Your Thesis Should Be Debateable

Your thesis should be debatable.

To test whether your thesis is debatable, try forming the antithesis (the opposite of your thesis).

thesis	Nuclear power is good for the environment.
antithesis	Nuclear power is bad for the environment.

Both these statements are debatable, and hence either one would make a fine thesis statement. In contrast, consider the following statements:

• A serving of salmon contains about 40 grams of protein.
• England has many old castles dating back to the medieval period.

What is there to debate? Can you really imagine anyone taking an opposing point of view? Would someone really stand up and shout: "No, you're wrong! A serving of salmon does not contain about 40 grams of protein!"

Probably not. And that's why these statements are weak. Neither would make a good thesis.

Always keep this mind: An argumentative research paper presents one side of an argument. It cannot simply be:

• A description of a problem.
• A recounting of historical events.
• Information that I can find on Wikipedia.

Shaping Your Thesis into a Debatable Topic

Some of the most debatable topics include:

• The causes of something
• The consequences of something
• Public policy (the best way to solve a problem)

Consider, for example, the topic of gun violence.

Which of the following would make the best thesis?

• Gun violence increased in the United States in 2020.
• Violent video games are a leading cause of gun violence in the United States.
• The recenct rise in gun violence may have an unexpected consequence: Teenagers are finding it harder to concentrate in school.
• The best way to combat gun violence is to make it harder for people to buy guns.

All of these statements are good—except for the first one. (The first one is a fact that's hard to argue.)

Instructions for the Quiz

Answer the questions.

Quiz