Writing A Research Paper Outline For The 6th Grade: Essential Tips

A research paper outline is an essential element for any academic paper. It may make a significant difference on the outcome of the paper. Preparing the outline is as important as writing the paper itself and can be a daunting undertaking especially for lower level learners like 6th grade students. Although a research paper outline for college students and other higher level students will be more detailed, a paper outline for 6th grade students should be able to reflect the student’s academic level. Here are some essential tips on writing a research paper outline for the 6th grade.

• The Basic Structure

A vast majority of research papers are normally arranged according to the following constituent sections.

• The title of the paper and the name of the author
• An abstract
• A table of contents
• The introduction
• The methods of study
• Discussion of the results
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices


• The Title and Name of Author

This is usually the shortest page of the paper. The title should say everything about the paper but in a very short and precise statement. This section should also include the name of the author, the name of the instructor/teacher, the subject or discipline, the name of the school, and the date of submission.

• Abstract

This is the most crucial section of the research paper because it summarizes the research, the results and the conclusions. This section should typically be 100 to 150 words for 6th graders. The abstract should be considered a sample of the paper rather than a review.

• Table of Contents

This is basically a breakdown of each section and subsection of the paper. The sections and subsections should be indicated according to the page numbers.

• Introduction

This section documents the background of the study. It introduces the topic to the reader so that the reader will be familiar with the exact subject matter of the topic. This section also includes the thesis statement and a brief statement of the problem and relevance of the study.

• Methodology

This section simply details the methods that were used to gather information about the topic and problem under study. It should include the instruments used, the locations, times and techniques used.

• Discussion of Results

This section includes a brief synopsis of the findings. These include the facts, the figures and the tests used to arrive at the final results. The discussion here should also focus on how the findings compare with the expected results. In brief, the discussion should attempt to show whether the thesis was proved or not, or whether it was inconclusive.

• Conclusions

This section of the paper is simply a more elaborate form of the abstract. It includes a summary of the findings in a bid to help the reader to better comprehend the findings.

• References

The reference section of the paper should include a list of all the sources that were consulted in preparing the research.

• Appendices

This section is essential because it offers a place for dumping raw data, calculations and figures.