thesis builder tom march

Who is Tom and Why is he chattering on about WebQuests?

As part of the Quick and Dirty WebQuest PL series on Youtube Playlist , I thought a few (a very few 😉 ) people might be interested in a bit of background about my role and perspective on developing WebQuests. So here’s a backgrounder video followed by links to the WebQuests and articles referred to in the video.

Please subscribe if you’re interested in WebQuests and let me know through the comments section what you’re interested in and I’ll address this aspects.

Links to WebQuests and Articles

• Some Thoughts about WebQuests – Prof. Bernie Dodge’s article that “launched the craze.”
• Searching for China (non-WebQuest version)
• Searching for China 2.0 – includes the “ Playing Field” scaffold for the Group Synthesis
• Tuskegee Tragedy – example of learning from resources and scaffolding an analysis of arguments.
• Little Rock 9, Integration 0? – features use of a ThesisBuilder for scaffold an essay response.
• Look Who’s Footing the Bill! – WebQuest on the US Budget, including the great (retired) Budget Explorer as part of the Group Synthesis .
• The Learning Power of WebQuests – published in ASCD’s Educational Leadership
• What WebQuests are (Really) – full explanation of the above article that provides a refined definition of WebQuests.

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New QuickQuest: Migration to Australia

We’ve All Come from Somewhere…

The story of mass migrations to Australia touches virtually every family on our island nation. As such, this is a great topic to engage students in the factors and stories that prompted migrations from the Gold Rush to the present (with options for the earliest Indigenous migration). History, Geography and Civics as well as students’ families personal experiences enrich the grand story.

This is a slimmed down version of a real WebQuest. It still uses engaging real, rich and relevant Web resources and prompted activities to help students stretch their learning.

Overview of the Migration QuickQuest

Features of this QuickQuest

• Exploration of mass migrations.
• Analysis of ‘Push’ and ‘Pull’ factors.
• Discovery of how Australia’s policies stimulated and discouraged migration flows.
• Question sheet for first-person interviews to learn more of their family history.
• Activities for narrative and persuasive writing.
• Develop keys concepts of ‘continuity and change’ and ’cause and effect.’
• Extra Online Resources help stretch students’ understanding and interests.

DIY or TpT? – You Choose!

Because I want to support education, teachers and students (as I have since the first WebQuests in the 1990s), I provide a hotlist of the resources used in the activities. This way if you want to take the “Do It Yourself” approach, explore the links below and create your own activities.  If you’re happy to save time, use my approaches focused on “real, rich and relevant” learning, then use the QuickQuest is available through TeachersPayTeachers  at minimal cost.

Hotlist of Resources

• Australia’s Immigration History -1851-Present
• Origins – Museums Victoria – Immigration History by Country
• Australia’s Immigration History , main waves & policies from Virtual MuSeaUm
• New Australia 1945-1965 , Objects Through Time, Migration Heritage NSW
• Glossary , Belongings, Migration Heritage Centre, NSW
• Timeline: Australia’s Immigration Policy , from the SBS
• Australia’s migration history, more detailed article from Belongings, The Migration Heritage Centre at the Powerhouse Museum, NSW
• FACT SHEET , Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
• Waves of Australian Migration – Behind the News
• First Footprints , video from the ABC (long, but excellent)
• Who Are Australia’s Aboriginal People? Video from NowThisWorld
• Australia 50,000 Years Ago , article from the Migration Heritage Centre, NSW
• Migration to Australia , detailed section from Wikipedia
• HOW HAS MIGRATION CHANGED OVER TIME? –  an interactive chart
• Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme , Behind the News
• Refugee experiences upon arriving in Australia , ABC Education
• Ten Pound Poms – video from ABC Education
• Populate or perish – a short article from the State Library WA
• Populate or perish & More Poms, Please , articles from P & O Heritage
• FactCheck Q&A – video from ABC Q&A ( transcript )
• A history of Australia’s offshore detention policy , video from SBS
• Operation Sovereign Borders , video from Home Affairs

QuickQuest: Bushfires and Sci / Tech

Responding….

Few in Australia, or across the globe, were untouched by the bushfires that raged from November till February. So many communities were devastated by the catastrophic conditions. Our hearts and support went out to those who lost loved ones, homes and animals. Many prepared to evacuate and stayed up all night watching for ember storms. Week-after-week, month-after-month, the tragedy continued.

Now, with the beginning of the Royal Commission hearings into the “ Black Summer Bushfires ,” it’s a good time to offer an educational response.  Thanks go to a year 5/6 teacher in Victoria who suggested this topic as a way to explore “science as a human endeavour.”  (Note: if you would like to similarly suggest a topic , please use the form. I’m keen to respond to what people need.)

Overview of the Bushfire QuickQuest

Education is one good way for people to process and understand catastrophic and traumatic events.  This is especially true of children and young adults. Also, sometimes knowing information or solutions is a comfort and highlights strategies for the future that contribute to a sense of personal power. Moving towards these ends is the goal of this QuickQuest on Bushfires and Technology. Below is a short video introduction of the QuickQuest.

As I’ve come to do, because I want to support education, teachers and students (as I have since the first WebQuests in the 1990s), but I’m also developing curriculum as part of my consultancy, to further both of these goals, with each QuickQuest I provide a hotlist of the resources used in the activities. This way if you want to take the Do It Yourself” approach, explore the links below and create your own activities.  If you’re happy to save time, use my approaches focused on “real, rich and relevant” learning, then the QuickQuest is available through TeachersPayTeachers at minimal cost.

• Flashback: Black Saturday , video from the ABC
• Bushfire – Black Saturday , article from the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience
• The Fire Triangle , Wikipedia entry
• Why Fires Burn ,  article from The Australian Academy of Sciences
• Wildfires 101 , video from National Geographic
• Firefighter’s Progress (1936) , video archive from British Pathé
• We Work as One , video from  VicEmergency
• Fire Department History: Evolution of Firefighting , video from That Was History
• Bushfires in Australia: What ignited the deadly crisis , video from Global News
• Black Summer Interactive Phototour , from the ABC
• Spark: A better way to predict the spread of bushfires , video from CSIRO
• Spark: Predicting bushfire spread , introductory page 
• About The Spark toolkit , detailed information
• Spark of hope in Australia’s bushfire crisis , article
• SPARK Gallery – a series of short videos and screenshots of SPARK
• Large-scale fire predictions with Spark
• Science, Fire and People in Fish River Station, Australia , video from The Nature Conservancy
• What is cultural burning? Post from Firesticks.org
• Traditional burning brings many benefits , video from the CFA (Country Fire Authority)
• Djandak Wi – Traditional Burning Returns , video from Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning Victoria
• Indigenous fire methods protect land before and after the Tathra bushfire , video from The ABC Australia (land management)
• Right fire for right future: how cultural burning can protect Australia from catastrophic blazes , article from The Guardian
• Indigenous fire practices have been used to quell bushfires for thousands of years, experts say , article from The ABC
• The Fire Triangle graphic from Wikimedia Commons
• The Fire Triangle article from Wikipedia

I’m always interested in hearing back from people, whether that’s through comments on this post, via Twitter ( @NextEraEd ) or privately using the  contact form .  Let’s not get overwhelmed with outcomes, standards and subject content to the point where we neglect helping students learn to learn and reflect on their cognitive development and joy in learning!

Dunning-Kruger Effect QuickQuest

Intro to the latest QuickQuest

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is that crazy finding that people who think they are the best at something (VERY confident) are often the least knowledgeable, skilled and competent. Yikes! Of course this makes sense: how can you know your deficiencies when you know little about what goes into a topic or task?

This perplexing “Huh?” kind of cognitive experience makes the Dunning-Kruger Effect a great tool to engage students and prompt them to reflect on their own cognitive biases and to promote the kind of intellectual humility that can lead to real growth and expertise.

How you can use this to Engage Your Students?

I’ve decided to try this approach. I want all teachers and their students to benefit from engaging in this topic and to benefit from the terrific resources people have put online. Also, I reckon it’s not a bad idea to get paid for a few days work 😉 . So here’s the approach. Below you will find a hotlist of all the resources used in the QuickQuest.  You can sift through the list, find things you like and then create the learning activities around them. Go creativity!

The other option is to use the slides and activities I’ve already created using all the links from the hotlist. You can find this on my TeachersPayTeachers Store .  Here’s a short overview video that highlights how you and students can get started immediately if you want to download my QuickQuest .

