Constructing a Quality Thesis A Lesson Created by: Karen Hornberger Library Media Specialist Palisades High School A special thanks to Ed Ruisz for his professional input!

Your Assignment: You have been assigned to write a research paper. The thesis is the cornerstone of any quality research paper. Not only does a thesis need to be written for controversial writing, but a thesis must also be written for any other style of academic writing (even if it is purely factual.) You have been assigned to write a research paper. The thesis is the cornerstone of any quality research paper. Not only does a thesis need to be written for controversial writing, but a thesis must also be written for any other style of academic writing (even if it is purely factual.)

Step 1: Write down thoughts Click Here if you are choosing your own research topic Click Here if you are choosing your own research topicHere Click Here if you have been given a specific topic by your teacher Click Here if you have been given a specific topic by your teacherHere

Write down everything that interests you about this topic. Write down everything that interests you about this topic. If this project is on a possible career, write down how you visualize yourself in that career. For example: If you are planning on writing your paper about nursing, think about who you imagine as your patients (elderly or maybe you see yourself working with children), what are you doing, where are you working (a nursing home, the emergency room, etc.)? Why am I doing this? This is just to extract what is most exciting to you. When an author taps into their passion and excitement while writing, the reader is more likely to want to read the paper.

Write down everything that interests you about this topic. Write down everything that interests you about this topic. Considering you did not select your topic by yourself, try to write everything you believe is interesting about the topic. There may be controversy about the topic – if so, what does the controversy relate to? There may be current events associated with your topic – if so, what is the latest and greatest? Why am I doing this? This is just to extract what is most exciting to you. When an author taps into their passion and excitement while writing, the reader is more likely to want to read the paper.

Step 2: Consider Coverage List everything you want to cover and consider if you want to eliminate anything from your research project List everything you want to cover and consider if you want to eliminate anything from your research project An example of elimination: maybe you want to cover the psychology of abuse but not cover the physical side of abuse. This is where prior research is vital. If you have read the research on the topic, you will be better equipped to include key information that supports your statement.

Step 3: Conversion of informal wording to formal words Take your writing from step 1 and your list from step 2 and look at each of your key words. Assess each word that you have written down and exchange any “basic” words with more “professional” words. Take your writing from step 1 and your list from step 2 and look at each of your key words. Assess each word that you have written down and exchange any “basic” words with more “professional” words. For example: “overweight children is a real problem” can be turned into… “childhood obesity is quickly becoming a serious concern” Note: Be careful not to lose the passion in your wording as you revise.

Step 4: checking your formal words Now go to print resources to check the words you have chosen to ensure that they are the proper words most authors are choosing AND that they have been spelled correctly. Now go to print resources to check the words you have chosen to ensure that they are the proper words most authors are choosing AND that they have been spelled correctly. Print resources are preferred since accuracy is already checked by editors! You want to make sure they are the words that you will use consistently throughout the paper.

Step 5: Categorizing your terms Take a look at all of the content that you want to include. This content will support your thesis. Group all of your content into categories. These categories will serve as the broad categories of your thesis. Take a look at all of the content that you want to include. This content will support your thesis. Group all of your content into categories. These categories will serve as the broad categories of your thesis. A typical thesis reads like this: The writers conclusion (A) is a result of X,Y, and Z. X is usually the most compelling point/argument or the first chronologically. The body of the paper is the place for supportive details. The thesis is not. This is where you are deciding what main points (X,Y,Z) will support A (your topic) Do not force an X,Y,Z if there is not that amount. There may be just two main points or maybe there are 4 main points.

Step 6: Placing words into order Tie your key words together into one or two sentences which flow in the order you hope to present your research. Your path should be organized in a rational order with an evident conclusion. Tie your key words together into one or two sentences which flow in the order you hope to present your research. Your path should be organized in a rational order with an evident conclusion. A typical thesis reads like this: The writers conclusion (A) is a result of X,Y, and Z. X is usually the most compelling point/argument or the first chronologically. The body of the paper is the place for supportive details. The thesis is not. Cut out the words “I” and “you”. With research the expert opinions are the most compelling. A conclusion should never be a mystery in nonfiction writing!

Types of Theses: Expository – explains something to the reader. Expository – explains something to the reader. Analytical – breaks down an issue into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. Analytical – breaks down an issue into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. Argumentative/Persuasive – makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence; the goal is to convince the audience that the claim is true based upon the evidence provided. Argumentative/Persuasive – makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence; the goal is to convince the audience that the claim is true based upon the evidence provided.

