T1 - University Library - University of Saskatchewan

Appendix B: Assignments
A. First Assignment (10%): Working toward a thesis.
Your first assignment is intended to be a bridge toward your second assignment which is a
term paper. Below, I give a definition of a thesis, demonstrate a plan of working toward a thesis
statement, elaborate by giving examples and then give your first assignment.
Definition of a thesis: A persuasive thesis is a declarative statement or proposition which is
advanced for consideration, especially one that is to be proved or maintained against objections.
The author is taking a stand, is making an argument, and is hoping to form the reader’s
understanding of research (in our case, a developmental phenomenon). It is an idea that controls
and shapes your paper. It is exactly what your paper is about. It is what you intend to demonstrate
and everything in your paper should contribute toward your intention. It helps you set aside
interesting but not centrally relevant ideas. At the end, the reader should be prepared to change
his or her views about the topic or develop a view if, indeed, no view was had before the
argument.
Remember that, before they have read very far, readers of academic papers want to know what
the paper argues as well as how the author plans to make the argument. The academic reader
likely thinks, “This author is trying to convince me of something. Either I am already convinced
or unsure. In any case I am interested to see how I might be further convinced or change my
mind.”
A thesis is not a topic. It is not a fact. It is not an opinion. It can not be answered by a simply
“yes” or “no”. It has two parts: a) what you plan to argue and b) telegraph how you plan to argue
it (or what kind of support is going to appear where in your argument).
Steps in Constructing a good thesis:
1. Carefully analyze your primary sources. Look for tensions, ambiguities, contradictions,
controversies or deeper meanings. Document them.
2. Write down your thought as soon as you think them. Your next idea may wreck your idea
or cause you to lose concentration. Writing forces you to think clearly, logically, and
concisely. You can revise your writing anytime. Revision clarifies thinking even more.
3. Make your thesis prominent in your introduction of your paper. A good place in 10-15
page papers is at the end of the first paragraph. Academics are used to finding theses there
so they anticipate it well. They usually pay more attention to the last sentence of the
introductory paragraph.
4. Try to anticipate counter-arguments to your thesis. What might be said against it? What
arguments might you need to refute later in you paper. Remember that every argument
has a counter argument or it would not be an argument! Instead it would be a fact,
opinion or a topic.
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