A thesis statement is a single sentence that summarizes the main topic of your article or essay. It is normally toward the conclusion of your introduction. However, the thesis statement should always clarify the key point you wish to convey. Every other concept in your essay should be related to this one. Thus, a simple thesis statement is one sentence that describes the central idea of your essay or article. This sentence can be at the beginning or end of your paper but it should be clear and concise. It should also match the topic of your essay or research project. For example, if you are writing on "John F. Kennedy" then your thesis statement might be: "John F. Kennedy was a great president because he restored confidence in America's ability to lead." This summary sentence captures the main idea of your essay and is easy to understand. It makes the rest of the essay more effective because you have identified a theme that ties everything together. As another example, let's say you are writing on the impact that television has had on society. Again, this is a clear summary that ties what follows into a whole. Now, further into your essay, you can discuss other effects of television such as desensitizing people to violence or promoting better communication between countries.