IRR OUTLINE
Title: Must relate to research topic.
1. Introduction
a. Interesting fact, statement, or question
b. Your inquiry Questions (for your individual paper)
c. Rationale/Background Information (Why is this issue being researched? Why is it
important? Provide the audience necessary information about the issue or problem.)
Context/Situate your research (What lens are you researching? How does your
research/question relate to the larger issue? What are the limits/boundaries of your
research?)
d. Your Thesis (A clear and concise statement that communicates your purpose of writing
and organizes your paper. Likely an expository type thesis.)
Body
a. Claim 1
i. Topic Sentence that states the first claim of your thesis
ii. 1st Evidence*: (Paraphrase source, summarize source, or quote source)
*add more evidence with commentary to support the claim as necessary.
*it is important to offer multiple perspectives for each of your claims; these can
include perspectives that support your claim(s) and use phrases such as “Providing
more evidence to support the idea of…” or perspectives that go against your
claim(s) and use phrases such as “An alternative perspective to this idea can be
found...” Offering multiple perspectives is key in receiving a high score in row
two of the IRR Rubric.
iii. Commentary: (Explain how the evidence supports the claim and the significance of
the evidence listed above to the overall thesis. Elaborate on and draw conclusions
based on the evidence)
iv. Cincher Sentence(s)/Transition: Explain how all of the evidence in this paragraph
is linked to prove the claims/reasons why the argument/thesis is true (or
supported, as stated in your topic sentence for this paragraph). Conclude the
paragraph in a way that flows logically into your next paragraph.
b. Claim 2
i. Topic Sentence that states the first claim of your thesis
ii. 1st Evidence*: (Paraphrase source, summarize source, or quote source)
*add more evidence with commentary to support the claim as necessary.
*it is important to offer multiple perspectives for each of your claims; these can
include perspectives that support your claim(s) and use phrases such as “Providing
more evidence to support the idea of…” or perspectives that go against your
claim(s) and use phrases such as “An alternative perspective to this idea can be
found...” Offering multiple perspectives is key in receiving a high score in row
two of the IRR Rubric.
iii. Commentary: (Explain how the evidence supports the claim and the significance of
the evidence listed above to the overall thesis. Elaborate on and draw conclusions
based on the evidence)
iv. Cincher Sentence(s)/Transition: Explain how all of the evidence in this paragraph
is linked to prove the claims/reasons why the argument/thesis is true (or
supported, as stated in your topic sentence for this paragraph). Conclude the
paragraph in a way that flows logically into your next paragraph.
c. Claim 3
i. Topic Sentence that states the first claim of your thesis
ii. 1st Evidence*: (Paraphrase source, summarize source, or quote source)
*add more evidence with commentary to support the claim as necessary.
*it is important to offer multiple perspectives for each of your claims; these can include
perspectives that support your claim(s) and use phrases such as “Providing more
evidence to support the idea of…” or perspectives that go against your claim(s) and
use phrases such as “An alternative perspective to this idea can be found...” Offering
multiple perspectives is key in receiving a high score in row two of the IRR Rubric.
iii. Commentary: (Explain how the evidence supports the claim and the significance
of
the evidence listed above to the overall thesis. Elaborate on and draw conclusions
based on the evidence)
iv. Cincher Sentence(s)/Transition: Explain how all of the evidence in this paragraph
is linked to prove the claims/reasons why the argument/thesis is true (or
supported, as stated in your topic sentence for this paragraph). Conclude the
paragraph in a way that flows logically into your next paragraph.
Conclusion: Reemphasize thesis statement; summarize main points; if you discuss solutions you
MUST also discuss implications and/or consequences. Do not introduce new
information/sources. Provide some last insight into the topic without being repetitive.