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Mini-module: Quick Guide to Critical Writing

The top ten tips for showing critical thinking in your writing. This mini-module is for you if you are being a critical thinker, but you are not sure how to show this in your writing.

Second Tip:
State your overall point (the “Thesis Statement”) in the introductionPage 4 of 13

A thesis statement states your point or purpose for writing. It is not a question, and you put it in the introduction of an essay. For example:

"This essay will argue that Stonehenge was originally one of a pair of henges on Salisbury Plain."

How does this help you to be a more critical writer? 

  • Firstly, having a thesis statement helps you to focus your argument. 
  • Secondly, it forces you to treat your essay as an argument rather than a description. This means you have lots of opportunity to show critical thinking, which you do not have if you are just writing descriptively.

To find out more about thesis statements, see our Resources Page on Essay Writing.


Quick practice activity for thesis statements

 

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