Question

Which of the questions below should be asked when developing a thesis statement?


Does the statement begin the first paragraph or end it?


What do I want to write about?


Have I narrowed down the topic as much as possible?


Is the topic broad enough to be of general interest?

Answer 1

Ask the last three, not the first. Good questions when developing a thesis are:

- What do I want to write about? — clarifies your subject and purpose.
- Have I narrowed down the topic as much as possible? — a thesis should be specific and focused.
- Is the topic broad enough to be of general interest? — ensure it’s substantial enough to support an essay but not so broad that it’s vague.

“Does the statement begin the first paragraph or end it?” is about placement/format, not about developing the thesis itself.