Starting with a research question for an English paper will typically result in forming a thesis, a claim that you make that has evidence to support it. These types of statements do NOT work as a theses:

• A neutral statement, which gives no hint of the writer's position
• An announcement of the paper's broad subject
• A fact, which is not arguable
• A truism (statement that is obviously true)
• A personal or religious conviction that cannot be logically debated
• An opinion based only on your feelings
• A sweeping generalization

The problem with all of these statements is that none of them are arguable in the context of an academic research paper. You should feel empowered to take a strong position in your thesis as long as there are concrete examples to support your take. In a literary research paper for example, this evidence will typically come from your own close readings of literary texts as well as other arguments from literary critics in academic articles.

Source: UC Merced Library