X,Y,X Thesis Activity

AP European History

The X, Y, Z Thesis Checklist

Your thesis is a critical part of your paper and should be carefully constructed so that you are sure that it is valid and that it can be effectively proven.  Make sure that the categories you choose for your plan of attack outline the arguments that most successfully support your thesis.  These categories are your X, Y, and Z plan of attack on the thesis.  Before choosing your X, Y, and Z, you need to be able to find specific evidence for each category and you need to be sure that you are making logical arguments.

To be effective, remember there are three things your thesis must do.  Before you go on to the body of the paper, check to see if your thesis has all 3 necessary elements.  If it does not, go back and rewrite your thesis so that your LEQ response successfully does its job.

1. The thesis must address all parts of the question.

2. The thesis must contain 3 organizational categories 

3. The thesis must be clear, concise, analytical and specific 

Let’s do a little practice:

Here’s an AP-style prompt; this would be for the kind of question called an LEQ—“Long Essay Question”.  You’ll have to know how to handle this kind of question for in class exams and for the AP Exam in the spring. 

We’ll give you a prompt based on the reading we’ve just done.

The Prompt:

Explain and analyze the various causes of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 16th Century

With a neighbor or two, come up with a “XYZ” thesis statement.  Write it here: