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📚 Research Papers & Citations · Lesson 4 of 7

Thesis and outline

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An arguable thesis and an outline built around it.

A thesis is your answer

Your research question asks; your thesis answers — in one or two sentences, with a position someone could disagree with. It usually goes at the end of the introduction.

Weak vs. strong

Weak (fact)Many teens use phones at night.
Weak (vague)Phones affect sleep in many ways.
StrongBecause blue light and late-night notifications delay sleep onset, schools and parents should promote device-free bedrooms to protect high schoolers’ sleep and grades.

An outline that works

I.   Introduction — hook, context, thesis
II.  Background — key terms, what research already shows
III. Point 1 — evidence (sources), analysis
IV.  Point 2 — evidence, analysis
V.   Point 3 — evidence, analysis
VI.  Counterargument and response
VII. Conclusion — restate thesis, implications, what’s next

Each body section = one claim that supports the thesis, backed by sources and your explanation.

Evidence sandwich

In each paragraph: your claim (topic sentence) → evidence from a source (paraphrase or quote, cited) → your analysis (what it means and how it supports the thesis). Never end a paragraph on a quote.

Tip

💡 Your thesis can change as you research and draft. Revise it at the end so it matches what the paper actually argues.

✏️ Practice: your turn

  1. Write a draft thesis that answers your research question
  2. Test it: could someone reasonably disagree?
  3. Build an outline with 3 points and a counterargument
  4. Assign 2 sources to each point

✏️ APA & MLA citation generator with a saved works-cited list

🧠 Quick quiz

Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.

1. Where does the thesis usually go?
2. Which is a strong thesis?
3. What is the evidence sandwich?
4. Why include a counterargument?

0 of 4 correct

All lessons in Research Papers & Citations

  1. ❓ 1. From topic to research questionNarrow a broad topic into a question you can answer
  2. 🔎 2. Finding scholarly sourcesLibrary databases, Google Scholar and smart search terms
  3. ⚖️ 3. Evaluating sourcesPeer review, the CRAAP test and lateral reading
  4. 🧭 4. Thesis and outlineAn arguable thesis and an outline built around it
  5. 💬 5. In-text citationsQuoting, paraphrasing and citing in APA and MLA
  6. 📋 6. References and Works CitedFormatting the list: APA 7 and MLA 9 entries, hanging indents and order
  7. ✅ 7. Formatting, revising and academic integrityPaper format, revision passes, the writing center and AI rules