Research Notes:
Thesis Statements, Body
Paragraphs and
Integrating Quotes
Thesis Statements
• Writing a thesis statement is like giving someone
directions.
• You need a clear beginning and end point, so
your reader knows where they are and where
they should end up.
• You need to have clear points you are trying to
prove so your reader can naturally follow your
train of thought to the end of your essay.
• The thesis is always the LAST sentence of your
intro, it should be the LAST thing the reader
reads before going into your argument.
Thesis for Research
• Your thesis must state your opinion on the
issue without using 1st person (I, me, my,
we…etc.)
– Ex:
• I believe the death penalty provides the
best form of justice in our judicial system. =
BAD
• The death penalty provides the best form of
justice in our judicial system. = GOOD
What your thesis should say…
• Your thesis should state the three points
you are going to discuss in your paper---(3
reasons your opinion is right)
– 3 paragraphs = 3 points
• Thesis: Capital punishment is the worst form
of justice in our judicial system because it
doesn’t allow for rehabilitation, it continues
the idea of killing and it could end the life of
an innocent person.
Body Paragraphs
Made Easy!
One quick thing…
•In a research paper you want your
tone to be FORMAL so…
– NEVER, EVER, EVER USE:
•I, ME, MY, WE, OUR, US
– NEVER, EVER, EVER (on threat of
failure) USE:
•YOU IN ANY PAPER
Body Paragraph
Each body paragraph will include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Topic sentence
Quote 1
2 lines of commentary
Quote 2
2 lines of commentary
Concluding sentence
Body Paragraph:
Topic Sentence
• It is the first sentence in your body
paragraph
• It will be proving one of the points
listed in your thesis -must follow the
same order as in your thesis
• It explains what that paragraph is
going to be about
Topic Sentence: Example
•Thesis: Capital punishment is the worst
form of justice in our judicial system
because it doesn’t allow for
rehabilitation, it continues the idea of
killing and it could end the life of an
innocent person.
•Topic Sentence: Capital punishment is
an unfair form of justice because it does
not allow for rehabilitation of criminals.
Body Paragraph: Quotes
• Your quotes need to help prove your topic
sentence
• Bad example: It is society’s duty, “to act in self
defense to protect the innocent " (White 1).
– this quote undermines what was said in the topic
sentence
• Good example: Often times it is found that
convicted criminals, “repent, express remorse,
and very often experience profound spiritual
rehabilitation” (Rehabilitation 1).
– this reaffirms my topic sentence and overall argument
Body Paragraphs: Commentary
• Your commentary explains your quote further
and how it helps prove your point (ANALYSIS).
• When writing commentary never say “This
quote proves” or “what this quote is saying
is…”
• Make sure with your commentary you are not
repeating the same thing
• Try to introduce a different or more in depth
analysis
Commentary Example: BAD!!!
• Often times it is found that convicted criminals,
“repent, express remorse, and very often
experience profound spiritual rehabilitation”
(Rehabilitation 1).
• This quote proves that some criminals are good
and want to try. It also prove that people want
to be good, even if they have done something
bad.
– This commentary is very weak and it says the same
thing in both sentences.
Commentary Example: Good!!!
• Often times it is found that convicted criminals,
“repent, express remorse, and very often
experience profound spiritual rehabilitation”
(Rehabilitation 1).
• While a crime may have been committed in
youth, Americans need to allow for the idea of
change in a person whether through age or
experience. It should also be argued that a
lifetime of repentance may be worth more than
the “justice” of death.
– Expands upon the ideas presented in the quote and
offers more such as the idea of a “lifetime of
repentance”
Quote and Commentary:
• After the two sentences of
commentary
• Then have another quote
• Two more sentences of
commentary
Body Paragraph: Concluding/
Transition Sentence
• Your concluding sentence
serves 2 jobs:
– 1. Summarize what your paragraph was
about
– 2. Transition (gives the reader a clue)
to your what your next paragraph is
going to be about
Concluding Sentence: Example
• Capital punishment not only ends a life, it ends
the chance for a person to change; and maintains
the idea of murder as justice.
– chance for a person to change= reminding the reader
what my paragraph was about (doesn’t allow for
rehabilitation)
– maintains the idea of murder as justice= what my
next paragraph is going to be about (it continues the idea
of killing- 2 point in my thesis)
* Notice I am saying the same thing but always
rephrasing, so it doesn’t sound repetitive!!!
Integrating
Quotes
SO I have my quotes…Where do I
put them?
• Your quotes should be in your body
paragraphs. This is where you are proving a
point with and through research.
• Avoid using quotes in the introduction, thesis
statement, and conclusion unless you are
using them for an “attention getter” within the
introduction.
• Remember, quotes are best used to support
your own analysis. Don’t just drop them
anywhere…have purpose in where they go.
Simple Tips:
• Avoid using long quotes to take up space.
– Quotes should be shortened
• Make your paper sound like it came from
YOU. Don’t fill it with quotes!
• Quotes should be used for support of what
YOU are writing about. Let me hear YOUR
voice 
Let’s Get One Thing Straight…
• Never let a quote “stand alone.”
• What does this mean??
– Avoid dropping quotes without an
introduction , or signal phrase. Always
surround the quote with words.
WORDS + QUOTE+ (optional
WORDS)= a GREAT integrated
quote!
Examples
• Bad Example:
– “Capital punishment is the death sentence awarded
for capital offenses like crimes involving planned
murder, multiple murders, repeated crimes, rape and
murder etc where in the criminal provisions consider
such persons as a gross danger to the existence of
the society and provide death punishment.”
– There are no words introducing my quote. There
must be a signal phrase that introduces the quote.
Quote is missing citation.
Good Example:
- According to an article in New York Times,
“capital punishment is the death sentence
awarded for capital offences . . . where in the
criminal provisions consider such persons as
a gross danger to the existence of the
society” (Times 1).
* Introduction to my quote. My quote is not
alone, words are by it’s side. Quote includes
citation.
Citing Quotes
• When using a quote, always cite where it
came from.
• To cite:
Signal phrase + “Insert quote here”
(Parentheses).
• PERIOD is always AFTER the
parentheses!
In-text Citations with One Author
from a book or article:
• Romantic poetry is characterized by the
"spontaneous overflow of powerful
feelings" (Wordsworth 263).
• Have author’s last name and page number
the quote came from. If there is no page
number, place the author’s last name in
parenthesis.
In-text Citations for Print Sources
with No Known Author
• We see so many global warming hotspots
in North America likely because this
region has “more readily accessible
climatic data and more comprehensive
programs to monitor and study
environmental change . . . ” (“Impact of
Global Warming” 6).
• Use an abbreviated title of the article (first
three words of title) and page number
Citing a Work by Multiple Authors
• The authors state "Tighter gun control in
the United States erodes Second
Amendment rights" (Moore, Smith, and
Yang, 76).
• List all author’s last names in alphabetical
order and include the page number.
Shortening Quotes you Want to Use:
• Ellipses are three dots { . . . } to indicate
you have eliminated some words from the
quotation. Note that there is a space
between each dot.
Original Quote:
• In a recent article in the New York Times, the
author states that, "capital punishment is the
death sentence awarded for capital offenses like
crimes involving planned murder, multiple
murders, repeated crimes, rape and murder etc
where in the criminal provisions consider such
persons as a gross danger to the existence of the
society and provide death punishment” (Times
1).
Shorten to:
• In a recent article in the New York Times, the
author states that, “capital punishment is the
death sentence awarded for capital offenses . . .
where such persons [are] a gross danger to the
existence of the society and provide death
punishment” (Times 1).
Using Brackets
• Brackets (square parenthesis [ ] ) allow
you to insert words of your own into
quoted material to explain a confusing
reference or to keep a sentence
grammatically correct.
• For example, sometimes when you use
quote bits, you must change the “I” in a
quote to “he” or “she” to make the quote
read smoothly into your sentence
Example using brackets:
Original Quote:
• In a recent article in the New York Times, the author
states that, "capital punishment is the death sentence
awarded for capital offenses like crimes involving
planned murder, multiple murders, repeated crimes,
rape and murder etc where in the criminal provisions
consider such persons as a gross danger to the
existence of the society and provide death
punishment” (Times 1).
Bracket Use:
• In a recent article in the New York Times, the author
states that, “capital punishment is the death sentence
awarded for capital offenses . . . where such persons
[are] a gross danger to the existence of the society
and provide death punishment” (Times 1).