Beware the Pseudo-Thesis
A pseudo-thesis is an attempted thesis statement that falls flat because it fails to state a specific argument.
Often, the pseudo-thesis appears in the form of a rhetorical question, such as, “Was it really neccessary for the United States to enter the Great War?” Although this kind of questioning is important to the writing process, it is counter-productive within the context of an argumentative essay. The point of the essay, after all, is to attempt to answer the question. To withhold the answer — to withhold your position — is to risk losing your reader. It’s only with the thesis in mind that the reader can make sense of the essay’s evidence.
Another way to write a pseudo-thesis is to tell the reader what the essay is going to do. For instance: “This essay will explore the significance of foreign trade for the U.S. entry into the Great War.” That’s all fine and well, but it only reveals the topic of the essay — not the argument. Likewise, the pseudo-thesis might simply list the subjects that the essay will cover: “This essay will consider the role of political idealism and economic interest in connection with the U.S. entry into the Great War.” In this case, the author should go ahead and make the nature of that connection explicit.
Most commonly, a pseudo-thesis is just plain vague, as in the following examples:
Each of these examples begs the question. What were the reasons? Why was it controversial?
A pseudo-thesis is not only ineffective, but it often symptomatizes a larger problem: the need for revision. Writing a good essay requires embarking on a process of drawing some significant conclusion and arguing on its behalf. It takes time and thought to sharpen a thesis. Many good writers actually start out with a pseudo-thesis, just to get going, and only gradually refine that statement into a specific and precise statement about the position to be argued.
For more help, see “So What? Writing with a Thesis.”
