| Guide to Organization | ||
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Class directory Ensor Learning Resources Center
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First: Don't throw away weeks of work on research by trying to write
your paper all in one night. It takes time to do this right;
give yourself time to go back, reread, and make changes.
Second: Don't wait until the final draft to put in the documentation. I want to see it in your rough draft. I could've caught some problems in the last paper had people included their documentation in their rough drafts. Introductions Effective introductions will Introductions to avoid: Organization on the Level of the Paragraph EVERY sentence in a paragraph must relate to and develop the main idea of the paragraph. We must always be able to see how one sentence relates to the next. Use transitional words, or connect sentences through repetition of key words. Don't just expect the audience to put things together for you. Remember that you essentially say things three times: you introduce the main idea in the topic sentence; you develop the idea over the course of the paragraph; you come to a conclusion at the end of the paragraph. Your evidence is part of your development of the paragraph, but it does not supply the conclusion. YOU should supply the conclusion. Thus, you should never end a paragraph with a direct quotation. Use of Evidence Guide your reader through the source material. Most readers don't appreciate quotes when they don't know where the quotes come from. Use introductory tags to help us identify why we need to have someone's words other than your own. Synthesize the source material and your own ideas. Don't just string together random details off your note cards. Include your discussion or analysis of the evidence. Don't run quotes back to back. Clearly indicate where source material begins and ends. Don't end paragraphs with quotation Conclusions Don't raise new points in your conclusions. Don't do a cut-and-paste restatement of your thesis--actually REstate (in different words) your thesis. Don't drop issues; some people tend to focus only on their last major point when writing their conclusion. Conclude the whole paper, and indicate how the entire argument works together to prove your thesis. Title Have one. Make it interesting. First impressions are important. Sentence structure Some of you are very good thinkers who write very convoluted, horribly awkward sentences. Look for twisted, convoluted sentences. Avoid overly complex sentences. Actually, I'm a big fan of simple, clear sentences that use language really used by human beings. Read it out loud. If it sounds goofy when you read it out loud, it probably will sound goofy to me when I read it. Have a friend read your paper aloud and listen for places where he/she stumbles. It could indicate a difficult-to-interpret sentence. Transitions Good transitions will help your audience understand how your thoughts fit together. Click here for a list of transitional devices. |