Brainstorm. List all you know about the topic and information needed to answer the paper's questions. Organize data in an outline.
Evaluate, analyze and review your notes to determine your thesis statement. Decide what you think about the topic, and choose your side of the issue. An effective thesis statement is composed of your side of the argument and its analysis -- and your assertion or claim with supportive evidence.
Diagram on paper your ideas to show the shape of ideas for the paper's body. Write your thesis statement in the middle of a piece of paper to construct a diagram. Draw three lines that extend off the thesis statement. At the end of those lines write your main ideas, and draw more lines off the main ones to show other ideas associated to each other. Each major point of your three main ideas drawn on the diagram acts as a separate paragraph of your paper's body.
Outline the introduction's rough draft. Re-examine and revise the paragraph later. Briefly summarize the main points that back up your theme's topic in the introduction. Bring up any background information the reader needs to know. If key terms are used in the paper, define them. Position your thesis statement at the end of the introduction.
Fabricate each body paragraph similarly, using one of your main ideas as the paragraph's first sentence. Then put together all the supporting ideas in sentence format. Leave out a few lines in between each main point so you can come back and fill in with smaller supportive thoughts. Each individual body paragraph must make sense standing alone, but ties together with all related paragraphs.
Inspect paragraph order to make sure the strongest points lie in the first and last paragraphs, with supporting information in the middle section of the body. Insert phrases within those paragraphs to connect thoughts to help the reader follow your flow of ideas.
Return to the introduction and find a connection to link with your reader to begin the conclusion. Repeat your theme paper's primary points, and restate the thesis statement in your paper's closing paragraph. Remind the audience of your topic's strengths, and think about the last impression you leave with the reader.
Reread, rewrite and re-tweak the final draft of your theme paper. Revise a day or two later when your mind is fresh.