Week 3 Final Research Paper Outline Worksheet
REMINDER: Please be sure you have critically read the instructions for BOTH the Week 3 Final Paper Outline Assignment, and the Week 5 Final Research Paper.
Final Paper Outline
- Introduction
Your introduction should start with a hook to draw your reader in, establish your topic, and create interest. It should then provide very brief background on your topic before including your thesis statement and an overview of the main points of your paper. It should be a minimum of one complete paragraph of at least five sentences in length.
- Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement, should come at the end of your introduction to fully address your topic and the four main points of your position. Your thesis statement should be one sentence in length. It should be a statement, not a question. It should clearly and concisely establish your topic, explain why your topic is important, and address how it connects to the four main points of the Final Research Paper. The Ashford Writing Center has several resources that can help you develop your thesis statement.
- Heading for Main Point 1- Describes the historical and Constitutional basis of American Government’s structure and how this relates to the policy.
Each heading should address a specific topic or component of your paper. This area will be the body paragraphs of your paper. This is where you will explain your ideas and support your topic with the references you have found. This section of the outline can be quite long and does not have to be condensed into only four headings. Within your outline, you must cite (within the text) at least six references; four of which must be scholarly peer-reviewed sources obtained through the AU Library databases. While this is an outline, all sentences must be complete thoughts and support your topic.
- Subheading 1– This should be the first main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Subheading 2– This should be the second main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Heading for Main Point 2 – Explains how the policy is involved within the process of checks and balances.
- Subheading 1– This should be the first main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Subheading 2– This should be the second main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Heading for Main Point 3 – Describes how the policy relates to public policy and elections and how the policy is portrayed by the media.
- Subheading 1– This should be the first main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Subheading 2– This should be the second main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Heading for Main Point 4 – Explains how the policy impacts voting and the election process.
- Subheading 1– This should be the first main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Subheading 2– This should be the second main point to support your argument or assertion here.
This is where you will outline this point, and include the APA in-text citation when you are incorporating your research information.
- Conclusion
Your conclusion should summarize the key points, restate your thesis (but not verbatim), and establish a conclusion regarding your topic. It should be a minimum of one complete paragraph of at least five sentences in length.
- Reference List
Full APA citations for all six sources referenced in your outline, should be included in this section. Please be sure to use proper APA formatting and hanging indents. You may click here to see specific examples of APA formatted references, provided by the Ashford Writing Center.
