Thesis Paper Guide

This packet will help you write a thesis paper. So listen up, chilluns. Throughout, I will be drawing from a number of texts to exemplify the thesis writing process for you: these include The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck; Disneys The Lion King; a sonnet, Batter My Heart, ThreePersond God, by John Donne; The Odyssey by Homer;a sermon, On Being a Good Neighbor, by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling; Martin Scorseses Gangs of New York; and Othello by Bill Shakespeare. Also, if you are not familiar with these texts; you are wrong. Thesis Definition: A proposition that is maintained by argument (American Heritage Dictionary). Simply put, a thesis is a statement that makes some sort of claim or proposition, around which your paper will focus on supporting. According to OWL at Purdue, there are 3 types of thesis-driven papers: 1. An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. 2. An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience. 3. An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided. If you are writing a text which does not fall under these three categories (ex. a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader (OWL at Purdue). In any case, most of the papers you will write for this class will be thesis-driven. This guide will help you piece together your paper and keep you focused throughout. However, your writing is yours alone and this packet nothing more than suggestion; tried and true suggestions, but suggestions nonetheless. The English language is full of exceptions, rule-breakers, and deviants. I would strongly recommend, especially for your first paper, sticking to this guide -- but the decision is up to you. I have given you plenty of examples to get you started, but as you progress through your paper you should be able to get into the swing of things.

To begin with, every piece of writing needs some sort of hook to draw a reader in and arouse his interest. I will be reading every single word you write regardless of their coherence or quality, but I would enjoy that experience much more if I was motivated to read your work. So while this is a characteristic of good writing, it is also practical; if I actually want to read your paper I might be more likely to forgive minor errors. I might. Probably not. But its worth a shot, right? A good hook can take many forms -- honestly, the possibilities are endless. But here are a few standard formats that could help you draw in your reader: Anecdotes: Storytelling holds a special place in the collective human experience, probably because it speaks directly to that inner humanity we all share. (Note: An anecdote is a small story, usually related to some larger story or experience. Here were getting a bit meta-anecdotal telling an anecdote about storytelling (which happens in the story we want to tell a story about ourselves). This statement might be expanded upon before you go into your accreditation and thesis, but when you employ an anecdote you run the risk of your story detracting from the story you want to analyze later. In any case, this would be great for exploring the role of stories in the story of Harry Potter.) Allusions: Mother dear, may I go downtown/Instead of out to play,/And march the streets of Birmingham/In a Freedom March today? The opening lines of Dudley Randalls poem, the Ballad of Birmingham, give the U.S. Civil Rights movement a voice of childlike exuberance. But as the poem progresses the reader is confronted with the violence and savagery of racial prejudice in the American Deep South during the 1960s. (Note: This allusion is particularly evocative not just because the poem carries a large amount of pathos, but also because it deals with questions of Christian faith and civil liberties, similar to Dr. Kings explorations in his sermon.) Data, Statistics, or an Interesting Fact: She married her husband at an extremely young age. When he was drafted, she was still a teenager, left alone in a large, strange household with her in-laws and a baby boy. In these surroundings, she raised her child and developed enviable skills in needlework and weaving, but remained terribly alone. For twenty years, she was tormented by dozens of men who pursued her relentlessly, yet she managed to ward them off with her wit and cunning. (Note: Facts and figures should be general enough to be understood by any audience. This suggests a period piece and a feminist reading of The Odyssey, but it still draws us in, making us want to know more about this, as yet, unnamed woman; Penelope.)

