research step 6

Step 6 for your research paper is building a Full-Sentence Outline.

In essence, this outline, since it is required to be written in complete sentences, is a rough draft of your Research Paper. You will be looking through your Annotated Bibliography (Step 4) and Note Cards (Step 5) to draft the paper’s foundation. It will begin with the thesis statement, and then break the subject into Sections (Roman Numerals), Body Paragraph Topic Sentences (Upper- Case Letters), and if you want to go further, Reasons for your Topic Sentences (numbers), Researched Data (Lower- Case Letters), and Commentary (Lower-Case Roman Numerals). The more material you offer in the Outline, the more commentary and feedback I can provide you prior to the Research Paper’s submission.

Instructions:

For the Outline, you will do the following:

1. Begin with your Thesis Statement.
2. Break the major ideas into Sections (Upper-Case Roman Numerals)–you should have a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 sections.
3. Under the Sections, give Body Paragraph Topic Sentences (Upper-Case Letters)–you should have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 sentences per Section.
4. If you choose to develop the Outline further, then follow the subdivisions and their labeling above (Reasons, Source Data, Commentary)–there are not minimum numbers in these areas other than you must give commentary after source material. **These “extra” subdivisions are not factored into the grade for Step 6, so you will not be penalized if you choose not to develop them. However, if you do, it can only benefit you since you will receive the extra feedback.
5. If you give data from your sources, you must cite it in text or parenthetically.

NOTES: Remember the following principles when composing the outline:

• each point is a complete sentence; there are no fragments;
• do not offer the introduction, nor the conclusion;
• see the “Research Outlines” and the “Outline Template” Pages for rules regarding outlines;
• look at the Step 6 Sample.