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The Research Cycle

Research Questions vs. Thesis Statements

  • A thesis statement is a proposed answer to a research question.
  • The research question addresses a problem to be solved, and the thesis statement is a tentative answer to the research question.
  • It is not exactly a conclusion but a proposal (like a hypothesis in a scientific experiment) that needs to be demonstrated.
  • In your paper, you "test" the thesis to hopefully prove it to be correct.

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If your research question is: To what extent should the government have known of the risk of the 9/11 disaster before it happened?

Your thesis statement could be: There was sufficient warning of a 9/11-type disaster before it happened, so the government should have been well prepared for its occurrence.

Or: Despite the signs of a potential terrorist attack, there is no way that the government could have had sufficient information to be prepared for the 9/11 disaster.

**For either statement, it is your responsibility to provide convincing evidence to support your thesis (as well as giving appropriate consideration to the contradicting evidence).

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If your research question is: Are government-sponsored programs or non-profit charitable programs better able to address the needs of homeless people in urban areas?

Your thesis statement could be: Non-profit charitable programs are better able than government-sponsored programs to address the needs of homeless people in urban areas.

OR: Despite several effective non-profit charitable programs, government-sponsored programs are ultimately better able to address the needs of homeless people in urban areas.

**Again, for either statement, it is your responsibility to address first the opposite side and then your own side, providing convincing evidence to support your thesis statement.

Creating a Preliminary Outline

 

The lack of proper structure in a paper causes problems. You can solve this by outlining early in the research process.

Why outline early?

  • The points of your outline tell you what you need to cover and will serve as a blueprint for your research.
  • The outline shows the direction you will have to take to reach your target.
  • The outline can give your paper structure, and without structure, your paper is a failure.

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Steps to a Good Outline

  1. Use your research question
  • After looking at your question, ask: What am I trying to accomplish?
  • In a few sentences, analyze your purpose.
  • For example: Was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand as crucial a cause of WWI as is often asserted?
  • You could expand on it like this: There is a common view that the assassination of the Archduke created WWI. If that is true, then other circumstances will be much less significant so that the assassination pretty much single-handedly brought about the war. But if the assassination by itself was only one causal element, then the assassination may have been a final flashpoint in a more complicated process. What is the process?

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2. Determine the scope of your paper

  • Ask yourself: What do I need to cover in order to answer my question?

In the question above, it would be:

  • Present and critique the common view that the assassination led to WWI
  • Explain the events of that assassination and the reaction of the nations to it
  • Discover any possible larger issues of which the assassination was the final step
  • Consider all the evidence and come up with an answer to the research question

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3. Begin thinking about order

  • You'll need an introduction that provides the reader with enough background info to be able to deal with your topic and declare your thesis (which we will discuss shortly)
  • If you need further development of background material than what can feasibly go into the introduction, it would need to go into the next section.
  • Often, you will find that you need to deal with more than one point of view. If this is the case, cover the view you do not support first, then cover the view you do support.
  • Think about your reader. What needs to be covered before something else can make sense? A structure of 3 to 5 points works well.

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4. Germinate

  • Take time to think about your outline and consider questions like:  Would this order work better than that order? Have I left anything out? Have I included anything that really isn't relevant to my research question?
  • As you gather your research and start to read your research articles, start composing your paper in your head, thinking constantly about how you might need to rework things for your reader. Where might my reader become confused? What should I change to make this point clearer? Am I including all sides of an issue?
  • Depth and maturity in research papers come through working on them over time. It's hard to create something that is anything beyond superficial if you wait until the last minute.

 

 

The information on this page was obtained from:

Badke, W.B. (2008). Research strategies: Finding your way through the information fog. iUniverse, Inc.