The how’s and why’s of paper structure.

What is a Thesis?  A thesis is a statement in an essay that essentially gives the reader insight into what the essay’s goals will be and how they will be achieved.  A thesis should: Be interesting to the audience Be an opinion Be able to stand alone Be as specific as possible Alert the reader to the organization of the essay Limit the topic enough to make it manageable

Do I have a good thesis?  You can test whether or not your thesis is good by asking yourself a few questions. Will readers know what my paper is about? Will they understand the basic point I am trying to prove? Will readers understand how I am going to prove my point? Will the concepts I present be foreign or will they recognize them from my thesis? Will readers want to read my paper?

Choose the good thesis! The work of Henry James was influential in Western literary canon. Today I shall discuss the importance of symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, paying particular attention to the kills that Gawain’s host makes on his hunts. Robert Frost effectively uses synecdoche, metaphor, and hyperbole in his poem “Mending Wall” to examine isolation.

I have a thesis; now what do I need?  One of the most important parts of the paper is organization, broken down into: Thesis (which we’ve already discussed) Introduction Body Conclusion

Introduction  The introduction should give readers the information they will need to understand your argument.  It should also function as a lead-in to your thesis.  For example, an essay about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s biographical influence on his writing would begin by summing up his work and his life before moving onto specific events that affected him.

Body  The body will describe your argument in detail.  Usually, the body will be made of several different points (not always just three) that will all support the same concept.  For example, an essay discussing imagery in Poe’s “The Raven” might include examinations of the raven itself, fire imagery, the room in which the speaker resides, and the noises that are heard throughout.

Conclusion  Sum up your work. Make sure that the reader completely understands why your argument is supported by your points  If applicable, suggest other avenues of study, possible solutions, and any general conclusions that can be drawn from your work. Be careful though; if you introduce a new point that supports your argument, it should be in a body paragraph, not the conclusion.

Works Cited  Easy Writer handbook