English 102

Drafting the Research Paper

During week 9, even before you have met with me in conference, you should be writing the first complete draft of your research paper. A complete draft will be due the first class meeting of week 10. Use your sentence outline as the skeleton of the paper, and fill in the details from your research to add the muscles.

Remember that everything in your paper should connect to the thesis, either as support, as explanation or elaboration, as alternative theory (counter-argument), as rebuttal to the counter-argument, or as background information. What is more, it should be clear to the reader how everything relates to the thesis. Don’t assume your reader understands why you’re telling them something—spell out your reasons clearly, even if it feels a little redundant or obvious to you. The goal of the paper is to prove the thesis, so be sure you understand, and can explain if needed, how each piece of the outline helps to advance the argument.