Inquiry Stages and the Thesis Statement

based on the works of Ventura / Lannon

Cindy Cruz-Cabreraabout.me/cindycruzcabrera | en.gravatar.com/cindycatz

Inquiry Stages

• Asking the right questions• Exploring a balance of views• Focusing on essential views• Achieving adequate depth in your

search• Evaluating your findings• Interpreting your findings

Range of Evidence

Surface Level

• Used for general consumption • Skims only the surface of an issue • Easy to digest and understand but

detailed• Popular media

• Quoted from “Tech Writing” http://techwritingeng314.blogspot.com/2011/01/lannon-chapter-7.html

Second Level• Made for moderately informed to

highly specialized persons • Focuses on practice rather then

theory • Information is accurate but reflect

bias • Trade, business and technical

publications • Quoted from “Tech Writing” http://techwritingeng314.blogspot.com/2011/01/lannon-chapter-7.html

Deepest Level

• Based on theory and practice • Latest studies and debates• Professional journals • Government sources

• Quoted from “Tech Writing” http://techwritingeng314.blogspot.com/2011/01/lannon-chapter-7.html

How Do I Formulate a Thesis Statement?

Discovering a Topic

• Narrowing Down the Topic

• Formulating a Thesis Statement

SUBJECT > TOPIC > Thesis Statement

SUBJECT:USC Elections

TOPIC: Apathy toward candidatesLow voter turnoutIndifferent students

Thesis Statement:Student apathy is revealed by the general attitude of

students toward the USC elections.

SUBJECT

What problem, situation, or issue would I like to study?

TOPIC

What aspect of this problem,

situation, or issue interests me most?

ISSUE: what is it exactly?• a problem • usually in the form of a question • that leads to a formulation of several

competing solutions as a means of addressing a specific problem

Finding Issues to Write About• Think about issues that can be resolved

in a number of ways. • Think about issues that can be answered

concretely – one that can be proved in a clear and consistent way.

• Whatever the issue is, state it as a question in a way that suggests “how” it can be answered.

Finding Issues to Write About• Think about issues that can get you

started as soon as possible.• Be careful about the terms you use in

phrasing your questions as well as your answers. “Abortion is immoral / illegal.”

• Think about issues which you relatively know about. It is your “feel” for the subject that will sustain your interest and provide clues on where to start.

Thesis Statement• The answer to your chosen issue is ultimately

what your thesis statement should say • Your thesis statement should be a stance that

is: • SPECIFIC• UNAMBIGUOUS • NON-CONTRADICTORY• CRITICAL

Thesis StatementCLAIM OF FACT

Can I connect this issue to any probable cause or effect?

• answers a “what” question• need not rely on objective or scientific data • may be based on criteria or standards that can

be verified by some systematic procedure

Generating Claims of Fact• What claims of fact are

controversial?• Which claims of fact are debatable,

or simply false?• Is there any one way of finding out

whether it is true or false?

Thesis StatementCLAIM OF POLICY

Can I suggest a specific course of action to remedy or solve the problem, situation, or issue

instead?

• Answers a “how” question• Proposes a course of action, next step or solution

Generating Claims of Policy• What should be done about the

situation in order to promote these values?• Is the policy the best one? For

whom?• In what way does it solve the

problem?

Thesis StatementCLAIM OF VALUE

Can I explain how the problem, situation, or issue should be

viewed?

• expresses a quality based on judgment• Seeks to show that something is right or wrong,

good or bad

Generating Claims of Value• Do the following claims of fact

promote what is right or good?• What values and interests should be

considered good and why?• Do these values compete with

others, and if so, which ones are more important, and why?

Relating Issues to Thesis Statements

• Choose an issue that you have something to say about.

• After coming up with a list of ideas, analyze the different claims that each statement or idea makes.

• Formulate a single claim based on an immediate concern that you feel has to be addressed.

• Ask some analytic questions, like “What do the facts say or reveal about these concerns? Are such concerns justified or not?” to help sort out kinds of information to support claims

References

• On Your Own: Doing Research Without Plagiarizing by Eloisa Ventura

• “Tech Writing” http://techwritingeng314.blogspot.com/2011/01/lannon-chapter-7.html