writing a thesis statement - steven katzstevenkatz.com/research_project_files/thesis...
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Writing a Thesis Statement 1. What is a thesis statement? The thesis is the controlling idea around which you construct the rest of your paper. In a social studies paper, the thesis generally explains why or how something happened. (For you, it will be a one-sentence answer to the research question you were given.) A social studies paper takes a stand on an issue or a problem, and develops a persuasive argument intended to convince the reader. Your thesis is the concise, single sentence statement of your argument and summarizes the central idea or purpose of your essay. Do not simply announce your topic or restate the question. It is important that you clearly indicate in the thesis where you are going with your essay. 2. How to develop a thesis statement First, one must understand what the question is asking. All social studies expository essays will require students to respond analytically. In other words, you will be asked to explain why something happened, not just that it happened. Once you understand the major point of analysis then you must break the question down. Look for terms that need identification, dates of importance, ways to categorize the essay, the setting, and the subject. Once this task is completed you need to take a position. How is this question to be answered? Often there are several ways to answer a question. In any case, a clear, complex and creative thesis statement recognizes this characteristic (taking a position) of expository writing and uses this to enhance the overall quality of the essay.
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The following United States history exam essay question provides examples of clear and complex thesis statements:
Assess the relative importance of three of the following in the decision to declare war on Germany in 1917. German naval policy American economic interests Woodrow Wilson's idealism Allied propaganda America's claim to world power
Write your question below. In breaking down the sample question the following parts are important:
Assess the relative importance - this is asking which events were most important decision to declare war Germany in 1917
This is obviously a question about what caused the U.S. to get involved in World War I. The following world history essay question provides examples of clear and complex thesis statements:
Trace the development of England's constitutional monarchy.
In breaking down this question the following parts are important:
Trace the development of - this is asking you to identify changes over time England's constitutional monarchy
This is a question about political changes in Stuart England. Break down your question. Write out the important parts below.
3
Wha
t is a
com
plex
thes
is?
Alth
ough
Woo
drow
Wils
on's
idea
lism
an
d G
erm
an n
aval
pol
icy
wer
e im
porta
nt
reas
ons f
or th
e U
nite
d St
ates
ent
ry in
to
Wor
ld W
ar I,
the
mos
t sig
nific
ant c
ause
w
as A
llied
pro
paga
nda.
Th
e w
riter
says
whi
ch c
ause
is m
ost
impo
rtant
and
beg
ins t
o an
alyz
e in
the
stat
emen
t. Th
e th
esis
take
s a c
lear
stan
d.
The
Mag
na C
arta
and
the
crea
tion
of
Parli
amen
t wer
e tw
o ev
ents
that
mar
ked
the
shift
of p
oliti
cal,
econ
omic
, and
lega
l po
wer
in E
ngla
nd fr
om a
n ab
solu
te
mon
arch
y to
a c
onst
itutio
nal m
onar
chy,
bu
t the
peo
ple
of E
ngla
nd d
id n
ot
acqu
ire th
ese
chan
ges e
asily
. In
this
thes
is st
atem
ent t
he w
riter
giv
es
the
spec
ific
even
ts th
at c
ause
d th
e ch
ange
s and
incl
udes
the
type
s of
chan
ges.
Ther
e is
als
o m
entio
n of
the
sacr
ifice
for a
chie
ving
thes
e ch
ange
s.
This
is b
ette
r.
Ther
e w
ere
man
y ca
uses
for U
.S. e
ntry
in
to W
orld
War
I in
clud
ing
allie
d pr
opag
anda
, Woo
drow
Wils
on's
idea
lism
and
Ger
man
nav
al p
olic
y.
This
thes
is is
cle
ar, a
nd th
e w
riter
has
ad
ded
som
e co
mpl
exity
and
dire
ctio
n to
it
by li
stin
g th
e th
emes
that
will
be
addr
esse
d in
the
essa
y.
As P
arlia
men
t ass
umed
pol
itica
l, ec
onom
ic, a
nd le
gal p
ower
Eng
land
sh
ifted
from
an
abso
lute
mon
arch
y to
a
limite
d co
nstit
utio
nal m
onar
chy.
Th
is is
a c
lear
thes
is in
whi
ch th
e w
riter
an
swer
s the
que
stio
n w
ith a
ver
y ge
nera
l re
ason
, out
linin
g th
e di
rect
ion
of th
e es
say.
3. A
dequ
ate
and
com
plex
thes
is st
atem
ents
W
hat i
s an
adeq
uate
thes
is?
US
hist
ory
ques
tion:
Ther
e w
ere
man
y ca
uses
for U
.S. e
ntry
in
to W
orld
War
I.
This
thes
is is
cle
ar a
s it u
ses p
arts
of t
he
ques
tion
to st
ate
an o
pini
on, b
ut it
doe
s no
t add
ress
the
influ
ence
of t
he e
vent
s.
Wor
ld h
isto
ry q
uest
ion:
Engl
and
unde
rwen
t sev
eral
pol
itica
l ch
ange
s to
beco
me
a co
nstit
utio
nal
mon
arch
y.
This
thes
is is
cle
ar a
s it u
ses p
arts
of t
he
ques
tion
to st
ate
an o
pini
on, b
ut it
is
vagu
e an
d do
es n
ot a
ddre
ss th
e ch
ange
s ov
er ti
me.
The
follo
win
g w
ords
are
use
d in
ana
lysi
s and
add
soph
istic
atio
n to
the
thes
is st
atem
ent:
alth
ough
, bec
ause
, sin
ce, u
nles
s, no
t, or
, but
, nev
erth
eles
s, ho
wev
er
*Try
to u
se o
ne o
f the
se w
ords
in y
our t
hesis
stat
emen
t.
4
4. How to present a thesis statement in an introductory paragraph The thesis should be contained in a single sentence, which is concise and grammatically correct. In the social studies, the thesis must be in the introductory paragraph. Some teachers, including Mr. Katz, prefer the thesis to be the first sentence of the essay. The rest of the introductory paragraph should draw the reader's attention to the problem the thesis confronts, and defines key terms that appear in the thesis or develop the organizational structure of the essay. Each social studies essay should include and introduction composed of three parts: background, relevant definitions, and a thesis statement. Background should set the scene. The reader is clearly and quickly informed about the general nature of the topic. After setting the scene, students should define relevant and/or contested terms. If the question asks, "How revolutionary was the American Revolution?" a successful answer to this question must clearly define what the American Revolution was as well as define the term revolutionary. Defining terms is not only necessary for a successful argument (how can one decide if the Revolution was revolutionary unless one defines the term revolutionary); it also helps the reader understand the sophistication of the response. Adapted from "How to compose a thesis" by LaJuana Reban
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