I'm writing a 12 page research paper on homelessness(USA)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of formulating a cohesive thesis statement for a 12-page research paper on homelessness in the USA. Participants explore the complexities of the topic, including various causes of homelessness such as poverty, mismanagement in housing programs, and the impact of mental illness and foster care. The conversation also touches on the structure and expectations of a research paper.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents a thesis statement that identifies multiple causes of homelessness, expressing concern about the lack of a single argument throughout the paper.
  • Another suggests that the participant should choose one main argument to focus on for clarity and depth.
  • Some participants propose that a thesis statement should be framed as a question to guide the research process.
  • There are differing opinions on whether a thesis statement should be declarative or interrogative, with some arguing for a clear assertion while others advocate for a question-based approach.
  • A suggestion is made to combine themes of mental illness and childhood displacement as interconnected issues affecting homelessness.
  • One participant expresses doubt about the feasibility of writing 12 pages on a single topic, indicating a preference for a broader approach.
  • Another participant argues that a thesis could encompass multiple factors contributing to homelessness, allowing for a more nuanced exploration.
  • Concerns are raised about the need for extensive research to support any chosen thesis, particularly if it requires identifying a primary cause of homelessness.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to formulating the thesis statement. There are multiple competing views regarding the structure of the thesis and the focus of the paper, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the complexity of the topic and the potential for overlapping themes, suggesting that the choice of thesis may depend on the specific angle taken in the research. There is also mention of the need for clarity in the thesis statement, which may require further refinement as the research progresses.

Who May Find This Useful

Students working on research papers related to social issues, particularly homelessness, as well as those seeking guidance on thesis formulation and academic writing structure.

sweetvirgogirl
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here is my thesis statement :

In a rich nation like the USA, homelessness has deeper causes than poverty: mismanagement in housing programs, deinstitutionalization of mentally ill people and foster care.
OR
Poverty is the fundamental reason for the circumstantial homelessness from the subjective and the objective viewpoint; there are certain homelessness causes that reflect flawed planning in the system more than the lack of financial resources.
The problem is ... it seems from my thesis statement that I'm trying to write a thesis statement on three different themes ... and thus I have three different arguments running throughout my paper ...

However, as my prof said, a good paper will have a single argument running throuhgout the paper

see my problem? what's the fix?

12 pages is a lot to cover, so i had to combine 3 different arguments :(
 
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The fix is obvious, find the right reason. Better yet, since it is more of a mixture of problems, your best bet if you just want to get the paper done is to pick 1 and go with it. If you seriously want to know the answer, you'll have to research all 3 topics and determine which you feel is the "more right" problem.

Is this the same guy who had that stupid time travel paper? I don't see 12 pages coming out of any single idea.
 
sweetvirgogirl said:
here is my thesis statement :
In a rich nation like the USA, homelessness has deeper causes than poverty: mismanagement in housing programs, deinstitutionalization of mentally ill people and foster care.
OR
Poverty is the fundamental reason for the circumstantial homelessness from the subjective and the objective viewpoint; there are certain homelessness causes that reflect flawed planning in the system more than the lack of financial resources.
The problem is ... it seems from my thesis statement that I'm trying to write a thesis statement on three different themes ... and thus I have three different arguments running throughout my paper ...
However, as my prof said, a good paper will have a single argument running throuhgout the paper
see my problem? what's the fix?
12 pages is a lot to cover, so i had to combine 3 different arguments :(
Shouldn't your thesis statement be presented as a question that you are going to answer rather than as a conclusion?? The basis of a good thesis is you have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered and you have solved the problem or answered the question.
 
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Art said:
Shouldn't your thesis statement be presented as a question that you are going to answer rather than as a conclusion?? The basis of a good thesis is you have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered and you have solved the problem or answered the question.

Yah i think this isn't a "research" paper... more of a report. Like you say, a research paper asks a question and studies and investigates and by no means has a "12 page minimum".
 
Pengwuino said:
The fix is obvious, find the right reason. Better yet, since it is more of a mixture of problems, your best bet if you just want to get the paper done is to pick 1 and go with it. If you seriously want to know the answer, you'll have to research all 3 topics and determine which you feel is the "more right" problem.

Is this the same guy who had that stupid time travel paper? I don't see 12 pages coming out of any single idea.
not the same guy... but yeah the same course

and i that's why i combined the three topics ... coz i knew i wouldn't be able to write 12 pages just on one of those three. :(
 
how about i combine mentally ill and children, because they are unable to make the right decision for themselevs! and they both suffer due to the displacement!
 
maybe i should have posted this thread in HW section?
 
A thesis for a twelve page paper should probably be longer. You should argue that the US has a corrupt economic system that causes homelessness. That can be your main idea, and then you can speak about the main factors of this system that contribute to homelessness. Perhaps you could choose three main factors that connect to the main idea and do a few pages on each.
 
Art said:
Shouldn't your thesis statement be presented as a question that you are going to answer rather than as a conclusion?? The basis of a good thesis is you have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered and you have solved the problem or answered the question.
No. A thesis statement is a declarative statement of the theory or assertion to be proven in the paper. The question is posed in the introductory paragraph and answered in the last sentence of the paragraph in the thesis statement. Often, though, the thesis statement is rewritten after the body of the paper is finished because the conclusion is found to not be quite correct.

definition of a thesis: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=thesis
typical essay format: http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/staff/dehogue/FSSH/5_parag.htm

Incidentally, good posts of arguments in the politics forum should follow a condensed version of this format.
sweetvirgogirl said:
see my problem? what's the fix?
I think it should be ok to state in the introductory paragraph that there is more than one reason, then state the three reasons in your thesis statement (I think the first thesis statement is pretty good). You may decide later that one is the largest factor, but that would necessitate only a minor rewriting of the thesis statement to say 'these are all factors, but the most important is this one'.
 
