A thesis statement is one or two sentences stating your essay’s main argument. Write it by deciding your topic and essay type, turning the topic into a question, drafting an initial answer, then adding the reasoning that supports it.
A strong thesis is specific and arguable, not a statement of fact. ‘Social media affects teenagers’ is too vague; ‘social media use correlates with reduced attention spans in teenagers’ gives readers something to actually debate or prove.
Most UK essays place the thesis statement at the end of the introduction, after context and background, so it flows naturally into the body paragraphs. Our guide to essay introductions shows exactly where and how it fits.
Revisit your thesis after drafting the full essay — it’s common to refine the wording once you see which arguments the evidence actually supports best. A thesis should never simply restate the essay question.
If you’re stuck choosing or narrowing a topic before you can even draft a thesis, our topic and outline support helps identify a workable, specific angle for your assignment.


