Thesis Guide

Getting Started: Research Paper

MLA Format, Thesis Writing, Outline

Step One: Pick a Topic

•What do I like? •What do I want to know more about? •What will hold my interest for 1000-1200 words? •What can I prove about my potential topic? •Will I be able to find reliable sources? •Will I be able to find the required sources?

Thesis Statements

A thesis sums up what the paper will tell the reader. It is not the topic. The topic is the subject of the paper, the thesis tells the reader something about the topic. The thesis should be at least one complete sentence, it must be logical, and the writer must make a claim that he or she can prove with the content of the paper.

Rules for Writing a Thesis Statement

•It must be a complete sentence. • It can not be a question. •It should be provable with facts, anecdotes, stories, etc. •It needs to represent you and your ideas. •Do not generalize. •Do not use first or second person pronouns. •Do not use clichés.

Sample Thesis Statements

• Topic: The Battle of Gettysburg • Thesis: The Battle of Gettysburg changed the momentum of the Civil War. • Topic: Mike Piazza • Thesis: With his leadership skills, offensive output, and work ethic, Mike Piazza excels as the best Major League catcher in the history of baseball. • Topic: Basketball • Thesis: Winning basketball games requires a solid team of skilled athletes, not just one superstar.

Sample Thesis Statements (continued)

• Topic: Middle East Conflict • Thesis: Different Moslem ideologies make IsraeliPalestinian peace difficult. • Topic: Cuban Missile Crisis • Thesis: Kennedy’s handling of the Cuban missile crisis was good foreign policy. • Topic: Iran • Thesis: Three major issues are related to the crisis in Iran.

Proving the thesis:

• What do I already know about this subject? • Where can I verify that information in print? • What do I still need to find out? • What will I need to cover to prove my thesis?

Working Outline

• You need 3-5 major...