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  • #10
russ_watters said:
No. A thesis statement is a declarative statement of the theory or assertion to be proven in the paper. The question is posed in the introductory paragraph and answered in the last sentence of the paragraph in the thesis statement. Often, though, the thesis statement is rewritten after the body of the paper is finished because the conclusion is found to not be quite correct.
definition of a thesis: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=thesis
typical essay format: http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/staff/dehogue/FSSH/5_parag.htm
Incidentally, good posts of arguments in the politics forum should follow a condensed version of this format. I think it should be ok to state in the introductory paragraph that there is more than one reason, then state the three reasons in your thesis statement (I think the first thesis statement is pretty good). You may decide later that one is the largest factor, but that would necessitate only a minor rewriting of the thesis statement to say 'these are all factors, but the most important is this one'.
so you're basically saying that the thesis statement would be like "this is the largest factor responsible for causing homelessness"?
well that would require a lot of researchhhhhhhhhhhhh!
it's not that i don't like doing research
but honestly ... Politics is just NOT my topic!
 
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  • #11
sweetvirgogirl said:
so you're basically saying that the thesis statement would be like "this is the largest factor responsible for causing homelessness"?
well that would require a lot of researchhhhhhhhhhhhh!
it's not that i don't like doing research
but honestly ... Politics is just NOT my topic!
Well, yes, you will have to do a lot of research. This is a research paper, so there is no need to be surprised about that. But since your professor also said that this paper is to be written with an argument structure, then you are going to have to come up with your own opinions, based on what you learn, and support them thoughout your paper.

Start with an outline. What is your main idea? State honestly why you think so many people are living out on the streets. It seems that your main idea is that poverty is the problem. What caused their poverty? Was it misfortune? Lack of education/job training? Mental illness? Drug habits? An inadequate welfare system?
All of these are points you could address and there are many more.

Just to ponder that poverty theme a little, let's say the U.S. government decided to hand $10,000 to every homeless person in the U.S.to help them get back "on their feet". Would that fix the problem? Why or why not? What other solutions are there?

You may even decide that there are multiple factors contributing to the problem of homelessness, and that's OK, too. I'm not sure that there is a single overarching theme that applies, unless you feel so strongly about one in particular that you want to argue it for 12 pages. Obviously, this is a very complex problem, otherwise it would be solved by now.
 
  • #12
What class are you taking that makes you write a paper on time travel and then homelessness? Is this English 101 or some kind of advanced expositional writing class? I hate it when classes like that actually give you a prompt.
 
  • #13
down here in the tropics most "homeless" have a home somewhere
some live in a tree, others have leantos, or use abandon buildings
one chic I knew lived in a graveyard, others live on small islands
but very few are without a place, that they call theirs
maybe not what you would call a home but it is where they live

most are nuts in some way but some just like to be free of materal ties
 
  • #14
Math Is Hard said:
Well, yes, you will have to do a lot of research. This is a research paper, so there is no need to be surprised about that.
And you did say it would need to be 12 pages... :rolleyes:
 
  • #15
russ_watters said:
And you did say it would need to be 12 pages... :rolleyes:
well let me make two things clear
1) i care about homeless people
2) i love doing research

now ... honestly speaking, i have no academic interest in homeless people ...

do you know what i mean by "academic interest"?
like i really like reading about ... like physics!

i loved doing my paper on time travel, i didnt complain about researching even once

homelessness, on the other hand, was assigned by my prof! he's pretty much forcing me to write on it in a way ...

^^^ I'm not sure if i made my point clear
i always have hard time conveying my thoughts
 
  • #16
loseyourname said:
What class are you taking that makes you write a paper on time travel and then homelessness? Is this English 101 or some kind of advanced expositional writing class? I hate it when classes like that actually give you a prompt.
it's not for an english class ... it's for a discussion class
 
  • #17
sweetvirgogirl said:
it's not for an english class ... it's for a discussion class

I'm not sure what you mean. All of my classes are either discussion or seminar, but that describes the manner in which the class is conducted, not the subject of the class. If this isn't a composition class, what the heck is it? Freshman seminar?

You don't have to answer me, obviously, as it makes no difference to your question and I haven't really made any attempt to help you, but I am confused. Anyway, if you have any specific questions regarding paper structure or how to make an argument, I'm pretty good with that stuff.
 
  • #18
loseyourname said:
I'm not sure what you mean. All of my classes are either discussion or seminar, but that describes the manner in which the class is conducted, not the subject of the class. If this isn't a composition class, what the heck is it? Freshman seminar?
You don't have to answer me, obviously, as it makes no difference to your question and I haven't really made any attempt to help you, but I am confused. Anyway, if you have any specific questions regarding paper structure or how to make an argument, I'm pretty good with that stuff.
well it's hard for me to describe what class it is
anyway, if you could I am me on yahoo/aim on pvirgohere,
i would highly appreciate it!
 
  • #19
sweetvirgogirl said:
well it's hard for me to describe what class it is
anyway, if you could I am me on yahoo/aim on pvirgohere,
i would highly appreciate it!
How can a class be "hard to describe"? What's the name of the class? And we don't ask for people to send information privately, this is a forum for open discussion.

Your inability to even describe the "class" you are supposedly taking is wasting the time of people here.
 
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