An Answer to a Question or Problem
As you get closer to writing,you can begin to shape the information you have at hand into a unified, coherent whole by framing a thesis statement for your paper: a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view.In a sense, the thesis statement is your answer to the central question or problem you have raised.Writing this statement will enable you to see where you are heading and to remain on a productive path as you plan and write.Try out different possibilities until you find a statement that seems right for your pur- pose.Moreover, since the experience of writing may well alter your original plans, do not hesitate to revise the thesis statement as you write the paper.
Purpose and Audience
Two factors are important to the shaping of a thesis statement-your purpose and your audience
- What purpose will you try to achieve in the paper?Do you want to describe something,explain something,argue for a certain point of view, or persuade your reader to think or do something?
- What audience are you writing for?Is your reader a specialist on the subject? someone likely to agree or disagree with you? someone likely to be interested or uninterested in the subject?
The answer to these questions should to a large extent give your research the appropriate slant or point of view not just in your thesis statement but also in the final outline and the paper itself.