A thesis statement is a short statement or sentence that summarizes the stance that you will take throughout the essay. It represents the argument you plan to make.

The thesis statement is situated at the end of the introduction. When writing your introduction, always provide the background of your argument first followed by the thesis statement. Make sure that the statement is clear and unambiguous. Also make sure that your thesis statement is concise. 

Example of a thesis statement: In this essay, I will show that implementing tougher gun laws in the United States will reduce homicide rates. 

In the thesis statement provided above, you notice that it explicitly states what the main argument will be. It shows that it seeks to argue for tougher gun laws and not just any other kind of laws. It also states explicitly what these tougher gun laws are meant to achieve. In this case, they would reduce homicide rates. 

Many people make the mistake of being too vague with the thesis statement. For example, some people may state that:

“In this essay, I will show that implementing laws will reduce crime in the United States.”

This thesis statement is not precise enough to be supported by an argument. It begs the question, which laws should be implemented and what crimes will be reduced by these laws? Always make sure that your thesis statement is precise and arguable. Do not pick more than you can chew. Instead, pick a topic and focus on it with precision. Your thesis statement ultimately determines how good your essay or arguments will be.