How do I choose a research topic?

A common mistake is to ignore the step of creating a thesis statement. A thesis statement is essential for creating a high-quality research project. Think of a thesis statement as your final destination—where you want to end up. The danger of wandering aimlessly as you do research is increased if you don't take the time to create a thesis statement.

The thesis statement is a concise statement of your paper's purpose and the position you intend to take. A strong thesis statement takes a clear position on an issue. Your thesis statement will probably change slightly as you delve deeper into sources. Compare these thesis statements:

Weak and Imprecise	Strong and Concise
Wolves have always been portrayed as fierce and cold-blooded killers.	The fairy tales of the Grimms brothers are responsible for the perception that wolves are fierce and cold-blooded killers.
Socialism is the political system best suited for developing countries.	The economy of Ghana would become more efficient if the government took over industry.
Statistics can be used to say whatever you want.	Advertisers often manipulate data to influence consumer purchasing.
It's important to save the apes from extinction.	Because apes share many characteristics with human, the United Nations needs to develop more effective means of protecting apes from poachers.

Creating a thesis statement is not a long process, but there are a few steps involved in refining it.

	Broad area assigned by the instructor
	General area of interest based on your experience, interest, and knowledge. What interests you about the broad area?
	Preliminary research in the general area of interest. Discover details that may develop into a thesis statement
	Create a "final" thesis statement, subject to slight revision as you continue to perform in-depth research

Broad topic: The Vietnam War

Notice that the above general areas are still very broad and are probably too large for a college-level research paper. Remember, at this stage in your research you are only looking for an interesting angle related to the broad topic.

How Do I Create a Thesis Statement?