RESEARCH ESSAY STRUCTURE (based on Robert Putnamss Bowling Alonep.

381 in the
Broadview; it also can be found here: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/assoc/bowling.html )
Part 1. Introduction /
background / context / definition
of terms.
This is akin to the first section
(paragraphs 1 9) of Bowling
Alone.
Here, you lay the foundation for
your essay by getting us
interested, contextualizing the
problem, and defining any
necessary terms.
This section will eventually end
with your thesis statement.
[Reasonable
length:
1 3 for its
Part 2. Problem:
Evidence
paragraphs.]
existence and importance.

Part 3. Causes of the problem.

This part is akin to paragraphs
35 39 of Bowling Alone,
where Putnam discusses whats
causing the trend of eroding
American social capital.
Outline and give evidence for
only the most plausible causes
of the problem youre writing
about.
[Reasonable length: 2 4
paragraphs.]
Part 4: Potential solutions or
ways forward.

In this section of the paper, you

show us evidence that the
problem exists, in terms as
specific as you can offer. This is
where your revised problem
draft will go.

As in the last section of

Bowling Alone (paragraphs 40
the end), you will here
propose what we should do
next in order to address the
problem. Like Putnam, you
should be as specific as
possible (even though his
solutions are, for now, to
simply do more fact-finding).

[Reasonable length: 2 4
paragraphs.]

[Reasonable length: 2 4
paragraphs.]

This section is akin to paragraphs

10 22 of Bowling Alone.

Countertrends or counterarguments: This

section of the paper could come after any of
these sectionsyou might have
counterarguments to your claims about the
problems existence or seriousness, to
suggested causes, or to your proposed
solutions or ways forward. Study how Putnam
both acknowledges the countertrends and
responds to them. [Reasonable length: 2 3
paragraphs.]

Last
paragraph:
Conclusion!