5 SIMPLE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITTEN ENGLISH

Many people struggle with writing in English and it can seem like a real challenge to improve.
Don’t worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written
English and impress people with your writing skills.
1. Expand your vocabulary
To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That’s not just being able to
recognise lots of words – it means actually being able to use them correctly. Do this by learning
new words with example sentences, not just word lists.
Tip: When you learn a new word, try learn all the forms of that word and the prepositions that
are usually used with it. (For example, rather than just the word ‘depend’, make a note of: to
depend on, to be dependent on, a dependant.)
2. Master English spelling
You must know how to spell those words correctly. Incorrect spelling changes the meaning of
your sentence. For example: ‘bare’ and ‘bear’ sound the same but ‘bare’ means naked and ‘bear’
is a large animal. Additionally, incorrect spelling makes it difficult for the reader to understand
what you’ve written.
Tip: Practice your spelling using flash cards and test yourself whenever you have some spare
time.
3. Read regularly
People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways.
It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words
appropriately.
Tip: Choose books or articles with topics that interest you. Learning shouldn’t be boring. Read
each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in
the text.
4. Improve your grammar
Grammar is very important because it improves the quality of your writing. Always use the
appropriate tense and remember to use punctuation. Punctuation is a great way to make your
writing clear and fluent.
Tip: Always proof-read your writing twice. The first time, look for general mistakes and the
second time look for mistakes with the particular grammar point your are studying at the
moment.
5. Just do it!
Writing can be daunting. However, the best way to improve is get a pen and paper or sit in front
of your computer and actually write. Be prepared to write several versions of each text because
even for professional writers, the first draft is never perfect. Remember, practice makes perfect,
so now is the best time to sit down and get started with our free English quizzes!
https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/language-lab/5-simple-ways-improve-written-english/
https://writeandimprove.com/workbooks#/tz-workbooks/588f671e-952a-4d42-8876-
9038fdcb3916
https://www.usalearns.org/english-vocabulary
How to Improve Writing Skills in 15 Easy Steps

Learning a variety of writing skills isn’t as difficult as you may think. We’ve put together a list of

steps to help you make dramatic improvements to the quality of your writing in short order.

Becoming a better writer takes practice, and you’re already practicing. No, seriously—you write

a lot. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer, you put thoughts into text more often than

you realize. At the very least, you write emails—a lot of emails—post on social media, make

updates to your résumé and LinkedIn profile, and message your friends. If your job requires it,

you also create things like reports, presentations, newsletters . . . it’s a long list.

So, you’re already writing. Now, improving your writing skills is just a matter of becoming

conscious of the things you can do to give your text more structure and make your copy crisp

and readable with a conversational style.

Give Your Writing Structure

It’s fine to rattle off a stream of consciousness when you’re writing in your journal, but if you

actually want to communicate with others you’ll need to bring some order to those rambling

thoughts. Here are some tips.

1 Make sure you’re clear on the concepts you’re writing about.

Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”
Before you start writing, take a moment to mentally explain the concept to the six-year-old who

lives inside your head. (We all have one, don’t we?) If your writing goal is to achieve a specific

result, ask yourself what that result should be. Before you dive into writing, have a clear

purpose. Then stick to it.

2 If the message is complex, outline it.

It doesn’t take much thought-organizing to compose the average text message, but if you’re
writing something more complex, with multiple angles, questions, or requests, get all that stuff
sorted before you sit down to write. Making an outline, or even just some quick notes about

the topics you want to cover, can save you time answering clarifying questions later. And

speaking of questions . . .

3 Anticipate your readers’ questions.

Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Do they have enough context to understand what you’ve

written for them? If not, fill in the blanks. But . . .

4 Don’t over-explain everything.

If you’ve taken the time to organize your thoughts in advance, you should be able to keep

things simple. The idea is to give readers just enough to understand what you’re

communicating without overwhelming them with trivial details. If you find yourself getting in

the weeds with more details than you need, look at each piece of information and ask whether

it’s essential to help your reader understand your message. If not, get rid of it.

