How to Write a Thesis Statement
Before we get into the specifics, lets review the basics: what
thesis statement means. Thesis is a fancy word for the subject of
an essay or a position in a debate. And a statement, simply, is a
sentence (or a couple of sentences). Original question: Who is
your hero and why?
Drop the question words: Who is your hero and why?
Answer the question using the key words: My hero is Amelia
Earhart, because she was very brave, did things many women of her
time did not do, and was a hard worker. Another question is: What
is a good thesis statement? In order to have a good thesis
statement, the author must be well-informed about the topic at
hand. He/she should have factual confirmation from other parties
(experts, and primary & secondary sources) before developing the
main statement. This is why it is important to do research and
have accurate comprehension of the topic before brainstorming
ideas.
How to format a thesis to university guidelines - Example:The Brexit referendum result was caused by working-class frustration with the political elite and by austere policies that have eroded public services and fragmented communities; the referendum offered an alternative to the status quo.
An advertising copy writer would love it. "Objects of very different albedo may be illuminated differently so as to produce similar reflected spectra" is longer and uses less common words, but, compared to the former example, it has the advantage of being true. The longer example would be fine in a physics thesis because English speaking physicists will not have trouble with the words. (A physicist who did not know all of those words would probably be glad to remedy the lacuna either from the context or by consulting a dictionary. ) Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness. " These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy. The table of contents can be tricky to get right. Consistent levels of heading must be included although levels as low as 4 or 5 will typically be omitted. Headings longer than one line must have a second line indent of 3 spaces, but not 5 spaces or this will appear as the next level of heading.
Prompt 1: Should high school students be required to do volunteer
work? Why or why not?
Bad thesis statement: No, I dont think high school students
should be required to do volunteer work because its boring.
Good thesis statement: I think high school students should not be
required to do volunteer work because it takes time away from
their studies, provides more barriers to graduation, and does not
encourage meaningful volunteer work. I do not think that there is
a strong correlation (either way) between length and quality.
There is no need to leave big gaps to make the thesis thicker.
Readers will not appreciate large amounts of vague or unnecessary
text. It is often helpful to have someone other than your
adviser(s) read some sections of the thesis, particularly the
introduction and conclusion chapters. It may also be appropriate
to ask other members of staff to read some sections of the thesis
which they may find relevant or of interest, as they may be able
to make valuable contributions. In either case, only give them
revised versions, so that they do not waste time correcting your
grammar, spelling, poor construction or presentation.
How to word a thesis - Example:While Judaism and Christianity are Abrahamic religions sprung from the same cultural hearth, they are different by their implementation of traditions, their realizations of religious cannons, and their perceptions of Jesus Christ.
How to Write a Thesis Introduction?
Every level should use leader tabs and dots. Heading 1:Centered,
Boldface, Titlecase
Heading 2:Flush Left, Boldface, Titlecase
Heading 3: Indented, boldface, lowercase, ending with a
period.
Heading 4: Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase, ending with
a period.
Heading 5:Indented, italicized, lowercase, ending with a period.
If you haven't already done so, you should archive your
electronic data, in an appropriate format. Spreadsheet and word
processor files are not suitable for long term storage. Archiving
data by Joseph Slater is a good guide. The objective of an
informational essay is to inform your audience about a specific
topic. Sometimes, your essay will be in response to a specific
question. Other times, you will be given a subject to write about
more generally. All text should have flush left justification so
text has a ragged, unjustified right edge. The first line of all
paragraphs should be indented by 0. 5. The only exception is the
first paragraph of the abstract. All cuteness aside, you want to
make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but
that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question
that was posed.
How to Start a Thesis Introduction?
You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought). The introduction should be interesting. If you bore the reader here, then you are unlikely to revive his/her interest in the materials and methods section. For the first paragraph or two, tradition permits prose that is less dry than the scientific norm. If want to wax lyrical about your topic, here is the place to do it. Try to make the reader want to read the heavy bundle that has arrived uninvited on his/her desk. Go to the library and read several thesis introductions. Did any make you want to read on? Which ones were boring? First, you need to understand the APA style rules. The most up-to-date version of these is inthe Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Sixth Edition. The truth is, APA formatting doesnt look beautiful, but then its not supposed to. Studies have shown that using this familiar formatting style, your message stays clear and there is no confusion due to presentation.
Prompt:What are the three branches of government, and what do
each of them do?
Bad thesis statement:There are many branches of government that
do many different things.
Good thesis statement:Each of the three branches of governmentthe
executive, the legislative, and the judicialhave different
primary responsibilities. However, these roles frequently
overlap. Create a well-structured outline to organize and compile
the ideas. Also, include a table of contents at the beginning of
your thesis. It serves as a mind map to discuss the layout of
your thesis proposal. Short, simple phrases and words are often
better than long ones. Some politicians use "at this point in
time" instead of "now" precisely because it takes longer to
convey the same meaning. They do not care about elegance or
efficient communication. You should. On the other hand, there
will be times when you need a complicated sentence because the
idea is complicated. If your primary statement requires several
qualifications, each of these may need a subordinate clause:
"When [qualification], and where [proviso], and if [condition]
then [statement]". Some lengthy technical words will also be
necessary in many theses, particularly in fields like
biochemistry. Do not sacrifice accuracy for the sake of brevity.
"Black is white" is simple and catchy.
Dont hesitate to edit your thesis statement if it doesnt meet all
three of these criteria. If it does, great! Youve crafted a solid
thesis statement that effectively guides the reader through your
work. Now on to the rest of the essay! Your thesis will also be
used as a scientific report and consulted by future workers in
your laboratory who will want to know, in detail, what you did.
Theses are also consulted by people from other institutions, and
the library at your university will store a copy as a file on a
server. The advantage is that your thesis can be consulted much
more easily by researchers around the world. (See e.g. Australian
digital thesis project for the digital availability of research
theses.) Write with these possibilities in mind. APA Quick
Answers from the American Psychological Association
A Guide to General Format of APA atThe Owl at Purdue
What are the most common APA style mistakes done by students for
a list of some common APAmistakes made by students.