INTRODUCTION: SEVERAL PARAGRAPHS OF GENERAL, BACKGROUND INFORMATION, SUCH AS BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS, COMPARISON OF THEN AND NOW, ETC. THIS IS THE INFORMATION THE READER NEEDS TO BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND YOUR RESEARCH PAPER.

THESIS/PURPOSE PARAGRAPH: THIS BRIEF PARAGRAPH TELLS THE READER WHAT YOUR PAPER PROPOSES TO DO--PROVE A THEORY THAT YOU HAVE, PROVIDE INFORMATION AND/OR EXPLANATION OF A COMPLEX PROBLEM, OR COMPILE AND RELATE IMPORTANT IN FORMATION ABOUT A SUBJECT.

ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN: In several sentences at the end of your thesis/purpose paragraph, give the reader a general guideline to the various topics you will cover in your paper. This plan will serve as a table of contents, so to speak. Here are some ideas: FOR A PERSON: ( a writer, artist, inventor, philosopher, leader, etc.) Family background . . . early years and education . . . productive years . . . contributions and reputation. FOR AN IDEA OR CONCEPT (a religion, drama, genre of literature, political movement, cultural movement, such as the Vikings, etc.): Origin . . . early years . . . . growth and spread. . . long-term effects on [culture, religion, society, politics, science, medicine, etc.] FOR A WORK OF LITERATURE: (a play, novel, poem(s), epic): influences . . . importance . . . plot . . . major characters . . . theme . . . other works, etc. FOR AN HISTORICAL EVENT (pague, war, inquisition, crusade, etc.: Underlying causes . . . immediate causes . . . . facts of the event itself . . . immediate effects . . . long-term effects on [culture, religion, society, politics, science, medicine, etc.]