1. Writing a Thesis Statement

2. Triumph & Tragedy in History
2019 Theme:
Triumph & Tragedy in History

3. Connecting to the theme
Triumph
A victory or conquest by or as if by military force, or a notable success.
Tragedy
A disastrous event.

4. The Thesis Statement: A Road Map to Your Project

5. Developing a Strong Thesis Statement
An NHD thesis statement should:
Do more than report the facts.
Make an argument.
Back up the argument with facts.
Be the central component that a project rotates around.

6. Developing a Strong Thesis Statement
A good thesis statement should also...
Connect to the theme.
Make a claim about historical significance.
Present a focused, narrow topic.

7. Narrowing a Topic

9. NARROWING A TOPIC: Research Plan
Develop a research plan:
Know how you want to track research.
Think of some specific questions before you start your research.
Identify resources other than the internet to utilize.

10. NARROWING A TOPIC: Topic Funnel
Theme
Your Interests
Broad Topic
Narrow Topic
Thesis
Start with the theme and general interest areas. The theme is purposefully left broad so that you can choose from a variety of interest areas.
History Day topics are pretty small. You don’t have enough room for a broad topic.
Pick a specific, pivotal incident and focus your research efforts on that. Secondary sources are a good starting point.
Once you have gathered enough information, you can start putting together a preliminary thesis statement.

11. WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT: Components
The NHD thesis statement should incorporate three main components:
Address the five W’s.
Who, What, Where, When, Why
Connect to the theme
Use the theme words in your thesis and connect throughout the project.
Historical Impact (So What?)
Make a research-based claim about why this topic is important in history.

12. Thesis Statement Example: Topic
Death of over 10,000 Union POWs at Andersonville Prison
Who: Union Prisoners of War
What: Over 10,000 Union POWs died in the Confederate Andersonville Prison during the Civil War.
Where: Andersonville, Georgia
When:
Why: Disease, overcrowding, and malnutrition
So what?: The war crimes that occurred at Andersonville Prison demonstrate the tragic events that occur in pursuit of triumph during war.

13. Thesis Statement Example
who
when
what
During , over 10,000 Union POWs died in the Confederate Andersonville Prison in Georgia due to disease, overcrowding, and malnutrition. Although the Union ultimately triumphed over the Confederacy during the Civil War and liberated Andersonville Prison in 1865, the deaths at the prison demonstrate the tragic events that occur in the pursuit of victory.
why
where
theme
So what?

14. Incorporating the Thesis

15. Incorporating the thesis: maintaining A connection
Papers
Tie each paragraph to your thesis.
Edit the thesis statements a few times and revisit material that may no longer be relevant.
Websites
Thesis statements should be identified on the home page.
A lot of information can be included in websites. Stay on topic by including an element of the thesis on each page.
Exhibits
It’s tempting to use a lot of images to fill up space. Choose images that help them make your point. Each image should have a reason for being there.
Exhibit boards should be organized so the thesis is easy to spot, the font is large enough to read, and the argument has a natural flow.

16. Incorporating the thesis: maintaining A connection
Performances
Performances should start with a thesis statement created through the same process as any other category.
Use your thesis to guide the arc of the performance.
The thesis should be stated near the beginning of the performance, and again as part of the conclusion.
Documentaries
Make an effort to separate out your thesis from the rest of the narration. You can do this by incorporating subtitles, shifting the music, or any other way you want.
The thesis can be included in the conclusion as well.

17. Resources NoodleTools Websites & Databases
noodletools.com/partners/nhd
Complementary subscription for NHD teachers and students
Teacher feedback
Note-taking and outlining
Create accurate annotated bibliography
Source evaluation
Group collaboration
Websites & Databases
OhioLink
National Archives
INFOhio
Ohio History Connection
Ohio Memory
National History Day student resources
Library of Congress
C-SPAN Classroom

18. Brianna Treleven, Region 4 Local History Corps Rep
Dr. David Simonelli, Region 4 Coordinator Department of History, DeBartolo Hall, Room 533
Youngstown State University
Brianna Treleven, Region 4 Local History Corps Rep
Department of History, DeBartolo Hall, Room 529
Youngstown State University