In order to free your mind to develop ideas, you should not worry about mechanics in the writing of your first draft, unless mechanical errors distract you and you feel compelled to correct them. A collection of correct sentences that have no content sometimes gets you a good grade in high school but almost never does in college. It's important that your paper proves a point or answers a question. The best way to make your case is with lots of specific examples. If I write that Callie Khouri is a very smart woman, I won't be nearly as convincing as if I write that Callie Khouri is the Academy Award-winning author who wrote Thelma and Louise and Something to Talk About .
People tend to be able to grasp ideas best if they are divided into three parts.
Five paragraph essays are not the only way to write a paper. Use as many paragraphs as you need. The introductory paragraph or paragraphs should contain your thesis statement. It usually comes at the end of the first paragraph but can go elsewhere if you have a good reason. The ideas presented in the introduction should be in the order you will present them in the body of the paper.