Developing a thesis outline can be difficult if you have not had the opportunity to research your topic; however, it is not impossible. Gather your information from previous courses and identify the topic you may wish to cover for your thesis. Determine if your college supplies you with a sample thesis outline and structure. Finally, just start with the basics.

Your thesis outline is like most any other outline – it has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Most often, the introduction will include the goals of the thesis, the background information of the topic, and the problem statement or thesis statement. These are essential to the paper, regardless of whether or not you will use research questions or a hypothesis question, you must begin with an introduction to the study – including why the study was perceived to be needed, what it will demonstrate, and how you will achieve the goals. Continue reading →