Writing%20a%20term%20paper:

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Writing a term paper

• A few thoughts

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The most common error

• The most common error in term paper is a failure
  to maintain a focus
• Your paper should make an argument of some kind,
  an argument that supports some point
• The point should be clear to your reader after
  the end of the first paragraph, and probably
  after the end of the second sentence
• Have a clear idea of what your thesis statement
  is, and state it in the first paragraph

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The thesis statement

• Everything you write in your paper should relate
  to the thesis statement
• The paper is not a good place to demonstrate your
  breadth of knowledge- the quantity (leave that
  for the exam)
• It is instead a place to demonstrate the quality
  of your knowledge
• The best paper is one that leaves me convinced
  that you have thought about the topic, and sifted
  through more information than you have presented
  to give the most relevant stuff
• In a sense, the breadth is demonstrated by what
  you dont write by the background from which you
  have selected what you do present

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Four tricks to convey a thesis

• Four tricks will improve the odds that you have a
  well-organized paper
• i.) Make an outline A very short argument of 3-5
  main points will almost the essay to write itself
  
• ii.) Walk your reader through the argument Say
  what you are going to say, then say it, then say
  what you have said
• ii.) Use headings to remind you and your reader
  what the outline of the argument is, and where we
  are on it
• iii.) Treat each paragraph as a mini-essay does
  every paragraph convey to the reader a point that
  is relevant to the over-all thesis? Would the
  point of each paragraph be clear to someone who
  read it in isolation from the rest of the paper?

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Be careful of logical connectors!

• Many people fake a structured argument by
  stringing together logical or causal connectors
  such as therefore, it follows, thus, etc.
• This can be maddeningly confusing for a reader
• Your job is to unconfuse your reader
• Dont use these where they are not appropriate,
  and dont use the same ones over and over even
  where the are appropriate

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A note to pragmatists

• Yes, I mark structure.

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A lesson from the zen masters

• When sitting sit, when walking walk, above all
  don't wobble.
• I prefer papers that clearly support a view that
  I deeply disagree with than a paper that hedges
  its bets so much that it is unable to support any
  view at all
• I know that many issues we will address are
  uncertain, but take a stand as best you can
  anyway
• You wont be held up to attest in any court of
  law to the view that you state but do support
  some view.

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Be aware of your reader!

• Allow yourself to use rhetorical devices or
  imagery that are interesting and useful
• Have a writers voice! Let me know you are alive!
  Find something that allows you to bring a little
  bit of enthusiasm to your task!
• A secret The most successful scientists have a
  voice, false dogma to the contrary
  notwithstanding.
• Marking papers can be very boring- and I hate
  being bored!
• Have fun- if not youll bore us.
• Marcel Duchamp

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Another note to pragmatists

• I dont mark for enthusiasm
• but it always shows on what I do mark for.

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Mis-spellings

• Use a spell checker
• Watch for silly errors that the spell-checker
  misses
• Its a contraction of it is for Its the
  possessive of it
• Warning This is my personal pet peeve.
• their for theyre
• Spelling and grammatical errors are in many ways
  minor, but they detract from the general tone of
  the paper and make it read as worse than it is
• AND they are easy to avoid

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Referencing questions

• Was the topic adequately referenced?
• Did every point that needed a reference have one?
  Did every reference have a point?
• I strongly encourage the use of other sources
  than the textbook, especially journal articles
• There are hundreds or thousands of articles
  relevant to the questions will be asked to write
  about in this class, including a great many
  review articles
• Many journals are now on the internet
• Did the referencing style follow APA guidelines?
• Were full citations given for all references?

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Length

• Cast out from your mind any considerations of
  length
• Very short papers usually cant defend a coherent
  argument, and very long ones usually include a
  lot of irrelevant drivel
• If you let the argument be your guide, your paper
  will miraculously turn out to be the right length!