Help developing paper on the DSM and psychiatry

Hi everyone,

I have a final term paper due at the end of the week (2000-3000 words) and need a little help developing an outline for my paper and arguments. The question this paper seeks to answer is "Has the Diagnostic Statistical Manual series (DSM) been a boon for psychiatric practice?" I choose to answer no, it has not. I have included my introductory paragraph (Which is open to constructive criticism and critique) to help set the stage.

Within the realm of psychiatry, one universal object is more highly recognized than anything or anyone, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders better known as the DSM. THE DSM series is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and is used most often in diagnosing mental disorders worldwide. The view over the Diagnostic Statistical Manual series (DSM), after its conception, progressed from being seen as a boon for psychiatric treatment and diagnosis to a political necessity in patient-treatment care. With increasing popularity, questions attacking the DSM's genesis and validity were brought to the forefront of psychiatry. What influenced the content of the DSM? Are the roots of the diagnostic criterion embedded in science? These questions and questions like these, cannot be answered without the complete denunciation of the DSM. To critically analyze the DSM, one must first understand the basic history through which the DSM was born.

From here i plan to give a brief history on how the DSM was made, I will be citing an article from the New Yorker that we have looked at in our class. I will then begin to discuss Reliability vs Validity of the DSM, Comorbidity vs ambiguity of disease and then move into how the DSM is not scientific. I will provide proof to this through multiple studies and research articles. I will then discuss the political aspect of the DSM and how classifications are made not necessarily for the benefit of the patient but so that the insurance companies are content and will cover psychiatric treatment.

Can you guys help me restructure (if needed) my introductory paragraph, or a second paragraph following my introductory paragraph that provides a roadmap for this essay as well as aid in the development in arguments?

Thanks!

It sounds like you have a very good plan laid out for this paper; that is the first step to success.

I do have a few suggestions on the paragraph you included, here they are:

"Within the realm of psychiatry, one universal object is more highly recognized than anything or anyone, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders better known as the DSM."

To eliminate a run-on, consider rewording this to something like, "Within the realm of psychiatry, one universal object is more highly recognized than anything or anyone; the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, better known as the DSM."

"THE DSM..."
I am assuming you did not intentionally write "THE" in all caps; if you did, please don't. :P

"The view over the..."
This is a little awkward; how about writing "The view of the..." to remedy this?

"These questions and questions like these..."
Instead of using "these" twice, how about changing the sentence to "These questions and others like them..."; also remove the comma that follows as it is unnecessary.

As for a second paragraph, I would try to avoid telling the reader what you plan to tell them; just tell them. I believe you have a strong introduction; continue that strength throughout your paper by proving your analysis with your research, don't waste alot of time meandering through a plan.