Sämi’s Paper Outline

Paper Outline:

 focus: find an idea, theme, topic, symbol, issue

1. material: look at primary texts, criticism, bibliography, definitions
2. structure: compose an outline

a)    introduction

1. salient point, observation
2.  connect this to an issue
3. raise question(s) about this issue
4. operationalize question(s) into a strategy or procedure to find answers
5. provide list of steps, chapters; survey of main part, maybe hint at conclusion

b)    main part

– flesh out steps, chapters (do what you have promised to do)

c)     conclusion

–       unify issues, evaluate and take a position yourself

–       avoid mere repetitions of earlier observations

Remember: order your argument logically; always provide transitions

Avoid a three-part dissertation that repeats the same statement in a mere pattern of short-long-short! That doesn’t really help much. Each part has a different function:

1) question (focus, justify, motivate your work)

2) analysis (be objective, give evidence, connect issues)

3) evaluation (position yourself within your findings)