Brainstorm and narrow your topic. Start by identifying topics and areas of study within your major or concentration (for example, "English" or "International Studies") in which you are interested. A thesis paper needs to defend a particular argument or position using resources and references, so brainstorm problems and areas of controversy within your brainstormed topics. The point of your paper will be to explain, defend, or prove that the studies, information, or findings on your topic are wrong, inadequate, or faulty, so brainstorm with this goal in mind. For example, for an International Studies major, a brainstorming list could be narrowed down like this: Africa, aid in Africa, U.S. aid in Nigeria, the failure of U.S. aid in Nigeria, the counter-effect of U.S. aid in Nigeria throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Formulate a research question and create a thesis statement. Narrow your topic to a question or problem you are trying to prove. Turn your research question into a concise but thorough thesis statement. The thesis should appear at the end of the introduction to your paper, most likely as the last sentence of the first paragraph. Even if your introduction is longer than one paragraph, you should still present the thesis statement before Page 2.
Make an outline. After focusing your topic and writing goals with a research question and subsequent thesis statement, make a rough outline with several points of defense, points of offense, and your responses to the contradictory research.
Keep track of your research. A 30-page thesis paper should have many outside references and will include a bibliography or works cited. Start researching and keeping track of which information you will use by highlighting or underlining the information, then transferring it onto note cards with the source information written on them. For example, to cite a quotation from the book "A History of the Failure of Aid in Africa," jot down the quotation you plan to use and the page number on an index card, then on the back of the card write down the book's name, author, and publishing information. That way you will be able to cite in the text and in the bibliography, avoiding plagiarism.
Defend your points. Using your outline, present applicable history and background to your topic, and state current or past studies, research, and arguments for and against your topic. Then present research and analysis to support your arguments.
Write your conclusion. Conclude your paper with a summary of the main goals and how you supported or proved your thesis statement, then provide an outlook for your paper. To continue the example, your government aid failure paper could use an anecdote or current news situation to summarize and illustrate your main argument.
Write your bibliography. Depending on your required formatting style, a bibliography might be called something else (such as a Works Cited page), but it is certainly essential. Double-check your sources and make sure you are properly citing them both within the paper as well as in a separate index at the end. Some formats may require a title page as well. Be sure to follow the steps and be consistent in your citation.