How to Write a Paper

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How to Write a Paper

• Jenny Havens
• Ozark Christian College
• Learning Center

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How do I start?
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• 1. Know Due Dates and Plan Accordingly

Have a calendar with all of your assignments
written in it.
Always look at least 3 weeks ahead in your
calendar!!!
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• 2. Choose a Topic

Possible topics will most likely be found in you
syllabus.
Always check with your professor if you want to
research a topic that is not in your syllabus.
Choose a topic that is interesting to you!!
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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.
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Now What??
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Research your topic and take notes!!
This process should take the most time, so be
patient and have fun learning new information.
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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
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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- Doesnt involve actually taking notes,
can take less time
Cons- Confusing, hard to organize
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The Note Card Method
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!
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Steps for the Note Card Method
1. Put the authors name and page number on the
top of the card along with one fact, quote or
thought.
Authors Last Name
Page Number
One fact, quote, or thought per card
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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.
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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.
Dont forget your thesis!!!
8. Proofread and make corrections. Your final
draft should not be your first draft!!
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Tips for Research
1. 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.
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When your research is finished...
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1. Write your thesis statement!!!
What is a thesis statement?
The thesis statement is an umbrella. Each
section of you paper should fall under that
umbrella.
Purpose To summarize your paper in one clear
sentence.
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.
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2. Create an outline
This is just a skeleton of your paper
Make sure that each point and detail fits under
the umbrella of your thesis!!
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.
Example
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Structure of a Paper
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Tell them what you are going to tell them.
INTRODUCTION
Thesis
Tell
BODY
them!!
Restate Thesis
Tell them what you have just told them.
CONCLUSION
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Write the Body of 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.
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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!!
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Write the Introduction last.
The Introduction should catch the readers
attention.
The Introduction can be more than one paragraph.
Intro should end with your Thesis Statement.
Thesis your paper in one sentence.
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Youre not finished yet!!!
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Proof Read!!
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)
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Edit
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 draft.
Excellence is the only option when preparing to
serve Jesus!
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Common Mistakes
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1. Starting too late
Always look at least 3 weeks ahead
in your calendar and plan accordingly.
2. Using 1st or 2nd person
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.
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3. Using contractions
Dont shorten words--use Do not instead of Dont
and Is Not instead of isnt, etc.
4. Shifting verb tense
Make sure all of your verbs are in the same tense
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5. Putting more than one thought in a paragraph
Each paragraph should start with a topic
sentence and each sentence in the paragraph
should fall under that topic sentence.
6. 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.
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7. 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.
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8. Run on sentences or patterned sentences
Dont 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.
Dont make it sound like a Dick and Jane book.
Vary the length and pattern of your sentences.
9. Not using spell check
Its easy, every computer on campus has it!!
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10. Irrelevant sentences or paragraphs
If it doesnt fit under the umbrella of your
thesis, dont put it in the paper.
11. Lack of clarity
Dont beat around the bush. Say what needs to
be said.
Dont pad your paper with fluff. Your professor
will know!!
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12. Using personal thoughts without the support
of research
This is not an opinion paper. This is a
research paper, everything in it must be
supported by research.
13. Not giving credit
You must give credit to the author of all the
quotes and ideas that arent your own.
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14. Documentation
Paraphrase Put the authors thoughts in your
own words. This still needs to be documented
because it is not your own thought.
A quote is anything, three words or 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 long needs to
be indented.
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Review
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1. Choose a topic
2. Find resources
3. Take notes/research
4. Write thesis
5. Make an outline
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6. Write body, conclusion and introduction
7. Proofread and edit
8. Have someone else proofread
9. Edit final copy
10. Watch for the common mistakes