Secrets to Writing Great Papers

Contents

Contents Introduction 1 STEP 1: DECIDE ON SIZE 3 1st Problem: No specific length Is assigned 4 STEP 2: TACKLE THE TOPIC 6 2nd Problem:How to recognize an Idea 7 3rd Problem: Teacher assigns too broad a topic 8 4th Problem: The assigned topic Is boring 10 5th Problem: You don't know anything about the topic 12 6th Problem: You've got to find your own topic 13 STEP 3: ADOPT AN APPROACH 14 7th Problem: You can choose any approach and you don't know where to start 15 1. You're giving directions 16 2. You're reporting events 17 3. You're explaining Ideas 20 4. You're persuading 21 5. You're Inventing a story 23 8th Problem: Confusion over what abstract means 24 9th Problem: You want to tackle two approaches 27 10th Problem: You're assigned a specific approach but you're not sure what It means 28 STEP 4: TEST THE TITLE 31 11th Problem: You're not sure whether the title covers certain Ideas 32 STEP 5: PICK A POINT OF VIEW 35 12th Problem: Confusion between approach and point of view 36 13th Problem: Confusion between aspect and point of view 37 14th Problem: Graders look for originality 38 STEP 6: CHART YOUR COURSE 42 15th Problem: When you think about subtopics, you go blank 46 1. Rndlng subtopics for direction-giving papers 46 2. Finding subtopics for reports 50 3. Finding subtopics for explanations of Ideas 51 4. Finding subtopics for the persuasive paper 54 5. Finding subtopics for a short story 55 16th Problem: The topic is too specific for a long paper 55 17th Problem: Where to put Ideas that aren't part of the main Idea 56 STEP 7: FORMULATE YOUR FIRST WORDS 59 18th Problem: The Introduction has to be extra special 60 STEP 8: BUILD THE BODY 65 STEP 9: CONCLUDE CONCISELY 68 STEP 10: CHECK FOR QUALITY CONTROL 70 19th Problem: The paper's not the right size 74 APPENDIX: EDITED FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER 77 TABLES AND CHECKLISTS Average Expected Word Length for Papers 5 Words Commonly Used to Show Approach 28 Formal Outline Format 43 Average Expected Number of Ideas and Facts for Papers 45 Checklist for OrganizIng Papers or Sections of Papers 57 Checklist for Editing 71 Secrets toWriting GreatPapers ...