Layout Your Evidence

Having a ton of evidence is never an assurance that you will ace your thesis. You should know which evidence is necessary and which is expendable. More so, you should also know how to properly explain the gathered data to readers. Use the following guidelines and your evidences will make your thesis standout from the rest.

• Use evidences taken from primary sources. These could be journal articles or entire books devoted to the topic of your thesis. Secondary sources are also necessary, for they can help clarify your position and define the direction of your work. You, however, should remember that secondary evidences have to be scholarly as well. In gathering sources, check which ones are too broad, and which ones are too narrow.

• Of course, it is not enough to present your evidences; you also have to explain them. Readers will not simply believe your argument just because it is backed up by a slew of data, imagery, statistics, tables and selected quotes. Try explaining your evidences by using narration. Readers will understand your evidences more if you present them with a literary flair.

• You should never, except on rare instances, quote a secondary source. The purpose of your thesis is to convince people using your own words and not the words of other authors or historians. Better if you paraphrase the quote, and just cite its source.

• Quote only primary sources only if you need to provide specific evidence for your point of view, to add lively words to the narration, and to challenge or criticize the words of a famous person. Even then, quote only parts of the passage that are necessary and rephrase the rest.

• Repeating your assertions will not persuade anybody. Analyze your evidence and show readers how it supports your argument. There are also evidences that will contradict your point of view. Don’t ignore them. Use these objecting evidences to build your thesis; prove to professors that despite opposition, your argument is still more powerful.