What are the hierarchies of information in my research? Other than chronologically, how can I organize my research and its claims in a logical way?

When i first tried to form a coherent framework for my research paper I struggled to identify a governing claim that would establish the foundation of my argument. During “Step 1” of our framework workshop, I included a sub-claim that addressed the fact that Brisbane, and other American Fourierists, translated the utopian socialism into American dialect, making it more persuasive and appealing to the average nineteenth-century American. Dr. Watts suggested the possibility of using this claim or general concept as my initial, governing claim. I returned to my research with this suggestion and realized that the “propagandization” of Fourierism essentially reflected the idea of “Americanization” that I mention in my research question. Ultimately, most of my secondary, argumentative sources comment on this “propagandization” and there is ample evidence in my collection of primary sources to support this argument.

In addition to the chronological development of American Fourierism, I will organize my research and its claims by the different methods of “Americanization” and their ultimate influence on the movement. At the head of this organization process is the idea that reformers created unrealistic expectations by promising too much to the American people. One of the primary claims will likely address the way in which Brisbane presented Fourierism as the culmination of the ideas and values that established the American republic. The evidence of this claim will include multiple primary and secondary sources, but will rely heavily on Brisbane’s periodicals. In addition to primary claims, I will include a number of subsidiary claims where I can interpret both evidence from primary sources and arguments from secondary sources. These claims will likely include aspects from secondary sources including Guarneri’s idea of “America,” Michaud’s reflection on “Republicanism,” and Crowe’s commentary on the “Unnatural Union.” Each of the preceding arguments is fundamentally related to the “Americanization” of Fourierism.

An essential aspect of this logical organization process is to constantly reflect on how each individual claim relates to another. By continuously making connections between individual claims and sources, my paper will provide a coherent argument that sufficiently addresses my research question.