But you still have only topics. So, let’s choose one that you know something about or may even have some interest in learning about. One of the most important aspects of successful research is that you are interested in your topic. | But you still have only topics. So let s choose one that you know something about or may even have some interest in learning about. One of the most important aspects of successful research is that you are interested in your topic. Because you are struggling to quit smoking you have decided to use this term paper assignment to help you figure out why it s so hard. Maybe you might even get some tips on how to be more successful at it. Thus your brainstorm list of possible topics becomes the negative health effects of teenage smoking teenage smoking and the difficulties of quitting teenage smoking and how to quit teenage smoking and why quitting is important These are four possible topic statements that you can now convert into purpose statements. Remember purpose statements They help you define who and what you are writing for. My purpose is to inform my teacher that teenage smoking has negative effects. So far so good. But do you remember what comes next You still only have a topic. The because clause is next it signals your thesis statement. But in order to write an effective thesis statement you have to have at least three ideas and you may not have those yet. So the first thesis statement you try to write may only be the beginning of your work. Teenage smoking has negative effects because it is addictive it causes long term serious health problems it costs the taxpayers money. From this thesis statement you can box or otherwise lay out your paper s research needs. This time instead of a box let s try a more conventional outline. TEENAGE SMOKING I. Introduction II. One negative effect is addiction not habit. A. first fact related to addiction B. second fact related to addiction III. Negative effect two is long-term health consequences. A. lung diseases B. heart diseases IV. Negative effect three is the cost to taxpayers. A. how much B. why is this bad V. Conclusion This is a very incomplete outline but it provides a basic structure and direction for your work. Do
