thesis meaning for english learners

Module 3: Writing Essentials

Thesis statements, learning objectives.

• Identify strong thesis statements

The thesis statement is the key to most academic writing. The purpose of academic writing is to offer your own insights, analyses, and ideas—to show not only that you understand the concepts you’re studying, but also that you have thought about those concepts in your own way and agreed or disagreed, or developed your own unique ideas as a result of your analysis. The thesis statement is the one sentence that encapsulates the result of your thinking, as it offers your main insight or argument in condensed form.

We often use the word “argument” in English courses, but we do not mean it in the traditional sense of a verbal fight with someone else. Instead, you “argue” by taking a position on an issue and supporting it with evidence. Because you’ve taken a position about your topic, someone else may be in a position to disagree (or argue) with the stance you have taken. Think about how a lawyer presents an argument or states their case in a courtroom—similarly, you want to build a case around the main idea of your essay. For example, in 1848, when Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted “The Declaration of Sentiments,” she was thinking about how to convince New York State policymakers to change the laws to allow women to vote. Stanton was making an  argument .

Some consider all writing a form of argument—or at least of persuasion. After all, even if you’re writing a letter or an informative essay, you’re implicitly trying to persuade your audience to care about what you’re saying. Your thesis statement represents the main idea—or point—about a topic or issue that you make in an argument. For example, let’s say that your topic is social media. A thesis statement about social media could look like one of the following sentences:

• Social media harms the self-esteem of American pre-teen girls.
• Social media can help connect researchers when they use hashtags to curate their work.
• Social media tools are not tools for social movements, they are marketing tools.

A basic thesis sentence has two main parts:

• Topic:  What you’re writing about
• Angle:  What your main idea is about that topic, or your claim

Example Thesis Statements

Thesis:  A regular exercise regime leads to multiple benefits, both physical and emotional.

Topic:  Regular exercise regime

Angle:  Leads to multiple benefits

Thesis:  Adult college students have different experiences than typical, younger college students.

Topic:  Adult college students

Angle:  Have different experiences

Thesis:  The economics of television have made the viewing experience challenging for many viewers because shows are not offered regularly, similar programming occurs at the same time, and commercials are rampant.

Topic:  Television viewing

Angle:  Challenging because shows shifted, similar programming, and commercials

When you read all of the thesis statements above, can you see areas where the writer could be more specific with their angle? The more specific you are with your topic and your claims, the more focused your essay will be for your reader.

Identifying the Thesis Statement

You’ll remember that the first step of the reading process, previewing ,  allows you to get a big-picture view of the document you’re reading. This way, you can begin to understand the structure of the overall text. The most important step of understanding an essay or a book is to find the thesis statement.

A thesis consists of a specific topic and an angle on the topic. All of the other ideas in the text support and develop the thesis. The thesis statement is often found in the introduction, sometimes after an initial “hook” or interesting story; sometimes, however, the thesis is not explicitly stated until the end of an essay. Sometimes it is not stated at all. In those instances, there is an implied thesis statement. You can generally extract the thesis statement by looking for a few key sentences and ideas.

Most readers expect to see the point of your argument (the thesis statement) within the first few paragraphs. This does not mean that it has to be placed there every time. Some writers place it at the very end, slowly building up to it throughout their work, to explain a point after the fact. Others don’t bother with one at all but feel that their thesis is “implied” anyway. Beginning writers, however, should avoid the implied thesis unless certain of the audience. Almost every professor will expect to see a clearly discernible thesis sentence in the introduction.

Thesis statements vary based on the rhetorical strategy of the essay. Thesis statements typically share the following characteristics:

• presents the main idea
• is one sentence
• tells the reader what to expect
• summarizes the essay topic
• presents an argument
• is written in the third person (does not include the “I” pronoun)

The following “How to Identify a Thesis Statement” video offers advice for locating a text’s thesis statement. It asks you to write one or two sentences that summarize the text. When you write that summary, without looking at the text itself, you’ve most likely paraphrased the thesis statement.

You can view the  transcript for “How to Identify the Thesis Statement” here (download).

Writing a Thesis Statement

Remember your thesis should answer two simple questions: What topic are you writing about, and what is your position, or angle, on the topic?

A thesis statement is a single sentence (or sometimes two) that provides the answers to these questions clearly and concisely. Ask yourself, “What is my paper about, exactly?” Answering this question will help you develop a precise and directed thesis, not only for your reader, but for you as well.