Here’s the Video Overview of the QuickQuest

Here’s the Hotlist of Links

• “Adam Ruins” the Dunning-Kruger Effect
• Dunning-Kruger Effect graph – from Wikimedia Commons
• Are you suffering from Dunning-Kruger syndrome? Overview post from Venula
• Dunning-Kruger Effect: An Overview of Our Ignorance and Bias , from Dean Yeong
• Why incompetent people think they’re amazing , from TED-Ed 
• The Dunning-Kruger Effect , by Kendra Cherry at verywellmind
• Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments (1999) – Dunning & Kruger
• The Joy of Being Wrong , from the Templeton Institute
• People With Greater Intellectual Humility Have Superior General Knowledge , by Christian Jarrett
• How ‘Intellectual Humility’ Can Make You a Better Person , by Cindy Lamothe 
• Flow By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, animated book summary , by FightMediocrity
• Interview with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, by VIA (formerly Values in Action)
• What is Flow Theory? What does this mean for our students? By John Spencer
• Flow, the Secret of Happiness, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s TED Talk

I’m always interested in hearing back from people, whether that’s through comments on this post, via Twitter ( @NextEraEd ) or privately using the contact form .  Let’s not get overwhelmed with outcomes, standards and subject content to the point where we neglect helping students learn to learn and reflect on their cognitive development and joy in learning!

Life Cycles QuickQuest (and Invitation!)

Quickquest #1 – life cycles.

As briefly described in an earlier post , QuickQuests are a slimmed down version of WebQuests. This makes the easier to make and use (whether in a classroom or remotely).

What Makes this a QuickQuest, not a WebQuest?

Like WebQuests, the main idea behind a QuickQuest is using rich online resources to engage students in an activity that prompts them to acquire knowledge, think more deeply about the topic and then find personal meaning. The main differences are that a QuickQuest can be completed in 1-3 lessons and done by individual students.  All of these processes are achieved in what’s essentially an enhanced “worksheet”  using Google Docs (and Slides for the teacher). You can get the Life Cycles QuickQuest  for free from  my TeachersPayTeachers store .

Here’s a peek into the Life Cycles QuickQuest

I invite you to Suggest a Topic!

Or use the Form above, comments below, my contact page or Twitter ( @NextEraEd ) to suggest a topic.

Why WebQuests, An Intro (2020)

What was old is new again….

This post is to support online learning about Why and When to use WebQuests. If you think the name WebQuest is too 20th Century, just substitute “Real, Rich and Relevant Problem-based online learning that prompts student understanding and empowers teachers through a scaffolded approach.” Yeah, so that’s why I keep opting for WebQuests….

So as old hat as WebQuests might be for some, new and early career teachers are always, thankfully, joining the profession.  So this post (using the slides below and video conferencing) will start at the beginning, but use activities and thinking prompts instead of texts. You can read the articles elsewhere and they are included of some of the activities.

Yeah, so “Why?”

A great question. WebQuests were created at the dawn of the World Wide Web. Using the Web as a place for learning presented a challenge:

Given the uniqueness of WWW, how does learning need to be structured to ensure success?

A couple other wrinkles came into play:

The Web is a pretty chaotic place to learn, VERY different than textbooks and worksheets. How can we help students become successful learners in such an “ill-structured domain?” The slides go through other elements of the Web.

So what about “When?”

When something is a good idea, people are tempted to think it’s always a good idea. WebQuests, as designed, are solutions to the ill-structured aspects of the Web and a great way to promote students’ critical & creative thinking and personal meaning making.  Thus, great for exploring “Big Ideas,” concepts or complex relationships. But not necessary when simple acquisition of information is the goal.  Think definitions for parts of speech or the “Times Table” to 10.

Links to Tom’s Work

• The Big Wide World WebQuest for Primary Students (science & humanities
• Getting WebQuests – Professional Learning Activity
• What WebQuests are (Really) – detailed definition that’s the full draft of the ASCD Ed Leadership article .
• Look to Learn – samples of Thinking Routines from Project Zero at Harvard
• Life Cycles QuickQuest on TeachersPayTeachers (Free)
• The Forgetting Curve
• Flow – overview from https://positivepsychology.com/
• Learning to Solve Problems , By David H. Jonassen

New Slimmed Down WebQuest

Time for re-invention.

• WebQuests? We did those years ago. How about something new?
• WebQuests were great. Why aren’t people using them today?

Both responses are understandable. As pedagogically sound as the WebQuest format is , like just about all new ideas, especially in education, what was seen as “paradigm shifts” often become mere “pendulum swings.” We thought we were changing the world from rote learning to deep understanding. But in the bustle of school life, routines can overwhelm any new way of doing things.

