10
Things to Remember When Writing a Paper
- Choose
a topic that is not too broad. Avoid the temptation to bring in all
of your interests. This is a chance to focus on one topic in depth.
- Plan
to complete your reading/research plenty early so that you have time
to digest the material and craft a good paper. The clarity and force
of your presentation and thinking is more important than stuffing in
one more set of words to substantiate your arguments. Have confidence!
- Except
for personal process papers, the tone of most academic work is objective.
This doesn't mean you can't take a point of view, but it should be substantiated
with evidence. Imagine that you are speaking to a person who wants enough
information to evaluate your perspective on its merits.
- You are
expected to evaluate, interpret, synthesize, or in some way add to or
participate in what you write. It is not enough to simply report what
others have said. Don't assume the instructor knows what you mean just
because you're using the language or naming the concepts. This is the
time to articulate your understanding, leaving no doubt about it.
- It is
not necessary to have an outline before you begin to write. Sometimes
you need to see what the pieces are before you can organize and polish
them. If you can organize your thoughts ahead of time, great; if not,
begin writing simply as a "spilling out" process to see what's
there.
- Write
simply in as natural a voice as you can. Often people write in a style
they would never speak. Sentences become long, complex, dense with information.
You don't want your reader to have to work this hard. It will help you
to write more simply and naturally if you read your work aloud and imagine
communicating with your audience.
- Aim for
one basic idea in each paragraph and have adequate transitions from
one paragraph to the next. The paper needs to flow in a logical and
organic way. Use headings to orient the reader.
- Use quotes
sparingly. They should be like seasonings in a stew, not the main ingredient.
If an author's words are not particularly elegant, unique, or otherwise
important, paraphrase instead. Too many quotes leads to an inconsistent
tone and voice in the paper and gives the impression that the student
has not really digested and integrated the material.
- After
you have a first draft, it is helpful to have someone else read the
paper for organization, style, clarity, and completeness. Expect to
rewrite it at least once, if not two or three times. With computers,
this is not as time consuming as it may seem.
-
Plan
to finish your paper ahead of schedule. Life is full of contingencies
and you never know when something will pull you away from your projected
timeline. If all goes well and the paper is finished early, you can
always go dancing.
©
Jasmin Cori, M.S., L.P.C., 2002
|
