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Introduction
Genre
Topic
Scope
Thesis or Question
Introduction
Example
Defining features
Constructing
effective statements/questions
The
"So What?" Test
Research
Outline
First
Draft
Revisions
Proofreads
Additional
Resources
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Writing a Research Paper
Thesis or Question
Thesis
Some defining features of a thesis (followed by links to tons of examples):
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for most student work, it's a one- or two-
sentence statement that explicitly outlines the purpose
or point of your paper. A thesis is to a paper what a topic sentence
is to a paragraph
-
it should point toward the development or
course of argument the reader can expect your argument
to take, but does not have to specifically include 'three supporting
points' as you may have once learned
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because the rest of the paper will support or back up your thesis,
a thesis is normally placed at or near the
end of the introductory paragraph.
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it is an assertion that a reasonable person
could disagree with if you only gave the thesis and no
other evidence. It is not a fact or casual observation; it
must beg to be proved. And someone should be able to theoretically
argue against it (how successfully will depend of course on how persuasive
you are)
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it takes a side on a topic rather
than simply announcing that the paper is about a topic (the title
should have already told your reader your topic). Don't tell a reader
about something; tell them what about something. Answer
the questions "how?" or "why?"
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it is sufficiently narrow and specific
that your supporting points are necessary and sufficient, not arbitrary;
paper length and number of supporting points are good guides here
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it argues one main point and
doesn't squeeze three different theses for three different papers
into one sentence
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most importantly, it passes The "So What?"
Test
Practice recognizing the above points with the explanations and examples
at the following web pages:
The Statement
of your Thesis out of the University of Victoria Writer's Guide
Exercises
on Choosing the Best Thesis from the folks at Empire State College
Writer's Complex plus the explanatory part on Developing
a Research Thesis
The
Thesis Statement plus an
interactive exercise from the University of Richmond's Writer's
Web
Research Question
There isn't as much to say about research questions as thesis statements
because the former are much more straightforward. A research question
is needed because your broad topic, given out in the assignment or devised
on your own, is too abstract to give you any focus for your upcoming research.
The key is refining.
For example, say you're taking a Psychology course on Issues in Psychotherapy
and you've just finished a unit on different "psychotherapeutic techniques."
To simply make that topic a question as in 'What are the different psychotherapeutic
techniques?' would be too huge an endeavour, not to mention the fact that
it would probably regurgitate the course's material rather than explore
new ground.
Why not instead refine your topic to one technique and frame a question
that aims to explore that technique's efficacy? Exploring "Is hypnosis
(or primal screaming, or group therapy or whatever) a valuable strategy
to use in psychotherapy?" would do more justice to the assignment. And
it would be easier to look for direct evidence in that area.
Test: If punching keywords into a library catalogue terminal
pops up items in the hundreds or thousands, you are typing in a topic,
not parts of a research question.
Here are some exercises you can do from the Empire State College Writer's
Complex:
Can
the topic be researched?
Is
the question too broad or narrow?
Evaluate
your own research question: an 8-point guide!
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