Getting Started on a Thesis

I need essay help with starting a thesis. Linda responds: To write a thesis statement or thesis sentence (rather than a book-length thesis or dissertation), begin with your topic. You didn't say what that topic is, so I'll pick caterpillars as your topic for demonstration purposes.

You start by building a working thesis. A thesis statement is a sentence with two parts. One part is the topic (in this case, caterpillars); the second part is an assertion about that topic. If you don't know how to find a writing topic, check my page about ideas for research paper topics.

You can make a simple thesis builder by drawing a vertical line down a sheet of ruled paper. In one column you put your topic. In the other you add assertions about the topic so that reading from right to left you have a complete sentence.

If you don't know where to start, start with first assertion that comes to mind, regardless of how silly it is:

• Caterpillars caused the extinction of dinosaurs.


• Caterpillars develop into butterflies.


• Caterpillars were the leading cause of crop damage in Flat Prairie County in 2010.


• Caterpillars at Local Lake State Park must be protected.

Write as many working thesis statements using the thesis builder as you can in 10 minutes. Push yourself. Aim for at least 1 working thesis a minute. This activity gets your mind focused on what you know or can guess might be true about your topic.

When you have 10-12 potential working thesis statements, draw a line through those that are ridiculous. Then draw a line through those that are simply statements of fact that everyone agrees on. What you have left should be statements that might be developed into a good thesis statement for an essay or research paper.

I hope this response is helpful. I had to guess what essay help you wanted because your submission did not identify:

• Your academic level
• The course or subject your assignment is for
• The assignment
• What you've already done on the assignment.

I also repaired your request for essay help so your sentence starts with a capital letter and ends it with a period. You will do a better job of applying what you know the next time you write in public, won't you?