what is a thesis statement

A thesis statement is a sentence that appears in the introductory paragraph of a paper and offers a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay, research paper, etc. . It is usually expressed in one sentence, and the statement may be reiterated elsewhere. The thesis statement contains the topic and the controlling idea. A strong thesis statement is specific and shows exactly what your paper will be about. It often reflects an opinion or judgment that a writer has made about a reading or personal experience. A thesis statement is developed, supported, and explained in the course of the paper by means of examples and evidence. A thesis statement helps organize and develop the argument of the paper. The thesis statement should be stated somewhere in the opening paragraphs of the paper, most often as the last sentence of the introduction.