18. Her point would come across better if she
organized her ideas. First she needs to state her
main point (her thesis):
“I need your help to buy
a used car.”
19. She should support her thesis with three
convincing points:
I need your help to buy a used
car.
I’ve been driving for a year
now without a single
violation.
I’ll be more helpful at home if
I have my own car.
I’ve already saved half the
money I’ll need.
20. And she should put her most convincing point
last: “I’ll be more helpful at home if I have my own
car.” (Her parents will like that idea!)
I need your help to buy a used
car.
I’ve been driving for a year
now without a single
violation.
I’ve already saved half the
money I’ll need.
I’ll be more helpful at home
if I have my own car.
21. You’ll learn more about supporting ideas in the
next presentation, “Organizing Your Research
Paper.”
Right now let’s
concentrate on how to
write a thesis.
22. A thesis:
must be a complete sentence:
Benefits of Attending Preschool X
Preschools teach young children important skills. ✓
must not contain two contradictory ideas:
Inmates should have to work, but businesses worry about
competition from cheap inmate labor. X
Inmates should learn a trade in prison. ✓
23. A thesis:
must be a statement, not a question:
Was Reagan’s amnesty program a success? X
The US benefited from Reagan’s decision to grant
amnesty to undocumented workers. ✓
must be an idea, not a fact:
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation
Proclamation on January 1, 1863. X
The Emancipation Proclamation helped the North win the
Civil War. ✓
24. A thesis must be an idea that you can unpack
with...
data
facts
examples
proofs
anecdotes
quotations from experts
25. It should have a
KEYWORD that will
serve as the focus for
the entire research
paper.
26. Thesis: Preschools teach important skills to young
children.
Keyword: skills
Thesis: Inmates should learn a trade in prison.
Keyword: trade
Thesis: The US benefited from Reagan’s decision to
grant amnesty to undocumented workers.
Keyword: benefited
Thesis: The Emancipation Proclamation helped the
North win the Civil War.
Keyword: win
27. In the next presentation, we’re going to use this
thesis to build a plan for a research paper about
ragtime music:
31. You can read the entire ragtime paper free at
www.ragtimeresearchpaper.com.
Please take a few
minutes to look at it!
You’ll see how it’s
organized and how all
the parts work
together.
32. Be sure to watch all the parts in the
Writing Your Research Paper series at
www.ResearchPaperSteps.com.
I Researching Your Topic
II Focusing Your Research Paper
III Organizing Your Research Paper
IV Drafting Your Research Paper
V Documenting Your Sources
33. If you need to sharpen your writing skills…
…go to Amazon.com
for a free preview of
What Your English
Teacher Didn’t Tell You
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.
34. And remember to check out the free
resources at www.WritewithJean.com.