hand, you shouldn’t cling too tight to your initial conception of the argument. Over the course of drafting, the argument will grow and change. Sometimes, after exploring all the evidence in the body of your paper, you may find yourself arguing nearly the opposite of your original point!

The Working Thesis

To give yourself the flexibility to follow the twists and turns of your argument without locking it down too early, it can be helpful to formulate a working thesis for the drafting phase of your project. The working thesis is essentially a first pass at an answer to your research question. Essentially, it’s there to keep you from wandering too far off course, but it should be open-ended enough that it doesn’t pre-determine your findings.

Research Question: Should grade school students be taught cursive?
Working Thesis: Cursive instruction is still important, since some students benefit from learning cursive.
Final Thesis : Because the research on the advantages of cursive instruction is still inconclusive, educators need to evaluate this activity within a dynamic framework that considers both the benefits and the opportunity costs of setting time aside to teach cursive.

Your thesis is the final, polished statement that should appear in your completed paper. Once you’ve developed your argument, explored your research questions, examined a variety of sources, and combined it all into a well-organized paper, you’ll want to return to your thesis statement.

With all the pieces in place, it’s time to refine that rough working thesis and turn it into a clear, refined claim. This finalized thesis should briefly summarize your argument and show the reader why they should agree with your conclusions.

Argument and Thesis. Authored by : Lindsey Fliger. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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Q. What is the difference between a thesis statement and a hypothesis statement?

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Both the hypothesis statement and the thesis statement answer a research question.

A hypothesis is a statement that can be proved or disproved. It is typically used in quantitative research and predicts the relationship between variables.
A thesis statement is a short, direct sentence that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay or research paper. It is seen in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. A thesis statement is developed, supported, and explained in the body of the essay or research report by means of examples and evidence.

Every research study should contain a concise and well-written thesis statement. If the intent of the study is to prove/disprove something, that research report will also contain a hypothesis statement.

NOTE: In some disciplines, the hypothesis is referred to as a thesis statement! This is not accurate but within those disciplines it is understood that "a short, direct sentence that summarizes the main point" will be included.

For more information, see The Research Question and Hypothesis (PDF file from the English Language Support, Department of Student Services, Ryerson University).

How do I write a good thesis statement?

How do I write a good hypothesis statement?

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Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement

by Kinglove | Writing

Identifying a thesis

Keep in mind: Reference works do not have theses. Remember the definition of a thesis: a point that an essay is trying to prove. Reference works don’t try to prove a point. They simply report information. Usually it’s the more in-depth general interest works, and especially the scholarly sources, that have theses. So those are the ones you’ll want to focus on.” From Shoreline community college.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary:

Definition of thesis:

“a: a proposition to be proved or one advanced without proof: HYPOTHESIS

Thesis Statements vs. Topic Statements

The theme is the central idea of a piece. It is an implicit or recurrent idea in the work.

How is the central idea or theme expressed through the characters, setting, point of view, tone, language, or conflict?
In what way does the resolution of the external conflict indicate the central idea or theme? How does the resolution of the internal conflict express the story’s theme?
Are symbols, metaphors, or similes used to portray the central idea or theme?
What are the repeated images, words, or expressions in the story?
How does the title make sense in terms of the story? Is it significant?
What the story reveals about society, people in general, the roles of men and women, the time period in which the story takes place?
Does the central idea make sense in light of the story and the title?

What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme?

Thesis Statements

Modify Table of Contents (Use Style for Table of Contents) to Format Your Table of Content
What is a thesis?

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How to Write a Hook- Steps With Examples

A hook in an essay or any piece of writing is like a fishing hook—it’s designed to grab your readers’ attention and draw them into the rest of your content. A well-crafted hook not only captures interest but also encourages readers to continue exploring what you have to say. If you’re unsure how to write a hook that’s engaging, this article will provide you with effective tips for writing compelling openings, ensuring your engagement remains high.

What is a Hook?

A hook in writing is essentially a compelling sentence or paragraph that grabs the reader's attention from the very beginning. It sets the tone for the piece and entices readers to continue exploring what you have to say. To craft an effective hook, it needs to be engaging, informative, and suitable for the intended audience. This means it should capture interest, convey relevant information, and be appropriate for the reader's level and context. By focusing on relevance, audience, and cohesion, you can create a strong hook that not only draws readers in but also aligns with the main thesis and purpose of your writing.

6 Types of Essay Hooks

There are various types of hooks, each serving a different purpose and engaging the reader in unique ways.

Question Hook:

This type involves asking the reader a question that sparks their curiosity or gets them thinking.

For example:

"Have you ever watched the high-flying, jump shooting, slam dunking, ankle breaking players that play in the NBA?"

This question engages the reader by prompting them to visualize and think about the excitement of watching NBA players, setting the stage for a discussion about the thrill of the game.

Quotation Hook:

A quotation hook uses a relevant quote from a credible source to draw in the reader.

For instance:

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen,” said Michael Jordan.

This quote from a famous athlete underscores the theme of determination and hard work, immediately connecting the reader to the topic of achieving success through effort.

Statistic Hook:

This type employs surprising or impressive statistics to catch the reader's eye.

"Just 0.00545 percent of the 550,000 boys playing high school basketball each year in the United States become a first-round draft pick."

This statistic highlights the incredibly slim chances of making it to the NBA, intriguing the reader with the stark reality and setting up a deeper exploration of what it takes to succeed in professional sports.

Anecdotal Hook:

An anecdotal hook uses a short story to illustrate a point and connect with the reader on a personal level.

"When I was in high school, I remember playing in an AAU basketball league and seeing a boy who practiced relentlessly every morning. Years later, he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers."

This story captivates the reader by providing a relatable and tangible example of dedication leading to success, making the topic more engaging and memorable.

Common Misconception Hook:

This type addresses a common misconception to grab the reader’s attention by challenging their existing beliefs.

"Many people believe that all professional athletes were naturally talented from a young age, but the truth is, most of them had to work incredibly hard to get where they are."

This hook piques the reader's interest by presenting surprising information that contradicts what they might think.

Rhetorical Statement Hook:

A rhetorical statement hook uses a bold statement or assertion to provoke thought or agreement.

"There's no shortcut to success in any field, including sports."

This kind of hook immediately sets a strong tone and encourages the reader to think about and agree with the statement, drawing them further into the essay.

How to Write a Hook [3 Steps with Examples]

Imagine yourself reading an article or an essay. Have you ever noticed that the first 2-3 lines set your entire mood? Either it looks interesting, or you might want to skip it. The same is true when someone reads your essay. This is why learning how to write a hook statement for an essay is crucial, and in this guide, I'll be sharing my process to help you write effective hook statements on your own.

I use a few simple steps for writing hook statements that help me craft an effective hook to engage readers and compel them to read further. Along with these steps, I also rely on writing tools, specifically WPS Office , which helps me significantly in writing a good hook. So, let's have a look at the process of learning how to write a hook for your essay, with a few examples.

1.Create an outline

First and foremost, you need to create an outline for your essay. This means your hook needs to be based on the information you plan to communicate through your essay. It's essential to lay the groundwork. Creating an outline helps you organize your thoughts and ensures your hook aligns perfectly with the rest of your essay.

Brainstorming:

To begin with your outline, start by brainstorming, where you can write down all the points you believe you can include in your essay. I usually carry out this step in WPS Writer, where I can type down all the important points I want to include in my essay. Additionally, if I find a few points on the internet, I can simply paste them into my WPS Writer document.

For example, let's say you're writing an essay about the impact of social media on mental health. Your main points might include:

The rise of social media usage

Positive effects on connectivity and community building

Negative impacts on self-esteem and anxiety

Strategies for healthy social media consumption

To further assist me in this process, I use WPS AI to help brainstorm ideas. A fresh perspective is always welcome, and when you're short on ideas, these suggestions can really enhance your essay.

Identify the Angle:

Once we have the main points, it's time to decide on the specific perspective or argument you want to present. This is where you'll start to shape your essay's unique voice. For instance, if your topic is social media, you might choose to focus on its double-edged nature, arguing that while it offers unprecedented connectivity, it also poses significant risks to mental well-being if not used mindfully.

Sketch the Structure:

With your main points and angle in mind, outline the basic structure of your essay. This doesn't need to be elaborate – a simple roadmap will do.

