thesis support
Make sure to use at least two or three supporting details for each main idea. In a longer essay, you can easily include more than three supporting details per idea, but in a shorter essay, you might not have space for any more.
Similar to your opinions are details from expert testimony and personal interviews. Both of these kinds of sources provide no shortage of opinions. Expert opinions can carry a little more clout than your own, but you should be careful not to rely too much on them. However, it’s safe to say that finding quality opinions from others and presenting them in support of your ideas will make others more likely to agree with your ideas.
6. Crafting topic sentences that support the thesis
Using ideas you gathered using Aristotle’s method, construct three to five topic sentences that support your claim. These topic sentences will become the framework for the rest of your paper. You will further support each with examples and citations from personal interviews, newspaper articles, or other appropriate references.
- Choosing a subject.
- Limiting your subject.
- Crafting a thesis statement.
- Identifying supporting arguments.
- Revising your thesis.
- Writing strong topic sentences that support the thesis.
Once you have a working thesis, write it down. There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you’ll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.
An 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. “Reasons for the fall of communism” is a topic. “Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe” is a fact known by educated people. “The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe” is an opinion. (Superlatives like “the best” almost always lead to trouble. It’s impossible to weigh every “thing” that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn’t that be “the best thing”?)
“I was so grateful to have a thesiss mentor to help give me some perspective on my thesis, tell me when my ideas needed more clarity, and provide necessary proofreading. The free editing alone is reason enough not to miss out on this opportunity. You will never get a chance to have this service outside of Wesleyan- take advantage of it while you can!”
If we are not able to pair you with a thesis mentor, you may apply for a standard mentor and specify in your application that you would like to focus on your thesis. If you are seeking additional assistance, we encourage you to schedule regular appointments at the Writing Workshop. Please email us with any questions at [email protected].
The thesis statement is the sentence that states the main idea of a writing assignment and helps control the ideas within the paper. It is not merely a topic. It often reflects an opinion or judgment that a writer has made about a reading or personal experience. For instance: Tocqueville believed that the domestic role most women held in America was the role that gave them the most power, an idea that many would hotly dispute today.
A good practice is to put the thesis statement at the end of your introduction so you can use it to lead into the body of your paper. This allows you, as the writer, to lead up to the thesis statement instead of diving directly into the topic. If you place the thesis statement at the beginning, your reader may forget or be confused about the main idea by the time he/she reaches the end of the introduction. Remember, a good introduction conceptualizes and anticipates the thesis statement.
References:
http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/thesis.html
http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis
http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/writingworkshop/resourcesforstudents/thesis.html
http://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/thesis_statements.php
http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/thesis.html