General Considerations
All papers have these same basic objectives, which must be addressed in sequence. The sequence is: 1) identify the subject, 2) explain the problem, 3) provide background information, 4) frame a thesis statement, 5) analyze the subject, 6) examine the first major issues, 7) discuss your findings, 8) restate your thesis and point beyond it, 9) interpret the findings, and 10) provide answers, solutions, or a final opinion.
All papers must have a title page, body, and references, each part beginning on a separate page. The body includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. In most papers (id est, not major graduate or doctoral research, the main point of your paper (your thesis statement) should be at the end of your first paragraph in your introduction or the beginning of your second paragraph, and the introduction should be 1-3 paragraphs. The placement of the thesis statement in major graduate or doctoral research will tend to depend on the context of the research. I consider a paragraph to generally consist of 3-10 sentences. In any situation, an abstract of 150-250 words must be included; an abstract may be omitted for essays. Abstracts are located after the title page, before the introduction, and do not always need to be printed on a separate page, per se.
All papers must have a title page, body, and references, each part beginning on a separate page. The body includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. In most papers (id est, not major graduate or doctoral research, the main point of your paper (your thesis statement) should be at the end of your first paragraph in your introduction or the beginning of your second paragraph, and the introduction should be 1-3 paragraphs. The placement of the thesis statement in major graduate or doctoral research will tend to depend on the context of the research. I consider a paragraph to generally consist of 3-10 sentences. In any situation, an abstract of 150-250 words must be included; an abstract may be omitted for essays. Abstracts are located after the title page, before the introduction, and do not always need to be printed on a separate page, per se.