Definition A thesis statement is a complete sentence

A Complete Sentence The hip hop of today. This is not a sentence. Hip

Don’t State the Obvious In thesis statements, you should avoid using statements like, “This

OUTLINE Must include: Section Heading (this week—historical background/current situation) Subheadings Topic Sentence for each

EXAMPLE be legal? research question: should prostitution I. History of prostitution Main idea: Prostitution

I would continue like this… B. Prostitution policies around the world where is it

How do I start? (Intro paragraph) This is just one option… Start with an

Other ideas for intro sentence/paragraph Anecdote/illustration Key statistics Expert opinion (______ once referred to

Where does my thesis go? Since this is a longer research paper, your thesis

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Definition A thesis statement is a complete sentence that contains a debatable idea about a topic. A thesis CANNOT be a question. A thesis MUST be an assertion about a topic. A thesis MUST be your opinion about your chosen topic. What do I mean by “debatable”?

A Complete Sentence The hip hop of today. This is not a sentence. Hip hop dancing is an expression of identity and keeps our youth healthy mentally as well as physically. Why should America recycle? Recycling preserves our limited resources and helps to decrease pollution. This is a question.

Don’t State the Obvious In thesis statements, you should avoid using statements like, “This essay will discuss…” or “I’m going to write about…” Nope! In this paper, I will discuss the history of abortion and the current debates about abortion. Correct! Despite being widely practiced since ancient times, abortion has always been and continues to be a controversial practice, typically resulting from diverging ethical and legal belief systems.

OUTLINE Must include: Section Heading (this week—historical background/current situation) Subheadings Topic Sentence for each subheading Evidence to support topic sentence

EXAMPLE be legal? research question: should prostitution I. History of prostitution Main idea: Prostitution dates back thousands of years to ancient Babylonia, what has changed to make it unacceptable and against the law in modern United States? A. Origins of prostitution Topic Sentence: Prostitution was clearly evident as far back as 2400 BC, even when our country was founded prostitution was not against the law. Evidence: 1. Sumerian records 2. Hammurabi Code 3. In America--"Prostitution was not an offense in either English or American common law, and, prior to World War I, although being a prostitute was not an offense, prostitution was generally regulated as a specific sort of vagrancy. When prostitutes were punished as sexual deviants, it was under laws against adultery or fornication or for being 'common nightwalkers'--women who

I would continue like this… B. Prostitution policies around the world where is it legal? Where is it not? C. Current US policies and practices: where is it legal? Where is it not? WORKING THESIS: Although prostitution may be taboo to many Americans, it would serve our country well to legalize and regulate the prostitution industry.

How do I start? (Intro paragraph) This is just one option… Start with an interesting historical fact or interesting current event/fact. Summarize the issue (including the academic perspectives that you will be discussing) and the current situation regarding this issue. Mention challenges to finding a solution/potential solutions. Thesis- The main argument of your paper (analyzing this issue—what makes it a problem —and proposing possible solutions)

Other ideas for intro sentence/paragraph Anecdote/illustration Key statistics Expert opinion (______ once referred to ______ as, “…. ”) Historical background (origins)

Where does my thesis go? Since this is a longer research paper, your thesis doesn’t necessarily have to be in the first paragraph, but should be somewhere on the first page. Do what makes the most logical sense.