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How to Develop a Thesis for a Harlem Renaissance Unit

A thesis has several definitions, but for academic purposes it means a dissertation, or piece of original written work based on research, usually for the purposes of an academic degree; and to develop a thesis means to prepare it for submission to a body for assessment and grading. A unit is a part of an educational course, in this case, about the Harlem Renaissance, a movement in the arts that took place in the Harlem district of New York City between around 1919 and the mid 1930s.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer with sound facility and access to the internet.
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Instructions

  1. Developing a Thesis for a Harlem Renaissance Unit

    • 1
      Read all you can about the Harlem Renaissance.

      Obtain a computer with sound facility, and access to the internet. Absorb information about Harlem and the Harlem Renaissance by reading and watching online documentaries about the movement, while making notes. Write a first draft of your thesis, beginning with an introduction and thesis statement, in which you state your intentions with respect to the rest of the thesis. Ensure your thesis statement is one of intent, and not merely of fact, and one expressed in the third rather than the first person, so as to remain objective.

    • 2
      The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement, and music played a strong part in it.

      Write the main body of the work, considering the deeper implications of the Harlem Renaissance in the light of Black History and why it might have taken place, including when and why African Americans were first drawn to Harlem, the results of their having settled there in terms of the area's development and growth, and how the Harlem Renaissance impacted America with regard to politics, literature, music and the arts in general, and vice versa.

    • 3
      Does the Harlem Renaissance have any continuing relevance for Americans today?

      Expand on themes you have already outlined, such as biographies of some of the key figures of the Harlem Renaissance and what part they played therein, why the movement ended, and whether you think it has any continuing relevance for contemporary Americans. While writing your final draft, bear in mind potential arguments that might be presented against it. Finally, prune all superfluous words and passages, and ensure there are no grammatical errors.

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