Writing a Good Thesis Statement-Genocide Research Essay

1. Writing a good thesis statement

2. What is it?
 The Thesis statement asserts the MAIN POINT of the
paper and clarifies the scope of the topic that will be
addressed.
 The thesis statement is in the first paragraph.

3. Tentative Thesis:
the first step
1. Propose a judgment, criticism, or evaluation that can
be supported in a paper. This thesis statement will be
refined later.
2. Determine how to back up the thesis statement by
deciding what source material supports the
judgment, criticism, or evaluation.
3. What information provides evidence, reasons, and
arguments to convince the reader that the thesis
statement is correct?

4. A good thesis
 Is a declarative sentence stating clearly the main point.
 Example:
 The perceived injustices of the Treaty of Versailles
made it a major cause of World War II.

5. A good thesis
 Is a sentence embodying a judgment, evaluation, or
criticism and uses terms like:
 Good Better Best Valuable
 Worthwhile Desirable Favorable Major
 Effective Significant Insightful Should
 Most important

6. A good thesis
 Is a sentence embodying a judgment, evaluation, or
criticism:
 Example:
 The major obstacles that made the Treaty of Versailles
difficult to enforce concerned disarmament,
reparations, and the punishment of war criminals.

7. A good thesis
 Is a statement that can be considered significant because it
contributes to a scholarly understanding of the subject.
 A thesis statement should indicate to the reader that the
author has something worthy to say.
 Bad thesis: Playing video games is fun
 Good thesis: Video games are an important developmental
tool for young people because they enhance eye-hand
coordination, develop complex problem-solving skills, and
promote self-confidence.

8. A good thesis
 MAY suggest a comparison or contrast.
 Example: The treaty that followed World War II was
radically different from the one that concluded World
War I.

9. A good thesis
 MAY focus primarily on the causes or effects of a
particular event, condition, or change.
 Example: A number of economic and political
developments in Europe made World War I almost
inevitable.

10. A good thesis
 MAY propose a solution to a problem or recommend a
policy.
 Example: Community service should be mandatory
for all high school students, and should take place
during the school hours.

11. A good thesis statement is not
 A statement of fact:
 The Treaty of Versailles was signed by the four major
powers and became effective January 1920.
 THESIS STATEMENT:
 The competing national interest of the four major
powers who negotiated the Treaty of Versailles led to
some deeply problematic provisions.

12. A good thesis statement is not
 Merely a personal opinion:
 I think the Treaty of Versailles was a foolish mistake.
 THESIS STATEMENT:
 The severe punishments, loss of territory, and steep
reparation payments required by the Treaty of
Versailles created turmoil in Germany, which later
spread to the rest of Europe.

13. A good thesis statement is not
 A generalization:
 The Treaty of Versailles caused the world a lot of
problems.
 THESIS STATEMENT:
 German resentment toward the war-guilt clause in the
Treaty of Versailles directly contributed to the rise of
Adolph Hitler.

14. A good thesis statement is not
 Written in the form of a question:
 Was the Treaty of Versailles a major force in the
precipitating World War II?
 THESIS STATEMENT:
 The Treaty of Versailles was a major force in
precipitating World War II.

15. Good Thesis Statements
 Example:
 General subject: Genocide in Darfur
 Specific topic: Humanitarian help for refugees
 Thesis statement: The policies of the Sudanese
government toward humanitarian groups hinder
attempts by aid workers to help fleeing refugees of
ethnic violence in Darfur.

16. Good Thesis Statements
 Example:
 General subject: History of the Jewish people
 Specific topic: The attempt to establish a Jewish
homeland
 Thesis statement: American Zionists played an
important role in the struggle to establish a Jewish
homeland.

17. Good Thesis Statements
 Example:
 General subject: Marriage equality
 Specific topic: Arguments opposing the legalization of
same-sex marriage
 Thesis statement: Within the Judeo-Christian
tradition, there are strong religious beliefs against
extending the definition of marriage to include same-
sex couples.

18. Good Thesis Statements
 Example:
 General subject: Video game design
 Specific topic: Use of math in the creation of video
games
 Thesis statement: Understanding mathematical
principles is important for video game creators, who
use tangents and parametric equations to control
movement and create realistic playing scenarios.

19. A thesis statement is:
• A judgment, criticism, or evaluation that research
supports.
• A declarative sentence that states the main point of
the essay.
• Interesting and provides a significant contribution to
scholarship.
• NOT a factual statement
• NOT expressed as a personal opinion
• NOT a generalization
• NOT written as a question.