Your structure might look something like this:

Introduction (including your hook)

Brief history of social media's rise

Positive impacts on connectivity

Negative effects on mental health

Strategies for balanced use

Having this structure in place will help you craft a hook that seamlessly leads into the rest of your essay.

WPS AI can also assist in creating an outline. With a simple prompt, you can mention the details of your essay, and it will help you organize your main points and structure effectively.

2.Develop a Thesis

With your outline ready, it's time to develop your thesis statement. This is the core argument of your essay, and your hook should pave the way for it.

Be Clear and Specific:

Your thesis statement should clearly articulate your stance on the topic. Avoid ambiguous or uncertain statements. Focus on writing a precise and debatable assertion that provides a solid foundation for your argument.

For our social media essay, a strong thesis might be:

"While social media platforms have revolutionized communication and community-building, their unchecked use can significantly impact mental health, necessitating a balanced approach to digital engagement."

Ensure Relevance:

Make sure your thesis connects directly with the hook you plan to write. Your hook should intrigue readers about the argument you're going to make.

Keep it Focused:

Resist the temptation to cover everything in your thesis. A focused thesis is easier to argue effectively and helps keep your essay on track.

3.Write your Hook

Now for the exciting part – crafting your hook! Remember, the goal is to captivate your reader from the very first sentence. Let's look at some examples of different hook types we discussed earlier and break down why they work.

Example 1: The Question Hook

"Have you ever caught yourself mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed, only to look up and realize hours have passed?"

This hook works because it:

Directly engages the reader by asking a question

Relates to a common experience many readers can identify with

Introduces the topic of social media usage subtly

By posing this question, you're inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences, creating an immediate connection to your topic.

Example 2: The Statistic Hook

"In 2023, the average person spent 2 hours and 31 minutes per day on social media platforms – that's over 38 days a year scrolling, liking, and sharing."

This hook is effective because it:

Presents a surprising or shocking statistic

Immediately quantifies the impact of social media on our lives

Sets the stage for a discussion on the significance of social media use

Statistics like this grab attention by putting abstract concepts into concrete, relatable terms that can surprise or even shock your readers.

Example 3: The Anecdote Hook

"As I watched my teenage daughter burst into tears over a single Instagram post, I realized social media was no longer just a fun pastime – it had become a powerful force shaping her self-image and mental health."

This hook works well because it:

Tells a brief, relatable story

Evokes emotion and empathy

Introduces the theme of social media's impact on mental health through a personal lens

Personal stories can be powerful hooks, drawing readers in with emotional resonance and real-world relevance.

Example 4: The Quote Hook

"'We are creating and encouraging a culture of distraction where we are increasingly disconnected from the people and events around us,' warns technology ethicist Tristan Harris."

This hook is powerful because it:

Uses an expert's words to lend authority to your topic

Introduces a critical perspective on social media

Sets up a discussion on the broader implications of our digital habits

Quotes from experts can lend credibility to your essay right from the start, setting the tone for a well-researched discussion.

When writing your hook, consider your audience and the tone of your essay. Choose a hook style that aligns with your topic and engages your readers effectively. Don't be afraid to write several versions and ask for feedback – sometimes the perfect hook takes a few tries to get right.

And if you're still having trouble writing a perfect hook for your essay, you can try using WPS AI features like Improve Writing to craft more effective hooks. WPS AI will help ensure your hook reads well and communicates your message clearly to readers.

Bonus Tips: How to Polish your Hook with WPS AI

WPS Office is an excellent tool for anyone looking to enhance their writing. It's particularly useful as a writing companion, helping you refine your sentences, choose the right words, and correct errors. If you're struggling with writer's block, especially when trying to craft an engaging hook for your article, WPS Office can assist you in several ways.

Invoke the AI Writing Assistant:

This feature offers tailored suggestions for opening sentences or paragraphs that are designed to grab attention. It can help generate various types of hooks, such as intriguing questions, startling facts, or impactful quotes. By analyzing your topic and audience, the AI Writing Assistant provides options that resonate well, making it easier to start with a strong, engaging hook.

Request Feedback from the AI Chatbot:

The AI Chatbot reviews your initial draft and provides targeted feedback on your hook. It evaluates the effectiveness of your opening lines, suggesting ways to enhance their impact or refine your approach. Whether your hook needs more clarity, engagement, or relevance, the chatbot’s feedback helps you make necessary adjustments to ensure it captures and retains your readers' interest.

FAQs about Writing a Hook

1. why is it important to have a good essay hook.

A well-crafted essay hook is essential as it captures the reader's attention and motivates them to continue reading. Without a captivating hook, readers may lose interest and discontinue reading. An engaging hook ensures that the audience remains invested, thereby enhancing the likelihood of effectively conveying the essay's message.

2. What's the difference between a hook and a thesis?

A hook is a statement that captures the reader's attention and is positioned at the beginning of the introduction. A thesis explains the main point of the essay, paper, or other writing. Typically, a hook appears as the attention-grabbing opener, followed by additional sentences that connect it to the thesis, which presents the primary argument or premise of the writing.

3. How long is a hook?

A hook is typically one to two sentences long and appears at the beginning of the introduction. It should be brief and engaging to quickly capture the reader's attention and encourage them to continue reading.

Grab Your Audience Attention With The Help of WPS Office

As a writer, I often face challenges in writing something clever enough to grab readers' attention. That’s why I rely on WPS Office to help me on how to write a hook and its suite of tools to assist with my writing and content sharing. WPS Office offers a wealth of amazing tools and services that benefit everyone who uses them. I highly recommend downloading WPS Office to experience its powerful features for yourself.

1. How to Write a Call to Action - Steps with Examples
2. How to Write A thesis statement - Steps with Examples
3. How to Write a Proposal [ Steps & Examples]
4. How to Write a Research Paper [Steps & Examples]
5. How to Write A Literature Review - Steps with Examples
6. How to Write an Argumentative Essay- Steps with Examples

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So What’s the Difference Between Politics and SPIA?

August 14, 2024, odette perrusquia.

As a Politics major—and even more specifically, as a Politics major who is also a Peer Academic Adviser (PAA) —there is one question that I find myself answering quite frequently. Whether I am at the Academic Expo hosted during orientation, one of the various PAA-led academic advising fairs, or even in casual conversation with my non-Politics major friends, I am guaranteed to be asked the following question: “So what’s the difference between Politics and SPIA?”

Every year, many students generally interested in political science find themselves choosing between the Politics Department and the School of Public and International Affairs , otherwise referred to as SPIA. Although both departments have their own respective benefits and display a considerable amount of overlap, the distinctions that do exist between the two ultimately lead dozens of students to choose one over the other every year.

The most common response given to curious students is that Politics is a more “theoretical” major, whereas SPIA is more “practical.” To this day, I am often guilty of responding in the same way—at least initially. In my view, this is a vast oversimplification, but it begins to hint at the difference between the ways that each major approaches the political realm. Courses and research in the Politics Department tend to focus on the “why” questions behind politics, often inquiring into the reasoning behind state and non-state actors’ political actions. In a sense, the field of Politics seeks to explain why political life is the way that it is. For example, in a course that I took about authoritarian regimes, we sought to understand the constraints and enticements guiding the decisions taken by authoritarian leaders. Although SPIA students are also required to take some courses within the Politics Department, a bulk of the work associated with the major focuses on applying interdisciplinary knowledge to policy suggestions. Here, the focus is less on the why, and more primarily directed towards the question of what to do differently. Thus, dividing the two majors based on theory and practicality is a bit of a misnomer—policies are built on theories, and theories have practical applications. But the work that is carried out ultimately does emphasize distinct themes.

Other things to consider between the two majors are differences in requirements, flexibility, and department sizes. As briefly mentioned above, SPIA takes a largely interdisciplinary approach. This means students are required to take courses in a variety of fields—politics, economics, psychology or sociology, statistics, and more. This also means, however, that there are more structured prerequisites and core classes for SPIA majors . Politics majors are really only required to take classes within the Politics Department, and there is only one truly required research course taken junior fall. Independent work also looks differently for the two majors, with Politics having one shorter research prospectus in the fall and one longer research paper in the spring. SPIA majors take a research seminar in one semester, and join a policy task force during the other—each has an associated research paper. Both write a senior thesis. Perhaps the last main difference between the two departments is in their sizes. In the Class of 2026 , almost twice as many sophomores declared SPIA as their major compared to those who declared Politics.