A good thesis statement will:

• Consist of just one interesting idea
• Be specific and written clearly
• Have evidence to support it

A good basic structure for a thesis statement is “they say, I say.” What is the prevailing view, and how does your position differ from it? However, avoid limiting the scope of your writing with an either/or thesis under the assumption that your view must be strictly contrary to their view.

Following are some typical thesis statements:

• Although many readers believe Romeo and Juliet to be a tale about the ill fate of two star-crossed lovers, it can also be read as an allegory concerning a playwright and his audience.
• The “War on Drugs” has not only failed to reduce the frequency of drug-related crimes in America but actually enhanced the popular image of dope peddlers by romanticizing them as desperate rebels fighting for a cause.
• The bulk of modern copyright law was conceived in the age of commercial printing, long before the Internet made it so easy for the public to compose and distribute its own texts. Therefore, these laws should be reviewed and revised to better accommodate modern readers and writers.
• The usual moral justification for capital punishment is that it deters crime by frightening would-be criminals. However, the statistics tell a different story.
• If students really want to improve their writing, they must read often, practice writing, and receive quality feedback from their peers.
• Plato’s dialectical method has much to offer those engaged in online writing, which is far more conversational in nature than print.

Thesis Problems to Avoid

Although you have creative control over your thesis sentence, you still should try to avoid the following problems, not for stylistic reasons, but because they indicate a problem in the thinking that underlies the thesis sentence.

• For example, look at the thesis: Hospice workers need support. This is a thesis sentence; it has a topic (hospice workers) and an angle (need support). But the angle is very broad. When the angle in a thesis sentence is too broad, the writer may not have carefully thought through the specific support for the rest of the writing. A thesis angle that’s too broad makes it easy to fall into the trap of offering information that deviates from that angle.
• Consider this thesis: Hospice workers have a 55% turnover rate compared to the general health care population’s 25% turnover rate.  This sentence really isn’t a thesis sentence at all, because there’s no angle idea to support. A narrow statistic, or a narrow statement of fact, doesn’t offer the writer’s own ideas or analysis about a topic. A clearer example of a thesis statement with an angle of development would be the following:

Practice identifying strong thesis statements in the following interactive.

argument : in writing, the argument is the main stance, claim, or position that is supported with evidence

explicit thesis : a clear and direct statement of the writer’s claim

thesis statement : a statement of the topic of the piece of writing and the angle the writer has on that topic

• Modification, adaptation, and original content. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Annotating an Essay or Book. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/orc/what-to-do-while-reading/annotating/annotating-an-essay-or-book/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Checklist for a Thesis Statement. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/esl-wow/getting-ready-to-write/developing-a-thesis/esl-checklist-for-a-thesis-statement/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Judging Thesis Statements. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/esl-wow/getting-ready-to-write/developing-a-thesis/esl-judging-thesis-statements/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Research Writing and Argument. Authored by : Pavel Zemliansky. Located at : https://learn.saylor.org/mod/page/view.php?id=7163 . Project : Methods of Discovery: A Guide to Research Writing. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Parts of a Thesis Sentence and Common Problems. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/thesis-sentence/thesis-sentence-angles/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Argument in College Writing. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/argument-in-college-writing/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• How to Identify the Thesis Statement. Authored by : Martha Ann Kennedy. Located at : https://youtu.be/di1cQgc1akg . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

The ‘Science of Reading’ and English-Language Learners: What the Research Says

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As more states and districts are embracing the “science of reading,” some educators and advocates have raised the question: Will these methods work for English-language learners?

The “science of reading” has become shorthand in some literacy circles for approaches to early reading instruction that emphasize explicit, systematic teaching.

Its proponents favor structured, sequential instruction in foundational reading skills for beginning readers, such as learning letter sounds and sounding out words. Most also oppose the use of leveled reading systems, which aim to match students with a “just-right” text—an approach that many researchers say can trap struggling readers in simplistic books , preventing them from developing the vocabulary and content knowledge that would support them in tackling grade-level work.

Over the past five years, at least 17 states have passed legislation enshrining the “science of reading” into law , in hopes that policy changes will move instructional practice in the classroom. These laws have and will continue to shape instruction for millions of students—including English-language learners, who represent one in 10 students in the United States.

Some researchers and ELL experts say that’s a problem. The National Committee for Effective Literacy, a new advocacy organization formed this year, has argued that states that have taken up these initiatives have narrowed literacy instruction to “a few foundational reading skills” that fail to meet the needs of English learners.

