Hello, I am a student at a university and I need to write a research paper about a garden called Little Sparta. My thesis statement is: "In his works in Little Sparta, Ian Hamilton Finlay explores the contradiction and irony between the pastoral and the war." However, my professor said that it does not survive the 'so what?' test. How would you change that statement to be more complete? Best, Daniel
Not that I know the book or have ever written a thesis, but what about something like: his exploration of contradiction and irony had this certain effect on culture, history, and literature?
The thesis statement is usually the last sentence of the introductory paragraph of your paper. What you've written looks more like it's the first sentence of said paragraph. The statement has to include a claim, you have not done that. What are your claims about the contradictions and ironies and what makes your views on it unique? I should know what your views are by just reading your abstract. It's not meant to be a teaser about what you will be discussing, it should be everything. The rest of the paper is the details, but your abstract should include the entire overview.
