Asserting your claim before providing evidence

Readers in most academic situations will expect to see your claim— your thesis Definition for thesis, opens in dialog or main idea—before seeing your evidence or support Definition for support, opens in dialog for the claim. This is quite different from academic styles in some other languages, which leave the main point open to readers’ interpretations or which conclude the essay with the main idea rather than beginning with it.

If you’re not accustomed to stating a thesis before providing support, you might find it useful to outline your essays carefully before beginning to write. Consider using the following steps until you feel comfortable with the academic English style:

Outline your ideas in the method most familiar to you (for example, with the main idea or claim at the end).
Read your outline and highlight the main idea and the supporting points in your outline.
Rearrange your outline so that the main idea is at the beginning.
Use your rearranged outline as a guide when you draft your essay.

Don’t be concerned if this planning stage takes time. Remember that the planning stage of writing often takes longer than the writing stage does.

The first sample outline shows several points of support leading up to the main point in the last sentence. The revised outline shows the preferred organization for an academic English essay, with the main point stated first, followed by the evidence or support.

Sample outline: Main idea last

Revised outline: Main idea first

Note on topic sentences