How To Write a Thesis For a Research Paper?

How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Research Paper?

When writing a research paper, thesis statements are one of the most important parts of the assignment. This is the part where you tell your audience what you are working on. Thesis statements give directions to your assignment and give the readers a context to understand. However, knowing how to write a thesis statement for a research paper isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. You need to have certain skills and a proper understanding of the subject to craft a thesis statement. Research papers ideally consist of these sections –

• An introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion

Each of these sections plays a significant role in forming the overall content and structure of the paper. But the thesis statement usually gets included at the beginning of the introduction. So, let us look at the qualities you need in a proper thesis statement –

• The researcher must state the subject matter and the main ideas of the paper.
• It must appear in the first paragraph and announce what is yet to be discussed in the paper.
• It must define the research scope, focus on the topic, and tell the audience what to expect.
• It should not be a simple factual statement.
• It must be an assertion restating the claims you have made and should be proved with evidence.
• It must be researchable and involve critical thinking.

So, a thesis statement helps while constructing the essay outline and should make you wonder if the point you are making is relevant before you state it.

So, to make a solid thesis, you can follow these steps –

· Start out with the main topic

Start writing the thesis by focusing on the main topic. Highlight the part you want the readers to focus on. For example, if you are writing a thesis on the role of intervention and prevention programs for youth gangs, the primary focus should be on youth gangs and the programs you want to cover.

· Make the claims in a single sentence

It will be better if you start the arguments with questions and then turn them into arguments. Starting with a question engages the readers more, and they can follow a smooth transition from a question to an argument. For example, you can start like –

"Can intervention and prevention programs be enough to stop gang activities among the youth?”

“Studies show that prevention and intervention programs are an effective way to stop gang activities among the youth. This is because these programs give some activities to the youth, which keeps them busy and checks them from engaging in gang activities.”

· Revise the sentences

The thesis statements are an extremely important part of the essay. So, don’t settle easily while writing the sentences. Revise the statement until you are satisfied by using specific terms. This helps to make the thesis statement more focused and well-defined and helps the audience to get the gist of the study easily. For example,

“If the schools start this kind of prevention and intervention program early, it proves to be the best way to stop the youth from engaging in gang activities. These programs are designed in a way to encourage and incentivize the students to the path of success.”

· Check the scope of the essay

If possible, dedicate a little more time to revise the thesis sentences. Ensure that you are covering the scope of the essay. Unless you are extremely clear about the scope, you won’t be able to make a strong statement. If the thesis statement isn’t ironclad, it will be vulnerable to rebuttals. You won’t be able to defend the thesis statement properly, which will diminish your credibility. For example,

“There have been several prevention and intervention programs in the last few years across different levels. The central aim of these programs was always to deal with the rapid growth of gang activities among the youth. So, while some states implemented these programs in the colleges, many states implemented them at the high school level. However, it has been seen that if these programs can be implemented right from the junior schools, it becomes most effective in preventing any kind of gang involvement. When the students are young, they are most open to learning new things. So, if they can be taught in childhood about the cons and consequences of gang activities, it is likely that they will never engage in one. Moreover, these activities always engage the young students in various activities which drive them towards the path of righteousness and virtue.”

· Keep the thesis statement flexible

Thesis statements are an essential element of the paper. Hence, you should be careful enough to keep it flexible. Often researchers don’t get enough data to back the claims they make in the thesis statement. So, in such circumstances, you may need to revise and alter the thesis statement. During the research process, you may even discover new information, which can force you to alter the thesis statement. So, while crafting a thesis statement, always remember not to write it in stone.

Once you have made the thesis statement, you can create the essay outline.

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