What is a Thesis Statement?

1. What is a Thesis Statement? http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

2. What is a Thesis Statement? • Almost all of us, even if we don’t do it consciously, look early in a paper, project, exhibit, documentary, or web-site for a one-or two-sentence condensation (meaning to compress or concentrate) of the argument or analysis of the topic. • We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

3. Why Should Your Project Contain a Thesis Statement? • to test your ideas by distilling (reducing) them into a sentence or two • to better organize and develop your argument • to provide your “reader” with a guide to your argument Your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the questions your project explores.

4. Four attributes of a good thesis statement • takes on a subject that reasonable people could disagree with • deals with a subject that can be sufficiently treated given the nature of the assignment • expresses one main idea • declares your conclusions about the subject

5. It is the GLUE! • A thesis statement is a central thought that holds your entire National History day (NHD) project together. In the beginning, we like to call this a working thesis, because as you gather your research, this thought can evolve. By the time you present your NHD project, however, you should have a concrete thesis that is supported by evidence.

6. Thesis = Topic + Theme + Impact. Your thesis does not just introduce your topic. You are creating an argument that expresses your topic’s significance and demonstrates how the theme plays a central part in your topic’s impact. A thesis paragraph BUILDS on topic + theme + impact = thesis para person/ + actions/ + legacy/ = thesis para settingmotivation/so what factor?/ personality traitsyour conclusions

7. Develop a Thesis Statement • Develop your own argument of the historical impact of the person, event, pattern or idea you are studying. • A thesis statement is not the same as a topic. • Explains what you believe to be the impact and significance of your topic in history.

8. Develop Thesis Statement • Topic: Battle of Gettysburg Thesis Statement: The battle of Gettysburg was a major turning point of the Civil War. It turned the tide of the war from the South to the North, pushing back Lee's army that would never fight again on Northern soil and bringing confidence to the Union army.

9. Asking the right question! All assignments can be reduce to a simple question. The first step is to reduce the theme to that simple question. . Innovation in History: Impact & Change What about the topic is new and different, and is also the result of human ideas or actions? http://www.chrisledoux.com/bio3.htm

10. Getting Started Your first two sentences should give . . . • the occasion • your individual • the time and/or place your individual lived in • your position • The actions your individual did that lead to their legacy • Your individual’s legacy George Washington played an important part in the Revolutionary War by organizing and gathering military and civilian intelligence thus allowing America to win the war.

11. The Occasion • Who am I writing about? • What is their time and/or • place in history? • George Washington-Revolutionary War spymaster • Anne Frank-immortalizes the Holocaust experience • Chris Ledoux–a modern day American hero–a life well lived • Theodore Geisel-20th century American artist • Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda-global terrorism to go

12. The Position • What actions/personality traits/motivations lead to your individual’s legacy? • The “So What Factor”? So why is this person important? These are your conclusions about this person’s impact.

13. Sample Thesis Statements

14. Sample Thesis Statements

15. Brainstorming the TopicCreate a web, bullet list, or outline with the following . . . • Innovation • Setting – When/Where/Why (only those that lead to the innovation) • How did it change peoples’ ideas, scientific knowledge, everyday behavior, political process, etc. (only those that lead to the innovation) • What was the long term change caused by this innovation? • In what ways is the innovation new? • Legacy – What difference in history came about because of this innovation? • Personal conclusions- Why is this a significant innovation?

16. Subdivide topics by a system of numbers and letters, followed by a period. Example: I.     A.     B.         1.         2.             a.             b. II.     A.     B.

17. Getting Ready to Edit • Create a new word file for your thesis paragraph and brainstorm/ web/ outline/ flowchart • Put a header with your name, period, NHD thesis paragraph and web on this document • Save file under your name, NHD thesis paragraph-web in both your folder and my in-box • Write a one or two sentence thesis statement • Evaluate you thesis statement against the following checklist—is it strong or weak?

18. Weak or Strong? • A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand. What is your thesis statement’s stand? • A strong thesis statement justifies—gives good reason for—discussion. Will others want to discuss what you’ve said? • A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea. Do you only have one main idea? • A strong thesis statement is specific—detailed with examples, quotes, and details. Do you have evidence to support your stand that is clear and detailed?

19. So how do I write my thesis paragraph? You may want to follow this formula for writing your thesis paragraph . . . • 2 sentences are your Thesis statement. Remember topic + theme + impact = thesis statement • 4 sentences that include how people react initially (within a few years), and over the long term (in later years), to the new idea, arrangement, organization or technology • 1 sentence that explains how it changed people’s ideas, scientific knowledge, everyday behavior, etc. • 1 sentence that has your conclusion—why you think the event/topic is important.