Thesis Statements
The clarification helps the reader better understand the purpose of your writing.
Focusing a Paper
Focusing a paper can be a trying job, but it is of the utmost importance.
Look at it this way: if your topic is too broad, you end up skimming along the surface of
your subject matter, saying a few uninteresting ideas. For instance—how can you really
write about Frank Lloyd Wright or sustainable design in a 35 page paper? You can’t.
You can, however, write about an aspect of these topics.
Select a line of inquiry and make that the real subject of your paper. If you have selected
sustainable design, you are begging to be overwhelmed by information. So narrow it
down. Perhaps conservation of energy interests you. That is a start, but it’s still very
broad. Maybe narrow it down to solar power. Better, but again, a lot of possible
directions you could go. However, maybe you do a bit of research and discover several
homes that utilize solar panels. If this strikes your fancy, your paper can be about the
residential use of solar power. (And you could even focus down from there.)
A good rule of thumb to follow here is to say more about less. Go into more depth
about a narrower topic rather than skimming along the surface. Your instructor will
probably enjoy the paper more (and you probably will as well).
An added benefit of narrowing your topic is that it can make research a lot easier. If you
have selected sustainable design as a topic, that covers a lot of information and a lot of
resources, but narrowing it to residential solar use makes the research load much more
manageable. It is easier to see where you have to look, which can save you hours of
paging through unnecessary texts.
If you ever need any help in finding a paper’s focus, Writing Consultants are available to
help you talk out your idea. Sometimes taking 15 minutes to bounce your ideas off of
someone can save you hours of library time. To schedule an appointment, call 617-585-
0174 or send an email to writingcenter@the-bac.edu.
Types of Theses
Open Thesis: A thesis that tells the reader only your position on a topic.
Boston is a better city than New York.