Your introductory paragraph (or two) will certainly have to be rewritten after the rough draft is done, but it is still a good place to start. By setting out in your introduction the points that you wish to make in the paper, you will make it easier to confine your writing to statements that develop your theme. For example, a paper on the independence of Texas that concerns the theme "The Role of Sam Houston in Texan Independence" needs to focus tightly on Houston’s role. By saying in your introduction that this is your goal (and why it is worth writing about), you will keep yourself on track. Of course, other people will appear in your paper (the Mexican general Santa Anna, for example) but a clear focus on Houston in your draft introduction will keep you from writing a long section of your paper on Santa Anna or having too much to say about the defense of the Alamo. While these subjects should be mentioned in your paper, only the parts that directly bear upon the issue of Houston’s leadership should be included. Always use the test of relevance to the theme as you write your paper.

How long should each section of your paper be? There is no correct length, of course, but each section should be long enough to make the point you want to cover in it. As you write the rough draft of each section, keep in mind the information you want to include. Develop each section from the notes that support it, but don’t feel obliged to use all of these notes. When you have made the point you intended to make—stop. In addition, you need to write a connecting sentence—either at the end of one section or at the beginning of the next—that introduces the next point you intend to make. Now you are prepared to repeat the process in the next section of your paper, and in the next, until you reach your conclusion.

Keep the overall length of the paper in mind as well. If your paper is limited to twenty-five pages and your outline has seven points to it, don’t start out with a section six pages long. Of course, sections may be of unequal length; some points are more important than others or take more space to document. Here is a very general guide: for a paper of twenty-five to thirty pages, it is best to have no more than six to eight sections. You will need at least two, and perhaps as many as four pages, to make the points you wish to cover in each section. You also need to leave a few pages at the end for your conclusion, endnotes (unless you use footnotes, which also lengthen your text), and bibliography. Keep your overall limit in mind, or you can end up with too many (or too few) pages.

The last section of your paper is, of course, the conclusion. It is usually wise not to include it in your rough draft. If you change your paper in subsequent drafts, your conclusion would then need a complete rewriting. Still, it is worth pointing out here that the goal of your conclusion is to summarize briefly the points you have made concerning your theme. In the paper about Sam Houston’s leadership, for example, you would briefly refer to the evidence, both positive and negative, that you presented about him.

The conclusion is also the place for any opinions you may have formed as a result of your research and writing. Unless you are asked to write an opinion piece, don’t load your paper with personal comments. Instructors will likely consider this a weakness. Still, unless told not to, you may include some personal remarks in your conclusion. After all, if your topic is worth writing about it should leave you with plenty to think about. Should you decide to say something of your own, however, make your remarks clear. Take the trouble to set down your own thoughts as carefully as you did those of the authors whose works you read.