Help me develop a defensible thesis draft from the materials below. Treat this as academic work: do not invent sources, findings, quotations, page numbers, methods, or certainty that my notes do not support. Topic and discipline: [TOPIC AND DISCIPLINE] Research question: [RESEARCH QUESTION] Assignment requirements: [ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS] Source notes and evidence: [SOURCE NOTES] My provisional position or uncertainty: [PROVISIONAL POSITION] Citation style: [CITATION STYLE] First, identify the strongest answer my supplied evidence can support and distinguish it from claims that would require more research. Then produce: 1. A working thesis statement of 1-2 sentences: specific, arguable, and limited enough to defend. 2. A brief argument map with 3-4 claims, the evidence supporting each, likely counterarguments, and the warrant connecting evidence to claim. 3. A draft introduction of 350-500 words that establishes the scholarly problem, stakes, scope, and roadmap without pretending the conclusion is universally settled. 4. A chapter or section outline with a purpose sentence, evidence to use, and transition for each section. 5. A research-gap list identifying what must be verified, found, narrowed, or qualified before submission. Use [CITATION STYLE] only for citations I have provided; otherwise write [citation needed] rather than fabricating one. Explain key disciplinary terms on first use. Avoid a five-paragraph-essay structure unless the assignment requires it. Before answering, self-check that every factual claim traces to my notes and flag any thesis claim broader than the evidence allows. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [TOPIC AND DISCIPLINE] | State the subject and academic field, such as urban heat policy in environmental economics. | Rent stabilization and displacement in urban economics |
| [RESEARCH QUESTION] | Paste the exact question your thesis must answer. | Did New York City's 2019 rent reforms reduce displacement among long-term tenants? |
| [ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS] | Include length, required sections, course level, deadline, and any instructor rules. | 3,500-word undergraduate thesis; introduction, literature review, analysis, conclusion; use peer-reviewed sources. |
| [SOURCE NOTES] | Paste your source summaries, quotations with citations, data, and observations. | Been et al. (2023) find mixed neighborhood effects; city eviction filings fell after 2020; three interview notes describe renewal pressure. |
| [PROVISIONAL POSITION] | State your current tentative answer or the competing explanations you are weighing. | The reforms may have reduced formal eviction risk but did not remove informal displacement pressure. |
| [CITATION STYLE] | Name the required citation style, such as APA 7 or Chicago Notes-Bibliography. | APA 7 |
How to use
- Replace every bracketed field with your actual assignment and research notes.
- Paste the full prompt and answer any clarifying questions with source-backed material only.
- Check the argument map against each source before using the draft prose.
- Follow up with: “Turn section 2 into 700 words and mark every sentence that needs a citation.”
Variations
Literature review
Use this when you need to synthesize studies before choosing your own position.
Create a literature-review matrix for [RESEARCH QUESTION] using only [SOURCE NOTES]. For each source, give its research question, method, sample or corpus, main finding, limitation, and relevance to my question. Then group the studies into 3-5 debates rather than summarizing one source at a time. Identify genuine disagreements caused by method, context, or definition. Produce a 600-word synthesis and a list of evidence gaps. Do not invent bibliographic details or findings; mark missing information as [verify]. Ask up to 3 questions only if required material is absent.
Thesis revision
Use this when you have a draft and want to improve its argument without changing its evidence.
Revise my thesis draft using [DRAFT], [ASSIGNMENT RUBRIC], and [SOURCE NOTES]. Preserve my meaning where it is supported, but diagnose vague claims, unsupported causal language, missing warrants, and paragraphs that only summarize sources. Return: a revised thesis statement, an ordered revision plan, and a tracked-style table with original passage, issue, and replacement text. Keep citations only where supplied. Flag claims that need new evidence rather than repairing them with invented support. Ask up to 3 questions only if a required input is missing.
Defense preparation
Use this before a thesis presentation or oral defense.
Prepare me to defend [THESIS CLAIM] using [ARGUMENT OUTLINE], [SOURCE NOTES], and [PANEL CONTEXT]. Create 12 likely questions, ranging from definitions and methods to counterarguments and limits. For each, give a 60-100 word answer grounded only in my materials, plus one sentence on what not to overclaim. End with a two-minute opening statement and three research limitations I should volunteer. Do not invent results, citations, or methodological details. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Tips
- Build the claim around the evidence you have, then narrow the scope; a narrow thesis with a visible limit is stronger than a sweeping claim.
- Keep a separate evidence table with source, page, claim supported, and limitation so citations can be checked during revision.
- If sources disagree, explain whether their population, period, definition, or method differs before treating one as wrong.
- Use AI to expose missing warrants and research gaps, not to produce citations you have not read.
FAQ
Can AI write my entire thesis?
It can help outline and draft from your notes, but you remain responsible for research integrity, source checking, and your institution's AI policy.
How do I stop it from making up citations?
Provide your own source notes and explicitly require [citation needed] wherever a supplied citation is unavailable.
What makes a thesis statement defensible?
It answers the research question with a specific claim, gives a reason or mechanism, and stays within what the evidence can show.