Recommended Outline: your paper should be divided into subheadings. It should have clear, logical flow. Your subheadings should include (but are not limited to):
1) An Introduction of a paragraph or two. This should contain, usually at the end of the first paragraph, a thesis statement of the form, “This paper argues that . . . . “
2) A literature review that summarizes the key themes, concerns, and debates in the literature on your topic. In your literature reviews, organize them according to themes, theories, and/or methods, not article-by-article or book-by-book. For example: "Many scholars claim video games are dangerously addicting (Smith, 2003; Goldberg, 2005; Smertz, 1999). Others disagree (Smootz, 2000) or claim there are positive effects as well (Smeetz, 2001)." DO NOT write "Smith (2003) says video games are addicting. . . . Goldberg (2005) also says video games are addicting . . ." and so forth.
3) Perhaps two or three subheadings for the body of your paper that help delineate the major parts of your argument.
4) A conclusion.
Please remember the following: Make sure your topic is not too broad; make sure it has an argument or a point; and stick to SERIOUS SCHOLARLY RESEARCH, i.e., stay away from mass market books, anecdotal essays, Time Magazine articles, random web sites, and the like.
Your sources must be fully documented using the American Sociological Association style. If you're not absolutely sure about how to do this, see me right away (Some of the basics can be found at http://www.uvm.edu/sociology/ASAcitat.pdf). Remember that you need to provide references for ALL material you find in other sources even when you use your own words (NOT just for those things you quote directly). Remember that improper documentation is considered a form of plagiarism, which can get you in serious trouble, e.g., flunking or thrown out of school. Your paper's bibliographies should not include annotations, just the bibliographic material in ASA style.