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Analytical Thesis Statements
Adapted from Writing Analytically by Rosenwasser and Stephen
To analyze something is to ask what that something means.
An analytical essay answers how something does what it does or why it is as it is.
Therefore, a thesis statement in an analysis paper should be answering a HOW or WHY
question.
A strong thesis makes a claim about the subject that needs proving. It provides the writer (and
the reader) with a clearly focused lens through which to view the subject.
A weak thesis either makes no claim or is an assertion that does not need proving.
It is a fuzzy lens that will not help the writer (or the reader) be guided to a better understanding
of the subject.
Most weak thesis statements suffer because they are overly broad (or not specific enough)
Their grammar is often an indication of why they don’t help the writer to bring their subject
into clear focus. The following example from Rosenwasser and Stephens’ Writing Analytically
show us how this works:
Broad Noun + Weak Verb +Vague, Evaluative Adjective
The economic situation is bad.
Specific Noun + Active Verb + Assertive Predicate
The tax policies of the threaten to reduce by sacrificing education
current administration the tax burden on the and health-care programs
middle class for everyone.
The best way to remedy the problem of overgeneralization is to move toward specificity in word
choice, in sentence structure, and in idea.
“By” or “because” are words that show you are answering a how or why question.