How to Write a Thesis Paper As a Graduate Student

As a graduate student, your thesis paper is one of the most important papers you'll complete. A successful thesis paper requires that you employ effective organization skills and thorough research. Before you gather the research, you should first meet with your graduate adviser to discuss what you plan to write about and how you're going to gather the information you need for your topic. This will allow you to get feedback from the adviser and it will give you an idea of what his expectations are for the paper.

Instructions

    • 1

      Thoroughly research your topic. If you are writing about liberation theology in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s and how this was influenced by progressive and Marxist ideals, read and print out some scholarly articles that specifically address this topic. Find get some nonfiction books on liberation theology in Latin America. Research can include personal interviews as well as published information.

    • 2

      When crafting your paper, have a clear thesis statement to guide the paper's content and stick with that topic. If you are asserting that the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s did little to improve race relations in America because racial discrimination has worsened over the past fifty years, make this your thesis statement. All of your cited research and writing should stick to that theme, asserting and reinforcing it.

    • 3

      Support your thesis statement with well organized and credible research. Bring up arguments that counter yours and use your research to refute or minimize those claims.

    • 4

      Write an outline, then craft your first draft around that frame. Showing your adviser an early draft helps you to know whether your work is in the right direction or if your research is taking you on a new path that is still appropriate. Revise and refine your writing to improve the presentation of your research; if it is not well-written, your research may as well have not been conducted. Ask a fellow student or someone you know with experience reading thesis papers to critique your work so you can fix any problems you might not notice.

    • 5

      Pay special attention to the formatting guidelines. If your graduate school adviser requires you to write your thesis paper in MLA style, visit your campus library or bookstore to get a book that shows you how to correctly format an MLA-style research paper. You can also find MLA guidelines on the Internet. Ask your adviser about any other special formatting guidelines you should follow.

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