The Narrowed Thesis: Writing

Your research has spiraled into unexpected realms – there are countless books stacked along your desk, forming precarious towers; there are endless online sites saved to your browser, each offering the precious details now needed; and your notes are flung across the room, without order or reason (there’s no time left for organization. You’ve become overwhelmed). And this… was not meant to happen. A paper was to be easy: it called for a singular thesis and an unassuming page count. You’ve instead composed an epic, with a sprawling purpose and infinite evidence to support it. Your professor should be pleased, you think.

He won’t be.

Academic writing is meant to prove a specific argument. When that argument becomes too complicated, however, it loses all power. It can’t be understood. It is instead convoluted – which makes the reading experience a tedious one.

It is important then for each writer to narrow their thesis and maintain a less intimidating approach. By doing so, they gain:

One: Quicker proof. Intentions should be straightforward. This is not merely to make them simpler to shape; but it also to make them simpler to support. When details are streamlined to a solitary idea, they can then be more conclusively researched and answered.

Two: Reading ease. Your paper is not meant to be experienced by only you. It’s instead to be judged by your peers. When a thesis is too broad, it can confuse others and leave them uncertain of what they are meant to be reading. Absorption then becomes difficult.

Three: Stronger sources. When a paper wanders over new details – an excess of points and possibilities – it becomes reliant then on obscure sources. Credit is too often given to unrecognizable texts and scholars, leaving readers without a sense of familiarity. This can be a concern.

A thesis must be kept simple and direct. It cannot encompass a variety of notions. It must instead be without pretense.

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Writing and Research: The Importance of Scheduling

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It seemed to be an easy assignment: you were offered weeks to compose a paper, given precious permission to create what you wished. There were no limitations beyond the needed page count, the general restrictions. You had time. You had freedom. You could do as you pleased – and, unfortunately, you squandered this by hesitating with your research, avoiding the library halls. There was an assumption of days, the belief that tomorrow would always be available. But even it eventually failed you and there was suddenly the terrible loom of a deadline.

Those last hours were among the most frantic of your life; and what they yielded was a paper unworthy of your abilities.

There’s an understandable temptation to avoid the process of researching. It’s an often tedious search through online sources and academic journals. And, when assignments offer flexible deadlines, it’s often assumed that days can be given instead to simple pleasure.

This is a mistake.

All research must instead be carefully scheduled, allowing you to craft your paper properly. Writing isn’t to be a swift endeavor. It is instead to be deliberate:

One: Create an outline. When an assignment is given, devote yourself first to charting out what you wish to prove and what you will need to prove it. Brainstorm all theories, connecting them as needed. This will help you to choose your materials and spare you a hectic search later on.

Two: Seek books. While online libraries are forever available, public ones are forced to different schedules, with their materials subject to the whims of others. Find the physical pages you need first to ensure you can have them.

Three: Understand your inner-clock. If you tend to favor specific times for working, then create blocks that will allow you to do this. Separate yourself from distractions and allow yourself to write when you’re most focused. This is vital in achieving goals.

Prioritize all ideas. Use the weeks wisely. Never waste research.

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Critical Reading Within Writing

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It’s an assertion of skill, a belief that all words are the precisions you wish them to be. Papers are formed from wisdom, the careful examinations. No theories are betrayed by personal opinions; no obscure statistics are used to battle the accepted standards. You wield facts as certainties, not occasional allies. You have learned to understand more than text, but instead the application of it. Every choice is therefore deliberate and well intended – branding you a student of critical reading.

Simply defined: critical reading is the understanding of subtleties within any form of literature (whether it be fictional masterpiece or scholarly treatise). The purpose is not merely to comprehend what has been written, but it is instead to acknowledge the influences hidden within. Individuals are to look for signs of bias, uncertainty or a manipulation of facts – such as choosing unknown sources to verify a claim instead of listing reputable academics.

It is through this process that research can take on an entirely new form: one of truth. When pages are read with more than a desire to find proper grammar or spelling abilities, their context becomes apparent. This leads individuals to have a greater understanding of what the author intends and what may merely be implied. Influences of philosophy, ideology, social status and more can become known – simply by dissecting paragraphs and finding their slants of bias.

Such slants, of course, are meant to be avoided in academic work; and critical reading assures they can quickly be found (and then just as quickly be eliminated). Look for use of language, frequently emphasized points, sensational meanings and a lack of foundational proof. If a statement cannot be validated it must be removed. If phrases have been chosen purely for their descriptive abilities they must be reconsidered.

Critical reading serves as the first (and last) defense against a failed paper. It must be utilized to maintain high standards and higher competency.

