STEP 1) Choosing a Topic using the following topic “The Importance of Reading before entering college” for your research paper explain how it rates in regards to being interesting, researchable and important. In a full paragraph STEP 2) Describe two controversies surrounding this topic In a full paragraph (or preferably two), clearly describe two of the most compelling controversies surrounding your topic in detail. Will you have to find specific research materials to argue against them more effectively? How would you counter these controversies or opposing arguments? STEP 3) Describe which side of the argument you feel is right and why In a paragraph, please explain which side of the argument or controversy you feel more in tune with and why. Are there weaknesses in your argument? What new ideas should you explore in order to strengthen your argument? STEP 4) Formulate a working thesis statement What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement helps the writer maintain his or her focus by summarizing the main point of the persuasive research paper as a whole (what is the purpose of your paper?) and should: 1. Be a complete sentence (or two) 2. Identify the topic (or the dilemma) AND 3. Make a specific assertion or point about that topic (which could be a solution to the dilemma) A thesis statement gives the writer a sense of his or her main purpose for writing. Persuasive papers present research to change readers'' opinions or to offer a solution for a particular problem or dilemma, but one other important point to remember is that in addition to persuading readers, research papers also inform them. The odds are strong that if you are writing a persuasive paper, you will still need to give some background information on the topic so that your readers have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. For this final step of the exercise, formulate a potential working thesis statement for your paper. In a complete sentence (or two) identify your topic and make an assertion about the topic. Please refer to the sample if you are unsure about how your working thesis statement should sound. Save your file as a MS Word document for future use.