A Potential
Structure for Your Final 310 Paper
(A Thesis Driven, Research-Based Argument!)
During our Week 7 class, I shared
this ***potential*** structure for your final paper with most of you.
As I've carefully mentioned in our meetings, I want you to structure your paper
in the way that you think makes the most sense (for a reader to
understand your argument[s]). Think rhetorically and do this in your own
original way -- as long as it fits our goal of a thesis-driven,
evidence-based argument!
In BOLD CAPS are what I consider to be the major
sections.
· INTRO (1
paragraph; ~5% of your paper)
o
"hook" the reader -- why is
your paper worth reading?
o
establish what your paper topic is going to be about
o
"arrive at" your thesis statement
--> what you're going to be arguing (in one, preferably, or two sentence)
· CONTEXT/BACKGROUND (~20% of
your paper)
o
before you get into your analysis/breakdown
of the artifacts, interview, and course readings -- and your explanation of how
that supports your thesis statement -- tell us what, exactly, we're looking at
in the first place
o
what's the organization? what's their mission?
o
who is your informant? what's their
title? what do they do?
o
it may help to briefly introduce your
writing artifacts to us --- ie, to preview the next section
o
it also may help to introduce/define the
writing terms that you're going to be using. You could do this, though,
in the INTRO or in the ANALYSIS section.
o
(This is ultimately your call. Choose
whatever layout/structure that you
think will best
guide a reader through your ideas.)
o
also: this is probably the only section in
which you really need to use “I”
· ANALYSIS (~70% of your paper. This is the bulk of your paper)
o
put all of the pieces together -- support
your thesis statement with all of the evidence that you've gathered, then
"breakdown" what it all means how it fits together
o
Artifact 1: dissect this artifact and use
your analysis to "back up" your thesis statement. What did you
interviewee have to say about this artifact? How does it relate to the
course readings?
o
Artifact 2: ditto
o
Artifact 3: ditto
o
Artifact 4, 5, 6... you choose how many you
want to use!
· CONCLUSION (1
paragraph; ~5% of your paper)
o
tell us what you just told us
o
what "take-aways" did you find in
your research?
o
what "big picture" relevance do
your findings have?
o
wrap it all up!
