(4000-5000 words incl. footnotes and bibliography)
A general outline for research  essays would be:
Introduction, including statement of research topic/question, main argument/hypothesis of the essay in response to the main question and a brief outline of main points to be addressed in support of the argument.
discussion of main points – this should include brief overviews of background and current state of the art, but don’t spend too much time on this, as the bulk of the text of the essay should be your own argument and analysis.
Try to structure this discussion in a logical way, so that the various points logically flow from one to the next. Try also to link each point back to the main argument of your essay.
Include a conclusion that summarizes your argument and key points and highlights areas for potential further research