Thesis
Introduction to the Thesis Statement: American History
A thesis expresses the judgment of someone who has thoughtfully examined a body of evidence on a topic. It is an informed and debatable statement that is the foundation of any effective expository writing or research project. A thesis statement makes a claim or expresses a point of view that others might disagree with.
Thesis statement = topic + debatable point of view (based on evidence)
A five-point scale is often used in social research. Here’s a continuum for understanding what a thesis statement is.
No Judgment Thesis No Evidence
Fact---------------------Self-evident-----------------------Thesis-------------------------Risky------------------------Pure statement statement judgment opinion
Explanation and examples of each point on the scale:
Fact: a statement that is easily proven by quick check with a reputable source. * Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave. * The US entered World War I in 1917.
Self-evident judgment: a statement that involves some conclusion based on facts, but is so well accepted or so easily proven that it is hardly worth debating. The proper reaction to such a statement might be “Yeah, so what? Everyone knows that!”
* Harriet Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad required tremendous courage. * Trench warfare conditions in World War I were horrible.
Thesis: a statement that expresses a judgment based on a substantial body of evidence. It is followed by an essay that presents the evidence in an organized and persuasive way.
* The success of the Underground Railway is due to individuals like Harriet Tubman and the wide-spread nature of the Abolitionist Movement in the North. * The entrance of the US
A thesis expresses the judgment of someone who has thoughtfully examined a body of evidence on a topic. It is an informed and debatable statement that is the foundation of any effective expository writing or research project. A thesis statement makes a claim or expresses a point of view that others might disagree with.
Thesis statement = topic + debatable point of view (based on evidence)
A five-point scale is often used in social research. Here’s a continuum for understanding what a thesis statement is.
No Judgment Thesis No Evidence
Fact---------------------Self-evident-----------------------Thesis-------------------------Risky------------------------Pure statement statement judgment opinion
Explanation and examples of each point on the scale:
Fact: a statement that is easily proven by quick check with a reputable source. * Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave. * The US entered World War I in 1917.
Self-evident judgment: a statement that involves some conclusion based on facts, but is so well accepted or so easily proven that it is hardly worth debating. The proper reaction to such a statement might be “Yeah, so what? Everyone knows that!”
* Harriet Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad required tremendous courage. * Trench warfare conditions in World War I were horrible.
Thesis: a statement that expresses a judgment based on a substantial body of evidence. It is followed by an essay that presents the evidence in an organized and persuasive way.
* The success of the Underground Railway is due to individuals like Harriet Tubman and the wide-spread nature of the Abolitionist Movement in the North. * The entrance of the US