A weak thesis dooms an essay before the introduction lands — “this paper will explore the importance of X” is a topic, not a claim, and no amount of paragraph polish can save what isn’t trying to argue anything. These prompts force a debatable claim, a clear stance, a narrow-enough scope to defend in the word count, and a built-in awareness of the strongest counter so your essay is set up to defend something real. Pair with the argument strengthening prompts once the thesis is sharp enough to be worth defending paragraph by paragraph.
Best for
- College essays
- Persuasive writing
- Op-eds
- Position papers
- Long-form blog posts
1. From-topic-to-thesis converter
I want to write about "{topic}". Generate 5 candidate thesis statements with different angles: causal, comparative, evaluative, prescriptive, contrarian. Each must be debatable, not factual.2. Sharpen-the-thesis pass
My current thesis: "{thesis}". Pressure-test it: is it (a) debatable, (b) narrow enough to defend in {word count}, (c) clear in stance, (d) free of hedging? Rewrite 3 sharper versions.3. Counter-thesis generator
Below is my thesis: "{thesis}". Write the strongest possible counter-thesis. Then write 2 sentences on how a smart skeptic would defend the counter-thesis. Use this to stress-test my own.4. So-what test
My thesis: "{thesis}". Apply the "so what?" test. If my thesis is true, what changes for the reader? If "nothing", rewrite with stakes.5. Narrow-the-scope rewrite
My thesis is too broad: "{thesis}". Help me narrow it 3 different ways: by population, by time period, by mechanism. Pick the narrowing that produces the most testable claim.6. Three-supporting-arguments scaffold
My thesis: "{thesis}". Generate the 3 strongest supporting arguments. For each: the claim, 1 piece of evidence, and where in the essay it should appear.7. Argumentative-vs-expository check
Is my thesis "{thesis}" argumentative or expository? If expository (just describing), rewrite it as argumentative (taking a stance). Show before/after.8. Concession-aware thesis
Rewrite my thesis to include a built-in concession: "Although {opposing view has merit}, {my position}." Use thesis: "{thesis}". Make sure the concession is real, not strawman.9. Prescriptive (policy) thesis
I want a policy-prescriptive thesis on "{topic}". Generate 4 candidates of the form: "X should do Y because Z, despite W." Mark which is most defensible in {word count}.10. Comparative thesis
I want to argue that {A} is better than {B} for {criterion}. Generate 3 thesis variants. The strongest one should: (a) name the criterion specifically, (b) acknowledge B's strengths, (c) name the conditions.11. Historical / causal thesis
I want to argue that {event A} caused {outcome B}. Generate 3 thesis variants that handle competing causes honestly. The strongest one should: name the primary cause, acknowledge contributing causes, and specify the mechanism.12. Discovering-the-thesis from a draft
Below is my essay draft. I am not sure what my thesis actually is. Extract the strongest implicit claim, name it as a 1-sentence thesis, and identify which parts of the draft support it.
{paste draft}13. Pressure-test by professor
My thesis: "{thesis}". Pretend you are a skeptical professor in {field}. Find the 3 weakest spots and the 3 questions you would ask in office hours. Help me preempt them.Common mistakes
- Hedging language (“I will explore”, “tries to consider”)
- Thesis is factual, not debatable
- Too broad to defend
- No awareness of counter-argument
- Stating the topic instead of taking a stance on it