This document provides steps for narrowing down a research topic and formulating a thesis statement for an education essay. It instructs the reader to choose from four topics related to college success, focus on how the topic relates to that using three assigned journal articles, and create a research question on a specific aspect. A good research question will then lead to a thesis statement that answers a question, can be challenged and defended, and is supported by evidence in the paper.

1. Thesis Statement and Map
for Education Essay

2. Steps to Narrowing Down Your Research
Question
First Steps:
1. You have been given a list of topics from which to choose: Grit, Growth Mindset, Delayed Gratification, or
Self-control
2. Each of the topics must focus on the way in which the topic relates to college success
3. You can begin to narrow down the aspect of the topic that you want to research by using the three journal
articles you were assigned to find and read. Often in the introduction, the article will give an overview of the
research that has been done in the field. This overview is called a literature Review, and it should help you
decide on a specific focus for your research.
4. After thinking about the various aspects of the topic create a research question. What do you want to find
out about the topic?

3. Formulating a Thesis Statement
• A good research question will lead to your thesis statement.
• For example, the question...
• what are the effects of violent video games on teenaged boys?
• might lead to the following thesis:
• "Exposure to violent video games negatively affects teenagers in a variety of ways: It increases aggressive
behavior, physiological arousal, aggressive-related thoughts and feelings, and also decreases prosocial
behavior."

4. Strong Thesis Statements:
• answer a question
• are engaging
• can be challenged or opposed, thus also defended
• Pass the So What” or “why should I care?” test
• are supported by your paper
• are neither too broad nor too vague
Source: Thesis Statements. George Mason University