Writing a Thesis

Choose one of the questions/prompts below and compose an introductory paragraph that contains a thesis statement (you are to underline your thesis  statement).

When writing a thesis statement, remember these basic rules:

• Your thesis must take a position;
• Be supported by evidence in the topic sentences contained in the three following body paragraphs (which I will ask you only to outline);
• Be expressed in one sentence (although a good introductory paragraph should contain a minimum of at least three sentences, and a very good introductory paragraph could contain up to five sentences.

The purpose of your introduction is to state a position on the topic and also to provide a blue print or roadmap to the reader, as in, what is to come in the paper. A strong thesis is specific, as opposed to general.

For example:

“History is beneficial to study,” is a poor thesis (although it does take a position)

“History is beneficial to study since it provides one with background knowledge, explains the context of time and might provides insight into future events,” is a stronger thesis since it not only takes a position, but can be supported by evidence, 1) background knowledge, 2) context of time and 3) insight into future events... which forms the basis of your following three body paragraphs.

The two choices:

How did the environments of different regions of America shape the development of the various Indian cultures during the pre-Columbian era? Did these diverse civilizations have any common elements among their cultures? If so, what were they?

What cultural factors pushed Europeans to explore beyond their borders during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? What were the various goals of these expeditions and settlements? What kinds of exchanges occurred between the explorers and the natives, and how was each side affected by these interactions?

Hint to answering the first prompt:

You need to decide which three areas your thesis plans to address in this compare/contrast question. The main thing to keep in mind is to ANSWER THE QUESTION! You're being asked to compare environments and how each environment shaped each culture (remember Herodotus?), and what commonalities did these cultures share.

To create a five paragraph essay, perhaps you might focus on 1) the Aztecs, 2) Pueblos and 3) Incas. Then after your introductory paragraph, in which you would identify these three cultures within your thesis, your paper then begins the body paragraphs. Each paragraph might take one of the three cultures and within that paragraph you explain how environment shaped that culture. For this question, your paper may contain a fourth body paragraph that address the commonalities between the three civilizations, or you could include this part of the prompt within the body paragraph on that culture.

Hint to answering the second prompt:

This prompt is a simple three-part question: 1) identify and explain the cultural factors pushing Europeans to explore, 2) identify and explain each of their goals and 3) what exchanges and interactions occurred between the Europeans and the natives and explain how each was affected.