Research Writing Topic – Organizing

You have already developed a thesis statement and gathered evidence based on research. Now it is time to start arranging your ideas into an outline. Your outline will serve as a map to guide you as you write the first draft of your research paper while helping you stay on-topic. More importantly, it also allows you to arrange your information in a logical structure that will be easy for your reader to follow.

An outline can be as detailed or sparse as you prefer. Some people only want to get the main ideas down. Other people prefer to have a more detailed plan in front of them to alleviate some of the pressures of writing a first draft. There is no right or wrong way; it is entirely up to you. However, if you are using research and sources in your paper, including these citations can be beneficial.

Types of Outlines

In this interactivity, you will learn about the characteristics of an informal outline, which can help you see the "big picture" of your paper before focusing on finer details. You will also examine two types of formal outlines known as topic outlines and sentence outlines. Click the player button to begin.

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The Introduction

The beginning of a paper is called the introduction. As the name suggests, the introduction introduces your readers to your topic and purpose. A good introductory paragraph will capture your readers' attention, introduce the subject, and provide your readers with insight into the direction your paper will go. The opening is crucial because it will set the tone for your entire paper.

Have you ever looked up a recipe online or in a cookbook? Most of the time, you will see an enticing photo of the dish before you get to the ingredients list or preparation steps. Why do you think that is? Showing an image of delicious food definitely grabs the reader's attention. Likewise, the introduction of your paper should have an engaging hook that encourages your readers to continue reading your work. In this interactivity, you will learn about different options for creating a hook, including relevant quotations, short narratives, statistics or facts, and rhetorical questions. Click the player button to begin.

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The Conclusion

You may think of your conclusion as a summary of your paper, but an effective conclusion actually ties up loose ends and leaves the readers with an important takeaway. The form of a takeaway can include recommendations, lessons, and connections to the real world. There is no right or wrong way to develop the takeaway of your conclusion, but some may be more effective than others depending on the nature of your topic and thesis statement. In this interactivity, click the vertical tabs to learn how to create an effective takeaway in a paper's conclusion. Click the player button to begin.

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Organizing Review

Now that you have explored how to plan and outline your research paper, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the set of directions associated with each question and provide your answer(s). Click the player button to get started.