The group’s aim, said Martha Hernandez, an NCEL member and the executive director of Californians Together, is to “ensure that the research and policies and practices that address English learner and emergent bilinguals were spotlighted, and are part of the national literacy conversation.”

Other early literacy researchers, though, have said that NCEL is misrepresenting some of the changes that states and districts are making to their reading teaching methods—and that a lot of the strategies that work for native English speakers can be effective for English learners, too.

So what are these areas of overlap, and where do English learners need something different?

Education Week spoke with researchers who study early literacy development in ELLs to compile this short overview of the research. For more on this issue, and how it’s shaping reading teaching for English learners, see this story .

What do school systems mean when they say the “science of reading”?

Written English is a code. For students to be able to understand words on the page, they need to crack that code: They need to know which letters make which sounds. Decades of research has shown that explicitly teaching students to recognize the sounds in words and to match those sounds to letters—teaching phonemic awareness and phonics—is the most effective way to ensure that kids are able to read words.

But as Education Week and other outlets have reported , many schools underemphasize these skills in reading lessons, and some teach other, disproven methods for identifying words.

States that have recently passed laws aiming to improve reading instruction have mandated that teachers be trained in delivering this kind of foundational skills instruction, or that schools use materials and assessments that support it.

Some ban other methods for word identification, like cueing, an approach that encourages students to rely on multiple sources of information, like pictures and sentence structure, to predict what words say, rather than just relying on the letters. Some research has shown that this strategy can take students’ focus away from the letters on the page , lowering the chances that they apply their phonics knowledge.

Systematic, explicit instruction in letters and sounds is crucial for beginning readers, especially those with dyslexia or phonological processing problems, said Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, a bilingual speech-language pathologist and an associate research professor at the University of Houston.

Still, she said, “phonology and phonics are one piece of the puzzle. It’s not everything that literacy is about.”

Teachers need to help students develop a host of early literacy skills, like their ability to express themselves through spoken language, their ability to understand what others are saying to them, and their vocabulary, Cárdenas-Hagan said. Students should have opportunities for practice that integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing, she added.

While these new state laws mandate certain approaches to foundational skills instruction, they direct schools to prioritize other reading skills, too. Many cite the five components of reading studied in the National Reading Panel in 2000—instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.

Even so, critics of these laws worry that a more comprehensive focus will be lost in their implementation, and that school systems will be incentivized to double down on foundational skills instruction at the expense of all else.

“When it hits the classroom, when it hits district administration, that’s what they look for, that’s what they assess,” said Laurie Olsen, an NCEL member and the board president of Californians Together.

This is a reasonable concern, said Claude Goldenberg, a professor emeritus at Stanford University who studies early literacy development in English-language learners. Goldenberg and several co-contributors, including Cárdenas-Hagan, wrote a response to a recent paper and webinar from NCEL, refuting their claim that “science of reading” advocates are pushing a phonics-only approach to reading instruction.

Still, he said, new state laws often don’t specify how much time to spend on different reading skills or how to teach them—nor should they, Goldenberg said: “You can’t expect legislation to be curriculum guides.” That means, though, that these laws’ success or failure lies in implementation, he said.

Does this research apply to English-language learners, too?

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Education convened the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, tasking it with reviewing the research on best practices for literacy development among ELLs.

The panel’s report, published in 2006, found that a lot of what works for kids whose first language is English is also effective for kids who speak a different language at home. Instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension—the five components of reading studied in the National Reading Panel a few years earlier—all had “clear benefits” for ELLs.

But the literature also showed that instruction was most effective when it was tailored to ELLs’ specific needs and unique founts of knowledge. And crucially, kids learning English needed more instruction in oral English proficiency than their peers: things like vocabulary knowledge, listening comprehension, and syntax.

The panel found that schools weren’t supporting students enough in these areas, and more recent research finds that schools still aren’t doing enough to help ELLs develop academic language in English.

With these students, teachers need to discuss the meaning of words constantly—even shorter, simpler words that teachers might not treat as vocabulary words with native English speakers, said Cárdenas-Hagan. In working with students who are learning how to speak a new language, teachers need to be purposeful about developing vocabulary and oral language skills in every lesson.

In part, this is so that students can understand that the words they’re sounding out have meaning, said Kathy Escamilla, a professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder and an NCEL member. She gave the example of a 1st grade class, where a teacher might ask students to clap out how many sounds are in the word “sofa.”

