History Essay
CONSTRUCTING A THESIS STATEMENT IN CANADIAN HISTORY
To construct an effective thesis for a research paper, one good technique is to show a relationship
between two or more relevant concepts. Consider the lists below, and mentally experiment by
connecting some of them.
Element of History
War
Battle
Invention
Technology
Military General
Prime Minister
Person
Event
Relationship Terms
-was a defining moment
-was responsible for
-about
-was instrumental in
-supported
-weakened
-strengthened
-was superior to
-was inferior to
-had a positive effect
-has a negative effect
-caused
-brought
-led to
-fragmented
-caused turmoil
-destroyed
-undermined
-brought
-affected
-saved
Effect on History
-Economic prosperity
-Economic decline
-Military power
-Military collapse
-political independence
-economic stability or
instability
-Political stability or
instability
-Rise of a nation
-Fall of a nation
-Influencing another culture
-Dominating/conquering
-contributed to victory
-contributed to autonomy
-social effects
-political effects
-economic effects
-military effects
Examples


The World Wars were directly responsible to the increase of women’s rights.
Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s decision to scrap the Avro Arrow had a negative effect on Canada.
Thesis Formation
Name: _____________________
Your Chosen Topic: ______________________________________________
Write down the thesis statement and supporting evidence.
Thesis Statement
Argument
(answer to the
controversial question
and defining moment
question)
This is a good
essay because it
has a clear thesis,
strong arguments
and excellent
writing style.
Evidence that Proves the Argument
& FOOTNOTE
Footnote Instructions
Documentation in Essays:
How to FOOTNOTE
http://www.aresearchguide.com/index.html
In academic research papers and in any other writing that borrows information from sources, the borrowed information
(such as quotations, summaries, paraphrases, statistics or any facts of ideas that are not common knowledge), must be clearly
documented.
WHAT ARE FOOTNOTES?
Footnotes are used to give credit to sources of any material borrowed, summarized or paraphrased. They are intended to
refer readers to the exact pages of the works listed in the Bibliography section. 1[1]
WHERE DO FOOTNOTES GO?
There are TWO parts to a footnote:
1) immediately after a citation(s) (quote, statistic, etc.) a small number is inserted (each citation is given a number in
chronological order)2[2]
2) at the bottom (foot) of the very same page where the direct citation(s) were made, a footnote is placed that consists of
the same small number as the citation and all the publishing information. 3[3]
HOW DO I FOOTNOTE USING MY COMPUTER?
Step 1: Click on insert 4
Step 2: click on footnote
Step 3: choose footnote
Step 4: click OK
Step 5: type in publication information as follows:
Author’s First Name, Author’s Last Name, Title of Source.
(Place of Publishing: Publisher, copyright date) page number.
Step 6: scroll back up to your essay
1[1]
G. Wayne Miller, How to Footnote in Research Essays (New York: Oxford University Press) 245.
Alan Dundes, “Footnote”, World Book Encyclopaedia, 2000 ed.
3[3]
I. Lee, “Sample Footnotes in MLA Style”, A Research Guide for Students
http://www.aresearchguide.com/samplefootnote.html (September 30, 2004)
4
Ms. King practising 
2[2]