Thesis Statements: the Good, the Bad, and the AP (Absolutely Perfect)

Levels of Thesis Statements

Poor/ Non-existent – Does not answer the question and/or no apparent thesis present. Controlling idea may be a statement of fact instead of an argument.
Partial – Thesis only answers part of the prompt. For example, if a prompt asks to analyze political, economic, and social reform, a partial thesis might ignore one or more of those categories.
Basic – Thesis is present, but simply re-states the prompt.
Prompt: To what extent did the First Great Awakening influence the American colonies?
Basic Thesis: The First Great Awakening greatly influenced the American colonies.
Good – Thesis answers the whole prompt and adds information or categories of analysis to the prompt.
Prompt: To what extent did the First Great Awakening influence life in the colonies?
Good Thesis: The First Great Awakening greatly influenced the politics, economics, and social life of the American colonies.
Complex/Sophisticated – Thesis answers the whole prompt without simply re-stating and includes “sophisticated” elements, such as change over time, comparison/contrast, etc. Starting a thesis with “Although” can help set your argument up for more depth and complexity. The more sophisticated the thesis, the more compelling the argument and essay.
Prompt: To what extent did the First Great Awakening influence life in the colonies?
Complex Thesis: Although the First Great Awakening heavily influenced religious life throughout the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s, it produced relatively little lasting effect on the politics or economy.