SAMPLE RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE
This outline is only a general guide for your paper. As for other important information, You must use a
size 12 Times New Roman font, double-space, with 1” margins at top, bottom, right and left.
I. Introduction
A. State your topic. (ex., “This paper will examine (your topic) . . . . “)
1. State why you are interested in this topic (purpose)
2. State the initial questions that you used to develop your hypothesis
B. State your hypothesis. Your hypothesis is the main idea, or focus of your paper.
All information that you present must relate to your hypothesis. This means that
it either provides support or it disconfirms your hypothesis.
1. Define all terms in your hypothesis
2. Identify points for further clarification (if any)
a.) sub point a ( as needed)
b.) sub point b “
c.) sub point c “
i. other necessary information (as needed)
ii. other necessary information “
II. Background Information (includes your research)
1. Discuss pertinent aspects o f the research you used.
2. State the major outcomes of the research you included and how it related to
your hypothesis.
III. Evaluation of your hypothesis (minimum of one page)
A. State whether you confirmed or disconfirmed your hypothesis.
NOTE: Your objective is to confirm or disconfirm your hypothesis, not to prove some phenomenon
or convince / persuade your reader to feel a certain emotion about the topic. Your grade is not
affected by your results. Consider that you are a reporter of information who must address both the
accuracy and inaccuracy of the hypothesis.
1. Why did you confirm or disconfirm?
2. W as your hypothesis accurate? Why?
3. W as your hypothesis inaccurate? Why?
B. Evaluation of your research. (Data and methods)
1. What was beneficial in your research? [strengths]
2. What was not beneficial in your research? [weaknesses]
3. Were you able to find sufficient research? Does the research have a narrow or broad
focus with regard to your topic? Why do you think that is the case?
4. Was the available research insufficient (quantity/quality)? Why might this be the case?
5. Did you rely on only a few (three or fewer) primary resources? What are the resulting
advantages and disadvantages?
6. Evaluate the quality of the data that you reviewed.
7. What are the possible explanations for your findings?
C. Conclusion
1. How would you change your hypothesis in a future investigation?
2. Why would you change your hypothesis?
3. What do your results suggest?
