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Developing a Research Thesis

Developing a Research Thesis.

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Developing a Research Thesis

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  1. Developing a Research Thesis

  2. What is a thesis!There should be one complete sentence that expresses the main idea of your paper. That sentence is called the thesis. The thesis is not just your topic, but what you are saying about your topic. Another way to look at it is, once you have come up with the central question, or organizing question, of your essay, the thesis is an answer to that question.

  3. Remember: While you are writing your paper, you will have a “working thesis”:, one that may still be “adjusted”. As you continue to write, read, and think about your topic, see if your working thesis still represents your opinion.

  4. Where to Put the ThesisThe thesis usually comes within the introductory paragraph, which prepares he reader to listen to your ideas, and before the body of the paper. If you examine a well-written thesis, you will find hidden in it the questions your reader will expect you to answer in the body. For example, if your thesis is “Cannibalism, if practiced tastefully, can be acceptable in extreme circumstances”, the body of your essay will develop this idea by explaining HOW it can be practiced tastefully, WHY it would be acceptable, and WHAT you would consider extreme circumstances.

  5. Put the thesis as a statement Make sure your thesis is in the form of a statement, not a question. “Can we save the Amazon rain forest?,” is an ear-catching question that might be useful in the introduction, but it does not express an opinion or perspective. You submitted a research question and topic. For your thesis, answer your own research question!

  6. Don’t Go Overboard! Make sure your thesis expresses your true opinion and not an exaggerated version of it. Don’t say “Computers are wonderful” or “Computers are terrible”, if what you really believe is “Computers do more good than harm” or “Computers do more harm than good.” Why commit yourself to an extreme opinion that you don’t really believe in, and then look like your are contradicting yourself later on?

  7. Focus Further.Make sure your thesis covers exactly the topic you want to talk about, no more and no less. “Drugs should not be legalized” is too large a thesis if all you want to talk about is marijuana. “Boxing should be outlawed” is too small a thesis, if you also want to discuss wretling and football. Bite off as much as you can chew thoroughly---then chew it!.

  8. Bound to ChangeIt is very likely that your research thesis will change. As said earlier, it is a “work in progress”, and it is contingent—based on research. Your thesis is simply an answer to your research question, which you finalize only after completing the research. Therefore, it is okay to modify and revise the working thesis as your research more about the topic or issue.

  9. A. There are many causes of anorexia nervosa. B. Anorexia nervosa has both emotional and social causes which work hand-in-hand.C. Anorexia nervosa occurs most often in young women aged 13-22.

  10. A. Business practices in former Soviet Union countries.B. Business practices in the countries of the former Soviet Union have changed drastically since the break-up. C. Since the break-up of the former Soviet Union, business practices in those countries have changed most in the fields of marketing and customer service, reflecting the changes in government and political philosophy.

  11. A. Shakespeare intended the audience to question the existence of Hamlet's father's ghost. B. The appearance of Hamlet's father's ghost raises an important psychological as well as dramatic dilemma in the play.C. Critics through the ages have debated the significance of Hamlet's father's ghost.

  12. A. The whole language approach has been effective in raising the reading skills of elementary school children and in helping the children understand the relevance of reading to all fields of study in school.B. The whole language approach has substantially helped elementary school children to read. C. More public schools should implement the whole language approach since it has substantially helped elementary school children to read.

  13. A. U.S. government policies on health care have changed during the past 20 years; this change in policy has made hospitals currently function as oligopolies. B. U.S. government policies on health care differ greatly from those of Asian nations due to the different social and economic structures underlying the government.C. U.S. government policies on health care should be changed to reflect citizens' current concerns.

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