How can you use research to develop a strong thesis statement?

1 Step 1: Choose a topic

Before you can write a thesis statement, you need to have a general idea of what you want to research and write about. Your topic should be interesting, relevant, and manageable. You can start by brainstorming some broad areas of interest, such as politics, education, health, or culture. Then, you can use online sources, such as news articles, academic journals, or databases, to explore some current issues or trends within those areas. For example, if you are interested in education, you might find some articles about online learning, student engagement, or curriculum reform. As you read, take notes of the main points, questions, or gaps that you encounter.

2 Step 2: Formulate a research question

Once you have a general topic, you need to narrow it down to a specific research question. A research question should be clear and precise, original and relevant, feasible and realistic, and debatable and arguable. For example, the research question "How does online learning affect student engagement?" is better than "What is online learning?" as it meets all of these criteria. It should be noted that a research question should not be vague or broad, obvious or trivial, too complex or ambitious, or factual or descriptive.

3 Step 3: Conduct a literature review

A literature review is a systematic and critical evaluation of the existing research on your topic, which helps you identify the main arguments, theories, methods, and findings of other scholars. You can use online databases, such as Google Scholar, EBSCO, or JSTOR, to search for relevant and credible sources. As you read, it's important to summarize the main ideas and contributions of each source, compare and contrast perspectives and approaches of the authors, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence and arguments, synthesize key points and themes that emerge from the literature, and relate the literature to your research question while identifying any research gaps that you want to fill.

4 Step 4: Write a thesis statement

A thesis statement is a one- or two-sentence statement that expresses your main argument or claim in response to your research question. It should be specific, clear, and concise, and it should indicate the scope and direction of your paper. You can use the following formula to write a thesis statement:

[Topic] + [Point of view] + [Reasons/Evidence]

For example, based on the research question "How does online learning affect student engagement?", a possible thesis statement could be:

Online learning has a negative impact on student engagement because it reduces social interaction, increases distraction, and lowers motivation.

This thesis statement states the topic (online learning), the point of view (negative impact), and the reasons or evidence (social interaction, distraction, motivation) that support the claim.