A thesis is a formal academic study of a certain topic. It is commonly required for undergraduates to conduct a thesis study. Post-graduate students are also required to do such papers. Just like a dissertation, it has an introduction and must present a thesis statement. It must provide a methodology on how the thesis statement would be answered. The paper must accompany a review of related literature for background information on other studies done regarding the topic. It must present the results of the research and it must be discussed in a conclusion whether it proves or disproves the thesis statement. All sources used must be cited properly using the citation style required for the paper. APA and MLA styles are more common but the citation style may vary depending on the preferences of the school or the professor. An abstract must be provided for a quick overview of the entire research paper. Before writing a thesis, it is important to have basic and advanced knowledge of the topic that would be researched.