Select your drafting style. Some students prefer to write their first drafts as quickly as possible by writing what comes to mind and finessing the paper later. This form of drafting allows ideas to flow. Other students would rather get their sentences and words perfect the first time around and polish their papers as they go.
Write the opening line of your introduction. Use a quote, a statistic or some other interesting way to grab the reader's attention. Your paper's introduction must communicate the importance of your argument or the issue and contain your thesis so that readers know the focus of your paper. An introductory paragraph should be a few sentences long or longer if you have a lengthy paper to write.
Consult your outline to decide which topic follows the introduction in your paper. After you write your thesis, the supporting paragraphs in the body of your paper must support the argument or issue. Write complete sentences beneath each new supporting paragraph heading. Your outline was the place to jot down your concepts with bullet points, but the first draft is where you should spend time crafting sentences.
Use and cite your research. Insert quotations, references and statistics wherever you can to strengthen your argument. Keep track of which research materials you use and their page numbers. You will need to add this information to your references page at the end of your paper.
Write the conclusion of your first draft. Make sure the conclusion closes the discussion or argument, but do not summarize everything you already talked about in the paper. A conclusion should be around the same length as your introductory paragraph or a little shorter.
Revise your first draft. Let some time pass between drafting the first draft and editing it so that you can read the draft with fresh eyes. First drafts are meant to be reviewed and revised, which is why they are called first drafts or rough drafts. Look for spelling errors, punctuation mistakes, choppy sentences, uneven transitions between paragraphs, information that does not belong and anything else that stands out or is confusing. Compare the length of your paper to the teacher's instructions to make sure you are on track with page numbers or word count. Mark your changes onto the first draft so that you know what changes to make the next time around.