Planning and Organizing Your Academic Writing

So you have a class and one of the major grades in the class is a writing assignment. The paper has to be 3 pages in length and utilize multiple resources to address your stance on marriage equality, and who should be allowed to marry within this country. You know what side of the issue you are on, but you need help planning and organizing your paper. Here are a few tips on how you can organize such a paper.

1. Research: Any good paper begins with research. This will help you understand the topic that you have chosen to write about and will help you to become an expert on the issue. Research can also help you draw out your main ideas, supporting details, and help you to develop a workable thesis on which your paper will be based. You can utilize peer reviewed journals, and other scholarly sources to help gather the proper research for your paper.
2. Write down what side of the issue you are taking. For example: Either you believe all people should be given the right to marry whomever they choose, or you believe that rights should be restricted. If you believe rights should be restricted to only certain groups of people, make note of which groups should be included and which should be excluded.
3. Brainstorm: jot all your ideas down on paper. All ideas should be written down in case that some are worthwhile to pursue or can be used for the paper.
4. Jot down supporting details next. Utilize research that you gathered before starting the paper and note what details support your main ideas. Utilize only facts, as personal feelings should not be the basis for your argument.
5. Outlining: You will need to download all your ideas into a workable outline. You will need to make sure your thesis is clearly defined and place it at the top of your outline. Next pick out two or three strong main points that you had previously written down. Next pick out your supporting details. From the outline you will write out your paper.