An effective thesis statement can invite your readers to learn something new, suggest that they change their attitudes or beliefs, or argue that they should take action of some kind. Consider how the following thesis statements reflect these three ways of focusing a main point.

Main Point

Government, business, and nonprofit organizations should address the problem of unemployment among veterans by creating programs that prepare returning veterans for green jobs.

Thesis Statement: Asking Readers to Learn Something New

Veterans currently face higher unemployment rates than do nonveterans, and programs that prepare veterans for green jobs can help address that problem, especially when supported by government, business, and nonprofit organizations.

Thesis Statement: Asking Readers to Change Their Attitudes or Beliefs

We should view high unemployment rates among veterans not as a military problem or a veterans’ problem but as a problem that businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations can help solve by preparing veterans for green jobs.

Thesis Statement: Asking Readers to Take Action

People should support organizations and businesses that help prepare veterans for suitable jobs, particularly green jobs that benefit the environment, in order to address the problem of unemployment among veterans.

Experiment with different approaches to determine which one works best for your writing situation. The thesis statement you choose should convey your main point in a way that addresses your purpose and your readers’ needs, interests, backgrounds, and knowledge of a subject. For example, if you’re focusing on the causes of a problem, your thesis statement should identify those causes. If you’re advocating a particular solution to a problem, your thesis statement should identify that solution.