Native English speakers would know that word, but other students might not. If the teacher doesn’t help English learners understand the meaning, then it’s harder for students to make the connection that these sounds represent word parts, Escamilla said.

And there are other reasons why English learners might need teachers to pay more attention to vocabulary instruction. A word like “run,” for example, has multiple meanings in English: You can run a race, but you can also run your finger down a list, or run a computer program. Discussing those multiple meanings as students encounter these words in phonics lessons is a key part of vocabulary instruction for English learners, Cárdenas-Hagan said.

Teachers need to build students’ oral vocabulary beyond these words, too, so that they’re prepared for the more challenging texts they’ll encounter after the earliest grades, said Goldenberg. This is important for all students, but especially so for English learners.

“If the only English-language development that kids are getting in K, 1, 2 are the words they’re learning to read, that is an impoverished ELD curriculum,” he said.

Research on interventions for Spanish-speaking students who are at risk of reading difficulties has found that successful approaches combine both instruction in the five components of reading identified in the National Reading Panel report, and additional support in developing spoken language skills in English from trained bilingual intervention teachers.

What if students are in bilingual programs and learning to read in two languages?

English learners aren’t blank slates. They come into schools with language—and often literacy—skills from the language they speak at home. These skills can support them in developing proficiency in English.

Many research reviews have found that teaching students to read in their first language helped kids become better readers in English , too. It can also be beneficial for students’ social and cultural development.

Bilingual education is evidence-based. But it’s also politically controversial in many places. Until recently, 40 percent of the nation’s ELLs lived in states under English-only laws , which prohibited English learners from being taught in their home language as well as English; only one state, Arizona, still has this type of law on the books.

The number of dual-language programs in the United States is growing , but there’s still a shortage of certified bilingual teachers—and, as Education Week has reported, English learners often face competition for spots in these programs from affluent, native English-speaking parents who are increasingly seeking out bilingual education for their children.

In its position paper, NCEL outlined best practices for English learners in dual-language programs. Good teaching in a bilingual setting isn’t just “repeating the same thing in two languages,” they write.

It requires “coordinated and aligned” literacy teaching, with a scope and sequence that makes sense in each language. Students should have access to high-quality materials and assessments in both languages, as well as opportunities to write, have conversations, and deliver presentations in both.

And importantly, they write, dual language programs should celebrate diversity, “including learning about the benefits of bilingualism and explicit efforts to equalize the status of ‘minoritized’ languages.”

Despite this evidence base, the majority of English learners are not served in bilingual settings, said Cárdenas-Hagan. She said it’s important for educators to get training in instructional strategies that can support ELLs in English as a second language programs. (For more on this subject, see this story ).

But Escamilla says the two goals aren’t mutually exclusive. “While it is true that most of the kids who are labeled as English learners are in English programs, that does not mean that we shouldn’t advocate or push for the development of bilingual programs.”

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Home > College, Department, or Program > CALE > English > TESL Theses

Teaching English as a Second Language Masters Thesis Collection

Theses/dissertations from 2020 2020.

Teaching in hagwons in South Korea: a novice English teacher’s autoethnography , Brittany Courser

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

“Racism doesn’t exist anymore, so why are we talking about this?”: An action research proposal of culturally responsive teaching for critical literacy in democratic education , Natalie Marie Giles

Stylistic imitation as an English-teaching technique : pre-service teachers’ responses to training and practice , Min Yi Liang

Telling stories and contextualizing lived experiences in the Cuban heritage language and culture: an autoethnography about transculturation , Tatiana Senechal

“This is the oppressor’s language, yet I need it to talk to you”: a critical examination of translanguaging in Russian speakers at the university level , Nora Vralsted

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Multimodal Approaches to Literacy and Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the University Level , Ghader Alahmadi

Educating Saudi Women through Communicative Language Teaching: A Bi-literacy Narrative and An Autoethnography of a Saudi English Teacher , Eiman Alamri

The value of journaling on multimodal materials: a literacy narrative and autoethnography of an experienced Saudi high school English teacher , Ibrahim Alamri

Strategic Contemplation as One Saudi Mother’s Way Of Reflecting on Her Children’s Learning Only English in the United States: An Autoethnography and Multiple Case Study of Multilingual Writers at the College Level , Razan Alansari

“If you wanted me to speak your language then you should have stayed in your country”: a critical ethnography of linguistic identity and resiliency in the life of an Afghan refugee , Logan M. Amstadter

Comparing literate and oral cultures with a view to improving understanding of students from oral traditions: an autoethnographic approach , Carol Lee Anderson

