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Research paper
The Information Explosion We are living in the midst of the greatest explosion of information the world has ever seen. No other generation has been blitzed by the avalanche of books, newspapers, magazines, journals, surveys, advertisements, videos, television shows, movies, maps, charts, graphs, CDs, and tapes that we encounter daily. And that doesn't take into account all the online sources, including Web sites, electronic bulletin boards, Listservs, blogs, newsgroups, and e-mail. More information has been produced in the last fifty years than in the previous five thousand.
Consider these facts about the amount of information available to us today:
• Fifty thousand books and ten thousand magazines are published every year in America alone.
• Every day, seven thousand scientific studies are written.
• One daily edition of the New York Times contains more information than an educated person in the sixteenth century absorbed in his or her entire life.
• The amount of information produced doubles every two years.
There is so much information that the huge Library of Congress in Washington D.C. has converted and stored all the important information it contains into digital form, "The American Memory." All new information is added to the col¬lection as it is acquired. The information includes written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience-millions of pieces of information. Futurists predict that this onslaught of information will only increase.
What impact do these facts have on you as you prepare your research paper? All the information you need is probably available, but you must know how to locate and sort the useful facts from the useless ones. And with so much out there, knowing how to do research can save you many frustrating hours. Start this process by examining the different kinds of material you can find.
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Check your thesis statement
Use this checklist to evaluate your thesis statement: 1. The thesis statement clearly states the main idea of my research paper.
2. The thesis statement indicates that 1 am writing a persuasive essay.
3. If the thesis statement is in response to an assignment, it fulfills the requirements and meets the
parameters.
4. The thesis statement is the appropriate scope for the assignment, neither too broad nor too general.
5. From the thesis statement, readers can see the order in which my ideas will be presented.
6. The thesis statement uses specific language rather than vague, general terms.
7. The thesis statement is interesting, lively, intriguing; it makes my audience want to read the entire
paper.
The thesis statement shows evidence of original thought and effort. The topic is fresh and worth my effort to write. |
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Sample Thesis Statements
Many writers use models to help them shape and evaluate their work. Here are some sample thesis statements that you can use as models for a paper of between 7 and 10 pages. Compare these statements to the one you are writing:
Examples
Too General
Bilingual education isn't effective
On Target
Bilingual education should be eliminated because it limits students'success, burdens students unfairly, and isn't cost-effective.
Too Narrow
Bilingual education helps students maintain their native language
On Target
Bilingual education should be continued because it preserves a students' heritage as well as their native language.
Too General
Rainforests are irreplaceable
On Target
Rain forests must be preserved because they offer people many resources we cannot replace.
Too General
"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a great short story
On Target
The wallpaper in "The Yellow Wallpaper" symbolizes the narrator's suffocating life.
Too Narrow
"Mothers Against Drunk Driving" is an excellent program
On Target
Some programs designed to eliminate drunk driving have been effective, but far more efforts are needed, especially concerning teenager drunk driving.
Too Narrow
A flat tax helps tax accountants
On Target
A flat tax would benefit the government, business, and consumers.
Too General
The cafeteria isn't very good
On Target
The cafeteria could attract more business if it improved the quality of its food, its appearance, and the attitude of the staff.
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How Do I Write a Thesis Statement?
Writing is a deliberate act; one has to make up one's mind to do it. -JAMES BRTTTON
What do you want to discover through your research? In what order will you present your ideas? An effective thesis statement is designed to answer these questions. That's why once you have narrowed your topic, it's time to turn your attention to your thesis statement. A thesis statement is the central point you are arguing in your research paper.
A thesis statement is the central point you are arguing in your research paper.
Here are the five basic requirements for a thesis statement:
1. It states the topic of the research paper, the main idea.
2. It shows the purpose of your essay; in this case, to persuade your readers that your point is valid and deserves serious consideration.
3. It shows the direction in which your argument will proceed. A good thesis statement implies (or states) the order in which your ideas will be presented.
4. It is written in focused, specific language.
5. It is interesting, showing a clear voice and style.
Since your thesis statement is the backbone of your paper, it's crucial to spend the time to craft exactly the thesis statement you want and need. Here's how to do that.
List Topics
What do you want to know about your subject? What questions do you want answered? Start by listing topics and possible subtopics.
Don't be afraid to make your list long, since your purpose at this point is to see how many subtopics you can generate. In addition, you don't know how much information you can get on each of these subtopics. As a result, your list will likely include specific details as well as broad topics.
Here's how one writer started writing a thesis statement for a research paper on the women's movement.