Tighten Your Writing

We sometimes write like we talk, and that can be a good thing. It keeps our writing

conversational (more on that in a moment.) But rambling, wordy writing makes your text hard

to read, and it can make you sound as though you lack conviction. Start practicing these skills to

streamline your writing.

5 Go easy on the prepositional phrases

When I was a neophyte writer, someone showed me how prepositional phrases made my

writing unnecessarily wordy and complex. It was an epiphany!

Prepositions aren’t difficult to understand, but the concept does require some explanation. Get

smart about prepositions here, and then try to simplify themwhenever it makes sense. Your

writing will get a much-needed clarity boost.

6 Eliminate the filler words and phrases

Some words show up in our writing all the time, and yet they don’t contribute much of
anything. Although these filler words and phrases sometimes add color or even meaning, most
of the time they contribute nothing but clutter. Here are thirty-one of them you can eliminate

right now.

7 Don’t pad weak words with adverbs.

Adverbs—those words that often end in -ly—modify verbs and sometimes adjectives. They’re

okay once in a while, but when you find yourself using them all the time, you’re probably

making weak word choices. Instead of “ran really fast” write “sprinted.” Was something

“extremely funny”? Nah, it was “hilarious.” The scenery may have been “very beautiful,” but

your writing’s going to shine if you refer to it as “gorgeous,” “lush,” “verdant,” or “bucolic.”

Make Your Writing More Conversational

8 Stick with simple words.

Bestselling author John Grisham said, “There are three types of words: (1) words we know; (2)

words we should know; (3) words nobody knows. Forget those in the third category and use

restraint with those in the second.” There’s a difference between having a rich vocabulary and

dropping million-dollar words into your writing just to show off. Unless it’s your intent to be

poetic, keep your language simple and direct.

I’m certain sure you are able to can deliver the quality of work we’re looking for.
Let’s discuss talk about it in our meeting next week.

9 Use contractions.
English speakers use contractions—you’re, I’m, we’re, they’re, can’t, didn’t. Your writing will

sound stiff and formal without them. For example:

I am sure you are able to deliver the quality of work we are looking for. Let us discuss it in our
meeting next week.

Now, let’s add some contractions. Doesn’t this sound less stuffy?
I’m sure you can deliver the quality of work we’re looking for. Let’s talk about it in our meeting
next week.

10 Try transcribing yourself.

Record yourself talking. You can learn a lot about conversational writing using this one weird
trick! (Sorry, Buzzfeed, we tease because we care.)
Try transcribing a conversation you’ve recorded (with the other person’s permission, of course).

Transcribe a couple of minutes of the conversation word-for-word. Then, fix or remove any

false starts and remove filler (um, uh, like, you know)—et voila!—you’ve got yourself some

conversational writing. The process of transcribing and editing will help you learn what to do

and what not to.

11 Throw away the grammar rule book . . . within reason.

We, the Grammarly team, give you permission to start sentences with conjunctions. And (see

what we did there?) unless you’re writing something formal, we’re perfectly okay with you

ending some sentences with prepositions. Write naturally, human! It’s all good.

12 Keep your sentences simple.

Literary greats can write long, complex sentences with flair. Why not you? Well, for starters

you’re probably not trying to write like Tolstoy, Nabokov, or Faulkner. Short, less complicated

sentences are easier to read. Keep it simple, silly! But do vary your sentence length so your

writing has a nice flow.

13 Read it out loud.

Speaking of flow, reading your writing aloud can help you determine whether it flows smoothly.

If it sounds choppy and clipped, add a few longer sentences to break up that steady,

monotonous beat. If you find yourself stumbling over parts, you’ve probably found an overly
complex sentence that needs rewriting. I always recommend reading your work out loud . . .

because it works!