Practical recommendations for composition instructors based on a review of the literature surrounding ESL and identity , Patrick Cornwall

One size does not fit all: exploring online-language-learning challenges and benefits for advanced English Language Learners , Renee Kenney

Understanding the potential effects of trauma on refugees’ language learning processes , Charis E. Ketcham

Let's enjoy teaching life: an autoethnography of a novice ESL teacher's two years of teaching English in a private girls' secondary school in Japan , Danielle Nozaka

Developing an ESP curriculum on tourism and agribusiness for a rural school in Nicaragua: a retrospective diary , Stan Pichinevskiy

A Literacy Narrative of a Female Saudi English Teacher and A Qualitative Case Study: 12 Multilingual Writers Identify Challenges and Benefits of Daily Writing in a College Composition Class , Ghassoon Rezzig

Proposed: Technical Communicators Collaborating with Educators to Develop a Better EFL Curriculum for Ecuadorian Universities , Daniel Jack Williamson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

BELL HOOKS’ “ENACTMENT OF NON-DOMINATION” IN THE “PRACTICE OF SPEAKING IN A LOVING AND CARING MANNER”: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHY OF A SAUDI “WIDOW’S SON” , Braik Aldoshan

WHEN SPIRITUALITY AND PEDAGOGY COLLIDE: ACKNOWLEDGING RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND VALUES IN THE ESL CLASSROOM , Carli T. Cumpston

HERITAGE LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE: A MEXICAN AMERICAN MOTHER’S SUCCESS WITH RAISING BILINGUAL CHILDREN , Maria E. Estrada-Loehne

TEACHING THE BIOGRAPHY OF PEARL S. BUCK: DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE READING STRATEGIES FOR MULTILINGUAL WRITERS , Nichole S. La Torre

An Autoethnography of a Novice ESL Teacher: Plato’s Cave and English Language Teaching in Japan , Kevin Lemberger

INQUIRY-BASED PHILOSOPHICAL DIALOGUE FOR ESL COLLEGE COMPOSITION AND FOR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS , Aiko Nagabuchi

A TRIPLE CASE STUDY OF TWO SAUDI AND ONE ITALIAN LANGUAGE LEARNERS' SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF TARGET LANGUAGE (TL) SPEAKING PROFICIENCY , Jena M. Robinson

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

"I am from Epifania and Tomas": an autoethnography and bi-literacy narrative of a Mexican American orchard workers' daughter , Brenda Lorena Aguilar

Technology use in young English language learners: a survey of Saudi parents studying in the United States , Hamza Aljunaidalsayed

Bilingualism of Arab children in the U.S.: a survey of parents and teachers , Omnia Alofii

College-level ELLs in two English composition courses: the transition from ESL to the mainstream , Andrew J. Copley

Increasing multimedia literacy in composition for multilingual writers: a case study of art analysis , Sony Nicole De Paula

Multilingual writers' unintentional plagiarism: action research in college composition , Jacqueline D. Gullon

Games for vocabulary enrichment: teaching multilingual writers at the college level , Jennifer Hawkins

Identifying as author: exploring the pedagogical basis for assisting diverse students to discover their identities through creatively defined literacy narratives , Amber D. Pullen

Saltine box full of dreams: one Mexican immigrant woman's journey to academic success , Adriana C. Sanchez

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Teaching the biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder: fostering a media literacy approach for multilingual writers , Kelly G. Hansen

Implementing a modified intercultural competency curriculum in an integrated English 101 classroom , Kathryn C. Hedberg

"Don't wake me, my desk is far too comfortable": an autoethnography of a novice ESL teacher's first year of teaching in Japan , Delaney Holland

ESL ABE, VESL, and bell hooks' Democratic education: a case study of four experienced ESL instructors , Michael E. Johnson

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Using Media to Teach Grammar in Context and UNESCO Values: A Case Study of Two English Teachers and Students from Saudi Arabia , Sultan Albalawi

A Double Case Study of Latino College Presidents: What Younger Generations Can Learn From Them , Sara Aymerich Leiva

WRITTEN CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK IN THE L2 WRITING CLASSROOM , Daniel Ducken

Academic Reading and Writing at the College Level: Action Research in a Classroom of a homogeneous Group of Male Students from Saudi Arabia , Margaret Mount

Reflections on Teaching and Host Mothering Chinese Secondary Students: A Novice ESL Teacher’s Diary Study and Autoethnography , Diane Thames