The Downsides of WebQuests

That said, I’ve created enough WebQuests and led that many more PL workshops to know that a few things make WebQuests pretty challenging:

• They take time to create – mostly in two ways: finding rich online resources and designing the group process.
• Understanding “understanding” – everybody “gets” knowledge. It’s the acquisition of new information. But folks aren’t typically so clear on how understanding requires the use of knowledge. And this “construction of new meaning” goes right to the heart of Piaget’s assimilation and accommodation. We all learned this in Teacher Ed, but it took me a pretty long time to really get it.
• The class time they take – When you have students check their background knowledge, then divide in teams to take on specific roles, and in these roles, to develop particular mastery before bringing this expertise back to their groups, at which time a jigsaw synthesis must occur, then….  you get the idea. This is why I’ve always see WebQuests as a central, once / semester kind of experience, not daily fare.

Enter the … “QuickQuest?”

I really love that the Web is full of great learning resources.  I find them inspiring. People, non-profits, cultural groups, media companies, you name them, put out really amazing content.  We educators are so lucky to be teaching in this era of rich resources (and good bandwidth?). So here’s my approach:

• I start with a topic worthy of students (this can be from the gut or curriculum standards)
• I take about 30 minutes to search around the Web to see if any Real, Rich and Relevant resources exist for the topic.
• If so, I know I’m onto something good and I keep at it.  This usually means a little lateral searching to find things that might extend or deepen how students engage with the topic.
• If I’m not finding anything inspiring in 30 minutes, but feel like I’m close, I do more searching. If I feel like the topic’s a dead-end, I’ll call it quits and go with the usual fare.

So let’s see how this works in real life:

I was contacted by a teacher looking for a WebQuest on “Life Cycles” for Years 3-4 science students. I took a look through a database I have of “ BestWebQuests ,” but didn’t turn up anything. I’d been playing with this mini WebQuest / QuickQuest / PDQ Quest (yes, “pretty darn quick,” but also “pedagogically-driven query”) idea and took the “Life Cycles” request as a challenge.

The result is what I’m tentatively calling a QuickQuest. It’s supported by slides and a student activity page.  You can get the Life Cycles example for free from my TeachersPayTeachers store .

Let’s Hear from You!

Please use the poll, comments below, my contact page or Twitter (@NextEraEd) to

• Give feedback about the name
• Suggest topics and I’ll see about making “QuickQuests” on them!

Tips for WebQuest Designers

Here’s one for you.

Whether you are studying education to become a teacher, are already in the classroom or are one of those leaders among teachers, if you’re interested in supporting students’ deeper understanding and construction of meaning, here a some tips for you!

This is an overview of all the sections, pointing to the tips page.  Look for the pots and videos focused on each of the sections with examples from published WebQuests.

Links and Resources

Tips for WebQuest Designers – suggestions for each section of the WebQuest template .

David Jonassen – one of my heroes in the field of educational technology and constructivism.

Black History WebQuest: The Past IS Present

Welcome to the video tour.

An earlier post on the Past IS Present Black History WebQuest gave an overview of the elements and design process I used. The video below is a deep dive so you can take a closer look. You might want to use it with students or be inspired to create something of your own.

What really makes this WebQuest exciting for me are the great short videos available on all six compelling topics and then also really great interactive maps so that students can locate the issue in their own neighborhood, city or state.

The topics are:

• Racial Violence
• Confederate Symbols
• Gerrymandering
• Economic Disadvantage
• Mass Incarceration

The actual Past IS Present WebQuest is available from my TpT store. This is the first out of the many WebQuests I’ve made that I’ve opted to charge for. Let’s see how it goes. I’m happy to get feedback through the comments below or via the contact page on this Website .

Catcher in the Rye WebQuest

“if you really want to know…”.

The great thing about this era in terms of resources available for a WebQuest is that it’s both recent enough to have lots of video recordings of key people & topics, but the footage is old enough to have that otherworldly feel.  Students often assume Holden comes from a world roughly contemporaneous to their own, even with his dated slang.  They also often think radicalism in culture and the arts began with the 60s. So these archival videos bring that world between WWII and the Beatles to life.

In the video below, I take a deep dive into my Some Crazy Cliff WebQuest as a an example for literature WebQuests and also to invite you let me know if you want to use the WebQuest.  As with anything, the resources need a little checking for Link Rot and I’d probably want to make a few tweaks.

As an added bonus, I also creating some Look to Learn Thinking Routine activities related to the main themes of the WebQuest.  You can check these out and use them as warm-up / thinking prompts if you like.

Use the comments below , on the YouTube page or via the contact form on this Web site if you’d prefer anonymity.

