Research Papers, Day Six: Prewriting, Opening Paragraph, Thesis Sentence, Outline

1. Research Papers
Prewriting

2. Sizing Up Your Topic
• A good research report should address what’s
important about the topic.
• Start by making a list of the most important things
you found in your research.
• Put similar details together and evaluate the sources
to make sure they fit in with your overall point.

3. 5-Paragraph Essay Form
Say what you’re going to say, say it, then say that you said it.
1. Opening Paragraph
a) Learn to use the funnel!
b) End with your thesis statement.
2. First Body Paragraph (first point about topic)
3. Second Body Paragraph (second point about topic)
4. Third Body Paragraph (third point about topic)
5. Conclusion Paragraph
a) Reverse the funnel.
b) Start by restating your thesis.

4. Remember the Funnel

5. Writing Your Thesis Statement
• Start your first paragraph with a broad sentence
about your topic that can appeal to a large audience.
• Each following sentence should come closer to
focusing on your specific point.
• The last sentence or two of your first paragraph
should be your thesis statement, where you tell your
reader specifically what you will talk about in your
paper.

6. Making an Outline
• You can make an outline to help you organize your paper
and be sure you don’t leave out any important
information.
• Start with your thesis statement at the top.
• Then, using roman numerals, list topic I, II, and III and
put the main idea for each paragraph beside each.
• Under each of these, use A, B, C, D, etc. to indicate
important points you don’t want to forget in your paper.

7. THESIS: This enormous, hundred-year-old salt mine lies beneath the city of
Detroit, Michigan.
I. Salt is much more important than most people realize.
A. Wars have been fought over salt, and it has been used for money.
B. It helps keep the body alive and healthy.
C. It is used to preserve food, to soften water, and to make chemicals.
D. It is used to melt the ice on roads.
II. Scientists say that the Detroit mine digs into a bed of salt that is several
hundred million years old.
A. ….
B. ….
REMEMBER:
In an outline, if you have a I, you must have II.
If you have an A, you must also have a B.

8. Homework
• Write your opening paragraph, complete with thesis
statement.
• Create an outline to give me the direction of where
you are going on the paper.
• Due on Friday, January 25th, 2013 at the beginning of
class.
• Worth 100 points. Do not earn a zero!