How to Write a Good Short Paper/ Longer Research Paper An academic paper: (In our course: Final Paper) - Is always argumentative—it has a THESIS about a TOPIC - You argue your thesis with illustrative examples that you select from your PRIMARY SOURCES in a dialogue with other relevant academic publications, called SECONDARY SOURCES - You start writing after you have completed your research, know what you are going to argue, and have a flexible working outline BEFORE YOU WRITE Ø Intensive Reading and Research During the process, you have to select a topic, going from the general to the specific

How to Write a Good Short Paper/ Longer Research Paper

An academic paper: (In our course: Final Paper)

- Is always argumentative—it has a THESIS about a TOPIC

- You argue your thesis with illustrative examples that you select from your

PRIMARY SOURCES in a dialogue with other relevant academic

publications, called SECONDARY SOURCES

- You start writing after you have completed your research, know what

you are going to argue, and have a flexible working outline

BEFORE YOU WRITE

Ø Intensive Reading and Research

During the process, you have to select a topic, going from the general to the specific. (Repeat

later if necessary.)

Ø Narrow down your research

Main questions:

ü What is the purpose of this paper?

ü What are the requirements for this assignment?

ü What rules do I have to follow (length and format)?

ü Who is my reader? Who am I telling my “story” to?

Ø Brainstorming

While brainstorming, arrange and rearrange your ideas tracing logical connections

Ø Work with a flexible outline

Create a flexible outline folliwng the three-part structure below

STRUCTURING YOUR PAPER

o Part One: INTRODUCTION

• What are you analyzing? è topic

• Why are you analyzing this? è minimum context

• What is your è thesis?

o Part Two: DEVELOPING YOUR ARGUMENT

• Logical connection of the most powerful illustrative examples, one by one

• As you analyze your examples, you may establish a dialogue with secondary sources

• Your paper must be structured around your thesis. Examples illustrate your thesis

• Clear descriptions of social/historical/cultural information contextualize and enrich your paper

o Part Three: CONCLUSION

• Connect with a greater context -i.e. How does your argument connect with wider intellectual,

or societal concerns? How does it connect with your own personal experience & identity?

• Give circularity

• Give a powerful “last touch”

• Important: Finish with your own ideas, ----- FINISH WITH A REFLECTION OF SOMEONE THAT CAME TO USA WITHOUT KNOWING ANY ENGLISH AND LEARNING.

2

THE WRITING PROCESS

Ø Guide your reader

Ø Be formal, clear & consistent

Sentences

- One idea per sentence for clarity

- Use pronouns and verb tenses consistently

- MLA format: include the year of publication in parenthesis the first time you mention a

published work. Include full names the first time you mention authors; only last names later

Paragraphs

• Each paragraph analyzes and “fleshes out” one point/idea coherently

• Paragraph structure: Your idea and explanation first, your illustrative example later.

• Quotations need to be as short as possible (we want to read your own words)

• Give a context for every quote within the work you are citing - i.e. When does that quote occur

within the work I am citing? In what context withing the narrative or argumentation?

• Transitions: guide your reader from paragraph to paragraph

Style

To Avoid:

- Repetition of words and phrases,

similar words, names of authors,

or grammatical structures, esp.

in the same paragraph

Solutions:

- Synonyms, richness of vocabulary

and expressions, restructuring

sentences

To Avoid:

- Slang and informal language

- contractions

- Clichés

- Hollow words: interesting,

important, great, etc.

Solutions:

- Standard formal language & formal

expressions you know

- Look for synonyms & always

elaborate your description or

analysis

Ø Remember: you are writing a research paper in college, you are not talking to people

in an informal conversation

REVISING YOUR FINAL MANUSCRIPT

• Include your full name, course title, name of assignment and date as a heading on the 1st page

• Always have a title: a good title includes your topic and the primary work you study

• Go over your complete full draft THREE times

• Let your text sit for 2 hrs. minimum in between revisions

• Empathize with your reader

• Do not be afraid of discarding parts or ideas that are weak, underdeveloped, or distracting

from your main argument

Ø Look for BALANCE -section lengths: The longest is Part Two; Part One & Three are shorter

Ø Don’t be too abstract, but avoid covering too many examples

Ø Make sure you are ARGUING ideas

Ø Always to go the point. Accept that you will have to discard many ideas

FINAL TIPS

Ø If you are blocked, stretch and walk around, but do NOT get distracted!

Ø Always have A SCHEDULE, not only a “to-do” list