Sample Outline for Research Paper
This outline is designed for a 3 page paper. You will have between 6-9 paragraphs. Please do not skip
the intro or conclusion. Each paragraph except for the intro and conclusion must have an in-text citation.
I.
Introduction (Briefly include parts a, b, and c).
a. Is this person well-known? For what? If not, why are they famous?
b. How were they impacted by segregation or the Civil Rights era?
c. What impact did they have on society? Why are they still important today?
d. If possible, make this connect to your classmates lives.
II.
Background information on the time period: explain the zeitgeist
a. Jim Crow Laws
b. Segregation
c. Violence, lynching, threats
III.
Discuss your topic (May be 1-3 paragraphs)
IV.
How was your event, group, or person affected by the spirit of the times?
a. Did they go along with the beliefs of the times or react against them?
b. Did they face hardship or threats of violence?
c. How did the rules of the time affect their personal lives?
V.
Compare and contrast the attitudes, social rules, and beliefs of the time with today. Has
anything changed on this issue? If so, how does your topic relate to those changes?
a. Think about the group they belonged to: for example, musicians, athletes, interracial couples,
students, people trying to buy houses, actors, African American men, African American women,
people with mixed racial heritage, etc. How are things for this group today?
VI.
Conclusion
a. Connect back to the intro: uses similar ideas from your points a, b, c, and d.
b. You might want to use words like “Even though, since, because of, despite, in spite of” to
bring your ideas together.
c. If possible, make this relevant to your classmates. Why does this person, group, or event
matter to them today? (Imagine this person/group/event never happened.)