Library Research Guide |
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At this point, you should have your research complete, and you should be ready to begin organizing your information. First, turn your research question into a thesis statement, which you will prove throughout your paper. A thesis statement is your key argument, which you intend to defend and prove through research. A good thesis draws a reader into your paper. The thesis statement is the road map for the reader. Remember, this is a research paper, not a report. A report merely describes a topic; a research paper describes a topic through the defense of an arguable statement. A research paper is an intellectual argument not a personal argument, therefore, you should not use possessive pronouns such as “I,” “me,” “you,” etc.
Example:
The research question was: What led Ernesto “Che” Guevara to become the dominant revolutionary of Latin American history? After doing my research, I have concluded that Che’s experiences with poor workers as a medical student, specifically on his tours around Latin America, are what led to his revolutionary beliefs and encounters with other revolutionaries and their revolutions.
My thesis statement:
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was thrust into a revolutionary life by witnessing the hardships of the people he encountered on his motorcycle trips through Latin America as a young man.
Examples of poor thesis statements:
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was a Latin American revolutionary.
The image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara has become a worldwide icon.
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was a major participant in the Cuban Revolution.
Examples of good thesis statements:
Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s revolutionary activities in Guatemala, Cuba and Bolivia qualify him as a major Latin American revolutionary.
The success of the Cuban revolution would not have been possible without Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s participation.
The image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara as an icon, representing the struggle of the underprivileged, developed out of his revolutionary philosophy and activities.