Research Paper Outline

Sample Outline for Research Paper

• You've all seen one of these.  Some of you have even used one, but for others it's still a mystery.  That is until NOW!

• Here it is---The OUTLINE, exploded and explained.

• Start by looking at your Topic Organizer.   It will have a great deal of the information you will need to write the outline.

Title --Centered at the top of the page

• Drawn from the Broad Topic area of your Topic Organizer

  • Example:  Horsing Around to Combat Hunger, 1999 Basketball Camp, Mapping Mill Creek

Roman Numeral I.

• This is based on the Controlling Question and serves as the introduction to the paper. (This is a good time to check your components sheet and look at what the introduction is supposed to include.  Those areas are listed as Capital A, B, C., etc.

  • Example:  I.  Introduction
    
                                 A.   Controlling Question
                                 B.   Secondary Question 1
        C. Secondary Question 2
        D.  Secondary Question 3
                                     E.    Conclusion to the Research Section
                               F.   Personal Experience
                                G.   Evaluation

Roman Numeral II.

• This will be a big chunk of your paper because it houses all of the Secondary questions, characteristics and examples that you have. 

• Each Secondary Question will have its own section

  • Example:  II.  State the Controlling Question
                            A.   Secondary Question 1
                                1.   Secondary Question Characteristics
                                                            a. Example
                                                            b. Example
                                              2. Secondary Question Characteristics
                                                            a. Example
                                                            b. Example
                                             3.  Secondary Question Characteristics
                              B.  Secondary Question 2
          1.  Secondary Question Characteristics
                                                            a. Example
                                                            b. Example
                                              2. Secondary Question Characteristics
                                                            a. Example
                                                            b. Example
                                             3.  Secondary Question Characteristics
                           C.   Secondary Question 3
       1.  Secondary Question Characteristics
            a. Example
                                                            b. Example
                                               2. Secondary Question Characteristics
                                            3.  Secondary Question Characteristics
      And so on

Roman Numeral III

• The conclusion to the formal Research Section and the segue to the Personal Experience section

• Be sure to cover the results of the research that you did and the conclusions that you drew from the work that you did.

  • Example: III.   Conclusion
                   A.   Results of the Research
                   B.   Conclusions
                   C.   Segue to Project and Personal Experience

Roman Numeral IV

• The personal experience section include the following:

  • what you did for the project

  • what you learned from doing the project

  • Example:  IV.  Name of the Project
                            A.   Brief Overview
                            B.   Personal and Technical Skills

Roman Numeral V

• The Evaluation and Recommendation section.

  • Example:  V.  Evaluation
                           A.   Usefulness of project
                           B.   Did you accomplish what you set out to do, why/why not
                           C.   What was the project's value to you, to the community?
                           D.   Recommendations