• A well constructed paper gets to the point quicklywoman hands typing on laptop keyboard image by .shock from Fotolia.com
  
  Reading a poorly constructed paper is like watching a movie without a plot. The more time passes, the more you wonder where it's going. You may be halfway through but still feel as if it hasn't "started." According to The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, a well constructed paper addresses the reader's sense of "so what?" It explains where it's headed and sticks to the plan until it arrives at a natural conclusion. To do this, it begins with a claim, makes supporting points based on compelling evidence, anticipates the reader's concerns and summarizes how it proved its claim.
  
  

Introduction

• This section grabs the reader's attention, tells her what to expect and gives her a reason to read on. It is common for a paper to frame its argument in terms of a problem that is of interest to the intended reader. Having achieved this, it can let her know what is in store by stating in general terms how it plans to address the problem and encourage her to read on by illustrating the consequences if the problem is not addressed.
  
  

Thesis

• Also part of the introduction, the thesis is the claim that the paper is attempting to prove. Lack of a concise thesis statement typically leads to a meandering argument. It might help to think of the thesis as the paper's spine. It is the foundation upon which all other elements are organized. It also tells the reader the scope of a paper, giving him a sense of what it is, and is not, able to address.
  
  

Body

• This is the meat of the piece. It contains the main points and the evidence that backs them up. Depending on the depth of the argument the main points may branch out into any number of supporting points. No matter how finely detailed the individual pieces of its argument, however, a good paper reminds the reader of the paper's ultimate goals and illustrates how its points serve the central argument as determined by the thesis.
  
  

Counter Arguments

• No argument is beyond criticism. A common technique for making an argument more compelling is to anticipate the critiques that it is likely to engender. This is often woven into the body of the piece, part and parcel with main points and supporting evidence. Regardless of how a paper is structured, it should, in some way, address questions or concerns its readers are likely to have.
  
  

Conclusion

• Here, the writer offers a recap of the journey. She clarifies how her points worked together to prove her claim. Where the opening introduced the scope of the argument, the conclusion often gestures forward, beyond the boundaries of the paper to other implications that may have arisen. It is an opportunity to raise questions and to provide a suggestion as to how related issues might be addressed.