 Hypothetical Situations: Imagine trudging through fields bent over in back breaking labor to be interrupted by the first pangs of birthing contractions. Imagine next, several children later, packing up possessions and family members to leave home and, hopefully, maybe, escape famine. Continue to imagine; having to beg for sustenance in a strange new city far away from the familiar. How would one cope with these hardships and trials? (Note: This example ends in a rhetorical question, but focuses primarily on transporting the reader into a specific situation; here, the life of Olan from Bucks The Good Earth. It differs from the Data, Statistics, or an Interesting Fact hook example because it explicitly invites the reader to put themselves into Olans shoes rather than to merely examine her life.) Imagery or Sensory Details: New York City, 1862: The Civil War rages on in the South and troops make their way through the wide streets and boulevards as immigrant-laden chattel-ships birth their newly American passengers into the crowded and loud ports of this new Capital of the World. (Note: This scenario gives your reader a good understanding of the historical contexts of Scorseses Gangs of New York and invites him to construct a visual for himself out of your rich imagery. It also keeps the context of your paper rather broad; you could talk about the films portrayal of the Civil War, immigration, globalization, or just about whatever you like.) Paradoxical or Interesting Statements: Identity is everything that defines who we are; yet we often struggle to pin down our own identities. Even in literature, characters often struggle with who they see themselves as. (Paradoxes are often provocative or controversial, but dont confuse them with theses. This hook would be great to set your reader up for an exploration of how Othello is dichotomized in Shakespeares play, but you need to clarify, in your thesis, exactly what youre going to say about his identity or his perceived identity.) Quotations: Hakuna Matata. (Note: Opening an essay with a quote can be tricky; it is best to find a familiar and concise quote, like this, to open with. But this cute idiom would only work if you were going to, say, deconstruct Simbas relationship with Timon and Pumbaa or analyze the similarities between the critters idyllic jungle escape and Shakespeares own Green World. If you were comparing the story structure of the Lion King with Hamlet or Moses Exodus or anything else, then it would be a completely inappropriate quote to use. The most important part of finding a quote to open with is to make sure it is relevant to your topic.)

 Rhetorical Questions: When the castle gates break with a resounding CRACK! and the town is engulfed in screaming flames, where is God? When families are torn asunder and a new wife, her wedding band glistening on her hand in the heat of the day, is taken, where is God? (Note: For this hook, the use of questioning helps reinforce the dichotomy between violent images and God -- making Donnes synthesis of religious and violent imagery in his Holy Sonnets all the more stark; in essence, you are setting up your reader to be surprised by Donnes diction, which can be very useful in making your point later. Rhetorical questions can easily become trite so it is best to incorporate this with another technique, as in this example where your expressive imagery can focus your reader on Donnes evocative images.)

Please avoid lead-ins like, In this paper, I will discuss... or The American Heritage Dictionary defines _____ as... That is trite and boring. And youre not supposed to be using the firstperson for formal writing, anyway. So just dont; do you hear me? After your hook, you should then include your thesis statement. A clear thesis statement will provide direction for your entire paper; it tells the reader exactly the point you are going to make. A thesis should be controversial or provocative. This means that you cannot use any sort of fact or obvious observation for your thesis statement. Controversial means that people can take the opposite view on an issue; your thesis should be falsifiable. Provocative means that you are eliciting thought from your reader; your thesis should show something in a new light. Here are a few theses to go with the aforementioned hooks: Harry Potter: Even within literature, storytelling can be more than just a form of entertainment. Storytelling is often used as a dynamic literary device within larger stories to bring the reader deeper into the authors constructed reality. (Note: This is a solid thesis because it seeks to reveal the complexities of a seemingly commonplace practice. If you had made the claim that storytelling was merely a literary device that would not have worked. This is only a thesis because it takes that observation to the next level: authors use stories within stories to make their larger stories more real or relevant to the reader.)

 Dr. Kings Sermon: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often spoke on this same subject: the savagery of segregation and discrimination. But in his sermon, On Being a Good Neighbor, Dr. King instead explores how these savage practices weigh against his faith and the Bible, finding not only that it is an evil to be condemned, but that the greater evil is the inaction which allows savagery to manifest and perpetuate. (Note: Again, this thesis separates itself from mere observation by going above and beyond to tell us what the author is really meaning to say. Simply stating Dr. King condemns discrimination and stuff would not cut it. Recognizing that, to Dr. King, a sin of inaction or a sin of omission is more wicked than violence or prejudice means that you more fully read and understood his words (since he never explicitly states this).) The Odyssey: Because she exhibits many characteristic that are also associated with Athena, Penelope emerges as the human version of the goddess. (Note: This is a provocative thesis because it asks the reader to see the similarities that Penelope and Athena share, and, most likely, the reader was not consciously aware of this comparison until reading this statement.) The Good Earth: Olan, in Pearl S. Bucks award winning novel, The Good Earth, faced these trials and more in her life. The biggest trial she faced, perhaps, was trying to find her own agency and identity after being relegated to a second level of personhood by the rigidly patriarchal structure of her family and culture. (Note: This is controversial thesis because it can be argued against: you could take a Marxist reading of the work, instead of a feminist, and say that she was relegated to a lower level of humanity not because of her gender, but because of her class; or you could aptly argue that her biggest challenges were actually facing the physical constraints of her situation; or you could argue that Olan actually did find identity and agency in the novel. If your thesis is controversial, like this, it means that you will have to work to defend your stance, which is exactly what I want from you.) Gangs of New York: Martin Scorseses Gangs of New York explores this tumultuous city and finds that while it may be a mercurial and volatile time, it is, in fact, the very temperamental character of the people here that allows New York City to go on to truly become that Capital of the World, that Center of the Universe, that embodiment of Whitmans Glorious Jam. (Note: Not only is this thesis great because of its allusion to the Great Walt Whitman, but also because of its controversial and provocative take on the movie.) Othello: In Shakespeares Othello, the eponymous tragic heros search for identity becomes, ultimately, his tragic flaw. (Note: This thesis is short and sweet, which is totally fine. It still manages to take an interesting position on something: the cause of Othellos downfall and death.)