Thesis Statement Generator: Free & Precise

Looking for a thesis statement generator? The free online tool we offer will make a thesis in no time! Our thesis sentence generator will suit argumentative, informative, and comparative essays. All you need to do is look at the examples and add the necessary information.

☑️ How to Use the Thesis Generator?

• 📝 Essay Thesis
• ✍️ Research Paper Thesis
• 📜 Dissertation Thesis
• 🙊 Thesis For a Speech

💡 Make a Thesis with Our Tips

🏆 10 best thesis generators, ⭐ thesis statement maker: the benefits, 🔗 references, 🔧 thesis generator: what is it.

Sometimes it can be challenging to come up with a topic, research question, or a thesis statement for your paper. An excellent solution is to use online topic makers, problem statement generators, and thesis topic generators, such as ours! Our free online generator will help you create the perfect thesis statement! Follow the steps below to get thesis statements relating to your topic:

• Introduce your topic. It can also be the title of your paper (e.g., the benefits of online education).
• State the main idea about this topic. It is the specific point of view that you will discuss in your paper (e.g., online learning is beneficial)
• Make an argument supporting your point of view. It must be a strong and valid argument. Don't claim something that you can't back with facts (e.g., online learning is flexible)
• Make another argument supporting your point of view (e.g., online learning is affordable).
• Make an argument against your point of view. Make sure you don't just dismiss it, but acknowledge its validity (e.g., online learning is not always taken seriously)
• Decide on the topic of your paper.
• Think about the main idea that you will express in your paper. It will also be the conclusion.
• Choose arguments that can support your point of view. Also, think of at least one counterargument. It will help you discuss your topic better.
• Enter this information into respective fields. Use short sentences. Do not use punctuation or capital letters.
• Click on the "Generate Thesis" button to get samples.
• Choose the sample you like best!

📍 Why Make a Thesis Statement?

You might have already heard about theses and thesis statements. Well, the main difference is: a thesis is the key point or argument of your assignment. And the thesis statement is this point expressed in one sentence.

Here’s one crucial thing you should always keep in mind when you write this sentence: it should meet the professor’s requirements.

There are two types of thesis statements:

• Direct. It states the exact reasons for your paper. For example, "I do not support vegan lifestyle because animals do not have feelings, this lifestyle is too expensive, and a vegan diet is not healthy." Such a thesis sentence would tell the reader what each body paragraph or section is going to be about.
• Indirect. Unlike the direct thesis statement, it does not state clear arguments. Here’s the sample: "I do not support vegan lifestyle for three reasons." The fact “I do not support vegan lifestyle” is the topic, and "three reasons" represent an indirect thesis statement. The assignment will contain these three reasons.

Most kinds of academic papers require a thesis statement, which can also be considered as your answer to the research question.

Now that you've learned the basics let's see what can help you to create an excellent thesis statement for anything: from history research to a critique paper!

📝 Essay Thesis Statement

You will probably write many essays as a high school or college student. Writing an essay is quite easy: it doesn't require any serious research on your part, and the resulting text is usually short. That's why you choose a narrow thesis statement that you can talk about in 4-5 paragraphs.

Your choice of a thesis statement depends on what type of essay you're writing. Here are some examples:

In an expository essay , you explain the topic logically, using your analytical skills. This type of essay relies only on facts, without any reference to the writer's personal opinion. The topic statement is the most critical part of an expository essay. It should be short and manageable so that you can describe it in just a few paragraphs. As you can see from the definition, it also should be based on facts and not on the writer's position. This category includes compare and contrast essays, definition essays , and others:

e.g., While online education is not always taken seriously, it is beneficial because of its flexibility and affordability.

On the contrary, argumentative essays are centered on the writer's personal opinion. This type of essay is also called persuasive because your aim is to persuade people that your idea is right. The thesis statement should reflect this:

e.g., Vegan lifestyle should not be promoted because it's expensive and not healthy.

Note: it's better not to use the word "I," because it may appear as too subjective. Remember: a strong thesis statement means an excellent essay!

✍️ Research Paper Thesis Statement

Unlike essays, research papers require more information, and they are lengthier than essays. That's why a research paper thesis statement should be slightly broader. This way, you make sure that you have a lot to discuss and can demonstrate your more profound knowledge on the topic.

Research paper thesis statements can be simple or more complex, depending on the purpose of your paper. Simple thesis statements can be formulated with the help of the outlines:

Something is true because of these reasons .

The US Constitution is not outdated because it's an integral part of the country's identity.

Despite these counterarguments , something is true.

e.g., Despite not being outdated, the US Constitution needs many amendments to keep up with the changing times.

