Handouts on Thesis Statements, Argumentation, and Problem Posing

So, What IS an Academic Argument, Anyway?
Some frequently asked questions about arguments and academia.

Crafting an Effective Thesis Statement
A detailed explanation of thesis statements that moves from carefully looking through the details of an assignment to crafting a compelling argument.

Writing Up a Statement of the Problem
A set of five prompts that help writers figure out what's at stake in their proposed arguments.

Problem Structure in Academic Writing
A worksheet that prompts writers to think through the elements of an academic problem.

Advanced Academic Argumentation
An overview of expectations and assumptions about advanced academic writing. Designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students.

Synthesizing Sources: Definitions and Guiding Questions
Do you need to write a synthesis paper? Working on a literature review? Check out this handout that walks you through the steps of synthesizing your sources.

Synthesizing Sources: Practice
This handout offers students a chance to practice synthesis using two common fairy tales, then prompts writers to think about how they would apply the same techniques to questions in their disciplines.

Understanding Common Task Words and Phrases
Need to know the difference between "analyze" and "evaluate"? "Discuss" and "define"? This handout's for you.

Writing an Effective Thesis Statement
Five tips for writing an effective thesis statement, plus four sample thesis statements for analysis.

Narrowing a Topic from Subject to Thesis
Four samples from different disciplines that model the process of narrowing a topic.

Narrowing YOUR Topic from Subject to Thesis Worksheet
This worksheet provides prompts to guide you through the process of narrowing your paper topic from a broad subject to a specific thesis.

Using Texts in Arguments
Five sample paragraphs to prompt writers to think about how and why to incorporate sources into their writing. This handout links to commentary about each of the five samples.

Some Vivid Verbs for Introducing Quotes and Paraphrases
A list (complete with definitions/explanations) of different verbs used to incorporate source material in a paper.

Using Source Materials Effectively
A multi-part handout that introduces writers to different methods of incorporating source materials.

• Part One: Source Material and Authority: Understanding How Sources Help Your Paper
  
• Part Two: Four Common Strategies for Incorporating Source Materials
  
• Part Three: Practice Incorporating Source Materials