The thesis is not the same thing as the topic for your essay. The topic is the general subject which you will discuss in your paper [e.g., specialization within scientific research; fractal geometry; dripping faucets]; the thesis of your essay is your ideas about this topic. Morgan and Vivien in The Writer's Circle define a thesis as "the idea behind your essay which limits and controls its shape and content . . . the idea you have in your mind about what you want to say and what you hope to accomplish by transferring this thought to paper" (46).

The thesis shows the reader where the essay is going; it's like an address you drive to. It should present a challenge to the reader without being too vague or worn out or extreme. It should demonstrate originality and common sense. You want to avoid the predictable and not assert what cannot be defended. A thesis may be directly stated or arrived at as the result of a statement of a problem or a question.

You may change/reshape your thesis and approach at any time, right up until the final draft of your essay.

To help you develop your thesis, try our Thesis Worksheet