Outline of a Research Paper

Outline: The following outline describes the components of a paper. Complete the
following components of this outline based on your topic.

I. Title: Make the title informative and specific. Be concise.
Examples:
VAGUE Genetics and Medicine
SPECIFIC The Role of Genes in Alzheimers Disease

Title: Relations of Genetics with Arthritis


II. Introduction: Your introduction should begin with an attention-getter. Then it should be
followed by 3 5 sentences stating specific points you will make in the paper(3
rd
POV). Then you
should have one sentence that is the thesis of your paper. Complete the following parts of the
Introduction paragraph.

ATTENTION-GETTER (first 1 -2 sentences of paper):
SPECIFIC POINTS (3-5 sentences):
THESIS (SO WHAT?) one sentence summarizing what your paper is about in 3
rd
POV:

If you think being in inevitable pain is unbearable. How do you think people with arthritis
often feel? What is arthritis? Where does it come from? Many people honestly dont really
know many in-depth things about arthritis. They dont understand the causes, the symptoms,
the treatments. People are often unaware that arthritis can not only happen based just on a
persons lifestyle, but also on their genetic make-up. There is even more types of arthritis
that affect all people differently, both mentally and physically. So here is a more insightful
look on the disease affecting the daily lives of more than twenty-one million people across
America. What do you imagine the pain of diseased joints feels like? How hard do you think it
makes life?

III. Body Paragraphs: During the body of the paper you should make the specific points that
relate to the purpose statement. You may choose to make 1 3 paragraphs for each point. Be
sure that each paragraph has a topic sentence, meaning the first sentence of each paragraph
should describe what the paragraph is about. Each sentence in the paragraph should then relate
to the topic sentence. For this outline, write the topic sentence for each of at least five different
points that you plan to make/describe in the paper; add additional subheadings as necessary (at
least two).
I. Arthritis can be a very painful and crippling disease, but what exactly is arthritis?
1. Description of arthritis in general
a. Effects it has the on the body
b. Where and who it primarily affects
2. Various types of arthritis
a. Major, most common (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
b. Minor types (ankylosing spondylitis and others)
II. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis.
1. Difference of osteoarthritis from other variations
a. How and where it usually occurs, what are possible causes
b. Symptoms, permanent damages to the body
2. Studies indicating probability of genetic connection to osteoarthritis
a. Study on non-identical twins to identical twins chances of getting OA
b. Study of sisters of women who have OA having higher risk of development
III. Apart from just osteoarthritis, the second most common type is rheumatoid
arthritis.
1. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) description
a. Difference of RA to OA, spots of occurrence
b. Symptoms that are different from OA, permanent damage possibilities
2. Possible causes or things that increase risk
c. Genetics, theorized relation to immune system
d. Everyday activity and lifestyle (sports, habits, accidents, etc.)
IV. The reasons why the theorized causes RA are said to possibly be linked to genetics.
1. Some theories of genetic relations with RA
a. Changes in the function of the bodys defense mechanism
b. Defective regulation of the immune system
2. Other more mathematical and statistical theories relating to genetics and RA
c. About 70% of patients who have RA carry a histocompatibility antigen labeled
as HLA-DR4
d. Although only 28% of the general population actually carry this antigen, which
only cuts the number down smaller
e. Explanation of what a histocompatibility antigen actually is and what HLA-DR4
is
V. RA is considered to be an autoimmune disease.
1. What is an autoimmune disease, what does it do
a. Definition of an autoimmune disease
b. Effects of suffering from an autoimmune disease (like having your own
immune system attack itself)
2. Autoimmune diseases relation to genes
c. Defects in specific immune system genes, marked as PTPN22 and/or STAT4 are
said to be linked to multiple autoimmune diseases
d. Explanation of frequent observation of multiple and different autoimmune
diseases within families
e. Relation of blood tests in order to reveal possible development of RA with
presence of antibodies



IV. Conclusion: The conclusion paragraph should briefly (3-5 sentences) summarize the paper,
and then elaborate on answering the question so what?. What is significant about everything
you have written about? Where do you see this going in the future? What role does your topic
have in the big picture of medicine, genetics, or life? Be sure that your conclusion has a topic
sentence and several supporting sentences. Try coming up with a couple of answers to the so
what question.

All in all we have learned that arthritis and its many forms, most common being OA and RA,
are not only caused by the mere cracking of knuckles as many of us have heard that it can be
caused by. It can also be caused by the way an individual is genetically made up. With
knowing about all of these things learned through genetics, scientists and doctors have been
brought closer to understanding, finding and developing a cure or pain reducer to this disease
that causes affliction to people of all ages. Development of treatments to reduce pain,
swelling, and inflammation are key components for those twenty-one million Americans to
begin living easier, healthier lives.