I'm doing a thesis on the Olmec Maya and Aztec. It says I need an abstract page that has a 150-250 summary of key points of research. Where does the thesis statement go? I'm so confused. Does the thesis statement go into the introduction of each civilization or just at the beginning?

Answer 1

In a thesis, the abstract serves as a concise summary of your research, highlighting the key points, arguments, and conclusions of your work. It typically appears after the title page and before the main content of your thesis. The abstract should be between 150-250 words and provide an overview of your main objectives, methodologies, findings, and significance of your research.

As for the thesis statement, it generally appears in the introduction of your thesis. The thesis statement presents the main argument or claim that you will be supporting throughout your paper. In your case, since you are discussing the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, you would typically outline your thesis statement in the overall introduction of your thesis, where you set the stage for the entire work.

However, if you are providing individual sections or chapters for each civilization, you can also include a specific thesis statement or main argument pertaining to that civilization in the introduction of each respective section. This approach can help to clarify the focus of your research on each civilization while still supporting your overall thesis.

In summary:

1. Abstract: Place this after the title page. Summarize your entire research (150-250 words).
2. Thesis Statement: Include this in the overall introduction of your thesis. Optionally, you can have additional statements in the introductions of sections dedicated to each civilization.

This structure will help provide clarity and cohesion to your research presentation. Good luck with your thesis!