Your Turn Now

Remember, not all writing requires a thesis. Some research papers follow different formats, and you'll need to remember to focus on a key idea. However, if your research paper requires a thesis statement or some kind of focusing sentence, now is a good time to develop at least a working thesis.

Your thesis may change, but developing a working thesis at this point can help keep you focused as you dig into what can sometimes be a large amount of research.

Remember, a good thesis really says something about your topic. Once you have your working thesis, it's a good idea to take the thesis self-check quiz to help you remember the key elements of a good thesis. Does your thesis have all the elements?