THESIS PAPER OUTLINE

TITLE PAGE
• Running Header – Shortened title of your paper: Equine Therapy on Veterans
• Title – Full title of your paper: The Impact of Equine Therapy on Veterans with
PTSD
• Student Name – First name, middle initial, last name: Kelly A Shea
• College – American International College
• Date – Due Date (April 30, 2019)

INTRODUCTION
• Hook – Introduce your topic and get your reader’s interest
• Thesis Statement – State the main idea of your paper: Equine therapy has a
positive impact on veterans with PTSD and should be implemented in veteran’s
homes.

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH 1: What is PTSD and how many veterans suffer from it?

• Supporting Detail 1: “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosed

condition that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event.
Symptoms can include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the
events, mental or physical distress, difficulty sleeping, and changes in how a
person thinks and feels.”
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/combat-stress-recovery-
program?
gclid=CjwKCAiA_P3jBRAqEiwAZyWWaHZZgZeKzfuw3WoguXHKX96TkSA_hxK0E3XgMaK5
R3fGpMlJKmkArRoC7iQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

• Supporting Detail 2: Number of veterans with PTSD: 30% of Vietnam veterans,

12% of Gulf War veterans, 11-20% of Iraqi Freedom/ Enduring Freedom
veterans
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp
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• Supporting Detail 3: “There were more than 6,000 Veteran suicides each year
from 2008 to 2016.”
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/
OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf

• Supporting Detail 4: “In 2016, the unadjusted suicide rate among Veterans was
30.1 per 100,000.”
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/
OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH 2: How does PTSD change brain function?

• Supporting Detail 1: “Your brain is equipped with an alarm system that
normally helps ensure your survival. With PTSD, this system becomes overly
sensitive and triggers easily. In turn, the parts of your brain responsible for
thinking and memory stop functioning properly.”
https://www.hprc-online.org/articles/how-ptsd-affects-brain-circuitry

• Supporting Detail 2: The prefrontal cortex’s job is to calm your brain down
when your body realizes something that startled you is not a threat. “In
service members with PTSD, the prefrontal cortex doesn’t always manage to
do its job when needed.”
https://www.hprc-online.org/articles/how-ptsd-affects-brain-circuitry

• Supporting Detail 3: “It’s like stomping on your car’s accelerator, even when
you don’t need to, only to discover the brakes don’t work.”
https://www.hprc-online.org/articles/how-ptsd-affects-brain-circuitry

• Supporting Detail 4 | Source

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH 3
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• Supporting Detail 1 | Source

• Supporting Detail 2 | Source
• Supporting Detail 3 | Source
• Supporting Detail 4 | Source

SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH 4
• Supporting Detail 1 | Source
• Supporting Detail 2 | Source
• Supporting Detail 3 | Source
• Supporting Detail 4 | Source

CONCLUSION
• Restate Thesis – Connect introduction and body evidence
• So What – Extend beyond the thesis

REFERENCES
• Source 1 – Scholarly
• Source 2 – Primary: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/
OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf
Also: Pam
• Source 3 – Interview: Emailing Pam about her work with veterans with PTSD
and to recap what she said about how a horse grounds a person
• Source 4 – Your choice: https://www.hprc-online.org/articles/how-ptsd-
affects-brain-circuitry
• Source 5 – Your choice

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181836/
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