4210B/5210 Fall 2008

Do I answer the question about the specific significance of the particular works I am examining? Re-reading with a a view to whether you have bought together works that are related in their relevance to the thesis after constructing a working thesis can help you repair an argument that misses the focus of the question. For instance, if you had sought to know the significance of Monet's "haystack" paintings, and then stated a thesis that Monet, in a specific group of paintings, had an overarching concern of showing the morning light in different seasons of the year, but had included in your thesis statement that none of Monet's paintings can be seen in Cleveland, it would likely be clear to you that these ideas have nothing to do with one another. If you had selected Monet, he would clearly NOT fit the requirement that his work be considered as American. If you did select an American artist, state clearly and specifically what is distinctively American about the work, as well as how it relates to the phase of evolution in American art in which it appears.
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply providing a summary or your research findings, rather than making an argument and showing your own thought processes. Just the gathering of research materials is not sufficient basis for the thesis statement or for the ultimate writing -- there needs to be clear evidence of your own thought and hypothesis.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something "successful"? Judgment of the value of art, in itself, rarely has significance. Rather, focus on the specific relevance in context. For example, if you posit that Monet's haystack paintings mark a phase of Impressionism in which the focus on light conditions and and atmospheric phenomena were more important than the farmland and the activity of gathering hay into stacks as agrarian activities, you would have a much stronger thesis than if you stated that Monet's most beautiful paintings were of haystacks.
Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue. If you had said the Monet's most beautiful paintings were of haystacks, a reader would be quite justified in saying "So what?" and insisting that you offer them something much more specific.
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It's o.k. to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is "how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.