Page 108 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Focus on Building a Framework:

Finding Direction in Your Writing

The picture shows a sextant, a navigational instrument
invented by Isaac Newton around the turn of the eighteenth

century. This tool allowed sailors to measure a star against the

horizon to gauge where their ship was on a nautical chart.

Without a sextant, sailors had to use what they knew of the

ocean, land, and stars and hope for the best. With sextants,
sailors had a much better idea where they were and how to get

where they were going.

A thesis statement functions much like a sextant: It provides
direction to your readers so that they will know where your

essay is going. Without a thesis, both you and your readers

may feel lost in a vast ocean of words. An effective thesis

statement will ensure smooth sailing for your readers as you

guide them through your essay.