AAE - Thesis Statements & Support (Lesson)

Thesis Statements.

Both essays require thesis statements which should do the following:

Address the prompt. Make an argument. Preview the body paragraphs in order.

 

Writing a Thesis.

Once you know how to break down a question and determine the total number of parts, crafting a thesis will be a far easier task. View the information below to find out more about gaining this point.

Your thesis must refer to all parts of the question without restating the question which means you have to do more than simply turn the question into a statement. You will also need to incorporate specific examples or references in order to achieve this point. Often, in order to include all the required elements, a thesis may be more than one sentence. Consider making a thesis paragraph. You should also note that your thesis may appear anywhere in the essay, so it is perfectly acceptable to write it as your conclusion, once you've had time to fully determine what you want to say.

Let's put these ideas into practice. First, read the question prompt:

Analyze changing conceptions of French national identity and culture in the period since 1960.

 

Now, view the following examples. In each case, determine if the student would gain the thesis point.

 

 

Support.

The LEQ, and, in part, the DBQ, is written from what you know about a particular subject. In your essay you should attempt to:

  • Taking an analytical approach in an essay means to use what you know instead of describing items. Include 2-3 facts per paragraph
  • Try to be more analytical.

 

History vs. English Essays

You may have already learned that how you are required to write for one subject in high school is not how you write for another. These differences will only continue to grow as you move into college. While English/Language Arts can often be grouped with History, the 2 essay requirements are pretty different.

In English class, most emphasis is placed on the use of language itself. You are supposed to be descriptive and elaborate, and sometimes redundancy is OK if it enhances the syntax of the piece. Writing can be personal and based on feelings and emotions in certain situations.      

Whereas in History class, emphasis is on using specific factual evidence to prove your thesis. You must organize your argument in a concise and logically ordered way, and redundancy is discouraged due to time constraints. Writing is never personal and always based on facts, with attention paid to the sources of the evidence.

What does it mean to include specific factual evidence? It just means to add some sort of detail to your writing. For example, if discussing Napoleon's changes to France while he was an emperor, it is not enough to say "Napoleon created many laws." Instead, you should strive to state something along the lines of "Napoleon created the Napoleonic code which provided for lycées or public schools, guaranteed freedom of religion, promoted a meritocracy in France as well as restricting women's rights and reestablishing the husband's role as head of the family."

Quick Tip: You are allowed to make general statements, provided you follow them up with specific evidence.

 

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HISTORY VS ENGLISH ESSAY DESCRIPTIONS ADAPTED IN PART WITH PERMISSION FROM CARRIE CAGLE.