1) the topic: must be related directly to course material
2) thesis statement: Your thesis is a statement (not a question or a topic) that describes what your paper will be about and provides a unique perspective (see: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/).
3) outline: Should have an introduction followed by 3 sections that will discuss 3 main points that defend your thesis and end with conclusions (see: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/)
4) at least three (3) references (2 must be outside of the class readings). All must be academic* in nature and properly formatted in APA style). APA format: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/