Research Paper

Sample Paragraphs

Introductory Paragraph

1. Broadly introduce topic.

2. Suggest the overall theme, with regard to your topic.

3. Get specific and nail down exactly what your topic is.

4. Give some broad info on your specific topic, if necessary.

5. Establish your claim/thesis statement.

Introductory Paragraph

The following is a sample introductory paragraph:

America, like most every other country in the world, has a love affair with

professional sports. While soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it is ironically

the least popular sport in America. Despite football being the most popular sport in

American, another sport has quickly gained national notoriety in the last five years:

Mixed Martial Arts. Mixed Martial Arts (or MMA) is a combat sport pitting two

individual fighters against each other, using various forms of martial arts. If MMA has

anything in common with American football, it is that they are both very violent sports

—and this is not a coincidence. MMA is a thriving sport because America, by and large,

is entertained by violence.

Introductory Paragraph

America, like most every other country in the world, has a love affair with professional sports. While soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it is ironically the least popular sport in America. Despite football being the most popular sport in American, another sport has quickly gained national notoriety in the last five years: Mixed Martial Arts. Mixed Martial Arts (or MMA) is a combat sport pitting two individual fighters against each other, using various forms of martial arts. If MMA has anything in common with American football, it is that they are both very violent sports—and this is not a coincidence. MMA is a thriving sport because America, by and large, is entertained by violence.

1. Broadly introduce topic (Sports

in America)

2. Suggest the overall theme, with

regard to your topic (Popular

sports in America)

3. Get specific and nail down

exactly what your topic is

(Popularity of MMA)

4. Give some broad info on your

specific topic, if necessary

(Explain MMA)

5. Establish your claim/thesis

statement (America loves

violence)

Introducing Author and Text

1. Name source and primary contributor

2. If an anthology, name the specific article/essay and author

3. Introduce/give quote

4. Give quote context by following with your own words

Introducing Author and Text

The following is a sample paragraph introducing an author and text:

In the anthology Why We Watch: The Attractions of Violent Entertainment,

edited by Jeffrey Goldstein, various writers share their ideas about violence in

entertainment, from movies and video games to religion and sports. “The Appeal of

Violent Sports,” Allan Guttmann’s contribution to Why We Watch, focuses on the

fascination of violence in sports. Guttmann writes, “In many sports, physical violence is

the core if not the name of the game” (Goldstein 7). A sport like boxing thrives on big

personalities—Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Manny Pacquiao, for instance—but MMA

thrives not on the personalities involved, but rather the core violence of its sport.

Introducing Author and Text

In the anthology Why We Watch: The Attractions of Violent Entertainment, edited by Jeffrey Goldstein, various writers share their ideas about violence in entertainment, from movies and video games to religion and sports. “The Appeal of Violent Sports,” Allan Guttmann’s contribution to Why We Watch, focuses on the fascination of violence in sports. Guttmann writes, “In many sports, physical violence is the core if not the name of the game” (Goldstein 7). A sport like boxing thrives on big personalities—Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Manny Pacquiao, for instance—but MMA thrives not on the personalities involved, but rather the core violence of its sport.

1. Name source and primary contributor (Why We Watch/Jeffery Goldstein)

2. If an anthology, name the specific article/essay and author (“The Appeal of Sports”/Allan Guttman)

3. Introduce/give quote

4. Give quote context by following with your own words