A thesis statement is the paper-in-a-nutshell. It is the whole idea boiled down to its essence.
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1. |
Limiting the topic (What?) |
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(define how much of the topic you will deal with) |
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when: |
during the Middle Ages
in the 1400s
throughout childhood |
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where: |
European Jews
gun control laws in America
suburban teen pregnancy |
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what: |
fusion jazz
theme amusement parks
earthquake preparedness |
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2. |
Indicating attitude toward the topic (So what?) |
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(show us why we should care) |
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worth: |
the greatest satirist
a crucial invention
the smoothest ride
my favorite daydream |
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weight: |
lasting impact
humanity's eternal loss
primary cause
changed for the better |
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Words that show attitude >> |
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3. |
Establishing purpose (Now what?) |
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(think about what your paper is meant to do) |
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Your purpose may be: |
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- to pursuade
- to compare/contrat
- to clarify relationships between facts and ideas
- to show cause and effect
- to paint a word picture
- to illustrate
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