2. The thesis defines the scope of the essay. Once you have a tentative thesis that will be meaningful to both you and your readers, you need to make sure that it is. How to Write a Tentative Thesis Statement. A thesis statement is the focus of the paper's subject. It is usually a sentence to two sentences long and is the. How do you know if you've got a solid tentative thesis? Try these five tests: Does the thesis inspire a reasonable reader to ask, How? Full Answer. A tentative thesis, or working thesis, is the writer's overall promise to the reader regarding what the essay will deliver. For example, when writing an. fter you have read widely on a topic, posed a research question, and taken some notes on your research, you probably will begin to form. A tentative thesis statement example would be, In 'The Great Gatsby,' the character Jay Gatsby functions as a symbol for the notion of the American dream. A. Submit your tentative thesis and the acceptance form or statement by the deadline. The thesis consultants will review for formatting and consistency and notify you. Writers Workshop: Writer Resources. Grammar Handbook; Citation Styles; ESL Resources; Writing Tips; Writing Tips: Thesis Statements. Defining the Thesis Statement Developing a Tentative Thesis. The thesis statement of an essay is to your argument paper what the topic sentence is to the paragraph: a guide, a control--a single. A tentative thesis is also called a working thesis, is crucial in the early stage of writing. Your working thesis will help you develop your essay by.