WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT

Transcription

1 WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT Mr. Goethals AP US History & AP World History

2 What is a Thesis Statement? An answer to the question your paper or essay explores. A substantial generalization that can stand by itself as the foundation of the essay. An assertion of what the writer believes is right or wrong and why. A statement that can be either true or false.

3 Why do you need a thesis statement? To test your ideas by boiling them down into one or two effective sentences. To better organize and develop your argument or position on the topic. To provide your reader with a guide to your argument.

4 What a Thesis Statement is NOT! It is NOT the Title of your essay. It is NOT an Announcement of your intent It is NOT a Statement of fact It is Not a mere Description of the Subject

5 Thesis Statements Should be Implicit NOT Explicit An Implicit Thesis Statement Implies the paper s main idea Does NOT use First Person I, Me, or My An Explicit Thesis Statement Announces the paper s main idea in the First Person.

6 Generating your Thesis Statement Think about your essay topic or prompt. Consider all the Facts that you know about the topic. Reduce topic or prompt to a single question. Compose one or two complete sentences that effectively answer question.

7 A Strong Thesis Statement The Author must Take a Stand or Position on the topic The Thesis must Justify your Discussion The These must Express one Main Idea but May Include sub-categories of analysis The Thesis must Be Specific

8 A Thesis Must be a Specific Statement not a General One GENERAL STATEMENT Global warming will have many negative consequences for the environment. SPECIFIC STATEMENT Global warming will cause ice caps and glaciers to melt, oceans to warm, and sea levels to rise.

9 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Compare and Contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War WORST THESIS I think the North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons that were both good and bad.

10 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Compare and Contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War BAD THESIS The North and South fought the Civil War for numerous reasons, some that were the similar and some that were different.

11 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Compare and Contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War. BETTER THESIS While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons, while the South fought to preserve its own institutions and state s rights.

12 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? EVEN BETTER THESIS While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slave, while Southerners defended their own rights to property and self-government.

13 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Was the New Deal of the 1930;s a liberal plan to create a welfare state in America, or a conservative defense of American Capitalism? WORST THESIS I Think the New Deal was a conservative defense of American capitalism.

14 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Was the New Deal of the 1930;s a liberal plan to create a welfare state in America, or a conservative defense of American Capitalism? BAD THESIS The New Deal was really a strong conservative defense of American capitalism in the 1930 s.

15 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? Prompt: Was the New Deal of the 1930;s a liberal plan to create a welfare state in America, or a conservative defense of American Capitalism? A GOOD THESIS Although the New Deal incorporated both work programs and free market strategies, it helped to preserve America capitalist economy more than anything else.

16 What Does a Good Thesis Look Like? A GREAT THESIS Despite its work relief elements, the New Deal is best understood as a defense of American capitalism because its main programs attempted to create a stable environment for private enterprise.

17 HINTS: Try some of these words Unless Because Likewise However Since Similarly Although So In Conjunction Unlike In Contrast While

18 Remember: You are writing an analytical History essay not an essay for English Class. You are writing for a specific audience (Fellow Historians). Refer to your Essay Rubric or Writing Handouts for detailed guidance on writing better essays for History.