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!

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”

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: 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!

Step 6: 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 7: 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!

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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