Typically, a preliminary thesis statement is used to begin a paper or presentation. It expresses the assertion you wish to dispute or prove. It cites the arguments you'll make and/or the evidence you'll provide. It is not a factual statement. Rather, it is an opinion that guides what you will write later in the essay. Provisional thesis statements are used by students to guide their writing early on in the process. They allow the writer to explore different ideas and opinions regarding a topic without committing to one particular position too early in the essay creation process. Many graduate schools expect their students to develop their own ideas and support them with relevant examples from literature or history. While other schools may specifically ask writers to follow a certain format for their papers (e.g., Harvard's "Five Paragraph Essay" requirement). In these cases, students should create their own guidelines based on their school's specific instructions while still following a general outline for their essays. When writing a provisional thesis statement, it is important to be flexible. You do not want to state your argument so strongly that you cannot change your mind as you research and write about it. Always keep in mind how others might interpret your work so that you don't offend anyone with a subjective opinion on the subject. Students should never write their provisional thesis statements on academic paper.