Please don't be alarmed by the title of this episode! You formulate several thesis statements every day, so this is nothing new. Every essay has a thesis statement. And there are many different ways to compose one, depending on the topic and the purpose of the essay. I'll give you some reassurance about the dreaded "thesis statement" and a formula for drafting one for an academic essay. (Assuming you've completed all of the Active Thinking steps of The Writing Process, coming up with a thesis statement won't be too difficult.)