This pathfinder defines
what a thesis statement is, how to construct one,
and
provides samples of ones for a history paper.
What is a Thesis Statement?
It tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter you read.
It is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
It directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
How Do You Begin to Write a Thesis Statement?
Begin with a subject that is neither too broad nor too narrow. As you read books, and Internet material about your subject, look for interesting chapters or portions of the book that interest you. Read this area a second time. Make a list of questions or notes about the area that interest you as you go along. Below are some examples of narrowed subjects.
General Subject
Limited Subject
Thesis
Toxic Chemicals
Bhopal Disaster ( India)
Union Carbide caused the Bhopal disaster with unsafe factory standards.
Population Problems
Rwandan Genocide
Overpopulation may have been one cause of the genocide practiced in Rwanda.
Medieval Architecture
Role of the Master Builder
The position of Master Mason evolved to Architect during the Middle Ages.
Great Depression
First Three Years of the Great Depression
Passage of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act may have acerbated the financial
disasters of the Great Depression.
Kashmir
Kashmir Dispute Between India and Pakistan
One cause of the Kashmir Dispute is India’s desire for preeminence on the subcontinent.