Writing an Effective Thesis and Body Paragraphs

Flashcards focusing on key concepts for writing an effective thesis statement and body paragraphs in essays.

Make a defensible claim

Thesis Statement

Answer all parts of the question

Thesis Statement

3 Groupings (if its a DBQ)

Thesis Statement

Groupings should support the claim in a way that is true for ALL Docs in the group!

Thesis Statement

Explicity mentions date or time period

Contextualization

• Lists and explains events, developments or processes before or during the time period of the prompt

Contextualizaiton

• Those events, developments, or processes are related to the thesis

Contextualization

• Starts with a topic sentence that repeats or reframes one subclaim from the thesis.

Body Paragraphs

• Explains/supports subclaim with specific evidence/ examples from the documents 

Body Paragraph

• Provides explanation and Reasoning for evidence 

Body Paragraph

• Connects evidence back to the thesis/main argument. 

Body Paragraph

• Summarizes the document in a sentence, includes document #, author

H.A.P.P.Y CFS

• States which part of H.A.P.P.Y is being analyzed 

H.A.P.P.Y CFS

• Provided reasoning and support to subclaim.

H.A.P.P.Y CFS

• Sentence Frame: In (name of document), (author) depicts/shows/demonstrates (main idea). ___(Evidence)_______ proves that ______(claim/subclaim)____ because it shows…

H.A.P.P.Y CFS