Writing Strong Thesis Statements for Research Papers

What is the purpose of a thesis statement in a research paper?

• To confuse the reader with irrelevant information
• To provide a concise summary of the main point or claim of the paper.
• To hide the main point of the paper
• To repeat the introduction

What are the three qualities of a strong thesis statement? (Select three answers)

• Clear

• Concise

• Comparable

• Complex

Your thesis statement is your __________ on a topic not the topic or a fact about the topic. It should be debatable.

A strong thesis statement has three elements and is debatable. What are the three elements of a strong thesis statement?​ (a)   ​ (b)   ​ (c)  

• Topic
• Position
• Evidence
• Facts
• Quotes
• Questions
• References to your paper
• 1st Person language

A working thesis statement differs from a STRONG thesis statement in that it-- (Select all that apply)

• Has first person language

• Has general evidence included

• Has references to your paper

• Has specific evidence that is debatable

What is a thesis statement?

• A thesis statement is a list of references used in the research paper

• A thesis statement is a random collection of quotes from famous authors

• A thesis statement is a detailed explanation of the author's personal life

• A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, etc.

Why is it important to have a clear thesis statement in a research thesis?

• A clear thesis statement is unnecessary in a research thesis

• A clear thesis statement confuses readers of the research thesis

• A clear thesis statement limits the scope of the research thesis

• Having a clear thesis statement helps to establish the purpose and direction of the research thesis.

Can a thesis statement be a question?

• Yes

• Maybe

• Sometimes

• No

How does a thesis statement differ from a topic?

• A thesis statement is written at the end of an essay, while a topic is at the beginning

• A thesis statement is longer than a topic

• A thesis statement is optional, while a topic is required

• A thesis statement is a specific claim summarizing the main point of an essay, while a topic is a general subject the essay will discuss.

What are the key components of a strong thesis statement?

• Ambiguous, non-debatable, no clear direction

• General, agreeable, unclear focus

• Specific, debatable, clear indication of main points

• Vague, uncontroversial, lack of main points