 The Lion King: Is it such a wonderful phrase? In Disneys magnificent animated film, The_Lion King, Simba is transported from his home and his throne to a verdant and idyllic paradise. But this escape from reality is more than a glorified vacation for the young king-to-be; Simbas jaunt in the jungle parallels the Green World that many Shakespearean heroes escape to so they can resolve their problems and return to reality to restore the normal order. (Note: You may notice a trend here; while it is possible to have a concise thesis, most are longer. Generally speaking, complex sentences express complex thoughts. And a thesis had better be complex.) Donnes Holy Sonnets: For John Donne, God is leading the charge into the breach. God is rescuing the captive wife. God is the warrior, the rebel leader, the dashing rake. By combining violent and sexual imagery, Donne makes God simultaneously more accessible and more awe-inspiring. (Note: This is a fun thesis because it subverts the readers initial reaction to your hook, further drawing them into your writing.) Since you never want to use someone elses work without citing them, youll want to add an accreditation to your introductory paragraph. While you may draw from multiple sources throughout the course of your paper, you want to cite the work that you are most closely working with upfront; in this class, that will likely be a piece of literature. Simply include the title of the work and the author. The last aspect of your introduction is more optional than everything weve talked about before: this is your essay map. An essay map simply sums up the points you are going to make and the order in which you will make them. It gives the reader a preview of everything youre going to cover, without going into any depth. Generally, for a shorter paper, you will have a few (3 to 5) paragraphs in the body of your paper, each with their own focus that relates back to proving your thesis. The essay map would succinctly chart out these main points you intend to make. This is not a necessary addition to your paper, but it can help your reader, and you, stay focused throughout the essay. Some examples to go with what weve worked with so far: Harry Potter: J.K. Rowling uses storytelling in her meta-narrative Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to introduce plot developments, deepen our understanding of certain characters, and unite plot and characters more fully in the mind of the reader. (Note: For each of these, Im going to have to find specific examples in the text the make these points and support my thesis. Im thinking the tale of the Deathly Hallows, Rons story after he returns, and perhaps the Epilogue, which reads like a fairytale ending. You see that I dont need to get into my specific examples at this point, but I need to have them in mind before I move on.)

 Dr. Kings Sermon: Dr. King syllogistically lays out his argument; first defining sin, ranking sins, and then condemning the different levels of sin. (This is a terribad essay map. Why? Well if youve read Dr. Kings sermon, he does not do that at all. And even if he did, this suggests that you will be summarizing his argument, rather than interpreting it. Now, if I had written that previous thesis and couldnt find any evidence to back it up, I cant just make things up. It is best to simply start over if you realize your thesis is indefensible; please dont make things up, or take things out of their contexts, or twist words to make your thesis work. Just try again. The quality of your argument is more important than how it reads on paper. Strive for correctness, not beauty in your thesis writing.) The Odyssey: During the course of the epic poem, Penelope, like Athena, demonstrates a natural aptitude for weaving, a wisdom beyond her years, and a resolute chastity in the face of temptation. (Note: This essay map summarizes points from the story, true, but they relate directly back to the thesis -- comparing Penelope to Athena -- and are verifiable with quotes from the text.) The Good Earth: Olans struggle is a result of the patriarchal society she lives in, which restricts her ability to make decisions for herself, which, in turn, restricts how she perceives herself. (Note: This may, at times like this, seem like a restatement of your thesis, but it is at your discretion to use the essay map. Here it says that you will first explore the patriarchal society Olan lives in, and next how that affects her agency, and finally how that affects her identity. Having your points build on each other like this, by the way, can add a lot to your writing.) Gangs of New York: (Note: Personally, I would not use an essay map with this introductory paragraph. Instead I would want to open my next paragraph with an explanation of that Glorious Jam and why it is relevant to my point. I would let my paragraphs build on themselves until I could progress back to my thesis in my conclusion. But, again, the choice is yours.) Othello: Attempting to reconcile his national, ethnic, and religious identities eventually leads Othello to take his own life. (Note: The body of this essay will not build on itself to prove the thesis, but will, instead, use three specific and distinct examples to support the thesis-claim. And this is another, more common, way to organize your essay.) The Lion King: (Note: In this example, you could either use a culminating argument, tracing Simbas journey to and through his Green World, or a series of specific points, identifying specific aspects of the Green World and identifying them in Simbas jungle. Some thesis are better suited to one method of argument or the other; some lend themselves to either. Be sure to write in a way that is most comfortable to you (while remaining professional), since you will likely convey your arguement best that way.)

