Research Paper Mr. Chambers LA

What is a Thesis Statement? A thesis statement is a strong statement that you can prove with evidence. It is not a simple statement of fact. A thesis statement should be the product of your own critical thinking. You may want to revise or redirect your thesis statement after you have done some research. Your thesis statement will be the main idea of your entire project. It can also be thought of as the angle or point of view from which you present your material.

Statement of Purpose (we’ll just think about it) Before you write the thesis statement, you must write your statement of purpose explaining why you are writing this paper. “I want to learn about…” “I want to find out about…” “I want to know about…”

Where do I put it? You will present your thesis statement in your introduction, prove it with evidence in the body of your paper, project, or presentation, and finally restate it along with a summary of your evidence in your conclusion.

Now, on to writing your thesis statement!

Single Idea A good thesis asserts one main idea. Many papers get into trouble because the writer tries to explain two or more different, large issues in one paper. Pick one main idea and explain it in convincing detail.

So What? A good thesis has something worthwhile to say. Poorly written thesis statements are boring and predictable from the start. Does your thesis statement pass the “So What? Who Cares?” test?

Focused A good thesis is limited to fit the assignment. Your thesis should be focused enough to adequately explore and develop in one essay/paper.

Clarity A good thesis is clearly stated in specific terms. A vague thesis will lead to vague, undeveloped, fuzzy writing. Try to avoid imprecise words ("interesting," "good"); use clear, direct, meaningful words.

Where is it located? A good thesis is clearly located, often in the first or second paragraph.

John F. Kennedy was influenced a lot by his dad. The leadership style of John F. Kennedy was heavily influenced by his father’s ambition, successes, and failures.

Examples Gang activity can be stopped with more education. Teenage gang activity in the United States can be significantly reduced with early education in the public school systems.

Write your own… The plays of William Shakespeare have had a big influence on modern society.

There are many more overweight children in the United States today than there were 50 years ago.