14 Infuse your personality into your writing

Letting your personality shine through is the best way to develop a writing style. Use the

phrases and slang that you would normally use (within reason). When it’s appropriate, throw in

a relevant personal anecdote. In all but the most formal or professional writing settings, be

yourself when you write.

15 Practice, practice, practice!

The ultimate way to make your writing better is to learn what weakens it in the first place, and

then set your mind to fixing (and eventually preventing) the glitches. The more you write, edit,

and proofread, the better you get at it.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-improve-writing-skills/
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/free-resources/write-and-improve/

EXECUTIVE WRITING
PATRICK LEWIS, RESEARCH MANAGER, W. MAURICE YOUNG CENTRE
FOR APPLIED ETHICS, UBC
FOGS WORKSHOP MAY 26, 2003

BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF AND BE GONE

Business rewards effective writing. All academics and researchers will see the day when
someone will say, “I’d like you to write a ...

 letter
 email
 notice
 report
 note

... and I don't want an academic paper!”

“There is a popular misconception that the written word is not a tool of

communication but a means of bolstering the image of your company or
department. Hence the proliferation of abstract nouns and vague, phrases,
such as “a highly developed service network”, and “extensive client support
function,” “designed in delivery flexibility” — that sound grand, mean next to
nothing, and keep real people at arms length.”
— Rupert Morris, Financial Times
Executive writing gives every reader, executive and non-executive, access to important
information. In every case, this is done by stating your reason for writing, and providing a
summary of the critical information, including such things as

 decisions/actions (proposed, considered, taken)

 who will be affected and how
 time constraints, and financial implications, including necessary background information.

REMEMBER, YOU ARE WRITING FOR A

READER.
To be effective, you need to:

 Understand your assignment. The person who assigns your task is the client. With
executive writing, (as opposed to creative writing) you are never writing for yourself.
Never guess what the client/manager wants. As soon as you find yourself guessing,
ASK!
 Know your topic. Take the time to educate yourself, it makes what you write more
meaningful, and, it makes you more valuable.
 Know your audience. Are they informed? Do they have a position; is this the first they
have been contacted, or is there a history that you will have to live with? Regardless of
the size of the collective audience, remember every written work is read by one person
at a time. If you fail to know your audience, your writing will lack the key ingredient of all
successful writing, respect for the reader.

The assignment, topic, and audience make up the filter your work must flow through!

SOME SIMPLE RULES FOR EXECUTIVE

WRITING
Write to the reader, and:

 Plan carefully and use an outline

 Use everyday English whenever possible
 Avoid jargon and legalistic words
 Use active verbs, “we will do it” not “it will be done by us”
 Be concise — the best sentences have 15 to 20 words
 State one idea per sentence
 Always provide full titles in the first instance
 Don’t assume your reader will understand an acronym
 Explain unusual technical terms
 Documents longer than three pages probably need headings
 Avoid headings that use one or two vague terms
 Don’t substitute adjectives for examples (e.g. enhanced programs)
 Avoid terms like vast or huge — everything in the business world is contained!

For greater overall effect:

 Avoid bureaucratic language

 Prune and sharpen: remove all unnecessary words
 Let it Flow: How does it sound when read?
 Pack a punch, adjust for emphasis and use active voice
 Avoid words ending in “ion” and “ment”. They are verbs turned into nouns. Not, “Use
that format for the preparation of your report”. But, “Use that format to prepare your
report.”

Executive writing is different than academic writing!

THE PYRAMID HELPS THE WRITER…

This is the way that a writer gathers and organizes information to fully understand a subject,
or to develop an argument. It is the appropriate model for a writer to adopt when preparing a
report (letter, briefing, notebook, etc.)
But, the pyramid fails the reader…
The pyramid doesn’t quickly identify the purpose of the writing. The purpose is typically
buried in the background, analysis or conclusion. It is often stated and restated in different
terms.
The pyramid doesn’t consider the reader. It commands a commitment of time and energy
that few decision makers can give.
The pyramid doesn't support review. Neither reader nor writer can easily check the
relevance of the writing.
Journalists, for example use an inverted pyramid.

