Learning Objectives

After finishing this section, you will be able to:

• Define what a research thesis is
• Understand methods for developing a thesis
• Identify tools to help you develop a thesis

What is a Thesis?

Athesisis a statement ortheory that is put forward as apremise to bemaintainedorproved. Essentially, a thesis is a question you are trying to answer or an argument you are trying to make.

More specifically, a thesis is a sentence or a few sentences that express the main idea, argument, or viewpoint of your assignment. A thesis tells your reader what you are about to teach them or argue for.

What Makes a Thesis Statement Good?

A good thesis statement is clear, concise, and provides detail about you argument. A good thesis statement is never a question. It is the answer to a question. A thesis statement should answer common questions like who, what, where, when, why, how, or because. A strong thesis is specific and shows your reader exactly what they are going to learn.

Here is an example of a good and bad thesis statement:

Bad: The internet has improved life. (This is vague and does not tell the reader why or how.)

Good: The internet has improved life because it quickly connects people to information, goods, and services that they need. (This is a strong thesis statement because it is specific. It tells the reader because and provides details on how the internet has improved life.)

A good thesis statement includes keywords or phrases that will help you complete research (more on that in our Keywords section) and structure your paper. A good thesis is focused and targeted which helps you develop and show a clear argument in your work.

Finally, a good thesis passes the "So what?" or "Who cares?" test. Your thesis should explain or argue for something that others want to read about. A thesis can't be something everyone knows like "Driving after drinking is dangerous." You have to take a stand on an issue where others could disagree with you, or explain a topic that is not commonly understood.

When Do I Need a Thesis?

While you don't need your final thesis before you start your research, it can be very helpful to have an outline of your thesis to keep your research on track. You can start researching sources with a few different theses as long as they cover they same general area. As you research, you can refine your thesis and develop your argument.

By the time your sit down to outline or write your paper, you should have your final thesis. It can be very difficult to write an effective paper when you have a vague thesis. You should know what you are arguing or explaining before you write.

Developing a Thesis

Developing a thesis can be difficult at first, but there are many techniques you can try to help you get a handle on the ideas or topics you might want to cover.

Start brainstorming ideas for your thesis by asking:

• What is interesting about this topic?
• Do I agree or disagree with the common opinion? Why?
• Is my personal experience different or similar in this area?
• Is there something in this area that makes me ask "why" or "how"?
• Do you see patterns emerging in the topic you have to cover?
• Can you contrast or compare different ideas, methods, or theories in the subject area?
• What are you curious about in this subject?
• Can you find new theories, methods, or data on the subject area?

As you ask yourself some of these questions, write down your ideas, and create possible theses. You may notice trends in your thinking or that you are drawn to a certain subject. This can help you refine your thesis as you do preliminary research and background reading.

Here is a sample process of developing a thesis:

1. Your assignment asks you to write about a topic in popular media.
2. You like watching TV with your friends so you can talk about what you saw. You also like following Twitter while watching TV.
3. You noticed that people watching the TV show Scandal use the same hashtags to discuss the show.
4. You do some background research and learn that audiences watching the same show and discussing it online create a community.
5. You think you can do research on this topic so you start doing preliminary research on "TV show audience engagement."
6. Since you want to write about something that interests, you refine your thesis to - "The TV show Scandal creates community by connecting people on Twitter through the use of hashtags."

Remember - it's okay to revise and refine (or even completely change) your thesis as your write. This shows that you are thinking critically about the sources you are finding and evaluating.

Thesis Statement Checklist

Once you think you have a good thesis, it might be helpful to review it according to the Thesis Statement Checklist.

To use this checklist, put your current thesis at the top. Then, circle "yes" or "no" for each item on the checklist. While you don't need every answer to be "yes" you want your thesis to pass most items on the checklist. Finally, if necessary, revise your thesis so that it clear, concise, and informative.

Juvenile Gang Involvement . Focus: Investigate the factors contributing to juvenile gang involvement and the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs. Questions: How do gang-related activities impact juvenile development? What are the challenges in addressing juvenile gang violence