Developing a Thesis: Developing a Thesis

Framing your Thesis

• Rank / Order of Importance (what elements are most important? least?)
• Cause and Effect (what points have led to the result?)
• Contrast (what differences are there in the various points of view?)
• Perception vs. Reality (how close are they?)
• Validity/Credibility (are other points of view inadequate?)
• Ethics (challenge another point of view)

 What would you like your audience to believe or do?
 Who are the major actors (on all sides) and how did they contribute?
 What were there motives?
 Where the actions of these individuals justified?
 What was the impact/significance/value of...?
 What if...?
 What solututions or improvements would you suggest?
 How would you defend your point of view?
 Why did this happen? Why did it succeed/fail?
 What other problems are related to...?
 What next?