Holism vs. Reductionism Research Paper

I. Introduction

· Establish a creative opening that will GRAB the reader’s attention. The best thing to do here is to use an analogy or a relevant statement. Writers can also use quotes, jokes, interesting facts, etc. you can also use a question here…but it has been my experience that this (opening with a question) almost always KILLS the flow of the essay. If you are writing a research essay state what your research intends to do in the opening sentence then add any one of the suggestions listed above.

· For an example, if my research topic was about How Tech. Affects the Lives of Children, then my introduction would go like this….

This paper intends to explore and discover how technology affects the lives of children. It is no secret that technology has changed many cultural traditions and society in general in the last twenty years. What once seemed impossible has now become second nature. Technology along with the invention of the internet has allowed us to instantaneously communicate with each other domestically and internationally. The internet, specifically social media has single handedly become one of the most demanded source used to get information, news, and entertainment. The Social Media Revolution has without a doubt created a nation of internet fanatics and content creators. Today, social media has become so great that it dominates every aspect of people’s daily life routine. Children and teens to no surprise, are also heavily included in this group of people whose lives are dominated by social media and new merging technology. Through this research I intend to depict how the lives of adolescents are affected by emerging technology, the internet, and social media.

· As shown above, you NEVER want to start ANY paper (Research or Not) off with answering your research questions in the introduction.

· Make sure that your thesis statement is clear and straight to the point. Your thesis statement should CLEARLY define what the essay is about and HOW you intend to get the information across.

II. Body Paragraph

· Open this paragraph with the first “item” from your thesis statement that you said you would talk about in the body of this paper.

· For an example, In My thesis statement in the paragraph above the first thing that I said I would talk about is “The Internet” So the opening of this paragraph would sound like this….

The internet has not only changed the way people communicate but also how people do business. Many companies and big time corporations now use social media as a branding and marketing tool. Many entrepreneurs also use social media as a marketing tool as well. Many employers today, if not all, use social media as a mean’s of doing preliminary background checks on potential employees. These employers now use technical gadgets not just for daily operations but also to communication with employees and connect with customers and clients. Technology and social media can also be used by teachers as a classroom teaching tool.

· As you can see the point here is to keep each paragraph interesting. You want to write in such a way that keeps the reader interested in what you’re saying, which leads me to my next and most IMPORTANT part of this entire process.

· For EVERY paragraph you MUST start it off with an analogy, interesting fact, quote, or compare your topic to what’s happening in the world. YES! You read that right! Each paragraph SHOULD be similar to the way you did your introduction just more detailed. When you do this it will seem more like an interesting conversation rather than an essay. This will also help you get rid of those annoying transition words like Secondly, In Addition to, lastly…

· In the body paragraphs be sure to include statements from experts, online journals, and other reputable sources. Cite your sources accordingly (MLA OR APA FORMATS)

· REFRAME….I REPEAT…REFRAME from using the words I or IT in your essay. For an example: The internet and social media as it pertains to children, can be viewed as an educational tool because it offers them access to a lot of positive information.

· The new way to write this would be this ……The internet and social media regarding children, can be viewed as an educational tool because they both offer children access to a lot of positive information.

· This will help the essay flow better and will also make your points clearer.

III. Conclusion

· Restate your thesis. BUT…YOU MUST REWORD IT!

· Follow the same steps from the body paragraphs.

· State your findings/Cite Work!

· Summarize main points.

· Tie your conclusion to the opening by writing a CALL TO ACTION. This is ALWAYS an interesting way of ending a paper and it will ALWAYS keep the reader thinking about your topic.

· THE END. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP YOU WRITE GREAT PAPERS IN THE FUTURE!