How to Write a Paper

Jenny HavensOzark Christian CollegeLearning Center

1. Know Due Dates and Plan Accordingly

* Always look at least 3 weeks

ahead in your calendar!!!

* Have a calendar with all of your assignments written in it.

2. Choose a Topic*Possible topics will most likely be found in you syllabus.

*Choose a topic that is interesting to you!!

*Always check with your professor if you want to research a topic that is not in your syllabus.

3. Find Resources* These can be found in the Library!!

* Check your text books from that class, they often have information in them about what you are studying.

* Possible resources include commentaries, articles from magazines and encyclopedias, books on your subject or books with a chapter about your subject, etc.

* If you have a hard time finding resources, ask your professor or consider changing your topic.

Research your topic and take notes!!

*This process should take the most time, so be patient and have fun learning new information.

The Notebook Method- use a notebook and write all of your notes in it.

Pros- Everything is in one place

Cons- hard to organize when you are ready to write the paper

The Book Method- sit in front of your computer with all of your books around you. As you find something to use in your paper, type it on the computer.

Pros- Doesn’t involve actually taking notes, can take less time

Cons- Confusing, hard to organize

Pros: All of your notes are in one place, easy to organize

Cons: Note taking takes a long time

*This is the method you will have to use in Comp. 2 so it would be to your advantage

to learn it now!

Author’s Last Name Page Number

One fact, quote, or thought per card

Steps for the Note Card Method

1. Put the author’s name and page number on the top of the card along with one fact, quote or thought.

2. Always keep track of bibliographical information in a notebook or on one note card.

3. Keep note cards for research, your own thoughts or questions and for possible thesis statements.

4. When finished taking notes, organize cards in stacks of main topics, introduction and conclusion. This forms your outline.

5. Type out notes in the order you want them. Make sure to include references and quotation marks.

6. Add in your own thoughts and transitions.

7. Write your introduction and conclusion. Don’t forget your thesis!!!8. Proofread and make

corrections. Your final draft should not be your first draft!!

Tips forTips for ResearchResearch1. Photocopy sources

2. Document everything you photocopy or take notes on.3. Do not rely on one source or one

type of source. This is not a book report!!! You should have more than one or two sources sited within your paper.

When When your your

research research is is

finished.finished.....

1. Write your thesis statement!!!What is a thesis statement?What is a thesis statement?

Purpose: To summarize your paper in one clear sentence.

*The thesis statement is an umbrella. Each section of you paper should fall under that umbrella.* A clear thesis statement is vital to a good

paper. It lets the reader know what he is going to read.

* Look in your syllabus for sample thesis statements.

2. Create an outline

*Your outline should have at least 3 main points with supporting details for each point.

I. Main Point

A. Supporting Detail

B. Supporting Detail

C. Supporting Detail

II. Main Point

A. Supporting Detail

B. Etc.

*Make sure that each point and detail fits under the umbrella of your thesis!!

*This is just a skeleton of your paper

Tell them what you are

going to tell

them.

Tell

them!!

Tell

them what you

have just told them.

Thesis

Restate Thesis

BODYBODY

CONCLUSIOCONCLUSIONN

INTRODUCTIINTRODUCTIONON

Write the Write the BodyBody of of your paper first.your paper first.

*The body contains all of your main points and supporting details.

*The number of points is set by the material you want to cover and how you want to organize it.

Write the Conclusion after you write the body.

*The conclusion is usually one paragraph.*Restate your thesis in the conclusion.

*Summarize what you have just told your reader in the body.

*Wrap up the paper with a bang!!

Write the Introduction last.*The Introduction should catch the reader’s attention.

*The Introduction can be more than one paragraph.

*Intro should end with your Thesis Statement.*ThesisThesis = your paper in one sentence.

You’re not finished yet!!!

*You read it and look for mistakes. Then correct them!!

*Have someone else read it and look for mistakes. *A friend that you trust*An RA*A tutor from The Learning Center (make an appointment)

*Rewrite/Make corrections*Make sure all of the corrections fit under the umbrella of your thesis.

*Reread- make sure the paper makes sense!!*Your final draft should not be your first *Your final draft should not be your first

draft.draft.Excellence is the only option when

preparing to serve Jesus!

Common Common MistakesMistakes

1. Starting too late

2. Using 1st or 2nd person

*Always look at least

3 weeks ahead in your calendar and plan accordingly.

*Never use the words I, You, We or They in a paper unless the professor assigns an application section.

*Never speak to the professor in the paper.

3. Using contractions

4. Shifting verb tense

*Don’t shorten words--use Do not instead of Don’t and Is Not instead of isn’t, etc.

*Make sure all of your verbs are in the same tense

6. Not using transition sentences6. Not using transition sentences

*If one paragraph is about frogs and the next one is about heaven, tell me how you got from frogs to heaven.

5. Putting more than one thought 5. Putting more than one thought in a paragraphin a paragraph

*Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and each sentence in the paragraph should fall under that topic sentence.

7. Format, Format, 7. Format, Format, Format!!!Format!!!*Get a Term Paper Guide from the bookstore and follow the format guidelines.

*Pay close attention to page number position, margin width, format for title page, spacing, and headings.

8. Run on sentences or 8. Run on sentences or patterned sentencespatterned sentences

*Don’t make it sound like a Dick and Jane book. Vary the length and pattern of your sentences.

*Don’t use run on sentences even if you like them because they can get very long and tedious for your professor to read because they read a lot of papers.9. Not using spell 9. Not using spell

checkcheck*It’s easy, every computer on campus has it!!

10. Irrelevant sentences or 10. Irrelevant sentences or paragraphsparagraphs

11. Lack of clarity11. Lack of clarity

*If it doesn’t fit *If it doesn’t fit under the under the umbrella of your umbrella of your thesis, don’t put it thesis, don’t put it in the paper.in the paper.

*Don’t beat around the *Don’t beat around the bush. Say what needs to be bush. Say what needs to be said.said.*Don’t pad your paper with *Don’t pad your paper with fluff. Your professor will fluff. Your professor will know!!know!!

12. Using personal 12. Using personal thoughts without the thoughts without the support of researchsupport of research

13. Not giving credit13. Not giving credit

*This is not an opinion paper. This is a research paper, everything in it must be supported by research.

*You must give credit to the author of all the quotes and ideas that aren’t your own.

14. Documentation14. Documentation

*Paraphrase: Put the authors’ authors’ thoughts in your own wordsthoughts in your own words. This still needs to be documented because it is not your own thought.*A quotequote is anything, three words three words or more, that is not your ownor more, that is not your own. Quotes need to have quotation marks around them and need to be documented.*A quote that is four or more lines four or more lines long needs to be indentedlong needs to be indented.

ReviReviewew

1. Choose a topic

2. Find resources

3. Take notes/research

4. Write thesis

5. Make an outline

7. Proofread and edit

8. Have someone else proofread

9. Edit final copy

10. Watch for the common mistakes

6. Write body, conclusion and introduction