 The first sentence forms a brief summary of the entire article

 The first paragraph adds flesh to the first sentence
 Subsequent paragraphs give more information through increasingly unimportant details.

Readers stop reading when they have the information they need.
The Pyramids describe different paths of discovery.
Each pyramid has an appropriate place in business or executive writing.
The writer’s outline often begins with the least important and proceeds to end with most
important statements. Reporting, or communicating, however, which reflects
reader/audience listening behaviour begins with the most important statement and proceeds
to the least important.
The inverted pyramid supports review by placing a clear issue statement at the beginning of
the note. Both the writer and the reader can easily refer to ensure relevance.
The Inverted Pyramid Model is critical to most successful business writing.
The writer proceeds as follows:

 Confirm the assignment

 Identify the audience
 Draft the paper using an appropriate outline

Identify and redraft:

 The most important statement

 The most important points

Redraft as an inverted pyramid

Review for flow, grammar, punctuation, etc.
Check repeatedly for relevance
Redraft, if necessary
Send it to your audience

TEAM WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

Teams need to explicitly agree on their understanding of the assignment, the audience, and
the topic. They also need to agree from the outset on what are the most important and least
important statements/points for the writing. Teams must ensure proper team process, with
clear ground rules and fair play in order to not interfere with or delay the quality of the work.

BRIEFING NOTES
…Are the cornerstones of government decision–making.
Briefing notes come in various forms, but only one size. For example, most executive
council briefing notes are limited to one page and most ministerial briefing notes to three
pages.
In all cases, a briefing note presents the product of analysis, not the analysis.
The experience for the reader must be brief. The reader must know what is important by the
end of the first paragraph, and be formulating a decision by the end of the first page.
Using the inverted pyramid, the various parts of a briefing note must be organized from
most to least important.
A review of briefing notes carried out for a policy unit in a provincial ministry suggests that
the length of a note is typically defined by:

 the space available

 the writer’s ability to clearly and succinctly state the issue
 the writer’s ability to synthesize information
 the writer’s ability to edit

and not the complexity of the topic or the knowledge level of the audience!
BRIEFING NOTE ORGANIZATION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES
…are the cornerstone of policy documents. Executive summaries are often the only source
of information used by decision-makers to reach significant decisions.
An executive summary is not a briefing note. A briefing note is a complete report that is no
more than three pages in length. Even though they are often circulated as stand alone
documents, executive summaries always form part of a larger report. An executive
summary may be 1 to 10 pages in length. It allows a reader to decide how to act based on
the contents of an overall report.
An Executive Summary

 can summarize more than one report

 is usually less than 10% (in size) of the original document
 includes an overview of the options and all the recommendations
 is written to recommend a specific course of action
 is written for the reader who does not have the time or inclination to read the original
document

WRITING LETTERS
…A beginning, middle, and end
Start fast — Say what you want to say — then stop END (no summary)
Draft the letter, and check that you have

 said what you want to say, and answered necessary questions

 been respectful, clear, and concise, and
 not inadvertently upset any stakeholders by the letter.

TALKING TO THE MEDIA

Mary Lynn Young, UBC School of Journalism
Scientists, academics, and researchers often interpret the media and journalists to be
simplistic and superficial. Journalists generally value descriptive knowledge over empirical
data or social and hard science knowledge. They are also trained to be sceptical observers.
The media have influence and power over stakeholders that matter to researchers,
scientists, academics, and executives. The media does not necessarily set or change
opinions of readers or listeners, but it does set the agenda and influence what is seen to be
important at broad societal levels. The media can and often does have a lasting impact on
listeners and viewers.
Context is key when getting “in tune” with the media.
You must know about the journalist you are responding to, the mission and business of the
organization they work for, and the political, cultural and economic constraints the media
outlet brings to the story.
In order to benefit from media influence and get the kind of coverage you want, you must
translate your expert knowledge into relevant context and clear language.
Becoming media savvy, or gaining media “know–how”

 Get to know the work pattern of the organization

 Get to know their deadlines
 Read their strategic plan or business plan
 Be responsive to their calls
 Respect their validation processes of you and your material
 Develop comfort with and nondefensive responses to conflict
 Develop ability to overcome your self-interest in your frame
 Respect difference between interviewer and editorial role in the media.

