I am doing my first research paper and I am attempting to explain the positive effects on society from
a. edgar allen poe
b. mae west
c. industrial rock
And how these groups are examples of different types of controversy that are positive to our culture
Do you have any suggestions on how I could do this? I am finding it harder than I thought...
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Above all, convince yourself via research.
Only then will you be able to write persuasively.

Then give your paper a title which asserts the point that will be made.

Then write the introduction in which you capture reader interest and which includes your thesis statement. The thesis statement will indicate the points to be discussed and the order in which you will deal with each.

You might consider giving each example a paragraph.

Give each paragraph a topic sentence which indicates the point it will try to prove.

Support your points with examples, expert testimony, statistics, logic.

Then you might consider concluding via summary or recapitulation of points proven.

BTW
A numbered bibliography of sources is usually required.
Also, don't cite books cite people with authority on the subject.

It is probably too late to respond to this question now, but for future reference I will answer it anyway. Brainstorming and mindmapping are brilliant ways to develop ideas for a research paper and to help you actually target research time. From your mindmapping sheets, you will see common elements and differences between your examples or points of focus that will help you craft a thesis statement. This is the point of view you will be taking for your paper. Your paper will be focused on proving your thesis and the examples you use can be compared and contrasted. One of the most effective resources available to any student who needs to do a lot of research is Questia - online library. The subscription price is worth it, if you want access to a variety of resources. If you need any additional info check out www.1st-class-english.com on the research services page - just fill in enquiry form and I will get back to you. I am not trying to sell services here; its just that I always check those forms so I will get the message, but I can't guarantee how regularly I'll visit this site.