You can make more complex thesis statements by combining several arguments:

e.g., The US Constitution is not outdated, because it's a part of the country's identity; still, some amendments need to be made.

Remember: it is essential to stay on topic! Avoid including unnecessary and random words into your statement. Our online thesis creator can help you in writing a statement directly connected with your theme.

Our thesis statement generator can help writing a thesis for your research. Create a short, catchy thesis statement, and you are one step closer to completing a perfect research paper!

📜 Dissertation Thesis Statement

Writing a master's thesis or a Ph.D. dissertation is not the same as writing a simple research paper. These types of academic papers are very lengthy. They require extensive analysis of information, as well as your ideas and original research.

Besides, you only have limited time for writing a dissertation, so you'll have to work on it systematically.

That's why it's better to come up with a thesis statement as early as possible . It will help you always stay on topic and not to waste your time on irrelevant information.

A dissertation can have an even broader thesis statement because of how lengthy your work should be. Make sure it's something you can study extensively and from different points of view:

e.g., The use of memory techniques at school can boost children's abilities and revolutionize modern teaching.

Don't forget to include a statement showing why your dissertation is interesting and relevant!

🙊 Thesis Statement For a Speech

Similarly, the thesis statement for a speech should be catchy and exciting . If you include it in the introduction, you will provide your audience with a sense of direction and make it easier to concentrate. The audience will know what to expect of your speech, and they will pay more attention.

Speech, unlike a research paper, includes only the most relevant information . If your speech is based on a paper, use your thesis statement to decide what to leave out. Remember that everything you say should be connected to your thesis statement! This way, you'll make your speech consistent, informative, and engaging.

Another useful tip is to rehearse your speech several times before deciding that it's finished. You may need to make some corrections or even rephrase the thesis statement. Take your time and make sure you do your best!

Now, we will concentrate on your thesis writing. We’ve prepared six tips that would help you to master your thesis statement regardless of the paper type you were assigned to:

• Formulate your topic. Here’s the secret: the good topic makes half of the success when you write a paper. It defines your research area, the degree of your involvement, and, accordingly, how good will the result be at the end. So what is the topic of an essay? Basically, it’s a phrase that defines the subject of your assignment. Don’t make it too broad or too specific.
• Determine the key idea. It will help you get an understanding of your essay subject. Think about things you are trying to state or prove. For example, you may write down one main idea; consider a specific point of view that you’re going to research; state some facts and reasons you will use in your assignment, or express your opinion about the issue.
• Choose the central argument to support your thesis. Make a list of arguments you would use in your essay. This simple task has at least two benefits. First, you will get a clear understanding on what you’re going to write. It will wipe out the writer’s block. Second, gathering arguments for the topic will help you create an outline for your assignment.
• Generate other arguments to support the thesis. Free thesis generators suggest you proceed with a few arguments that support your topic idea. Don’t forget to prepare some logical evidence!
• Come up with a counterargument to the main idea. You might find this exercise a bit hard, but still, if you're dreaming of writing an excellent paper, think of another side of the argument. To complete this task, you should conduct preliminary research to find another standpoint and evidence behind it.
• Provide your thesis statement as early as possible in your paper. If you're writing a short paper, put your thesis in the introductory paragraph. For more extended essays, it is acceptable to write it in the second paragraph. And avoid phrases like, "The point of my essay is…"
• Make your thesis statement specific. Remember to keep it short, clear, and specific. Check if there are two broad statements. If so, think about settling on one single idea and then proceed with further development. Avoid making it too broad. Your paper won’t be successful if you write three pages on things that do not disclose the topic and are too generic.

Original thesis:

There are serious objections to abortions.

Revised thesis:

Because of the high risk of breast cancer or subsequent childbearing, there should be broadly implemented the informed consent practice that certifies that women are advised of such risks prior to having an abortion.

When writing your thesis, you use words that your audience will understand:

• Avoid technical language unless you’re writing a technical report.
• Forget about jargon.
• Avoid vague words: “exciting,” “interesting,” “usual,” “difficult,” etc.
• Avoid simply announcing the topic. Share your specific “angle” and show why your point on the issue matter.
• Do not make judgments that oversimplify complex topics.
• If you use judgment call in your thesis, don’t forget to specify and justify your reasoning.
• Don't just report facts. Instead, share your personal thoughts and ideas on the issue.
• Explain why your point matters. When you’re writing a thesis, imagine that your readers ask you a simple question: “So what?” Instead of writing something general, like "There are a lot of pros and cons of behaviorism", tell your readers why you think the behaviorism theory is better than cognitivist theory.
• Avoid quotes in your thesis statement. Instead of citing someone, use your own words in the thesis. It will help you to grab the reader's attention and gain credibility. And the last advice: change your thesis as you write the essay. Revise it as your paper develops to get the perfect statement. Now it's time to apply this knowledge and create your own thesis! We believe this advice and tools will be useful in your essay writing!

