Otherwise, you're just stating your intent, not your thesis or claim. Example: My essay will discuss handgun legislation. Better: Banning handguns is the first step toward controlling crime in America ...

Thesis statements are essentially the driving force and backbone ... They should be intelligent, well thought-out responses to a question or problem your essay will address. Example: Tourists are ...

The thesis statement is the conclusion of the paper. A good thesis statement is precise, succinct, and informative. It is not simply a statement of the general topic, interest or plan. Nor is it a ...

For the essays you write for college classes, you might support your thesis with textual evidence. In a personal statement, your evidence should come from your own life. For example, you might ...