• A short statement (a paragraph or two) in which you state the thesis of your essay

• The outline should be as detailed as possible. We realize that it will be an outline of a work in progress. The average outline will be at least a page in length. See the examples and the material below for a recommended outline format.

Sample pages:

• Eli's
• Luke's

What is a Thesis?

• Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines a thesis as "a position or proposition that a person...advances or offers to maintain by argument."
  
• Browne & Keeley in Asking the Right Questions write, "readers of your writing will be looking for your thesis or conclusion...By requiring yourself to define a thesis, you are more likely to provide reasoning that moves toward...a convincing conclusion. (p.18)

• Kessler & McDonald in The Search say, "Having chosen the focus from the material you have gathered, you begin to develop a thesis. It becomes the answer to your main question.(189)

• states an opinion about the public policy question;
• posits a causal relationship between a specific law and the actions of interest groups involved in the question;
• and suggests a possible solution.

Thesis statement

Example: Let's say your topic is labor relations in major league baseball.
Your final question might be: Should the federal government have intervened in the 1995 baseball strike?
Your thesis statement might be: The anti-trust exemption granted major league baseball in the 1920s no longer serves the public interest. If Congress repealed the exemption, the owners would be forced to bargain in good faith with the players. Once the exemption is removed, the strike will end.

The Essay

How do I write the essay?

• In the essay you will explain how you would use your annotated sources in an article or report about your public policy topic. You are not writing the article, but rather a bibliographic essay in which you address the relevant issues, interests, problems and possible solutions.
  
• Your goal should be to write an essay that will explain your public policy question for the reader, propose a public policy initiative to resolve the question, make the reader care about the issue and, most important, show the reader how your annotated sources fit together. When the reader finishes your essay she should have a very clear understanding of the issue, your sources, and your conclusion.
  
• The essay should be approximately 15 pages, double- spaced. Longer that 15 pages is fine, if you really have something to say. Shorter than 15 pages also may be acceptable, if your writing is clear, precise and very efficient.
  

The Outline

Grading Criteria

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School of Journalism and Communication