A thesis is a proposition maintained by argument. It is the claim that an argument is trying to support. In a dialectic, the thesis is the starting position, which is then challenged by the antithesis. In academic writing, a thesis is the central claim of an essay or dissertation. It is not a topic. It is a statement that can be defended or refuted. A thesis should be clear, specific, and arguable. If no one could disagree with it, it is not a thesis. If it is too vague to be tested, it is not a thesis.

The term comes from the Greek tithenai, meaning to place or put forward. In logic, a thesis is a premise that is assumed or asserted. In Hegelian dialectic, the thesis is the first moment of a process that moves through contradiction to a higher unity. In rhetoric, the thesis is the proposition that the speaker or writer seeks to establish. A thesis is not the same as a hypothesis, which is a testable prediction. A hypothesis is checked against evidence. A thesis is defended by argument. Both are claims, but they serve different purposes. A thesis can be true or false. What matters is whether it is supported by reasons.

Features of a thesis

• Clear. Stated in precise language.
• Specific. Focused on a particular claim.
• Arguable. Open to disagreement.
• Supportable. Backed by evidence and reasoning.

A thesis is not a summary. It is a claim that requires defense.