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The thesis statement is the anchor of any research paper. It states what the paper is about
and gives the reader a sense of direction — like a road map. It is typically the last sentence
in your introduction. If written properly, a thesis statement should read like an outline in
sentence form. Here are some examples of bad and better thesis statements.
Thesis Statements:
The Bad and the Better
Bad: The grey wolf is a timid creature
that is being hunted and exterminated.
Better: Even though the grey wolf is a
timid, gentle animal, it is being hunted
and exterminated because humans
wrongfully think it is a erce killer.
Bad: Organ donors deserve money for
their sacrice.
Better: Due to the pain and lifestyle
change they are willing to undergo to
save another life, organ donors should
be compensated with nancial rewards.
Bad: This paper will look at the
advantages of school uniforms.
Better: School uniforms positively
impact students and their parents by
lowering clothing costs, reducing
on-campus violence and bullying, and
creating a unied school experience.
Bad: Saving the whales should be a
top priority.
Better: Saving the whales will have a
positive eect on Earth’s biological
diversity, therefore maintaining our
planet’s health and ecosystems.
Bad: Drinking too much alcohol is bad
for your health.
Better: Excessive alcohol consumption
adversely aects your health and may
contribute to liver disease, heart disease,
and weight gain.
Bad: Using the internet has a positive
eect on people.
Better: The internet improves lives by
instantly connecting people across the
world, creating new friendships, and
serving as a forum for exchanging ideas.
Bad: Encouraging children to read can
help them build analytical skills.
Better: When children are encouraged
to read, they can build good habits that
foster comprehension skills, increase
vocabulary, and expand their knowledge
of new worlds.
Bad: In this paper, I will explore popular
childhood fairy tales.
Better: Fairy tales don’t just make
good bedtime stories, they also help
explain the psychology of children.