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Peer editing in composition for multilingual writers at the college level , Benjamin J. Bertrand

Educating Ana: a retrospective diary study of pre-literate refugee students , Renee Black

Social pressure to speak English and the effect of English language learning for ESL composition students in higher education , Trevor Duston

Poetry in translation to teach ESL composition at the college level , Peter M. Lacey

Using media to teach a biography of Lincoln and Douglass: a case study of teaching ESL listening & viewing in college composition , Pui Hong Leung

Learning how to learn: teaching preliterate and nonliterate learners of English , Jennifer L. Semb

Non-cognitive factors in second language acquisition and language variety: a single case study of a Saudi male English for academic purposes student in the United States , Nicholas Stephens

Teaching English in the Philippines: a diary study of a novice ESL teacher , Jeffrey Lee Svoboda

ARABIC RHETORIC: MAIN IDEA, DEVELOPMENT, PARALLELISM, AND WORD REPETITION , Melissa Van De Wege

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Video games and interactive technology in the ESL classroom , Melody Anderson

English as a second language learners and spelling performance in university multilingual writers , Nada Yousef Asiri

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Plural of Thesis: A Quick Guide for English Learners

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: October 11, 2023

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Do you know the plural of thesis? Understanding the correct plural of thesis is important not only for academic writing, but for general communication as well. Whether you’re discussing multiple research papers or simply trying to sound knowledgeable in a conversation, using the correct plural form can help you make a good impression and avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.

Plural of Thesis

Definition and Plural of Thesis

When writing a research paper or dissertation, the central argument or main point is known as a thesis. A thesis is a statement or proposition that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. It is a crucial element of academic writing and is often required for a degree or certification.

The plural of thesis is “theses.” In English, most nouns form the plural by adding an “s” at the end. However, “thesis” is one of the few exceptions to this rule. The word “thesis” has a Greek root, and “theses” is how it is pluralized in that original language.

It is important to note that “theses” is the only way to make the noun “thesis” plural. There is no alternative form of the plural for this word.

In academic writing, the plural form “theses” is commonly used when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations. For example, “I have read several theses on this topic, and they all have different viewpoints.”

When to Use Thesis and Its Plural Form

When writing academic papers or conducting research, it is important to understand when to use the word “thesis” and its plural form, “theses.” Here are some guidelines to help you use these words correctly:

• Use “thesis” when referring to a single research paper or dissertation that presents a specific argument or viewpoint.
• Use “theses” when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations.
• Remember that “thesis” is a singular noun and “theses” is its plural form.
• Be aware that “thesis” has a Greek root and follows the same pluralization rule as other Greek words ending in “-is,” such as “crisis” and “analysis.” They become “crises” and “analyses,” respectively.
• Keep in mind that “thesis” can also refer to a statement or proposition that is put forward for consideration or discussion. In this case, the plural form would be “theses.”
• When citing multiple theses in a paper, use “theses” to indicate the plurality. For example, “The theses presented in this paper all support the idea that…”

Examples of Thesis and Its Plural Form in Sentences

If you are wondering how to use the word “thesis” in a sentence, here are a few examples:

• Your thesis statement should be clear and concise.
• The professor asked us to submit our theses by the end of the semester.
• The thesis of the article is that climate change is caused by human activity.
• She spent months researching and writing her thesis on the history of feminism .
• The committee was impressed by the depth and originality of his thesis.

As you can see, “thesis” is used to refer to a statement or argument put forth by a writer or speaker, as well as a research paper written by a student to earn a degree.

Now, let’s take a look at the plural form of “thesis.” According to Grammar Monster, the only correct way to form the plural of “thesis” is “theses.” Here are some examples of how to use “theses” in a sentence:

• The library has a collection of theses written by graduate students.
• The professor asked us to read several theses on the topic before starting our own research.
• The theses presented at the conference covered a wide range of topics.
• The committee was impressed by the quality and originality of the theses submitted.

Plural Noun Rules for Regular Nouns

When forming the plural of regular nouns, there are some standard rules to follow. These rules apply to most English nouns, including “thesis.” Here are the basic guidelines:

• For most singular nouns, simply add an “-s” to the end to form the plural. For example, “book” becomes “books,” “car” becomes “cars,” and “house” becomes “houses.”
• If the singular noun ends in “-s,” “-x,” “-z,” “-ch,” or “-sh,” add “-es” to form the plural. For example, “bus” becomes “buses,” “box” becomes “boxes,” “buzz” becomes “buzzes,” “church” becomes “churches,” and “dish” becomes “dishes.”
• If the singular noun ends in a consonant followed by “-y,” change the “-y” to “-ies” to form the plural. For example, “city” becomes “cities,” “baby” becomes “babies,” and “story” becomes “stories.”
• If the singular noun ends in a vowel followed by “-y,” simply add an “-s” to form the plural. For example, “boy” becomes “boys,” “key” becomes “keys,” and “day” becomes “days.”

