Write fully developed papers with sound thesis statements at the end of the first paragraph (in a short paper). Each of the following paragraphs in the paper should have a good topic sentence, examples and development, and a good concluding sentence. Aim for about a half page typed or more for each paragraph. Use carefully placed quotations in your paragraphs, and correctly cite your quotations.
To develop a sound Thesis Statement, read the following:
- Your Thesis Statement should summarize the main idea of your paper.
- It is the nut from which your paper grows, the engine that drives your paper.
- Place it as the last sentence in your introductory paragraph.
Functions of the Thesis Statement:
- establishes a boundary around the subject that keeps the writer from wandering from the subject–about this–not about that.
- can chart an orderly course for the paper and make it easier to write–not just about this–but HOW it is –about this.
- gives the reader an idea of what to expect, makes it easier for the reader to follow.
Rules for the thesis statement:
1. The Thesis Statement should commit the writer to a single line of argument.
2. The Thesis Statement should predict major divisions in the structure of the paper.
3. The Thesis Statement should be clear, direct and concise.
[...] Using a thesis statement [...]
[...] Using a thesis Statement [...]