Think about your research question and all the evidence gathered. Thinking about your evidence and everything you learned about your topic, how would you answer your research question? This answer will lead to your thesis statement. All of your arguments should connect to your thesis statement since this is what your are setting out to prove.
A thesis statement:
- A thesis statement establishes your position on a topic and gives the reader a sense of direction - like a road map.
- The thesis statement is typically the last sentence in your introduction.
- It must be debatable. It should be possible to argue an opposing position from your thesis.
- It is an assertion based on your analysis of evidence, not simply a statement of facts. However, you will use facts in your paper to support your thesis.
- It guides your writing, helping you keep your argument/analysis focused.
- If your topic changes as you write, you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.
Adapted from EBSCO: Recipe for Research-Thesis Statements