Essay content: Essay Structure

A thesis statement is an unambiguous, explicit statement of the position you are taking in your essay. All the evidence you provide in the essay should ultimately relate back to the thesis statement and build toward proving this main idea. Keep in mind that a thesis statement is not merely a declaration of your topic.

For example, the following is not a successful thesis statement:

I will discuss the positives and negatives of the Social Security system.

Instead, the thesis statement should make your position on the topic clear:

I will show that while the Social Security system has drawbacks, it is a morally and economically successful system that we must continue to sustain.

This thesis statement indicates both the general topic (Social Security) as well as the specific viewpoint being argued (we should sustain the system).

After you have identified a clear thesis statement, the next key step is to develop a outline that presents your main points in a logical way. There is more than one outline style that can be used in a successful essay. Given the short time you have on the essay section (25 minutes), it's best to have one or two general outline styles in mind going in to the SAT, so that you don't waste time trying to figure out what approach to take. We recommend that you plan on dedicating the first 5 minutes of the section to developing your thesis statement and outline.

Depending on how fast you write, you may find you don't have time to follow an elaborate outline, and that's all right. Try to use an outline that is flexible, so that if you need to omit a paragraph, your overall argument won't be affected. Pay attention to time as you are writing, and if you run short on time, drop a paragraph as necessary.

Learning Resources:
Review the following materials:
Developing thesis statements 1
Developing thesis statements 2

Developing an outline 1
Developing an outline 2