Politics became the obvious choice for me after taking a political theory class my freshman spring, as well as after considering how much department size mattered to me. I also realized that, despite the obvious importance and value of more directly influencing and writing policy, I had no interest in actually doing so from either an academic or career standpoint.

Both majors are great choices for students interested in political science. It just so happens that, for me, Politics was the best choice, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Student smiles while sitting in front of Politics Department banner.

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What Are The Different Types of Thesis Statements
25 Thesis Statement Examples (2024)
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Teach the Difference Between a Theme, Idea, and Thesis Statement

COMMENTS

Theme vs Thesis: The Main Differences & When To Use Them
Unlike themes, which are often open to interpretation, a thesis is a clear and specific assertion that the writer aims to prove or support throughout the paper. It acts as a focal point, providing direction and coherence to the overall argument. Understanding the difference between theme and thesis is crucial for writers and readers alike.
Theme vs. Thesis: Key Differences and How to Write each
A thesis is a statement that you will try to prove by backing it with necessary facts. It is a position that the author takes to maintain a particular argument. Differences between a Theme and a Thesis. A theme is the general topic of your essay, whereas a thesis is the precise statements that the author tries to prove.
Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement
What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme? "Theme is the main idea of the piece of literature, art, film, etc.- whatever it is you are being asked to write about. It is the "lesson" that is being taught. ... "There are some very strong parallels between both themes and thesis statements.
What is a Thesis Statement: Writing Guide with Examples
How to write a thesis statement for persuasive essays. Similar to argumentative essays, persuasive essays follow many of the same guidelines for their thesis statements: decisive language, specific details, and mentions of subtopics. However, the main difference is that, while the thesis statements for argumentative and expository essays state facts, the thesis statements for persuasive essays ...
Thesis Statements
A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
PDF Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
A thesis driven essay is comprised of an initial thesis statement that establishes a claim or argument, and ensuing topic sentences that support and develop that claim. Ideally, a reader would be able to read only the thesis statement and topic sentences of your text, and still be able to understand the main ideas and logical progression of ...
5.2: Identifying Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
Adaptions: Reformatted, some content removed to fit a broader audience. 5.2: Identifying Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences is shared under a license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. Topic sentences and thesis statements are similar to main ideas. This section discusses those similarities and the differences ...
How to Write a Thesis Statement
Step 1: Start with a question. You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis, early in the writing process. As soon as you've decided on your essay topic, you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
What Is a Thesis?
Revised on April 16, 2024. A thesis is a type of research paper based on your original research. It is usually submitted as the final step of a master's program or a capstone to a bachelor's degree. Writing a thesis can be a daunting experience. Other than a dissertation, it is one of the longest pieces of writing students typically complete.
What are Thesis and Theme?
Thesis and theme are the foundations of all writing, professional or informal. They both convey the subject of the text. Despite this similarity, there's a stark difference between the functions of the thesis and the theme. The theme of a piece of writing is less intricate than its thesis. A theme is the main idea of a paper.
PDF Tutorial #26: Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
5. A troublesome thesis is a fragment; a good thesis statement is expressed in a complete sentence. Example: How life is in New York after September 11th. Better: After September 11th, the city of New York tends to have more cases of post-traumatic disorder than other areas of the United States and rightfully so.
Academic Writing Flip 2: Differences between Topic, Theme, and Thesis
This video explains how to understand the differences between a topic, a theme, and a thesis statement, and the need to have a solid thesis statement as the ...
Theme
The Wikipedia Page on Theme: An in-depth explanation of theme that also breaks down the difference between thematic concepts and thematic statements. The Dictionary Definition of Theme: A basic definition and etymology of the term. Theme on Youtube: In this instructional video, a teacher explains her process for helping students identify themes.
Writing
The main idea, thesis statement, and topic sentences all provide structure to an essay. It is important for both readers and writers to understand the roles of each of these in order to maintain ...
Theme
The theme, on the other hand, is a motif established by orchestrated connotative language that reinforces the thesis. Theme differs from thesis in that theme relies on inference and suggested meaning rather than on direct statement." (Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers. Wadsworth, 1991)
Thesis and Purpose Statements
A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic. A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire ...
Effective Introductions and Thesis Statements
Cite a dramatic fact or statistic. Your introduction also needs to adequately explain the topic and organization of your paper. Your thesis statement identifies the purpose of your paper. It also helps focus the reader on your central point. An effective thesis establishes a tone and a point of view for a given purpose and audience.
PDF Topic and Thesis Differences
thesis is what one decides to say about the "topic.". The thesis is a specific argument that will be involved in every paragraph of the paper whether one is introducing it, defending it, or reinforcing it. It is the sole reason for the paper's existence and should be one written as a well-constructed sentence that acts as a map for how ...
7: Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence
It is a thesis statement for three reasons: It is the article's main argument. It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples' prior convictions should affect their access to higher education. It requires evidence to show that it is true. Finding Claims. A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement.
What is the difference between a title and a thesis statement?
The difference between a title and a thesis statement is that the title gives a hint of the essay's content and grabs attention, while the thesis statement makes a claim or takes a stand ...
Argument and Thesis
Your thesis is the final, polished statement that should appear in your completed paper. Once you've developed your argument, explored your research questions, examined a variety of sources, and combined it all into a well-organized paper, you'll want to return to your thesis statement. With all the pieces in place, it's time to refine ...
What is the difference between a thesis statement and a hypothesis
Both the hypothesis statement and the thesis statement answer a research question. A hypothesis is a statement that can be proved or disproved. It is typically used in quantitative research and predicts the relationship between variables. A thesis statement is a short, direct sentence that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay or ...
Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement
What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme? "Theme is the main idea of the piece of literature, art, film, etc.- whatever it is you are being asked to write about. It is the "lesson" that is being taught. ... "There are some very strong parallels between both themes and thesis statements.
How to Write a Hook- Steps With Examples
2.Develop a Thesis. With your outline ready, it's time to develop your thesis statement. This is the core argument of your essay, and your hook should pave the way for it. Be Clear and Specific: Your thesis statement should clearly articulate your stance on the topic. Avoid ambiguous or uncertain statements.
Sunday Morning, August 18, 2024
It's Kids' Sunday today and we're excited to have our Kids MInistry joining us in service to worship with us, and share some of the amazing things God...
So What's the Difference Between Politics and SPIA?
SPIA majors take a research seminar in one semester, and join a policy task force during the other—each has an associated research paper. Both write a senior thesis. Perhaps the last main difference between the two departments is in their sizes.

