Research Help

What is a Thesis Statement?

Your instructor may ask you to provide a thesis statement, rather than a research question. The main difference between a thesis statement and a research question is that a thesis statement makes a claim upfront that you will attempt to validate in your paper.

A thesis statement:

• States your position on a topic
• Is not always required when writing a research paper
• Is often your research question reworded as a statement with a position

For more information on writing thesis statements, see the Purdue Online Writing Lab's Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements