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by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

Failure to Support Your Thesis.

You may have, in the past, been able to write reports that were basically a series of facts strung together. However, you can rarely write that kind of paper in college. Your college papers must explore a question, problem, or issue. You must state a thesis at the outset, also known as a hypothesis, and the rest of your paper, as just noted in the previous section, must build a case that supports your thesis, argument, or main point. You are not merely summarizing information, as you might do with a high school paper, but taking a position with the best evidence you can find in the literature. (Note, that in this sense, "literature" refers to all the academic material written about your topic.)

An important aspect of adequately supporting your thesis is developing a viable thesis in the first place. It's important not only to choose a topic about which you feel comfortable making an argument but about which you are likely to find enough literature to help you support that argument. How do you know? Here's where research is critical. You must accumulate articles that bolster each aspect of your argument, thus showing your professor that you've supported your thesis. But do the research first, so you know there is enough published materials to support your ideas. (Note: wikipedia and other online sources typically do not count as sources for supporting your argument!)

You can test the success of your paper by reading it and asking yourself: "Have I proven my point? Are my thesis and supporting arguments convincing?"

Go to the next common college student writing flaw: Misspellings and Typos.

Back to the main page of The Top 15 Writing Flaws That Can Lead to Lower Grades

Looking for more writing assistance? Go to our sister site, EnhanceMyWriting.com: Indispensable Writing Resources.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key academic terms by going to our College Success Glossary.

Dr. Randall S. Hansen, CEO of EmpoweringSites.com, has been empowering people his entire adult life -- to help them better their lives. In fact, empowerment is part of his professional philosophy statement. He is also founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well as founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press as well as a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years.

Dr. Katharine Hansen, Creative Director of EmpoweringSites.com, is a former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for several of our sites, including Quintessential Careers, MyCollegeSuccessStory.com, and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. She also edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for job-seekers, career counselors, and students. She is author of Dynamic Cover Letter for New Graduates; A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market; and, with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, all published by Ten Speed Press. She can be reached by e-mail at kathy@quintcareers.com.

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