News is not necessarily what happened but what reporters interpret to have happened.

MEDIA TIPS

 Frame your expert knowledge in a story

 Develop your key messages in easily accessible language
 Manage the interview according to your objectives
 Embrace the legitimacy of science and ideas being “put out there”
 Don’t talk if you're not ready to give information
 Provide a fact sheet, if requested
 Respond in timely fashion to media calls

Writing the thesis really starts with writing the thesis proposal. Work out the proposal in
consultation with your supervisor and supervisory committee. The proposal should include:

 an identified body of work for analysis

 a working hypothesis
 a background theory
 a methodology, organized under chapter headings
 a bibliography

The key distinction between the proposal and the thesis is that the proposal describes
something you intend to do while the thesis describes something you have done. For
example:

 In a proposal: The purpose of the research is to...

 In a thesis: The purpose of the research was to...
 In a proposal: The respondents will be interviewed...
 In a thesis: The respondents were interviewed...

STUDENT COMMENTS: WR ITING TIPS

 Remember that what you write at the beginning will almost certainly need changing.
 If you frequently suffer from writer’s block, try leaving each day’s work slightly unfinished
so you will have a sense of continuity when you come back.
 Write the introduction last...or prepare to revise it continually. You may know what you
mean at the beginning, but the words will come more easily at the end.
 Keep full bibliographical details. And never delete a reference until the final drafts! At a
later stage of the research, you may need it again.
 Have someone comment on your written style at an early stage.
 Ultimately, your thesis will be in a library. Your ideas should be accessible and clear for
future researchers, so keep your writing simple.
 Allow plenty of time for writing.
 Allow more time than you think for "packaging", such as making multiple copies of your
work, printing color figures etc. Budget ahead for copying, typing services, printer ink
cartridges, binding, etc. You will be making multiple copies of your thesis at different
stages before and after the defense. The production process can become very
expensive.
 Use quotations selectively.
 Always re-state the meaning of a quotation in your own words immediately before or
after the quotation, and explain your use or reason for using the quote.
 Label your diagrams, graphs, tables and figures properly.Each one should be self-
explanatory.
 Post a short list of critical style features next to your monitor. Get in the habit of applying
them, even in the early drafts.
 Have someone carefully read your drafts for errors, especially before submitting drafts
to your supervisor and committee members.
 Criticize, evaluate, analyze; don’t just describe.

Formatting guidelines and specifications can be found in Dissertation and Thesis

Preparation.
Check with your graduate program to find out which style manual you should use. Get the
most recent edition of the recommended style manual and read it thoroughly before you
start writing. You can save yourself a lot of time and grief by using the recommended style
from the start. Remember that rules and conventions will change over time, so don’t copy
the format used by a previous student.

STUDENT COMMENTS: THESIS STYLE

 Use the word processor’s table of contents generation feature from the start. This will
help you maintain your sanity through many revisions Include only chapter titles and
main headings within each chapter in the Table of Contents.
 Use an 11 or 12 point font for all drafts.
 Check with your program for the preferred font. Traditionally, a serif font (such as Times
New Roman) is used for theses and dissertations.
 Double-space all text, even in proposals.
 Leave large margins on all sides, so supervisors or committee members can insert
editorial marks or marginal comments in the text.
 List exact page numbers for all direct quotations. For example, see the APA or Turabian
style manuals for advice on how to cite material, and how to present quotations that
have omitted words.
 Be prepared to produce several drafts before arriving at a final version. Theses and
dissertations are serious pieces of scholarly work. You will not likely ever again have a
piece of work so thoroughly scrutinized.
 Try to make every draft look like a final draft: well-organized, carefully edited and clearly
printed. This demonstrates that care has been taken in its preparation. All drafts should
show careful attention to detail. Don’t use your supervisor as a copy editor.
 If you plan to have someone else layout your work, be sure to reach an understanding
about how much it will cost to have revision work done and new drafts printed.

