QUICK SIMPLE ORGANIZATION CHECK LIST

Context Does the reader need to know what gave rise to the question you plan to address, or why the question is important? If so, that belongs first or second. Possible Forms: Broad Statement, Anecdote, Both.

Focus Have you stated your question or thesis? (Either one suffices here.)

Body (your presentation of the facts and ideas that led you to your thesis) Does the body take up most of the paper's space? (Normally it would.) Have you broken the body down into its logical parts? Will your reader be able to tell how each part differs from all other parts? Have you put those parts into some logical sequence (temporal, spatial, least important to most important, least controversial to most controversial, etc.)? Will your reader be able to see how each part relates to your thesis? Have you left space to deal with possible objections to your thesis, either by concession or by refutation?

Conclusion Do you end in a way that ties your paper together without being simply repetitive? Possible Forms: A Thesis Statement (if, for Focus above, you relied just on your Question); A Reformulation of Your Thesis; A New Anecdote; An Echo of the Anecdote Used Above for Context (making a frame around the paper); Further Implications of Your Thesis; Further Work Needed To Be Done on the Question.