STRUCTURE:
In its simplest form, a 10-12 page argumentative research paper unfolds roughly as follows, though you have plenty of freedom to tweak and adapt this model as you see fit:
- A dynamic introduction that strategically frames the broader project. Here, you might combine strategies that include signaling historical or cultural context, intentionally summarizing the book with an eye on your eventual argument, and/or offering a sense of the continuing relevance of your text (~ 1 page, 2-3 paragraphs). The goal here is to both inform and engage your audience. Write this for a broader public, not for a class audience.
- A thesis statement that both reflects the research background that you have assembled and the ways in which you hope to engage this research background through your own analysis. Sometimes, I like to think of thesis paragraphs rather than thesis statements. The longer the paper, the. more complex and extended the thesis.
- Overview of the research. You hinted at the research background for your paper in the intro (relevant theoretical ideas, other scholars who have addressed similar books or themes, etc.). Now, take some time to develop this research background. Spend some time with each source, and connect them to create a dynamic conversation that you will then enter. Be sure to include quotes. This section can be 3-4 pages).
- Your close engagement with the text(s) under consideration. Here, you apply the ideas you’ve developed to the texts you are studying. Spend time with specific moment from the text that you introduce carefully to the reader. Quote from the texts, and set up these quotes within their narrative context. Remember, you’re speaking to an outside audience that might not have read the work your engaging.
- A strong conclusion that takes the reader somewhere new rather than simply repeating what came before (~.5 – 1 page). Here, you might focus on what makes the argument (and text) relevant in the present. Why should we care?