Transcript Research Paper

Writing Your Thesis Statement
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A thesis statement is a strong statement that
you can prove with evidence.
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It is not a simple statement of fact.
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It will be the main idea of your entire project.
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It can also be thought of as the angle or
point of view from which you present your
material.
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Here are some examples of ways to
approach it:
◦ Define a problem and state your opinion
about it
◦ Put forth a possible solution to a problem
◦ Look at an issue/topic from a new,
interesting perspective
◦ Theorize how the world might be different
today if something had/had not happened in
the past
◦ Compare two or more of something
similar and give your rating about them
(cars, authors, computers, colleges,
books)
◦ Put out your ideas about how something
was influenced to be the way it is or was
(music, art, political leadership, genocide)
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Your TS should be a STRONG statement that
must be proven (it should be arguable).
Your TS should be an opinion, but should be
stated with certainty.
Your TS should require evidence (it should
make me say “prove it”).
Your TS should be stated precisely and
definitively (don’t waffle!)
Your TS should be written in 3rd person.
Your TS should include a Roadmap
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A Roadmap gives the reader an idea of how
you’re going to prove your thesis.
It often begins with the word “because”.
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“’Las Meninas’ represents the highest
achievement of neoclassical ideals because it
uses superior attention to detail, conveys
beauty through ambiguity, and successfully
achieves Michelangelo’s complex vision for
portraits.”
“Despite its popularity, ‘The Thinker’ is a
failure from an artistic perspective because it
lacks originality, it does not achieve the
standards of neoclassical scultpure, and even
Rodin, its creator, was disappointed in it.”
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“I think ‘Condition Humaine’ is the greatest
painting ever.”
◦ Errors include: 1st Person, not a statement that can
be argued with evidence, no blueprint.
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“’Starry Night’ is an impressionist painting by
Monet.”
◦ Errors include: This is a simple statement of fact,
not an argument, no blueprint.
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“Many people disagree about the meaning
behind ‘Mona Lisa’s’ smile.”
◦ Errors include: This isn’t a strong opinion, no
blueprint.
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Your evidence (which you will get from
researching your research questions) will be
used to prove your point.
BUT…you don’t yet know enough about the art to
write an excellent thesis yet.
 SO…
1. Write a crappy preliminary thesis that included
your topic and what you think your angle might
be: this is just to get you started until you’re an
expert. It will look something like: “Las
Meninas is a masterpiece of fine art.”
2. Read, Read, Read (about those research
questions)
3. After you know more, you will write a real
thesis like the examples from a few slides back.
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