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/handbook-graduate-supervision/style

Writing Tips: Thesis Statements

 Defining the Thesis Statement
 Questions to Ask When Formulating Your Thesis
Defining the Thesis Statement
What is a thesis statement?

Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message. The
argument(s) you make in your paper should reflect this main idea. The sentence that captures
your position on this main idea is what we call a thesis statement.

How long does it need to be?

A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of
your paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your thesis
statement should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and
keep your argument focused.

Questions to Ask When Formulating Your Thesis

Where is your thesis statement?

You should provide a thesis early in your essay -- in the introduction, or in longer essays in the
second paragraph -- in order to establish your position and give your reader a sense of direction.

Tip: In order to write a successful thesis statement:

 Avoid burying a great thesis statement in the middle of a paragraph or late in the paper.
 Be as clear and as specific as possible; avoid vague words.
  Indicate the point of your paper but avoid sentence structures like, “The point of my
paper is…”

Is your thesis statement specific?

Your thesis statement should be as clear and specific as possible. Normally you will continue to
refine your thesis as you revise your argument(s), so your thesis will evolve and gain definition
as you obtain a better sense of where your argument is taking you.

Tip: Check your thesis:

 Are there two large statements connected loosely by a coordinating conjunction (i.e.
"and," "but," "or," "for," "nor," "so," "yet")?
 Would a subordinating conjunction help (i.e. "through," "although," "because," "since") to
signal a relationship between the two sentences?
 Or do the two statements imply a fuzzy unfocused thesis?
 If so, settle on one single focus and then proceed with further development.

Is your thesis statement too general?

Your thesis should be limited to what can be accomplished in the specified number of pages.
Shape your topic so that you can get straight to the "meat" of it. Being specific in your paper will
be much more successful than writing about general things that do not say much. Don't settle for
three pages of just skimming the surface.

The opposite of a focused, narrow, crisp thesis is a broad, sprawling, superficial thesis. Compare
this original thesis (too general) with three possible revisions (more focused, each presenting a
different approach to the same topic):

 Original thesis:
 There are serious objections to today's horror movies.
 Revised theses:
 Because modern cinematic techniques have allowed filmmakers to get more
graphic, horror flicks have desensitized young American viewers to violence.
 The pornographic violence in "bloodbath" slasher movies degrades both men
and women.
 Today's slasher movies fail to deliver the emotional catharsis that 1930s
horror films did.

Is your thesis statement clear?

Your thesis statement is no exception to your writing: it needs to be as clear as possible. By

being as clear as possible in your thesis statement, you will make sure that your reader
understands exactly what you mean.

Tip: In order to be as clear as possible in your writing:

 Unless you're writing a technical report, avoid technical language. Always avoid jargon,
unless you are confident your audience will be familiar with it.
  Avoid vague words such as "interesting,” "negative," "exciting,” "unusual," and "difficult."
 Avoid abstract words such as "society," “values,” or “culture.”

These words tell the reader next to nothing if you do not carefully explain what you mean by
them. Never assume that the meaning of a sentence is obvious. Check to see if you need to
define your terms (”socialism," "conventional," "commercialism," "society"), and then decide on
the most appropriate place to do so. Do not assume, for example, that you have the same
understanding of what “society” means as your reader. To avoid misunderstandings, be as
specific as possible.

Compare the original thesis (not specific and clear enough) with the revised version (much more
specific and clear):

 Original thesis: Although the timber wolf is a timid and gentle animal, it is being
systematically exterminated. [if it's so timid and gentle -- why is it being
exterminated?]
 Revised thesis: Although the timber wolf is actually a timid and gentle animal, it is
being systematically exterminated because people wrongfully believe it to be a
fierce and cold-blooded killer.