 Donnes Holy Sonnets: (Note: This example is special since it is, presumably, leading up to an explication of poetry. For poetry, especially a shorter piece like a sonnet, you want to progress line by line and unpack the meaning hidden in the language. With a poetic explication your paragraphs will likely be more irregular and not as structured as the rest of the examples in this packet; find natural breaks, either in the poetry or your own writing, to separate paragraphs. And constantly quote the poem. You should examine a line or powerful word or phrase, unpack the meaning for your reader, and move on to the next significant part of the poem.) Now that youve written a strong thesis paragraph, youll have to work to prove/defend/support that thesis with the body of your paper. This is where you will be citing specific examples and interpreting evidence to convince the reader of your assertion. Youll need to make sure, by this point, that you can draw very specific and concrete facts or quotes from your primary sources to support your thesis. If you cannot, then you should reevaluate that thesis. For this class, working primarily with texts, this means that you need to have direct quotes from the text. A Power Paragraph, for your papers body, will likely hav e a minimum of eight sentences and adheres to the following model: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Topic Sentence (Lead-In) Evidence Commentary/Analysis Commentary/Analysis Evidence Commentary/Analysis Commentary/Analysis Concluding Sentence (Lead-Out)

Notice that you will spend much more time interpreting evidence than you will spend presenting it. This makes sense though: Im reading your essay for your thoughts and ideas about something; Im not reading your essay to get a list of interesting quotes from the book youre writing about. Trust me, I actually read the book, I know what happens. I want you to provide specific evidence to tell me what happens so you can tell me why it is important. In a standard Power Paragraph, you will open every paragraph in your essays body with a Topic Sentence. Simply put, the Topic Sentence will state the specific point you want to make in that paragraph. In excellent writing a Topic Sentence will also function as a Lead-In to your new paragraph; containing transitions and connections to your previous paragraphs. Your Evidence will include specific details and direct quotes from your source(s). You do not need to find a piece of character dialogue to put into quotations, instead you can use any relevant

piece of description, narration, or dialogue. These quotations need to be directly applicable to proving your thesis though. Do not choose a part of the text merely because it is pretty or it speaks to you or any such nonsense. Also, try to avoid quoting entire sentences. Instead pluck out the important and meaningful parts of a quote and use just that. Lead into your quotations with a few words of your own, rather than letting it float in between sentences. Your Commentary/Analysis/Interpretation is the most important part of your paper. This is where you break down the preceding quote or detail you provided and explain why it proves your thesis. It is your job to show the reader exactly how the bit of evidence you provided supports your claims. I very well may see the relevance, but then again, I may not. So make sure you explain why that piece of evidence should convince me of your viewpoint. A Concluding Sentence, in your body paragraph, should remind the reader why everything you just said proves your subpoint and your thesis. It should also Lead-Out to your next paragraph. Repeat this format for as many subpoints you brought up in your essay map, at which time you should have solidly defended your thesis. Once you are done with your body, transition into your Concluding Paragraph. A Concluding paragraph tells your reader that you are finished. In this paragraph you will restate your thesis and represent your major subpoints that prove that thesis. In effect you are summarizing your paper. But an effective conclusion should do more than summarize, it should leave your reader with a sense of finality and closure. It should show that you have progressed through your paper to some major conclusion or insight and truly come full circle. You can anchor your paper, in its last lines, by referring back to your original Hook.

Adapted with excerpts from a Thesis Paper Guide by Sona Loomis