It’s important to note that there are some irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules. For example, “child” becomes “children,” “foot” becomes “feet,” and “tooth” becomes “teeth.” However, “thesis” is a regular noun, so it follows the standard rules for forming the plural.

Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns in English, there are some general rules that apply to most words. However, there are also many irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules and have unique plural forms. In this section, we’ll go over some common irregular plural nouns and the rules for forming their plurals.

List of Common Irregular Plural Nouns

Here are some examples of irregular plural nouns that you may come across:

Nouns that End in Us

Nouns that end in “us” often have a plural form that ends in “i”. For example:

Nouns that End in Is

Nouns that end in “is” may have a plural form that ends in “es”. For example:

Nouns that End in On

Nouns that end in “on” may have a plural form that ends in “a”. For example:

Plurals That Are the Same as Singulars

Some nouns have the same form for both the singular and plural. For example:

Words That Look Like Plural Nouns but Are Singular Nouns

Some words may look like plural nouns but are actually singular nouns. For example:

Collective Nouns and List

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, collective nouns can be a bit tricky. A collective noun refers to a group of people or things as a single entity. For example, “team” is a collective noun because it refers to a group of individuals working together towards a common goal.

The challenge with collective nouns is deciding whether to treat them as singular or plural. In American English, collective nouns are usually treated as singular, while in British English, they can be treated as either singular or plural depending on the context.

Here are some examples of collective nouns and how they can be treated in different contexts:

As you can see, the choice of whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on whether you are referring to the group as a single entity or as individuals within the group.

When it comes to forming the plural of collective nouns, the same rules apply as for regular nouns. For example, the plural of “team” is “teams”, and the plural of “family” is “families”.

Plural Nouns vs. Possessive Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are standard rules that apply to most words in the English language. However, there are some exceptions, such as the word “thesis.” The plural of “thesis” is “theses,” and this is the only correct way to form the plural of this word.

On the other hand, when it comes to forming possessive nouns, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Here are some key points to remember:

• For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “the thesis’s conclusion” means the conclusion belonging to the thesis.
• For plural nouns that end in “s,” add only an apostrophe to show possession. For example, “the theses’ conclusions” means the conclusions belonging to the theses.
• For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “women’s rights” means the rights belonging to women.

It’s important to note that possessive nouns should not be confused with plural nouns. While they may look similar, they serve different grammatical functions. Possessive nouns show ownership or possession, while plural nouns simply refer to more than one of something.

Common Mistakes with Plural Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are some common mistakes that are made. Here are a few things to keep in mind when forming the plural of the word “thesis” and other nouns:

Adding an Apostrophe

One common mistake is adding an apostrophe to a noun to make it plural. For example, “the thesis’s” instead of “the theses.” This is incorrect and should be avoided.

Irregular Plurals

Some nouns have irregular plurals that do not follow the standard rules. For example, “child” becomes “children” and “goose” becomes “geese.” It is important to learn these irregular plurals to avoid mistakes.

Confusion over Plurals

Some nouns, like “thesis,” can cause confusion over their plural form. “Theses” is the only correct way to make “thesis” plural. Other words that end in “-is” may also have irregular plurals, such as “crisis” becoming “crises.”

Using Incorrect Count Nouns

It is important to use the correct count nouns when referring to multiple instances of something. For example, “studies” instead of “researches,” and “pieces of evidence” instead of “evidences.” Using the incorrect count noun can make your writing sound awkward or confusing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct plural form of ‘thesis’?

The correct plural form of ‘thesis’ is ‘theses.’ It is an irregular plural noun that does not follow the typical -s/-es suffix used for regular plural nouns.

How is ‘thesis’ used in a sentence?

‘Thesis’ refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. An example sentence would be: “Her thesis on the effects of climate change was well-researched and presented.”

What is the origin of the word ‘thesis’?

The word ‘thesis’ comes from the Greek word ‘tithenai,’ which means ‘to place’ or ‘to put.’ In academia, it refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

What is the difference between ‘thesis’ and ‘theses’?

