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MacEwan University Writing Centre

Writing arguments and thesis statements

What is an argument? In academic writing, an argument is an evidence-based claim, perspective, or point of view. It's the main point or idea that you want your reader to understand.  

Three Simple Steps to Making an Argument:

  1. 📚 Learn about and research your topic; understand your context 
  2. 💡 Informed by your learning and research, articulate a position or thesis 
  3. 💭 Evidence and explain your argument throughout your essay 

Step-by-step guide to writing arguments

📚 Step 1: Learning About Your Topic 

Before you can make an argument, you need to understand the context of your topic. This includes: 

  • Reading your course materials 
  • Taking comprehensive notes
  • Understanding the key terms, concepts, and ideas 
  • Doing additional research to deepen your knowledge 

💡 Tip: Students sometimes talk about "finding evidence to back up their argument." But really, this is backwards. In academia, we have to make our argument based on the best available evidence. So let your reading and research guide your point of view on the topic, rather than the other way around. 

💡 Step 2: Making Your Main Point (Thesis Statement) 

Your thesis statement summarizes your main idea in one or two concise sentences. It should tell your reader:

  • What your argument is 
  • Why you think your argument is correct or relevant, based on the best available evidence 

Example:
❌ Less effective thesis: "Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is about love."
✅ More effective thesis: "In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare reveals how the rigid social structures of Verona - particularly the demands of family honour and patriarchal authority - transform youthful passion into tragedy, suggesting that private emotions cannot be separated from public institutions."

The first thesis is too broad and general. The second thesis is more specific, offering a point of view on how the rigid social structures of Verona transform youthful passion into tragedy. It can be effectively defended on the basis of primary evidence from the play and secondary research. 

🌳 Step 3: Supporting Your Argument 

Think of your argument like a tree:

  • Your evidence forms the root system, drawing from sources and research
  • Your thesis grows from what the evidence tells you, like a trunk emerging from strong roots
  • Each paragraph extends like a branch, growing naturally from this foundation
  • Your analysis and explanations are like the leaves, transforming your raw evidence into new insights

💡 Tip: For each paragraph (or tree branch):

  1. Ground it in specific evidence (roots)
  2. Show how this evidence connects to your main argument (like nutrients flowing up through the trunk)
  3. Develop your analysis (let your ideas flourish like leaves, but always drawing sustenance from your evidence)
Growing Your Academic Argument Primary Sources Course Materials Secondary Sources Thesis Main Point 1 Main Point 2 Main Point 3 Legend Structure (Evidence) Analysis & Claims Main Points

Common Essay-Writing Problems and Solutions 🤔

😟 "I don't know where to start!" 

  1. Read your assignment carefully. Make sure you understand what is being asked of you 
  2. Make a simple list of what you know about the topic. Read and re-read your course materials to inform this list 
  3. Make sure you have a strong knowledge foundation before you try to form an argument about your topic 

💭 "I don't know how to write a thesis" 

Your thesis should emerge from analyzing your evidence, not from a quick first impression. Try this process:

Study your evidence carefully (texts, data, or other sources)

  1. Some question to ask yourself include: 
    • What details do you observe?
    • What patterns or themes do you notice?
    • What perspectives seem to be missing or misrepresented? 
    • What connections can you make between the evidence and your insights or observations? 
  2. Write down your observations first, then look for a central idea emerging from them
  3. Draft a working thesis that explains this central idea and why it matters.

💡 Tip: Your thesis may evolve as you write and begin to develop your ideas more fully. This is normal! Be flexible and open to changing your mind as you find more accurate evidence or else begin to understand your topic more deeply.  

😵‍💫 "My paragraphs are messy!" 

Start with this simple formula for your supporting paragraphs:

  1. Topic sentence (your point) - what are you claiming? 
  2. Evidence (proof) - what evidence informs your claim? 
  3. Explanation (why it matters) - why is this relevant to your argument? 

Writing arguments and thesis statements: extended guide

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