Theme vs Thesis: The Main Differences & When To Use Them

The Definitions

Define Theme

Define Thesis

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

How To Use “Theme” In A Sentence

How To Use “Thesis” In A Sentence

More Examples Of Theme & Thesis Used In Sentences

Examples Of Using Theme In A Sentence

Examples Of Using Thesis In A Sentence

Common Mistakes To Avoid

1. Using Theme And Thesis As Synonyms:

2. Neglecting The Specificity Of The Thesis Statement:

3. Overemphasizing The Theme At The Expense Of The Thesis:

4. Failing To Revise And Refine The Thesis Statement:

Context Matters

Examples Of Different Contexts

Exceptions To The Rules

1. Creative Writing

2. Personal Essays

3. Philosophical Discourse

4. Artistic Interpretations

Shawn Manaher

Theme vs. Thesis: Key Differences and How to Write each

Theme vs. Thesis

Differences between a Theme and a Thesis

How to Write a Theme Based Essay

Steps When Writing a Theme Based Essay

2. Maintain the Chosen Theme

3. Avoid Mixing the Theme with the Key Subject

How to Write a Thesis

Start with a Question

Write an Initial Answer

Develop the Answer

Include Opposing Viewpoint

Theme vs. Thesis Statement vs. Topic Statement

Identifying a thesis

Thesis Statements vs. Topic Statements

The theme is the central idea of a piece. It is an implicit or recurrent idea in the work.

What is the difference between a thesis statement and a theme?

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How do I know if my thesis is strong?

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Tegan George

What are Thesis and Theme?

Going Back to the Basics:

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Definitions

See Examples and Observations below. Also, see:

Examples and Observations (definition #1):