![]() ![]() It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue-that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.įirst, analyze your primary sources. Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)Ī good thesis has two parts. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. ![]() "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."Īn effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic nor is it a fact nor is it an opinion. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |