You can use these steps when creating your thesis statement:

• Write the topic and main ideas of your paper, in point form.
• Freewrite the most important conclusion or thought you have about your paper.
• Make connections between the points and highlight implications, causes or applications; answer the question: "Why did you write this essay?".
• Combine the above ideas into one or a few sentences.

Sample topic: Residence and first year students.

Main ideas:

• residence life
• first year students
• stress
• health
• behaviour
• success
• grades

Finished Thesis statement:

Residence life has a negative impact on first year students' health and success.

After you write your thesis statement your next step is to create an outline.

An outline is the plan or blueprint for your paper. Before you start researching and writing, you should plan what you think the finished product will look like. The plan may change as you gather more research, but it will help to to stay focused and on topic. This step will also help you connect your ideas together to support the viewpoint you are putting forward in your thesis statement.

These "Sample Paper Outline" and "Sample Paper Outline Blank" handouts offer a model paper outline.

Practice writing an outline for your academic paper here. Use these steps:

• list;
• classify;
• group; and
• number all discussion points.

Graphic organizers are excellent tools to organize complex information so you can understand it. Graphic organizers also let you manipulate information which helps you understand the ideas more deeply and store them in your long-term memory.

Key Resources
Sequence Chart
Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer
Topical Paragraph Note Taking Grid