Writing the Thesis Statement for Your Research Paper

Writing the Thesis Statement for Your Research Paper

A thesis is defined by Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary as a proposition to be proved. It is important that this statement accurately reflects both the purpose and direction of the paper. A paper without a fully developed thesis statement, or one that is too narrow or broad in scope, will not be as successful as one with a strong and clearly defined statement.

A thesis is one statement. The thesis is the statement in the research paper or documented essay that presents the topic, point of view, and any major conclusions arrived at through research. The thesis will be the last sentence in the first paragraph of the paper. The rest of the paper explains, argues, and demonstrates proof from the research for your thesis .

The thesis makes a claim about your topic that you can support. It is not just a statement of fact.

A well-developed thesis statement asks to have more said about it. It demands some proof.(Paradigm 2000).

What is a tentative thesis? It is simply a statement of what you hope to accomplish in your research paper. Why is it tentative? As you work on your paper, you may wish to narrow your thesis still further and further, adapting its emphasis based on the material you are finding. A suggestion for narrowing your thesis is to ask questions that your reader might ask. As these questions come to mind, write them down; they can sometimes be headings or subtopics for your paper.

All these stepsthe questions you think about, taking notes, and organizing the materialmust relate to the purpose as stated in your thesis. Your thesis will be tentative until you are done with your research. Modify it as you work on your research.