To ease your writing, we prepared an IvyPanda thesis statement generators. Check the list below:

1. Thesis Statement Generator

Thesis Statement Generator is a simple online tool which will guide you through the thesis statement creation. To get your thesis, you will have to provide the following information: the topic, your personal opinion, the qualification, and reason sentences. Then press the button “My Thesis” to see the final draft, edit it and print or save it on your computer.

Also, you can make an outline for your future paper within a couple of clicks. The tool works with any type of paper.

2. Grammarly AI Thesis Statement Generator

Grammarly is known for its superb grammar-checking software, but it has recently added various AI-powered tools. An AI Thesis Statement Generator is one of them. To use this tool, specify your audience and briefly describe your paper type and topic. After that, wait a few seconds, and Grammarly will provide three thesis statement options.

However, as with any AI writing tool, you should be critical of the information they provide. Therefore, we recommend you check the generated thesis statements for inaccuracies before using them in your writing.

3. HelpfulPapers Thesis Statement Checker

HelpfulPapers Thesis Statement Checker is another free service that requires no registration and provides unlimited attempts for thesis creation. To create a thesis statement, you should put a topic, your main conclusion about it, two arguments, and a counterargument. Then, click the button “Make a thesis statement.” You will get a few thesis examples to choose from.

On the page, you will also find a comprehensive guide on thesis statement writing with good and bad samples. This website doesn’t allow its users to create an outline draft. However, the HelpfulPapers blog contains lots of useful articles on writing.

4. Thesis Builder

Thesis Builder is a service by Tom March, which is available for students since 1995. This ad-free tool allows you to generate a persuasive thesis and create your essay outline. This web app is completely free, so fill in the boxes and write your assignment. You can print a result or send it as email.

5. Thesis Statement Creator

The next tool in our list is Thesis Statement Creator. The service is ad-free and offers unlimited attempts to generate thesis statement. It works with any type of paper and requires no registration. Users can find a short guide and thesis statement prompts. The app allows printing the result.

6. UAGC Thesis Generator

The University of Arizona Global Campus has designed a convenient tool for crafting compelling argumentative thesis statements. Just follow the prompts on the website to fill in all the boxes and get a strong and focused thesis.

If you want to learn more about developing thesis statements, the university invites you to follow the link to their thesis writing guide. From there, you’ll learn how to craft not only argumentative thesis statements but also analytical and expository ones.

7. HIX.AI Thesis Statement Generator

HIX.AI is an AI-powered thesis statement generator. To use the tool, enter your topic, specify the main idea and supporting evidence, and add a counterargument. You can also choose your audience, tone of voice, and language. Then, click the button and check your thesis.

HIX.AI offers a free plan: you can generate a maximum of 1,000 words per week without charge. Although not quite a lot, it can be enough to craft 20-25 thesis statements a week. So, you are highly likely to get the one that suits you.

8. Editpad Thesis Statement Generator

Editpad Thesis Statement Generator is another AI-powered tool for crafting thesis statements. Yet, it has a much simpler interface: you only have to enter your topic and click the button to get your thesis statement.

If you’re looking for a quick, unsophisticated tool or haven’t identified your main point, evidence, and counterargument yet, the Editpad thesis generator can be just what you need. However, if you want a more customizable option, you’d better choose something different from our list.

9. Thesis Statement Maker

Thesis Statement Maker is similar to the previous tool. The page contains hints on thesis writing, four fields to fill and get a thesis, and works with any type of paper. As a bonus, you will find a list of thesis statements on various topics.

The key drawback is the same too: lots of ads and no paper outline option.

10. Thesis Generator | SUNY Empire State College

The truly academic tool in our list: SUNY Empire State College Thesis Generator. Students can find a lot of useful information on thesis writing. To generate summary, choose the type of paper you are going to write, fill the form and get your thesis. The website is ad-free and provides a short guide on most common types of thesis.

Among its drawbacks are only three supported types of thesis statements and no outline generation.

