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WRITING A PAPER
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You have a paper to write. It doesn’t
matter how many pages it is or what the topic is, the basics are always
the same:
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Understand the assignment.
This might seem obvious but instructors routinely receive carefully
researched, well written papers that are off topic. Take the time to
carefully read over the requirements and if you have any questions or
doubts consult with your instructor after class or by e-mail for
clarification.
-
Plan out your time line.
Make sure you make the time to do a quality job.
-
Choose a topic wisely.
If you have some latitude choose something that interests you.
Otherwise, you
may have trouble sticking to the task. Also, keep your topic broad
enough to find enough resources to cover the topic of your paper, but
narrow enough that you can develop and successfully support your thesis.
Don’t be afraid to consult with your fellow students for ideas.
-
Write a Quality Thesis Statement.
All research papers must
contain a thesis statement. These statements suggest a paper's main
topic and imply the order in which the ideas appear. Keep in mind that
your thesis may change after you've done a little research. This is OK,
so long as your paper supports your final thesis statement.
-
Use Excellent Secondary Resources.
Try not to rely heavily
on one source. You need to consult varying opinions and information
about the subject to provide a well-thought-out argument on the topic,
especially if your paper is persuasive. Be prepared to address arguments
from the opposing side. If you belong to an online subscription service
like
Questia or
Book
Rags, search for essays on your topic, read them and cite them as
sources.
-
Outline Your Paper.
Organize your thoughts and the points you want to make in a logical
sequence before you begin the essay.
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Write a rough draft.
Never think that your first effort is suitable. Wait a day or so and
reread your paper critically. Show your draft to your roommates,
friends, TA’s and your instructor if possible. Take criticism humbly and
make the changes that you deem fit. The finished result gets the grade.
The rough draft ends up in the trash.
-
Reread for punctuation and spelling errors.
Remember that spell check does not pick up misspellings that are
actually other words!
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If you're stuck for a topic or if your essay just
plain isn't going well, the best resource for getting back on track is
your instructor. You will be graded on the end product, not on how you got
there so don't be shy about sharing your confusion. He or she is there to
help.
Don't approach your instructor at
the last moment. That would be counter productive.
Do be prepared to discuss your
problems and the material calmly and logically. Just because you're
frustrated doesn't mean that you have to act frustrated. Do bring your
notes and rough draft to show your progress up to that time.
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Book Rags offers a
fully searchable essay database. of thousands of papers, over 150
free literature study guides, the complete e-texts for free of over
1,500 novels, a peer to peer message board and much more. |
Professional looking papers are more likely to be
treated positively than sloppily appearing ones. Use bright clean paper.
Use an easy to read font like Times New Roman, not an internet font like
Arial. Use bold text for subject headers. Number each page.
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