Answering common questions about thesis statements plus some essay writing tips!
This post is all about answering the question, “How long should a thesis statement be?”
How long should a thesis statement be? It’s a question that plagues many college students and the truth is, the answer isn’t as clear cut as you may think. I wish I could simply say, “Write 45 words!” and send you on your way, but it’s not quite that straight forward.
That being said, it’s not complicated either! There are very simple guidelines for making sure you have an effective thesis statement that is clear and concise while still driving your point forward.
Here are some guidelines for writing a good thesis statement that’s the perfect length.
What is the correct length?
Before we dive into it, one rule of thumb I like to share whenever I blog about essay writing is that you should always ask your professor for clarification if you’re unsure. The truth is, while there are certain guidelines that are good to follow as a general statement, sometimes professors simply have their preferences.
I’ve had professors who wanted one sentence and nothing more. I’ve also had professors who have told me that it should be two to three sentences or more. If you can, it’s always best to ask your professor what they believe is best practice.
That being said, if you’re tight for time and don’t have the opportunity to ask your professor directly, let’s talk about how long your thesis statement should be!
How long should a thesis statement be?
Here’s the quick answer: A thesis statement should be concise and focused while effectively articulating the argument of your essay. Generally, keeping your thesis to one to two sentences is a safe option.
What is a thesis statement in an essay?
A thesis statement is meant to describe or summarize the main point or argument of an essay. You’re essentially answering the question, “Why are you writing this essay and what are you trying to argue?”
Your thesis statement will typically appear in the introduction paragraph of your essay. Your reader should have a clear understanding from the beginning of what your essay will be about and your position on the topic.
Think of this as the light that guides the rest of your essay. Your thesis statement sets the tone. Every word you write in your essay should tie back to your thesis statement in some clear way.
Now, make sure your thesis statement isn’t simply a factual statement. Stating a fact is not writing a thesis statement. Here are some guidelines to follow. Your thesis statement should be:
- Specific
- Debatable (someone could argue an opposing viewpoint)
- Focused
- Concise
- And it should present a clear stance that you’ll be defending throughout the rest of the essay!
Your thesis statement is typically found at the end of your introduction after introducing the general topic of your essay and hooking your reader.
What are topic sentences?
Thesis statements often get confused with topic sentences in academic essays, so make sure you don’t make this mistake!
A topic sentence expresses the main idea or point of each paragraph in the body of your essay. Typically, a topic sentence is the start of each new point in your essay to guide the reader through the argument that you’re about to make. Every point you make in your essay should always connect back to the specific thesis statement in your introduction in order to maintain a cohesive, strong argument throughout your essay!
Thesis statement lengths for different length papers
Often, a longer paper could mean a longer thesis statement. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that regardless of the length of your paper, your focus shouldn’t be the length of your thesis statement. Your focus should simply be writing a concise but strong thesis statement.
In your thesis statement, you want to capture the main idea of your essay. Sometimes, you can do this in a single sentence, but other times, it will take multiple sentences.
When I was in university, I typically tried to keep my thesis statements between 1-3 sentences, and they usually ended up being about 2 sentences. I used this as a guideline to help me keep a concise thesis statement, which is the main focus you should have!
Thesis statement lengths for different types of essays
The type of essay you’re writing isn’t what determines the length of your thesis statement. While the type of essay might determine the structure and content of your thesis statement, the first thing you should focus on is remaining concise, direct, and writing a strong thesis statement.
If you want a reference point for how a thesis statement might be written, here are a few thesis statement examples for different types of essays. Please keep in mind that these are general examples, and there are numerous ways to write a strong thesis, so you don’t need to follow this exact structure. These serve as examples and a loose reference point.
Here are a few examples of good long vs short thesis statements for different types of essays:
Argumentative Essays
- Long Example: “In today’s society, the accessibility of social media has led to increased concerns about privacy and security. Despite its benefits in fostering connections and communication, the unchecked proliferation of personal data on platforms like Facebook and Instagram poses significant threats to individual privacy rights and security. This essay will argue that while social media platforms offer valuable opportunities for interaction, stringent regulations and user awareness campaigns are necessary to safeguard privacy and mitigate security risks.”
- Short Example: “Social media’s unchecked proliferation of personal data poses threats to privacy and security, necessitating stringent regulations and user awareness campaigns.”
Expository Essay
- Long Example: “The Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries was a transformative period in human history, marked by significant advancements in technology, manufacturing, and societal organization. This essay will explore how the Industrial Revolution reshaped economies, labor practices, and social structures, ultimately laying the groundwork for modern industrialized societies. Through an analysis of key developments and their impact on various aspects of life, it will demonstrate the profound and lasting effects of this historical period.”
- Short Example: “The Industrial Revolution transformed economies, labor practices, and social structures, shaping modern industrialized societies.
Personal Essays
- Long Example: “My journey to self-discovery began amidst the towering redwoods of Northern California, where I embarked on a solo camping trip seeking solace and introspection. This essay will recount the transformative experiences and profound insights gained during my retreat in nature, illustrating the power of solitude and self-reflection in fostering personal growth and resilience.”
- Short Example: “Amidst the redwoods of Northern California, a solitary camping trip became a journey of self-discovery, proving the profound insights and resilience that result from time spent in solitude.”
Analytical Essays
- Long Example: ”In today’s digital age, social media platforms have become integral to how we connect and communicate with others. While these platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for staying connected and fostering new connections, they also introduce complexities and challenges to traditional forms of communication and social interaction. By examining the multifaceted effects of social media on relationship dynamics, including changes in communication patterns, privacy concerns, and the blurring of personal and public spheres, we can better understand the impacts of social media on personal relationships and create opportunities to foster healthier connections.”
- Short Example: “The pervasive use of social media has both positive and negative effects on personal relationships, influencing communication patterns and social dynamics.”
These are all pretty basic and random examples, but the point is, you can see how the shorter version is much more concise than the longer version while still driving the point forward.
Personally, I always prefer being concise because 9 times out of 10, the more concise you are the better your essay will turn out.
In these long examples, they contain lots of extra factual information that you may be able to spell out in the body paragraphs of your essay.
A weak thesis statement is one that either contains too much irrelevant information, or not enough to get the main point.
Remember, in your thesis statement, you want to highlight your main argument… but don’t try to force in all the details that the rest of the paper is there to answer.
Thesis writing tips
Here are some general tips to keep in mind that will ensure you write a strong thesis statement!
- Conciseness is key. Your thesis statement should be clear and to the point, communicating the central idea and argument of your essay.
- Let your thesis dictate the rest of your paper. Think of your thesis as the guiding light throughout the rest of your paper. Everything that you write should tie back to the specific statement you made at the beginning of your essay.
- Think about placement. A good rule of thumb is to put it at the end of the first paragraph of your paper. This will give you the space to introduce your topic before diving into supporting evidence, while still sharing your argument before you get into the little details.
- Be clear and specific. If it helps, use a question prompt for your thesis so that you know exactly what question or argument you’re answering. Avoid vague language, generalized statements, or adjectives that lack description!
- Balance breadth and depth. Your thesis statement should be broad enough to encompass the central theme of your essay, but also specific enough that you can follow it with strong evidence and examples that tie back to your overall argument.
- Be flexible to revisions. Often, when I’m writing an essay, I’ll end up needing to revise my thesis statement as I go through the writing process. If your thesis statement changes slightly as you write your essay, that’s okay! Ultimately, you want a thesis that will accurately represent the arguments you’re making throughout the rest of your paper. Don’t be afraid to hand in a paper with a revised thesis, as long as those revisions ultimately gave you a stronger thesis statement.