Research Paper
1) How can I support an argument?
You can use the following or a combination of them to support an argument.
1. facts
2. statistics
3. testimony by experts
4. anecdotes by people involved
5. scenarios
6. case studies and observation
7. textual evidence from other sources
8. examples
2) How can I organize my paper?
Argumentative papers are usually organized as:
1. introduction (introduce the issue, explain why it is important or why you are writing on this topic, provide some background information, thesis statement)
2. Give first argument with support
3. Give second reason with support
4. Give as many reasons as you need with support
5. Acknowledge and/or refute other arguments
6. Conclusion ( a call to action,a restatement of your thesis, a statement of implications, an overview of the arguments you have made)
OR
1. introduction (introduce the issue, explain why it is important or why you are writing on this topic, provide some background information, thesis statement)
2. Give first argument with support and acknowledge or refute counter arguments related to this reason
3. Give second reason with support and acknowledge or refute counter arguments related to this reason
4. Give as many reasons as you need with support and acknowledge or refute counter arguments related to these reasons
6. Conclusion ( a call to action,a restatement of your thesis, a statement of implications, an overview of the arguments you have made)
Purdue Online writing lab has a very detailed site for writing research papers. I encourage you to visit the website and search research paper
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
APA Formating and Style Guide
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
APA research paper sample
http://www.dianahacker.com/pdfs/Hacker-Shaw-APA.pdf
MLA Formating and Style Guide
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
MLA research paper sample
http://dianahacker.com/pdfs/Hacker-Daly-MLA.pdf
Online Exercises
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072873469/student_view0/avoiding_...
http://faculty.goucher.edu/writingprogram/sgarrett/plage1.asp