I have a research paper due TOMOROW that my English teacher assigned 2 weeks ago. I waited until Friday to start thinking i could rush it, but so far I have nothing. I did tons of non-stop research and got to page 2 when I realized I was "writing in circles" because I had a bad thesis statement. The problem with this is that I really need help on the assignment from the teacher. I could ask her for help on it tomorow (the day its due), but she may get mad because she asked us everyday that if we needed help on the thesis statement or getting started. I have 2 options:
#1- I could continue doing working on it today and I could risk going to the teacher tomorrow and ask for help. If she decides to help me I could get about a 70-60% on the project by turning it in late and complete, but if she gets mad that I waited so late and doesn't help me I'll get about a 30%.
#2- Or I could continue to writing-in-cricles, turn it in tomorrow, and get about a 50%
What is your "bad thesis statement"? Sometimes, if it can be changed or streamlined, you can continue -- instead of waiting (more procrastination!) until tomorrow.
-The ruling of “separate but equal” facilities being constitutional in America in the “Plessy vs. Ferguson” case was one of the worst rulings the Supreme Court’s could have made because it led the pathway for the Southern society to become economically unsound, morally unjust, and the decision still scars the American society of today.
Sorry about the grammar error above. Its from me changing it so many times.
That is a good thesis statement...and someone already gave you a good suggestion as to how to structure your paper... one paragraph on each of those items in your last sentence. Use your research to see how Southern society became economically unsound... etc.
We will be happy to help you proof after you have done some writing.
GuruBlue is right. If you are not writing your paper from an outline based on your thesis statement, that's probably your big problem.
I. Intro, incl thesis statement
II. Economically unsound
III. Morally unjust
IV. Scars American society today
V. Conclusion
Each section (II, III, and IV) doesn't have to be a paragraph. In fact, if this is a true research paper, each of those sections probably will have more than one paragraph. Before going any farther, you should write a brief outline or plan for each of those three sections.
Here's a suggestion for redoing your thesis statement a bit:
The ruling that made “separate but equal” facilities constitutional in America in the Plessy vs. Ferguson case was one of the worst rulings the Supreme Court could have made; it led Southern society to become economically unsound, morally unjust, and ultimate scarring of American society even today.
See what you think.
Rethinking: "it led Southern society to become economically unsound, morally unjust, and ultimate scarring of American society even today."
This is difficult to rephrase because it is in the form of a series, and the parts of the series need to be parallel.
... as a result, Southern society became economically unsound, morally unjust, and ________ scarred even today.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/parallelism.htm
Be thinking of a better way to state the last part of that series.
-The ruling that made “separate but equal” facilities constitutional in America in the Plessy vs. Ferguson case was one of the worst rulings the Supreme Court could have made; it led Southern society to become economically unsound, morally unjust, and ultimately scarred the American society of today.
or- The ruling that made “separate but equal” facilities constitutional in America in the Plessy vs. Ferguson case was one of the worst rulings the Supreme Court could have made; it led Southern society to become economically unsound, morally unjust, and scarred the American society of today.
In either sentence, that series is still a problem. The sense of what you're writing is clear, so the thesis statement is good.
The problem: All parts of a series need to follow the same pattern to be parallel. This includes parts of speech. In both sentences, this is what the series is composed of:
economically unsound (adverb & adjective)
morally unjust (adverb & adjective)
scarred (verb)
Do you see the issue? The last part of the series needs to be transformed so that it's composed of an adverb followed by an adjective, just as the previous two are.
Another way around this is to get rid of the series and rephrase. Here's a possibility:
... it led Southern society to become economically unsound and morally unjust, and it has scarred American society ever since.
See what you think.
??
It seems like you're in a tough situation with your research paper. While I understand the urgency, it's important to consider the best course of action. Here's a suggestion on how to approach this:
1. First, take a deep breath and try not to panic. It's not ideal, but you still have some time left to work on your paper.
2. The most effective way to address the issue of your bad thesis statement is to revise it. A strong thesis statement is crucial to the success of your paper as it provides a clear focus for your arguments.
3. Take a step back and think about the main argument or point you want to make in your paper. Formulate a thesis statement that clearly captures your argument and the direction of your research.
4. With a revised and improved thesis statement, go back to your research and ensure that it supports your thesis effectively. Refer to your sources and evidence to develop your arguments and strengthen your paper.
5. Since you still need help, instead of waiting until the day the paper is due, consider reaching out to your English teacher today. Explain the situation honestly and respectfully. Express your genuine interest in improving your paper and ask if she could spare some time to guide you.
6. If your teacher agrees to help, make sure to take her advice seriously and work on incorporating her suggestions into your paper. This way, you can make significant improvements and potentially achieve a higher grade.
7. Finally, once you have made the necessary revisions, proofread and edit your paper before submitting it. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and overall clarity of your arguments.
Remember, it's always a good idea to start working on assignments earlier to avoid last-minute stress. Learning to manage your time effectively will benefit you in the long run. Good luck with your paper!