WRITING A THESIS

I. A THESIS IS THE MAIN IDEA OF THE ESSAY, THE BASIC STAND YOU TAKE, OR
YOUR OPINION ON A SUBJECT

A THESIS IS NOT A TITLE, AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AN ABSOLUTE FACT, A
GENERAL SUBJECT

EXAMPLES:

        TITLE -                             THE TRUTH ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR
        ANNOUNCEMENT -      MY SUBJECT ABOUT VIETNAM
        ABSOLUTE FACT -      THE VIETNAM WAR ENDED IN 1973
        GENERAL SUBJECT-  VIETNAM


    THESIS STATEMENT- THE VIETNAM WAR DIVIDED THE COUNTRY INTO
    HAWKS AND DOVES.

II. A THESIS STATEMENT IS THE IDEA THAT YOU WILL DEVELOP AND DEFEND IN
    YOUR ESSAY.

    YOUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PERSUADE THE READER THAT YOUR THESIS  IS A
    VALID ONE. YOUR STATEMENT SHOULD CONTAIN TWO ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS:

    1. A LIMITED SUBJECT
    2. A CONTROLLING PURPOSE OR COMMENT ABOUT THE SUBJECT

    EXAMPLES:

    SUBJECT CONTROLLING THE PURPOSE

        THE CIVIL WAR - HAD THREE ECONOMIC CAUSES, MORAL ISSUES,
        STATES RIGHTS, AND SLAVERY

III. LIMITING THE TOPIC: A GENERAL TOPIC IS MUCH TOO BROAD TO GIVE THE ESSAY

           FOCUS. THE TOPIC MUST BE NARROWED DOWN AND MADE SPECIFIC OR YOUR
            ESSAY WILL BE A DISASTER.

    EXAMPLES:

        GENERAL TOPIC - WAR
        NARROWED TOPIC - THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
        MORE NARROWED TOPIC - THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
        SPECIFIC TOPIC - THE UNION STRATEGY AT GETTYSBURG

THESIS STATEMENT:

                THE ULTIMATE DEFEAT OF THE CONFEDERACY AT GETTYSBURG WAS CAUSED BY         
                THE  UNION STRATEGY OF TAKING THE HIGH GROUND AND FORCING THE ENEMY TO
                COME TO THEM.