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Developing a Thesis
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2. The Thesis
The thesis statement is the single most important aspect of your paper; it is, essentially, the justification for its very existence.

3. The Framework for Your Paper
A good thesis serves as the blue print or plan for your paper
The thesis can be broken down into sections of your paper

4. Your job is to figure out what question you’d like to answer . . .
Generating Questions
Your thesis statement needs to answer a question about the topic you’d like to explore.
Your job is to figure out what question you’d like to answer . . .
For example . . .

5. A research question . . .
addresses an issue, problem, or controversy and is answered with a conclusion, otherwise known as a thesis.
Does the death penalty violate the 8th Amendments protection against “cruel and unusual punishment?”
The thesis . . .
is based on an analysis and interpretation of information and materials.
The use of the death penalty as punishment defendants is wrong because it violates the ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ clause of the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

6. What led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe?
Research Question
What led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe?

7. Formula for a Strong Thesis
Specific topic +
Attitude/Angle/Argument +
A little tension =
THESIS

8. For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe.

9. A good thesis statement answers the questions:
So what? Who cares?
and makes your reader care about the topic.

10. Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people.

11. While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline.

12. Topic: Civil War Narrowed focus: The Confederate defeat Research questions:
Why was the Confederate army defeated in the Civil War?
What was the primary reason, or major factors, that lead to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War?

13. Although poor military strategy
The answer to your question becomes your thesis What was the primary reason or major factors that lead to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War?
Although poor military strategy
contributed to the Confederate defeat in the Civil War, the primary reason for the loss was the South's lack of an industrial base which is a necessity in modern warfare.

14. Why was the Confederate army defeated in the Civil War?
The answer to your question becomes your thesis . . .
Why was the Confederate army defeated in the Civil War?
The Confederate defeat
in the Civil War was the result of poor military strategy and economics -
mainly the South’s lack of industrial centers due to its failure to keep up with the North during the Industrial Revolution.