Updated: Jul 25th, 2024

• Argumentative Essays: Purdue OWL
• Developing A Thesis: Harvard College Writing Center
• 5 Types of Thesis Statements: University of Guelph
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Thesis Statement: Grammarly
• Expository Essays: Purdue OWL
• How to Write a Thesis Statement: Indiana University Bloomington
• Thesis Statements: UNC Writing Center
• Thesis Statements: Texas A&M University Writing Center
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Analyzing Cause & Effect:

" + form.title.value + " by " + form.me.value + "

" + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " "+ form.input1.value + ", " + form.input2.value + " and " + form.input3.value + ".

" + form.title.value + " an Online Outline by " + form.me.value + " " newContent +=" Introductory Paragraph Begin with an interesting quotation or description related to " + form.cause.value newContent +=" (You will need a transition here) " newContent +=" - End the Intro paragraph with your thesis statement: " newContent += " " + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " "+ form.input1.value + ", " + form.input2.value + " and " + form.input3.value + " .

Body Paragraph #1

Topic sentence for paragraph: " + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " " + form.input1.value + ". " newContent +=" - Find evidence" newContent +=" - like facts, examples, quotations, or statistics that back it up " newContent +="or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how your evidence supports the topic sentence " newContent +=" Another example that shows " + form.input1.value + " is... " newContent +=" - Find more evidence - facts, examples, quotations" newContent +=", or statistics that back it up or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how this second piece of evidence supports the topic sentence.

Body Paragraph #2

Topic sentence for paragraph: " newContent +=" " + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " " + form.input2.value + ". " newContent +=" - Find evidence" newContent +=" - like facts, examples, quotations, or statistics that back it up " newContent +="or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how your evidence supports the topic sentence " newContent +=" Another example that shows that " + form.input2.value + " is... " newContent +=" - Find more evidence - facts, examples, quotations" newContent +=", or statistics that back it up or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how this second piece of evidence supports the topic sentence.

Body Paragraph #3

Topic sentence for paragraph: " newContent +=" Most importantly, " + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " " + form.input3.value + ". " newContent +=" - Find evidence" newContent +=" - like facts, examples, quotations, or statistics that back it up " newContent +="or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how your evidence supports the topic sentence " newContent +=" Another example that shows that " + form.input3.value + " is... " newContent +=" - Find more evidence - facts, examples, quotations" newContent +=", or statistics that back it up or support the topic sentence of this paragraph. " newContent +=" - Explain how this second piece of evidence supports the topic sentence.

" newContent +=" So you can see that " + form.cause.value + " " + form.selectTense.value + " three main factors: " + form.input1.value + ", " + form.input2.value + " and " + form.input3.value + ". " newContent +=" - Now you will return to your opening attention-getter from the introduction " newContent +=" - Then end your essay with a powerful So What? statement.

for Cause & Effect and Predictive Essays

Introduction.

• This could be in the past -- like the causes to a war, revolution or art movement.
• It could be something happening in the present that is hard to explain -- like environmental, economic or social changes.
• People even use Cause & Effect essays to predict what might happen in the future -- such as what is most likely to happen in terms of political, climate or population changes.

You would be right to think that a Cause & Effect essay is similar to a Persuasive essay because they both argue for your opinion or interpretation. What makes this essay different is the narrower focus on looking into the causes (what made/makes something happen) and the effects (the thing that happens). Smart people use this strategy all the time in their work to forecast weather events, anticipate how citizens will cast their votes, or predict how a patient will respond to treatment.

Putting the Strategy into Action

Notice that this is not an easy process and you will probably feel confused at times. This is a natural part of thinking new thoughts. Feel free to ask your teacher or peers for feedback on your ideas. Also, it's expected that you will adjust and change what you type in the fields below many times (5? 10? 20?) before you are happy with the thesis statement. This is editing and it makes for good writing!

Let's Get to It!

What topic are you exploring for Causes & Effects? Begin this phrase with an uppercase letter

Brainstorm a list of all the main events, actions, or relationships related to your topic. Number the three most important points on your brainstorm as 1, 2 and 3. It might help to think of these as a "chain-of-events" where 1 is the first and 3 the last or as a mixture of influences where 1 is important, but 3 is most important. Enter the 3 most important influences or actions below.

Use the select menu below to show if your topic is in the past, present or future.

Select Timeframe Past Present Future

First or Important influence or action #1

Second or More important influence or action #2

Third or Most important influence or action #3

What is a good title for your essay?

Once you are happy with your thesis statement, you can crank out a quicky outline by clicking the button below.