Design a detailed outline for your paper, which should include the three main points that you intend to discuss, as well as divisions within each point that you intend to expand upon. For example, your three main points may be the human development of social skills, human development relating to social influences and human development opposing social influences. Expand each point with developmental points.
Write your research sources into your introduction by assigning each source to a few sections and then writing the author's name in that section. For instance, if you have a source for your development of social skills section, write the name of the author next to that section in your outline. Add more specifics, such as page number, if you have them handy but especially if you intend to use the source for multiple sections.
Construct your introduction by writing an attention-grabbing sentence that includes an insightful quote, staggering statistic or a particularly witty sentence that you wrote. For instance, "Understanding how people develop into thinking, reasoning creatures is the key to understanding the nature of thought itself" as a first sentence can grab your reader's attention, while explaining that they will read a paper on cognitive theory. Add basic information into your introduction and conclude your paragraph with a thesis statement that lists the main points of your paper.
Gather your research for each point and reread your outline. Write your first section, adding research information to strengthen each point. Cite each source appropriately as you work and make a small, but obvious, mark on each source as you use it so you can quickly find your used sources when you are ready to make your works cited page.
Use transitional phrases or words to move from section to section and from paragraph to paragraph. Keep a consistent flow of logic throughout your paper by making sure that each section transitions seamlessly into the next point.
Write a conclusion for your paper that summarizes all of your points and establishes an overall deduction from the information you presented.
Construct your works cited page by listing, in the proper style for your paper, each source that you cited throughout your paper in alphabetical order by your author's last names.