Developing a Thesis ?? ?? ?? ? ? ?? ?? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The Thesis The thesis statement is the single most important aspect of your paper; it is, essentially, the justification for its very existence.

The Framework for Your Paper A good thesis serves as the blue print or plan for your paper The thesis can be broken down into sections of your paper

Generating Questions Your thesis statement needs to answer a question about the topic you’d like to explore. Your job is to figure out what question you’d like to answer... For example...

A research question... addresses an issue, problem, or controversy and is answered with a conclusion, otherwise known as a thesis. The thesis... is based on an analysis and interpretation of information and materials. Does the death penalty violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishment”? The use of the death penalty as punishment for a defendant is wrong because it violates the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The PROCESS... Topic to Thesis Select your TOPIC Narrow the topic Generate research question(s) Develop your POV/perspective/angle Answer your question with your statement of belief... your THESIS

Research Question What led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe? TOPIC: Communism in Eastern Europe Narrowed TOPIC: The collapse of Communism

Formula for a Strong Thesis Specific topic + Attitude/Angle/Argument + A little tension = THESIS

For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe.

A good thesis statement passes the... So what? Who cares? test, and makes your reader care about the topic.

Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people.

While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline.

Topic: Civil War Narrowed focus: The Confederate defeat Research questions: Why was the Confederate army defeated in the Civil War? What was the primary reason, or major factors, that led to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War?

The answer to your question becomes your thesis... What was the primary reason or major factors that lead to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War? Although poor military strategy contributed to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War, the primary reason for the loss was the South's lack of an industrial base which is a necessity in modern warfare.

Why was the Confederate army defeated in the Civil War? The Confederate defeat in the Civil War was the result of poor military strategy and economics - mainly the South’s lack of industrial centers due to its failure to keep up with the North during the Industrial Revolution. The answer to your question becomes your thesis...