Three Effective Thesis Structures for Humanities Research Papers (with examples)

Your thesis is the roadmap of your paper, it tells your reader both where we are going and how to get there. It’s also key for organizing your own thoughts — after all, if the driver doesn’t have a map, they’re as lost as the passenger. The effective thesis can take many forms, but if you’re stuck, here are three effective thesis structures to get your research papers back on track:

The Goal Posts

The Goal Posts thesis is the most simple thesis structure, it outlines the main goals of your paper without elaborating on the ways you will achieve this goal. The essential structure looks like this:

“This paper examines the relationships between X and Y.” or “In this essay I analyze the influence of X on Y.”

This thesis structure is useful if your paper has several main goals within it that you will need to accomplish and if your methodology is not unusual for your discipline (and so does not need to be explained.) It is a great fit if you are trying to summarize existing scholarship without adding in your own opinion.

EXAMPLE: “This essay examines the changes in scholarship of the dystopian worlds of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984.”

CAUTION: This thesis structure easily slips into the first person. While many professors do not take issue with this, be mindful of your professor’s preferences. It is also important with this thesis structure to make strong, declarative statements and avoid wishy-washy phrases like “could be” or “should.”

The “Because I Said So”

The “Because I Said So” thesis makes your argument and then outlines the pieces of supporting evidence that you will be using to support that argument. The essential structure is this:

“A is B, because of C, D, and E.” or “Due to C, D, and E, it is clear that A is B.”

In this case, A is the subject of your paper, B is the argument you are making, and C, D, and E are the pieces of supporting evidence. This thesis structure is useful for helping you to outline your paper because C, D, and E can then become individual paragraphs in your paper.

EXAMPLE: “Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s painting The Swing is a Rococo painting because of its pastel color palette, classical allusions, and depiction of the leisure life of the aristocracy.”

CAUTION: If your paper has many pieces of supporting evidence, do not try to list them all or your thesis will become unwieldy. Either group these pieces of supporting evidence into like-categories or pick a select few to focus on.

The “Source?”

The “Source?” thesis places the source or method that you are using front and center. The essential structure is this:

“By utilizing X on Y, it is clear that Z.” or “By analyzing X through Y, it is clear that Z.”

This is especially helpful if you are applying an unusual or underutilized source or method. If you have found a cool primary source, an unusual approach, or a new lens to apply, consider using the “Source?”

EXAMPLE: “By analyzing the letters exchanged between Benjamin Franklin and General Edward Braddock through a rhetorical lens, it is clear that Franklin studied the persuasive strategy of the ancient Romans.”

CAUTION: You must be specific with your source or methodology for this to be an effective thesis structure. “Looking at”, “reading”, etc. are too vague to carry a thesis.

Conclusion

Trying a new thesis structure can revolutionize your essay — don’t be afraid to try more than one to see which one best fits your argument!