Focus

Perhaps one of the hardest things to do as a writer is to establish a clear focus. Using a problem-solving approach can help you to explore a problem, narrow it, and arrive at a thesis.

Establishing Your Purpose

Good writing is interesting to the reader and accomplishes something for the author. To establish purpose ask the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the piece? Does it show, establish, explain, describe, prove...?
• What point does the paper make?
• Why is it important?

Relating Purpose To Audience

• How will reading your paper change what your audience thinks, feels, or knows about the topic?

Problem Analysis

When you have a general assignment in which you have been asked to focus on a problem of your choice, performing a problem analysis will help you to narrow and establish a thesis.

• Define the conflict or key issue.
  Most real-world problems represent a conflict between two goods or between the conflicting needs of two groups. Real problems are complex and difficult to solve without some compromise.
• Place the problem in a larger context.
  Step back and give yourself a broader view by considering the social, political, economic, historical, or legal setting.
• Make your problem definition specific and concrete.
  Explore the constituent parts of the problem. Break it up into manageable parts.
• Come to an open minded conclusion.
  Show your reader that you have seriously considered the alternatives, recognized the implications of your position, and that you have taken a reasoned but solid stand.

Establishing a Thesis

Once you have defined and explored your problem, you will have the information you need to make an assertion about the topic. A strong thesis is one that makes an assertion and then defends it with reason and evidence. Theses can take different forms:

• Theses that assert that a problem exists
• Theses that assert a hypothesis or new understanding of the problem.
• Theses that assert a solution to the problem.

Information from Linda Flower's Problem Solving Strategies for Writing. 4th ed. N.Y.: Harcourt, 1993.