Beginning Your Essay

Suggestions for how to begin and structure your essay

I. Question

Know the question(s) you are looking to answer. Return to this question several times as you work through your paper to remind yourself of the main purpose. 

Sample Main question:

Were the Nuremberg trial successful?

Sample Sub questions:

1. What existed before the Nuremberg trials as far as international justice?

2. What were other options that existed aside from the Nuremberg trials?

3. What were the goals of the trials?

4. Were those goals met?

II. Thesis (Working thesis)

Develop a working thesis (meaning you can change it as you continue your research) – You can think of this as more of a hypothesis.

Some key thesis words:

While, despite, although, even though, however, ultimately, consequently etc.

III. Gather sources

Make sure that you have organized all of the possible sources that you will need to bring in evidence and information to support the claims you will be making in your essay. 

1. Lemkin articles

2. Nuremberg fact sheet

3. Road to Nuremberg

4. Jackson's opening Statement

5. Nuremberg remembered

6. Critique of Nuremberg

7. Nuremberg Reconsidered

IV. Gather Evidence

Create research notecards with evidence to answer above sub questions.

(See research notecards)

V. Organize

Begin to organize cards and write your essay.

VI. More info?

Think about other information that you might need. Where could you go to do more research if needed?

VII. Revise your work.

Read out loud. Make sure your work reads fluently and smoothly, both grammatically and content wise.