Phase 1: Outline & Thesis

Step 1 — Understand the topic

Before writing anything, analyze the topic:

Identify the domain (science, technology, social science, medicine, etc.)
Identify the core problem or question the paper will address
Identify the target audience (academic, professional, general scholarly)

Step 2 — Generate the thesis statement

A strong thesis must:

Make a specific, arguable claim (not a statement of fact)
Be provable through evidence and analysis
Be scoped appropriately for a 15+ page paper
Appear at the end of the Introduction section

Template:

"Although [counterargument or context], [specific claim] because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3]."

Step 3 — Build the full outline

Produce a detailed outline following the IMRaD structure:

Title
Abstract (250–300 words)

1. Introduction &#x26; Problem Statement
   1.1 Background and context
   1.2 Problem statement
   1.3 Research questions / objectives
   1.4 Significance of the study
   1.5 Thesis statement

2. Literature Review
   2.1 Overview of existing research
   2.2 Key theories and frameworks
   2.3 Gaps in current knowledge
   2.4 How this paper addresses the gap

3. Methodology
   3.1 Research design
   3.2 Data sources and collection
   3.3 Analytical approach
   3.4 Limitations

4. Results &#x26; Analysis
   4.1 Key finding 1 (with data/evidence)
   4.2 Key finding 2 (with data/evidence)
   4.3 Key finding 3 (with data/evidence)
   4.4 Synthesis of findings

5. Discussion &#x26; Conclusion
   5.1 Interpretation of results
   5.2 Implications (theoretical and practical)
   5.3 Limitations and future research
   5.4 Conclusion

References (minimum 5 sources, APA 7th edition)

Step 4 — Confirm before proceeding

Present the outline and thesis to the user. Ask:

"Does this outline and thesis look right? I'll proceed to research and sourcing next."

Only move to Phase 2 after confirmation (or if the user says to proceed).

Step 2 — Generate the thesis statement

A strong thesis must:

Make a specific, arguable claim (not a statement of fact)

Be provable through evidence and analysis

Be scoped appropriately for a 15+ page paper

Appear at the end of the Introduction section

Template:

"Although [counterargument or context], [specific claim] because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3]."

Step 3 — Build the full outline

Produce a detailed outline following the IMRaD structure:

Title Abstract (250–300 words) 1. Introduction & Problem Statement 1.1 Background and context 1.2 Problem statement 1.3 Research questions / objectives 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Thesis statement 2. Literature Review 2.1 Overview of existing research 2.2 Key theories and frameworks 2.3 Gaps in current knowledge 2.4 How this paper addresses the gap 3. Methodology 3.1 Research design 3.2 Data sources and collection 3.3 Analytical approach 3.4 Limitations 4. Results & Analysis 4.1 Key finding 1 (with data/evidence) 4.2 Key finding 2 (with data/evidence) 4.3 Key finding 3 (with data/evidence) 4.4 Synthesis of findings 5. Discussion & Conclusion 5.1 Interpretation of results 5.2 Implications (theoretical and practical) 5.3 Limitations and future research 5.4 Conclusion References (minimum 5 sources, APA 7th edition)

outline

Additional Files (4)

Phase 1: Outline & Thesis

Step 1 — Understand the topic

Step 2 — Generate the thesis statement

Step 3 — Build the full outline

Step 4 — Confirm before proceeding

Related Skills

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Frontend Typescript Linting.mdc

2. Apply Deepthink Protocol (reason about dependencies

Additional Files (4)

Phase 1: Outline & Thesis

Step 1 — Understand the topic

Step 2 — Generate the thesis statement

Step 3 — Build the full outline

Step 4 — Confirm before proceeding