Mr. Martinelli’s Guide to Writing a Thesis Paper

Thank you to Mouschi for the valuable advice and assistance…. Mr. Martinelli’s Guide to Writing a Thesis Paper

The Steps • Pick a topic • Create a thesis • Research/take notes • Outline • Write rough draft • Edit/Revise

Step 1: Pick a Topic • For this project the topic must relate to the Civil War or Reconstruction. • Start with something that is interesting to you • Try to avoid clichés or overused topics • Pre-read to see how much information is actually available

Step 2: Write a Thesis Statement • The thesis is the main idea of your paper. • In one sentence you must summarize the argument of your paper. • It should be: • Clear • Concise • Specific • Relevant • The thesis should also be fewer than 15 words

Step 2: Write a Thesis Statement • A strong thesis statement has several characteristics. It should “do” or “have” all of the following. • Contain an active verb (Fill in here) • Answer at least 3 of the 6 questions • Who • Where • What • How • Why • When • Is “provable” or “proven” through the research that you provide.

Remember! • A thesis statement must be clear enough to understand but broad enough to fill an entire term paper with information. • Basically, your thesis statement is like the person behind the wheel of the car. There are lots of people who have drivers licenses who probably don’t deserve them. • A poor thesis statement could take a load of information and work and screw it all up.

Step Three: Research • This is the real leg work of the project. • Solid, documented research is the backbone of any good thesis paper. • The more research you do, the more backing your paper will have, the better the resulting paper will be (and easier to write).

Step Three: Research • MAKE SURE YOUR SOURCES ARE CREDIBLE! If you are using a biased, amateur, or invalid source of any kind it completely destroys any argument you have. • Use a variety of sources (don’t put all your eggs in one basket). (Books, magazines, newspapers, internet, journals, etc…) • Be sure that the research relates to the thesis • Take notes

Step 3 ½: Note Taking • It can be helpful to use large note cards to help organize your research • It is crucial that you write down the source’s bibliographical information • Make sure to distinguish direct quotations, paraphrases, and general facts from each other

Step 3 ½: Note Taking • If you are paraphrasing (and you should at some point), be sure to read the passage carefully, then write your paraphrase without looking back at the source for reference

Step 4: Create an Outline • You should then create an outline (or skeleton) of your paper • This will allow you to “see” the structure of your paper and roughly gauge the “flow” of the argument

Step 4: Create an Outline Introduction A. B. C. Thesis statement Supporting topic 1 A. 1. 2. B. C. Supporting topic 2 A. B. C. 1. 2. 3. AND SO ON…Until Conclusion A. B. C. In this outline, the roman numerals represent the main topic in each paragraph. The letters represent the main areas you will cover in the paragraph, and the numbers represent supporting information.

Step 5: Write the Paper • Always keep the thesis in mind while writing your paper. • Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that in some way relates to the thesis. • Each paragraph should stay in the range of the topic sentence. (That way all paragraphs relate to their topics and all topics relate to the thesis) • Try to make the paragraphs flow smoothly by using transition words

Step 5: Write the Paper • Avoid plagiarism at all costs. • The way to avoid plagiarism is to cite your sources properly. • You have to give proper credit to the authors upon whose work you based your paper (essentially you MUST give props to your peeps).

Step 5: Write the Paper • Since you are not an “expert” on any topic, you must let the reader (me) know where you got the information you used in the paper. • Basically after you use facts, data, information, theories, ideas etc… inside your paper, you must automatically inform the reader where you got it.

Step 5: Write the Paper • This proper recognition is called either parenthetical citations or internal citations (same thing) • If you fail to cite your work properly it is assumed that you are attempting to steal someone else’s work and you will be punished accordingly • Plagiarism is against the law.

Step 5: Write the Paper • Things to cite: • Direct quotations from a source • Indirect, paraphrased, or otherwise summarized material from a source • Opinions and theories mentioned in a source • Any group of ideas from a source, even reworded (that’s paraphrasing)

Step 5: Write the Paper • What you do not have to cite: • Old saying/adages • Known bible verses • Familiar quotations i.e. “One small step for man…one giant leap for mankind.” • Facts that are “common knowledge” essentially encyclopedia information. The rule of thumb is that if the fact/information can be found in more that 5 sources than it is “common knowledge.”

Step 5: Write the Paper • The paper format should be: • 1 inch margins • Times New Roman font • 12 point font • Double spaced • The header should be your last name and the page number (starting on page 2)

Step 5: Write the Paper I couldn’t have done this without you, Mouschi. You are the best! • You must include a works cited page with your paper • A works cited page is where you put the bulk of the parenthetical citation information • Basically the works cited page is the part of the paper where you say “ I would like to thank the following people for their work…”

Step 5: Write the Paper • Works cited page rules: • EVERY source that you used (cited) in the paper must be included • It is the last page (numbered page) • Double spaced • Alphabetized by the 1st letter that appears in the source’s information • If a source’s information carries into two or more lines, you must indent the 2nd and third lines, not the 1st (“hanging indentations”) • It must be completed to the fullest extent of your ability (If you are missing a field of info, omit that one item in the source)

Step 6: Edit/Revise • No one is perfect. You should read your paper with a critical eye looking for flaws like typos, grammar errors, redundancies, repetitions, and the like. • Pass the paper to someone else to critique. Take their input to heart, change what should be changed and reread the paper again. • It is best to give the paper to at least two different people (for the different perspective if nothing else) • I recommend using at least one person in the class as an editor.

Things to keep in mind… • Very few papers go from the creation of the original thesis statement through editing and revising process without some shifting of gears. Be flexible, try not to go into the research with preconceived notions. • You may have to alter or tweak your thesis statement.

Things to keep in mind… • Much of this project is time management. You should have a plan to be at a certain step in the process by a certain time relative to the due date. • Keep everything…Take notes and hold on to them. • Organization is key to success. • Don’t wait until the last minute.

Pick your topic wisely. You must do research and create some sort of theory to prove or argue.

Mr. Martinelli’s Guide to Writing a Thesis Paper