A thesis that is too broad is impossible to support fully in a short essay: There is just too much to cover well. A thesis that is too narrow does not give you enough to write a whole essay on.
| TOO BROAD | The Industrial Revolution was important in this country. [The Industrial Revolution is too broad to cover in an essay.] |
| REVISED | During the Industrial Revolution, women workers in the textile industry played an important role in Lowell, Massachusetts. |
A thesis that is too narrow leaves the writer with little to show, explain, or prove. It can also make the reader think, “So what?”
| TOO NARROW | I tweeted this morning. |
| REVISED | Tweeting connects me to other people and their ideas. |