Write a Thesis Statement

For more on writing a thesis statement, see Chapter 3.

After you have taken notes on the sources you gathered, you should be ready to write a thesis statement, which states the main idea of your research essay. You can start by turning your guiding research question into a statement that answers the question, as Michael McQuiston does below. Note how he revises his thesis to make it more forceful and concrete.

MICHAEL MCQUISTON’S GUIDING RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the benefits of green landscaping?

DRAFT THESIS STATEMENT: There are many clear benefits of green landscaping.

REVISED AFTER TAKING NOTES FROM SOURCES: Landscaping with drought-tolerant native plants conserves water, reduces the use of toxic soil conditioners, and makes maintenance easier.

As you write and revise your essay, your thesis statement may change, but having a good working one helps you focus your writing and see where you might need to do additional research.