Determine the larger purpose of your work. Choosing an end goal will not only give your topic direction, but also help you structure your paper logically. (If you’re writing a formal essay, write a thesis statement that summarizes this purpose.) You might, for example, want to:
Compare and contrast two things.
Present cause and effect.
Define or analyze a particular aspect.
Present one side of an argument or both.
Provide evidence and draw a conclusion.
Present a problem, then provide a solution