Step 7: Check the scope Your thesis should center around one arguable main point instead of multiple main points. Your thesis should center around one arguable main point instead of multiple main points. Your thesis should also be reasonable for the length of the paper. Your thesis should also be reasonable for the length of the paper. Instead of covering the history of the economy of the United States, you may want to compare and contrast the economy of the era of the Great Depression to today’s economy.

Step 8: Adding a hook Do you have a hook at the beginning of your thesis? Do you have a hook at the beginning of your thesis? Is this a sentence which will urge readers to continue reading? If not, work on a few creative hooks and then test them on your classmates to see which is the best or the favorite. What if I want to imbed a hook into the introductory paragraph in a different spot? This is ok! But remember to draw those readers in!

Examples of Quality Thesis Writing: TERMINOLOGY: TERMINOLOGY: Excellent: Quality of nursing care to the pediatric patient is vital to the patient’s emotional well being. Excellent: Quality of nursing care to the pediatric patient is vital to the patient’s emotional well being. Moderate: Nurses who provide good care to children will help them to be happier. Moderate: Nurses who provide good care to children will help them to be happier. PURPOSE: PURPOSE: Excellent: In third world countries, AIDS patients are at the mercy of governmental inattention and a shortage of qualified health care providers. Excellent: In third world countries, AIDS patients are at the mercy of governmental inattention and a shortage of qualified health care providers. Moderate: AIDS in the United States is a disease that is controlled by proper governmental management, advanced medical procedures and quality health care; in third world countries, AIDS patients are at the mercy of governmental inattention and a shortage of qualified health care providers. Moderate: AIDS in the United States is a disease that is controlled by proper governmental management, advanced medical procedures and quality health care; in third world countries, AIDS patients are at the mercy of governmental inattention and a shortage of qualified health care providers. (If this is your thesis, the reader doesn’t really know if you plan to discuss AIDS on the local or global front.) (If this is your thesis, the reader doesn’t really know if you plan to discuss AIDS on the local or global front.) As a whole, these are not perfect theses; these are excellent only in the area they highlight.

Examples of Excellent v. Moderate Thesis Writing, cont.: SCOPE: SCOPE: Excellent: Secondary education of special needs students in the United States must be reformed in order for these students to achieve maximum potential as adults. Excellent: Secondary education of special needs students in the United States must be reformed in order for these students to achieve maximum potential as adults. Moderate: Education reform must occur in the United States for the good of the future. Moderate: Education reform must occur in the United States for the good of the future. PATHWAY: PATHWAY: Excellent: Drug abuse profoundly effects the individual’s physical and psychological well being. In addition to the individual effects of drug abuse, the family unit is equally at risk. Excellent: Drug abuse profoundly effects the individual’s physical and psychological well being. In addition to the individual effects of drug abuse, the family unit is equally at risk. Moderate: Drug abuse has profound mental, physical, family, psychological effects Moderate: Drug abuse has profound mental, physical, family, psychological effects (this thesis not only uses two words that say the same thing: mental/psychological but it also mixes the group effects in with the individual effects.) (this thesis not only uses two words that say the same thing: mental/psychological but it also mixes the group effects in with the individual effects.)

Examples of Excellent v. Moderate Thesis Writing, cont.: OUTCOME: OUTCOME: Excellent: The media coverage of American wars and the extent to which the government controls the media coverage, has a great effect on the American public’s opinion. Excellent: The media coverage of American wars and the extent to which the government controls the media coverage, has a great effect on the American public’s opinion. Moderate: The media coverage United States citizens view is very controlled and biased. Moderate: The media coverage United States citizens view is very controlled and biased. INTEREST: INTEREST: Excellent: For thousands of years, world wide folklore and arts have mirrored societal belief in profound animal and human behavioral change as a result of lunar cyclical change. (kind of spicy) Excellent: For thousands of years, world wide folklore and arts have mirrored societal belief in profound animal and human behavioral change as a result of lunar cyclical change. (kind of spicy) Moderate: Although lunar cycles have no proven effect upon human or animal behavior, the prevalence of suggested behavioral change related to lunar cycles has been evident in folklore and the arts since the middle ages. (a little boring) Moderate: Although lunar cycles have no proven effect upon human or animal behavior, the prevalence of suggested behavioral change related to lunar cycles has been evident in folklore and the arts since the middle ages. (a little boring)

Some Notes: Your thesis may evolve as you write your paper. It is acceptable to rewrite your thesis if you need to. Your thesis may evolve as you write your paper. It is acceptable to rewrite your thesis if you need to. Each topic sentence in the body will relate back to the thesis. Each topic sentence in the body will relate back to the thesis. The conclusion of the paper should “take your thesis to the finish line”! The conclusion of the paper should “take your thesis to the finish line”!

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