The goal of topic development
is the
rough thesis statement.
Topic:
Death Penalty
Research Question:
Should the death penalty be outlawed?
Rough thesis:
The death penalty should be outlawed.
Refined thesis:
The death penalty discriminates
against race.
 Select
two or three topics
 Find introductory info on topic
 Create questions based on reading
 Develop a rough thesis
websites
YouTube
news articles
movies
lyrics
lectures
books
Read
&
Think
Cluster it
Classify it
Question it
athletics
eating
disorders
academic
achievement
high school
students
sexual
orientation
dating
issues
gender
issues
drug use
high
school
athletics
academic
achievement
recruitment
hazing
Research Question:
Who uses drugs the most: athletes or non-athletes?
Rough thesis:
High school athletes consume more drugs than
non-athletes.
Refined thesis:
High school athletes are less likely to use drugs
than students who do not participate in sports.
Crime
Place: California
 Time period: 19th century
 Person/group: Native Americans
 Event/aspect: gold rush era
 Issue: how did the gold seekers affect
Native Americans?

Rough thesis:
Violence among the California gold
seekers had a negative impact on Native
Americans.
Topic: Interpersonal Dating
Place:
Time:
Person/Group:
Event/Aspect:
Issue:
Cluster
Classify
Question
Begin with REPORTER-TYPE questions:
Who?
What?
Where?
Why?
How?
Topic: Internet
Place: U.S.
Time: present
Group: investors
Aspect: online fraud
 Who
are the victims of internet fraud? Who
tempts them?
 Why
do investors become victims of online
scams?
 How
do these scams work? How do investors
avoid them?
Iraq War
 Select
one or two topics
 Find introductory info on topic
 Create questions based on reading
 Develop a thesis
A thesis contains two parts:
opinion
topic
assertion
conclusion
defense
attitude
Gun control reduces the crime
rate.
Topic
gun control
Assertion
reduces the crime rate.
Picasso is one of the most
influential artists of the 20th
century.
Topic
Picasso
Conclusion
is one of the most influential artists
of the 20th century.
Two basic types:
1. Argumentative
2. Informative
Gun control reduces the crime rate.
Picasso is one of the most influential
artists of the 20th century.
During the 1960s, feminism was an
important movement.
Feminism has been beneficial to
women.
The mass extinction of the dinosaurs
was caused by a huge asteroid
colliding with the earth.
There are three major theories as to why
dinosaurs became extinct.
A terminally ill patient has
the right to refuse medical
treatment.
TV violence does not cause
kids to act aggressively.
In most fairy tales, the monster is
shown as a hideous creature
with magical powers that must
be destroyed.
A thesis contains two parts:
opinion
topic
assertion
conclusion
defense
attitude
A thesis is not a statement of fact.
There are approximately 8,000
policemen working in New York City.
A thesis is not a promise or statement of
purpose.
The purpose of this paper is to show how
the U.S. economy works.
A thesis is not a a question.
Should adult pornography be censored?
a


statement of fact
a promise or statement of purpose.
a question.
Suicide
is a serious problem.
There
are too many plane
collisions.
Blue
is a better color than red.
Rough thesis: Global warming damages the earth.
Refined thesis: Many scientists say the use of
fossil fuels contributes to global warming and
could ultimately threaten the planet's future.
Rough thesis: People should have their
right to privacy.
Refined thesis: Individuals need to guard
their right
to right privacy as computers make
information gathering and retrieval
increasingly easy.
Rough thesis: Stories about suicide
cause people
to commit suicide.
Refined thesis: Televised news stories
about suicide
trigger a significant rise in teen suicides.