Does your thesis include a comment about your position on the issue at hand?

The thesis statement should do more than merely announce the topic; it must reveal what
position you will take in relation to that topic, how you plan to analyze/evaluate the subject or
the issue. In short, instead of merely stating a general fact or resorting to a simplistic pro/con
statement, you must decide what it is you have to say.

Tips:
 Avoid merely announcing the topic; your original and specific "angle" should be clear. In
this way you will tell your reader why your take on the issue matters.
 Original thesis: In this paper, I will discuss the relationship between fairy
tales and early childhood.
 Revised thesis: Not just empty stories for kids, fairy tales shed light on the
psychology of young children.
 Avoid making universal or pro/con judgments that oversimplify complex issues.
 Original thesis: We must save the whales.
 Revised thesis: Because our planet's health may depend upon biological
diversity, we should save the whales.
 When you make a (subjective) judgment call, specify and justify your reasoning. “Just
because” is not a good reason for an argument.
 Original thesis: Socialism is the best form of government for Kenya.
 Revised thesis: If the government takes over industry in Kenya, the
industry will become more efficient.
 Avoid merely reporting a fact. Say more than what is already proven fact. Go further with
your ideas. Otherwise… why would your point matter?
 Original thesis: Hoover's administration was rocked by scandal.
 Revised thesis: The many scandals of Hoover's administration revealed
basic problems with the Republican Party's nominating process.
Do not expect to come up with a fully formulated thesis statement before you have finished
writing the paper. The thesis will inevitably change as you revise and develop your ideas—and
that is ok! Start with a tentative thesis and revise as your paper develops.

Is your thesis statement original?

Avoid, avoid, avoid generic arguments and formula statements. They work well to get a rough
draft started, but will easily bore a reader. Keep revising until the thesis reflects your real ideas.

Tip: The point you make in the paper should matter:

 Be prepared to answer “So what?” about your thesis statement.
 Be prepared to explain why the point you are making is worthy of a paper. Why should
the reader read it?

Compare the following:

 Original thesis:
 There are advantages and disadvantages to using statistics. (a fill-in-the-
blank formula)
 Revised theses:
 Careful manipulation of data allows a researcher to use statistics to support
any claim she desires.
 In order to ensure accurate reporting, journalists must understand the real
significance of the statistics they report.
 Because advertisers consciously and unconsciously manipulate data, every
consumer should learn how to evaluate statistical claims.

Avoid formula and generic words. Search for concrete subjects and active verbs, revising as
many "to be" verbs as possible. A few suggestions below show how specific word choice
sharpens and clarifies your meaning.

 Original: “Society is...” [who is this "society" and what exactly is it doing?]
 Revised: "Men and women will learn how to...," "writers can generate...,"
"television addicts may chip away at...," "American educators must decide...,"
"taxpayers and legislators alike can help fix..."
 Original: "the media"
 Revised: "the new breed of television reporters," "advertisers," "hard-hitting print
journalists," "horror flicks," "TV movies of the week," "sitcoms," "national public
radio," "Top 40 bop-til-you-drop..."
 Original: "is, are, was, to be" or "to do, to make"
 Revised: any great action verb you can concoct: "to generate," "to demolish," "to
batter," "to revolt," "to discover," "to flip," "to signify," "to endure..."

Use your own words in thesis statements; avoid quoting. Crafting an original, insightful, and
memorable thesis makes a distinct impression on a reader. You will lose credibility as a writer if
you become only a mouthpiece or a copyist; you will gain credibility by grabbing the reader with
your own ideas and words.
A well-crafted thesis statement reflects well-crafted ideas. It signals a writer who has
intelligence, commitment, and enthusiasm.

http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/writing_task_resource_list.h
tml
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/understanding_wr
iting_assignments.html
https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis
https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/beginning-academic-essay
https://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~martins/sen_sem/thesis_org.html