‘Thesis’ is the singular form of the word, while ‘theses’ is the plural form. ‘Thesis’ refers to a single statement or theory, while ‘theses’ refers to multiple statements or theories.

The plural of thesis is the word 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you pluralize thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To pluralize 'thesis', you simply add 'es' to the end of the word. This is because 'thesis' ends in 'is', which is a singular noun ending.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the plural of thesis 'theses'?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Yes, the plural of thesis is 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the irregular plural form of thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

'Theses' is not an irregular plural form of thesis. It is a regular plural form.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some examples of irregular plural nouns?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some examples of irregular plural nouns include 'child' (children), 'tooth' (teeth), and 'foot' (feet).

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is, you simply change the 'is' to 'es'. For example, the plural of 'thesis' is 'theses', and the plural of 'analysis' is 'analyses'.

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Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
• build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
• develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework/an algorithm
• advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
• explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
• make a prediction/an inference
• base a prediction/your calculations on something
• investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
• design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
• do research/an experiment/an analysis
• make observations/calculations
• take/record measurements
• carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
• run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
• repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
• replicate a study/the results/the findings
• observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behavior
• fund/support the research/project/study
• seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
• collect/gather/extract data/information
• yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
• analyze/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
• consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
• fit the data/model
• confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
• prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
• draw/make/reach the same conclusions
• read/review the records/literature
• describe/report an experiment/a study
• present/publish/summarize the results/findings
• present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal

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Comprehensibility and the acoustic contrast between tense and lax vowels in the Mandarin-accented English speech

Comprehensibility refers to the degree of effort that a listener requires to understand a speaker’s utterance (Derwing & Munro, 1997; Munro & Derwing, 1995; Derwing & Munro, 2005). Previous studies on L2 pronunciation have found that segmental errors could affect comprehensibility (Derwing et al., 1998; Derwing & Munro, 1997; Isaacs & Thomson, 2020; Saito et al., 2017). However, this finding only indicates a correlation between the number of segmental errors and lower comprehensibility. It is still unclear what aspects of pronunciation L2 learners need to practice in order to improve the comprehensibility of their speech. This thesis proposes that the degree of acoustic contrast may play a role in determining comprehensibility. More specifically, it investigates the relation between Mandarin speakers’ acoustic contrast between tense and lax vowels in English (i.e., [i] and [ɪ], [u] and [ʊ]) and the perceived comprehensibility of their speech.

A sentence production task and a comprehensibility rating task were conducted. In the sentence production task, 20 Mandarin speakers and 10 English speakers read aloud English sentences containing tense and lax vowels and were audio-recorded. The acoustic measurements of the vowels were taken in order to compare Mandarin speakers’ acoustic realization of the tense and lax vowels with English speakers’ productions. In the comprehensibility rating task, 48 English speakers transcribed the sentences recorded during the sentence production task and rated the comprehensibility of the sentences. The comprehensibility ratings were tested for correlation with the number of transcription errors, the degree of spectral and durational contrasts between vowels, and the speakers’ US residency length, in order to investigate the relation between intelligibility errors and comprehensibility, between acoustic contrast and comprehensibility, and between US residency length and comprehensibility.

The results of the linear-mixed effect model indicated that spectral contrast between [u] - [ʊ], but not [i] - [ɪ], was significantly reduced in Mandarin speakers’ productions compared to the English speakers, suggesting that Mandarin speakers under-differentiated the back vowel pair. A correlation test using Kendall’s tau indicated a significant negative correlation between number of intelligibility errors and comprehensibility, suggesting that intelligibility errors decreased comprehensibility. A correlation test using Kendall’s tau indicated a significant positive correlation between the degree of spectral contrast and comprehensibility rating for sentences with semantically meaningful context, suggesting that increasing the contrast between tense and lax vowels could help increase the comprehensibility of speech. Finally, a correlation test using Kendall’s tau indicated no significant correlation between US residency length and comprehensibility, meaning that the relation between residency length and comprehensibility was not confirmed.

To sum up, acoustic contrast could be one of the contributors to speech comprehensibility. Therefore, directing English L2 learners to focus on increasing the acoustic distance between contrasting vowels could prove a fruitful strategy for improving the comprehensibility of L2 speech.

Degree Type

• Master of Arts
• Linguistics

Campus location

• West Lafayette

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

Additional committee member 2, additional committee member 3, usage metrics.

• Phonetics and speech science