writing a preliminary thesis statement. The thesis statement is a sentence which states your position on the topic; it makes clear the purpose of your paper. Thesis Statement Structure. A thesis statement is one sentence that takes a position and can be supported or proved by research findings.



APPLICATION

Preliminary Thesis Statement
Once you have a topic for your research paper, limit it further by writing a preliminary thesis statement. The thesis statement is a sentence which states your position on the topic; it makes clear the purpose of your paper. You already learned about thesis statements in Lesson 1.1: Thesis Statement Structure. A thesis statement is one sentence that takes a position and can be supported or proved by research findings. You will begin your research with the statement you have made in your thesis.

If it helps, think about your research paper as this big, wild adventure you're about to take. There will be dangers and hidden treasures and traps. In order to succeed, you're going to need directions. Your thesis statement is your map, your route—it tells you where you're headed and you should constantly refer back to it while you research.
[Your position] because [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].