2.  A thesis statement is the MAIN IDEA of your PAPER.  In other words, it is the BASE from which your ENTIRE paper is WRITTEN.

3.  All SUPPORTING paragraphs and RESEARCH should PROVE or AMPLIFY your THESIS statement!

4.  First, you need to have a TOPIC you are WRITING your RESEARCH paper about.  Choose your topic and two supporting points!

5.  Then, you need to WRITE one SENTENCE on which to BASE your paper.  In other words, all of the FACTS and EXAMPLES you present in your PAPER should PROVE your THESIS.

6.  Then, you need to WRITE one SENTENCE on which to BASE your paper. In other words, all of the RESEARCH and FACTS you present in your PAPER should PROVE your THESIS to be TRUE.

7.  Remember: your thesis must be SPECIFIC to your TOPIC. You should NOT write about anything that does not CONNECT to your THESIS!

8.  When WRITING your paper, your THESIS will appear at the END of your INTRODUCTION (first) paragraph.

9.  If you need to CHANGE any portion of your TOPIC, make sure you make the CHANGE in your THESIS as well.

10.  The media greatly influenced American culture.  What is this paper about exactly?

11.  The media has greatly changed the way Americans view people of foreign cultures through negative portrayal of these people in movies, on television, and on the Internet.  What is this paper about exactly?

12.  The Internet is bad.  Do you know exactly what this paper is about?

13.  Inappropriate language, sexually explicit content, and safety concerns have all changed the way Americans approach use of the Internet, which is a vital portion of society today.

14.  Now draft a thesis statement for your research paper.  Remember, you must NARROW your topic! Write about the IMIPACT of your media and ethical issues you are examining – be specific!