Topic Contemporary women and work
Possible subtopics
High-quality education
Appropriate training
Pay gap between men and women
Enormous progress in workforce
Economic necessity for work Women and the "second shift"
Women's traditional roles
Women taking "men's jobs"
Personal satisfaction from work
Fight against discrimination The "glass ceiling"
Personal ambition
Restricted jobs/"women's work"
"Pink-collar jobs"
"White-collar jobs"
"Blue-collar jobs"
Sexual harassment on the job
Sexual stereotypes about women
Issue of child care
Women's movement
By developing and refining your list of subtopics while you're forming your thesis statement, you won't lose time doubling back. But keep in mind that this is a first step- nothing that you write is set in stone.
Having trouble? There are a number of computer software programs available that can help you with this step in your research paper. You may wish to try one and see if it suits your needs.
Draft a Thesis StatementAfter you have narrowed your topic and drafted a list of ideas, you're ready to write a preliminary thesis statement. How can you turn this list of subtopics into a thesis statement? Follow these guidelines:
1. Sort the ideas into categories.
2. Select the categories that you want to use.
3. Formulate your thesis around these categories.
4. Write your thesis as a declarative sentence, not a question.
5. Be open to revision.
Follow this pattern: (I expect to prove that) Make an assertion about your topic.
Example
Here's how one writer did it:
Topic Contemporary women and work
Training High-quality education
Appropriate training
Discrimination The "glass ceiling"
Pay gap between men and women
"Pink-collar jobs" "White-collar jobs" "Blue-collar jobs" Women taking "men's jobs" Restricted jobs/"women's work" Sexual harassment on the job
Reasons women work Personal satisfaction
Economic necessity Ambition
Pressures Women and the "second shift"
Women's traditional roles Sexual stereotypes about women Issue of child care Possible Thesis Statements:• Women won't achieve true equality in the workforce until outmoded sexual stereotypes, discrimination, sexual harassment, and internal and external pressures are eliminated.
• We've come a long way, baby, but women still face significant pressure and discrimination in the workforce.
• With quality education and training, female workers can overcome the discrimination and pressure they face in many jobs. Despite pressure and discrimination, women have made great strides in the workforce.
• The women's movement has been instrumental in eliminating much of the discrimination and harassment women face on the job.
Let's look at the first possible thesis statement developed with its main ideas:
Example
Women won't achieve true equality in the workforce until outmoded sexual stereotypes, discrimination, sexual harassment, and internal and external pressures are eliminated.
Thesis: Women have yet to achieve equality in the workforce.
Main points in order:
1. Discrimination must be eliminated.
2. Outmoded sexual stereotypes must be eliminated.
3. Sexual harassment must be eliminated.
4. Internal as well as external pressures must be eliminated.
Research may lead you to revise your thesis, even disprove it, but stating it upfront will point you in the direction
of your investigation.
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Shaping Your Research Paper Ideas Every time you narrow a subject into a topic, remember your boundaries and parameters: time, length, audience, and purpose. Keep all other special considerations in mind as well. Always consider what you can handle within the restrictions you have been given-as well as what you would most enjoy writing about for several weeks or months. Follow these guidelines:
1. Start with a general subject that interests you and fits the parameters of the assignment.
2. Phrase the subject as a question.
3. Brainstorm subdivisions of the subject to create topics.
4. Consult different sources for possible subtopics. Possibilities include the Internet, card catalog, reference books, magazines, friends, and the media.
5. Sift the ideas until you find one that suits the assignment, audience, and your preferences. 6. Write your final topic as a question.
Below is the process that Samantha followed to narrow a subject into a topic. Samantha wanted to write a research paper on some aspect of television, a very broad subject.
By looking through the Internet, skimming the card catalog, talking to friends, watching television, and reading some general interest newsmagazines that had articles on the subject, Samantha came up with these ideas:
Subject Television
Question What do I want to find out about television? Specific Topics:
Television as "vast wasteland"
Television as "chewing gum for the mind"
Children and television
Educational television
Cable television
Television documentaries
Golden Age of television
Television and ethnic stereotypes
Sex and violence on television
Amount of television watched and its effect
Tabloid television Reading over the list, Samantha realized that some of her ideas were still very broad. For example, "children and television" is large enough to be the subject of a book-or a series of books. The same is true of "television documentaries," "Golden Age of television," and "cable television."
Further, even narrowing down some of these topics might not lead to persuasive essays. "Cable television," for instance, seems better suited to an expository essay that explains the history of the field, its impact on viewers, and so on.
One evening, Samantha was watching reruns of a children's educational television show she had loved years ago when the idea came to her: Is educational television really educational? Maybe educational television was indeed beneficial in teaching numbers, letters, and other necessary content- or perhaps it affected children negatively.
Now Samantha had her narrowed topic and could continue with the next step, writing a thesis statement. This is covered in the next chapter.
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