General Advice on Writing and Turning in Papers
- Your paper should always have a strong, apparent, and well articulated argument (that is, something someone could conceivably disagree with). It should not just be a "report" on an issue. I can get that elsewhere.
- Generally this argument should be laid out in your introduction so that as the reader moves into the body of the paper he/she knows what you will be trying to demonstrate with the paper.
- Your paper should always have a title. The title should entice the reader to read the paper.
- Your paper should always be fully referenced. There are no exceptions to this rule. That includes in-text citations with page numbers and a bibliography that includes ALL sources used in the paper, including those sources you read in class and those sources you have assembled from outside of the class (see general advice on bibliographies and references)
- Your paper should contain both EVIDENCE and ANALYSIS. The former consists of empirical data gathered from some source, whether from within the class or your own research. The later consists of analysis of that empirical data using both your own insight and the theoretical insights of others.
- Research is now easier than ever. Remember, I have access to the same resources as you. If I can find 10 relevant articles, 3 documentaries, and 6 scholarly papers on your topic with a simple google search and you cite almost none of them; or if I suggested that you look at a book or scholarly article and you don't; or if I specifically asked you to conduct library research as opposed to simply doing online research and you didn't, don't be surprised if I say that your paper is poorly researched and grade it accordingly.
- Quote from sources correctly and strategically. Make sure you don't do silly stuff like forget to use quotation marks or put them in the wrong place (which risks plagiarism). Make sure you provide a reference and a page number. I'm likely to check the source with a direct quote.
- Don't quote something that you could just as easily summarize. The only reason to use a quote in your paper is if the specific wording of the author is critical to your argument or if you are analyzing the specific argument/language that the author has used. Importing endless block-quotes because you were too lazy to put them in your own words is neither helpful nor smart. For more information on how to quote in academic writing, see this excellent short excerpt from Graff and Birkenstein's They Say, I Say.
- Developing a theorized argument that builds on both your own ideas and other authors is difficult. However, you should stand by your claims. Avoid the following formulation at all costs: "Arendt would argue that...". You have no idea what Arendt would argue. However, drawing on your own insights, you, can make a claim using Arendt. Own your analysis, don't stand behind another author.
- You have probably heard that you should avoid the passive voice in your writing before. Here is why: passive voice tends to remove the active voice of the author from his/her writing. It is a way of saying something without claiming ownership of it. Academics do this all the time. It's part of what makes academic writing often frustrating and complicated to read. DON'T DO THIS. Take active ownership of your opinions and stamp out the passive voice in your writing where and whenever you can. To learn more about the passive and active voice, go here.
- Learn the difference between an m-dash and an n-dash and use them appropriately in your paper.
- Learn the difference between "i.e." and "e.g." and use them appropriately in your paper.