Writing Your Research Paper

Part IIIOrganizing Your Paper

By Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

The music you just heard is the “Maple Leaf Rag,” written by Scott Joplin and published in 1899.

The “Maple Leaf Rag” is a famous example of ragtime, the unique African-American music that changed American musical history.

Today we’re going to talk about how to organize a research paper about ragtime.

Here’s a plan that many instructors prefer. (Be sure, of course, to find out exactly how YOUR instructor wants your paper to be done.)This plan works well for many writing tasks. I use it for my own professional writing.

Researchers have learned a lot about ragtime in recent years.

Our research paper will focus on one idea: Ragtime changed American musical history. That will be our thesis (main point).

A plan (outline) for a research paper consists of a thesis and supporting ideas.

This is your most important step: From ideas to outline.

If you’re not sure of your outline, talk to your instructor or a librarian.

You’ll know you’re on your way when the thesis and supporting ideas make sense when you read them together. Ragtime changed American musical history.• For the first time,

America had its own unique music.

• Black and white musicians and music publishers began to collaborate.

• European musicians and composers began to pay attention to American music.

The plan isn’t visible in the finished product – but it’s still there if you know where to look.

The thesis appears in the first or second paragraph. It’s your most important sentence.

I like to say that the thesis is the sentence that does the “heavy lifting” in your research paper.

The thesis makes the rest of the paper happen!

Here are the thesis and the first supporting idea.

Here’s the second supporting idea.

Here’s the most important supporting idea.

Did you notice that the supporting idea is always the first sentence in a paragraph?

Your supporting ideas are one of the keys to a professional-quality paper.

The conclusion paragraph comes at the end. Don’t state anything new here.

When instructors grade research papers…

…they’re looking for the structure underneath the typed words.

Does your research paper have an effective plan? If so, you’re on your way to….

…a successful paper.

In Part IV, Drafting Your Research Paper, you’ll learn how to build a complete paper from your outline.

You can read the entire ragtime paper free at www.ragtimeresearchpaper.com.

Please take a few minutes to look at it! You’ll see how it’s organized and how all the parts work together.

Be sure to watch all five parts of the Writing Your Research Paper series at

www.RagtimeResearchPaper.com:

I Researching Your TopicII Focusing Your Research Paper

III Organizing Your PaperIV Drafting Your Research Paper

V Documenting Your Sources

If you’d like to sharpen your writing skills…

…go to Amazon.com for a free preview of What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

And remember to check out the free resources at www.WritewithJean.com.