After six years of tutoring, I can guarantee you writing an essay or your research project is not as hard as it may seem. It does not require you to be a genius, nor do you need to know jargons. It is as simple as understanding the structure and what needs to go where.

How to Structure an Academic Paper

As you prepare to organize an academic paper, structuring it right is the first step towards scoring better grades. Here is a simple academic paper format that I recommend regardless of the academic level that you are in. If you follow each step keenly, I guarantee you will always ace your assignment.

Without further ado, let's get started.

Basically, An Academic Paper Is Divided into 3 Parts

·     Introduction

The introduction of your essay is a brief overview of what the academic paper is about. It comprises of the hook, supporting sentences, and the thesis statement. The introduction of an academic paper must include a thesis statement, which is the backbone of the paper, from which the topic sentences and other parts of the essay stem from.

·     Body Paragraphs

These are succeeding paragraphs that carry the highest weight of your essay. They are comprised of topic sentences, followed by evidence within which borrowed information is presented with relevant citations and accreditations.

·     Conclusion

The conclusion sums up your academic paper. You are required to restate your thesis without repeating it directly.

Let's review each part of an Academic Paper in depth

Introductory Part of an Academic Paper

The introduction is the most essential part of an academic paper as it sets the mood for the paper and determines whether the instructors read the rest of your assignment or not. In fact, 70% of the time your grade is determined solely based on the strength of the introduction. However, the introduction contributes 20% of the total grade in your academic paper. That is why your introduction needs to be accorded keen attention and crafted as perfectly as it possibly could.

Parts of the introductions in an Academic Paper

The hook –

This is the first sentence in an academic paper. It is also called an introductory sentence and is intended to grab the reader's attention. It could be a surprising fact, a statistic, an anecdote, or a question.

Example: In the U.S., Black adult women are six times more likely to be killed than their white counterpart...

Supporting sentences –

The section provides information related to the background details and creates the basis for the thesis statement. It provides more details and builds on the hook. While the hook grabs the reader’s attention, the supporting sentences explain further, creating a resembling sign of relief as compared to the hook.

Thesis statement -

The thesis is the most essential part of the introduction of an academic paper. It is comparable to the backbone of the human body, as it presents the main argument clearly and concisely. The thesis of an academic paper is the main message or theme.

The thesis statement should contain:

·     Topic: The subject matter or issue being discussed.

·     Position: The writer's stance or opinion on the topic.

·     Assertion: The main point or central argument that the writer intends to prove or support.

·     Blueprint of Arguments: An overview of the main points or arguments that will be presented in the essay to support the thesis.

Here's a thesis statement example with these components:

Example:

·     Topic: The impact of social media on youth mental health.

·     Position: Social media has a detrimental effect on the mental well-being of young people.

·     Assertion: Excessive use of social media platforms can lead to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem among adolescents.

·     Blueprint of Arguments: This paper will examine the addictive nature of social media, the comparison and validation seeking behaviors it fosters, and the cyberbullying prevalent on these platforms, all contributing to negative mental health outcomes for youth.

However, most professors encourage that quality thesis statement should not begin with the words “This paper.” Instead, it should directly discuss the main themes to be addressed in the academic paper.

Example: The Migrant Mother is a 1936 photo that is worth more than 1000 words, as it mirrors the detrimental effects of the Great Depression.

The thesis does not state what the paper will focus on. Instead, it creatively highlights the main theme from which the topic sentences on each paragraph will stem from.

However, do not panic. With free thesis statement generators, you can easily craft a high quality thesis statement for your academic paper, research or project.

The University of Arizona Global Campus writing center has developed an easy to use and ingenious system that aids you develop a proper thesis for your academic paper.

You can also use our detailed thesis statement generator to write good thesis statement for your essay, research paper or any other type of academic papers.

Body Paragraphs of an Academic Paper

This is the section that carries the main content of your academic paper. It carries the most weight of your academic paper, contributing about 80% of the grading criteria. Ideally, an essay should have three body paragraphs, each with at least five to seven sentences. Each paragraph should present one central point.

Each Paragraph in an Academic Paper Should Have the Following Parts

Topic sentences -

The sentence presents the main idea to be presented in the paragraph.

Supporting evidence -

Provides information that supports the topic sentences. It could be data or quotation. The information should be relevant and should be well cited.

Analysis -

After presenting your evidence, analyze how it supports your main argument and connects it back to your thesis.

Transition -

This is the last sentence in the paragraph and is used to create a transition between one paragraph and the other.

Conclusion of an Academic Paper

You may ask yourself, "which statement best describes the conclusion of an academic paper?" The answer is simple. But first, let us analyze the essential parts of a conclusion.

A quality conclusion should

·     Restate the thesis statement to reinforce your argument.

·     Summarize the main points in the body paragraph.

·     Provide a closing statement that includes a call for action and emphasizes the central theme of the academic paper.

For instance, while writing an essay about an art titled ‘The Migrant Mother’ of 1936, a potentially good conclusion would be;

Despite the criticisms surrounding the picture, ‘The Migrant Mother’ remains one of the most beautiful works of art that represent the great depression. It brings out the hopelessness and the suffering experienced by most Americans, especially the migrant community. It depicts poverty and homelessness but also determination for better days.

We can therefore conclude that a conclusion is basically a summary of an academic paper that restates the thesis, summarizes the main points of an academic paper, and provides a closing statement that includes a call for action and emphasizes the central theme of the academic paper .

NB: Do not introduce new details to the conclusion.

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