The Shape of an Academic Paper Dennis Jerz Seton Hill
University 31 Mar 2006
Slide 2
An Academic Paper Has a Shape The following examples use dummy
text, highlighted to emphasize structural details. Well analyze a
simple structure. Your instructor may ask for a specific, more
complicated structure. The basic principles will still apply.
Slide 3
Shape of a 3-page Essay
Slide 4
Mechanics MLA Style Pagination Title Block Paper Title Indented
Blocks Inline quotes Nothing new here.
Slide 5
Organization Ive reformatted the text from the previous image
into this schematic.
Slide 6
Organization Introduction (Olive) First Point (Yellow) Second
Point (Blue) Third Point (Magenta) Conclusion (Black)
Slide 7
Caution! Three mini-papers do not make a coherent argument.
Note: You dont need exactly 3 points. Note: One point may require
more than one paragraph.
Slide 8
Controlling Idea Intro: A clear thesis (Green). Hucks
conflicted conscience is a moral mirror of his times. Body: Relate
points to thesis. The most obvious way that Huck reflects the
morality of his time is Huck further illustrates an ethical
conflict when he Huck more subtly comments on contemporary morality
when he Conclusion: Not just a summary. Rather, it is the
destination at which the paper has been driving all along.
Slide 9
Follow a Blueprint A good thesis (green) briefly introduces the
supporting points (yellow, blue, magenta). The paper should treat
those points, in the order in which the thesis mentions them.
Slide 10
Use Quotations Support your points with direct references to
the texts you are studying (light green). Every paragraph in this
example includes several brief direct quotes. Thats good.
Slide 11
Use Quotations This sample three-page paper includes only two
block quotes. Thats probably enough. Instead of quoting long
blocks, integrate brief excerpts into your own sentences.
Paraphrase longer passages. (But youll still need to cite the
source.)
Slide 12
Stay on Topic Avoid starting with a list of ideas that you do
not plan to investigate thoroughly. X There are many ways of
looking at subject A. Some people say X, some say Y, and some say
Z. This paper will argue Q, which involves points Q1, Q2, and Q3.
The reference to Z, Y, and Z appears to be a plan for the paper,
but it turns out to be a dead end.
Slide 13
Pack Your Thesis Paragraph (Dont Pad) Both sample thesis
paragraphs include direct quotations (light green). Both samples
point forwards towards the conclusion (black).
Slide 14
Both papers continue to handle each of the supporting points in
the same order in which they were introduced. Continue In an
Orderly Fashion
Slide 15
A Bare List Looks Like Uncertainty The first example lists the
supporting points, but so briefly that its almost as if the author
doesnt yet know what to talk about: Clemens lampoons (1) religious
dogma, (2) racial prejudice, and (3) anti-social violence. [Why
should the reader care? Does anybody doubt that Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn is a satirical comedy? Whats your point?]
Slide 16
Start Persuading Right Away! The second example begins the
argument right away. (1) Clemens humorously contrasts the rigid
religious beliefs of the Widow Douglas with Hucks native
conscience. (2) We see a similar opposition between the senseless
racial diatribes of Pap, and the sentimentalized portrayal of Jim.
(3) Huck also finds himself torn between civilization and nature.
Hucks comically exaggerated motion across these three thresholds
mirrors his moral development. [Oh, I see your point is that the
exaggeration helps throw the moral conflict into sharper focus.
This sounds like a much better paper.]
Slide 17
Avoid Looking Backwards Avoid back-stitching This author
recognized the need to supply transitions but simply tacked the
topic sentence from the next paragraph onto the end of the
previous. The flow suffers.
Slide 18
Dont Delay Synthesis Only in the conclusion do the three main
ideas appear together. Thats much too late.
Slide 19
Build on Your Strengths This author should revise. Take the
last few sentences of the conclusion and work them into the thesis
paragraph.
Slide 20
As Always, Style Matters Mechanically following any of these
guidelines wont guarantee success. A clunky or misleading
transition is often worse than no transition at all. First get the
structure down, then revise for style and elegance.
Slide 21
More Pointers A single source, character or event is not the
same thing as a supporting point. Source A, Source B, and Source C
may each offer important insight. Character A, character B, and
character C may each be important. But writing a paragraph about
each will lead to dry summary, rather than insightful synthesis and
evaluation.
Slide 22
Review -- Organization Carefully introduce all supporting
points in your thesis paragraph. You dont need exactly three
points. Some points need more than one paragraph.
Slide 23
Review Quotations Support your points with direct quotations.
Avoid long block quotations. Prefer shorter quotes (integrated into
your own sentences).
Slide 24
Review Controlling Idea Introduce each new point by relating it
directly back to your thesis. Never let your reader lose sight of
your main idea.
Slide 25
Integrate! Weave your ideas together tightly. Blue paragraph
refers to the green thesis and yellow ideas. Magenta paragraph
refers to the green thesis, yellow ideas and blue ideas.