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Eliminate Unnecessary Words in Your Papers

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Adding “fluff” or unnecessary words is one of the worst things you can do in academic writing and research. Whether you are writing an essay or first person narrative, your paper has a purpose, so make every word count. Your main mission is to captivate your audience and keep them focused on your paper. Being unnecessarily verbose detracts from the main points in your paper, distorts your goals as an author, and reduces clarity throughout the process. There are many ways to increase the effectiveness and accuracy of your work, but the easiest solution is to remove clichés, slang expressions, prepositions, and generalized content.

Chances are if you do not know what a cliché is, you are using them throughout your paper. Clichés are overused phrases that were once popular, but have since become overused. Sometimes clichés represent a stereotype or exaggerate a situation. Rather than using clichés, stretch your creative channels by describing the situation using colorful diction and vivid imagination. Furthermore, clichés detract from the overall literary value of your work and cause the reader to lose focus.

Good writers know the difference between prose and conversation, but many students write as if they are “speaking” the words aloud. A conversational piece should read much differently than how one speaks. Some overly vague and unnecessary words include “so, because, you know, and like” in addition to thousands of other phrases. Replace these words with academic-friendly terms, including “whereas, herein, furthermore, in lieu of, and with regard to.” If the word or phrase does not help define your topic or provide required imagery, replace it with another term.

Creating concise work does not mean you cannot use imagination or creativity – succinct papers are actually more vivid and descriptive than vague works. Ensure each sentence has a purpose and supports or rejects your introduction. The same rules apply when writing emails or other correspondence, so remember to “trim the fat,” which is a cliché, on your next paper.

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A Proactive Approach to Minimizing Plagiarism

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Throughout your writing career, you will undoubtedly experience issues with regard to plagiarism. Because the Internet makes copying other people’s work so easy, institutions and employers are increasingly concerned with academic integrity and/or unique content. Sometimes you may accidentally plagiarize without knowing it, because due to the size of the Internet, someone may have written a similar phrase or sentence. Protecting yourself from plagiarism is simple with Internet services and proper writing.

Do not write after Reading an Article

The Internet enables people to read and write content instantaneously, but consider the repercussions of doing so beforehand. If you go to write a chapter or article based off something you just read, chances are you might accidentally plagiarize. This is achieved by accidentally writing down a key phrase or two that “stuck out” in your mind, which is detrimental to your writing career. Other similarities probably exist, but the programs cannot check for “similar” patterns… yet. Consider reading the article, letting the information mettle in your mind, then writing an hour later. If the information did not sink in, chances are it was not that important – or you are simply reading to “mimic” content, but in your own words. Either way, ditch the content for something more organic.

Strain Your Content through the Net

When submitting content for school or work, know that people are paranoid about clean and unique content. Whether you are being paid for it or need it to graduate, if you submit questionable content, your livelihood and reputation is on the line. Use services such as CopyScape and TurnItIn to verify your writing before submitting it. While it is not a foolproof system, these are the most popular websites used by employers and schools across America. If any matches are found, revise the content and resubmit until no results are found.

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Blogging in Academia

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In a recent audit of writing programs and courses throughout the country, an increasing number of writing-related courses are embracing new technologies like never before. The study analyzed English and Communications courses in relation to blogging and group collaboration on the Internet. While online courses are nothing new, even the classes taught with Moodle, Blackboard, and WebCT did not utilize true “blogging” platforms, such as WordPress or Blogger.

Professors and students are using blogs inside and outside of the classroom to enrich the learning experience. In a creative writing class, students may post their work on the class blog, for everyone to read and comment on their work in a constructive manner. Usually these blogs are in a secure or controlled environment, so their work is not exposed to the entire Internet. Students usually are required to respond to other students’ posts in the form of a “comment,” which is then evaluated by the staff for constructiveness and academic value.

Blogs are gaining traction in the academic industry, but they remain a novelty in most cases. Both students and professors are apprehensive about posting their work on the blog – even though it is inaccessible to the rest of the world. Students are afraid of what their peers will say, more so than in a traditional classroom setting where most people may not be paying attention. Other students though, are embracing the technology for what it is worth, engaging in genuine academic discourse with their peers. Students can blog about anything including liefstyle, academics, and even vacations. Florida vacation homes offer a great experience to still have the sensation of home yet be in a great new destination. It is a great destination for students and theres no struggles of hotel rooms, their extra fees, and blackout dates.

Using the blogs, students get more feedback on their work, because other students have to comment and write messages. In a classroom setting, most of the dialog is diluted with text messages and other distractions. Since blogs are free, easy to setup, and universal, more schools are using them in addition to traditional classes, giving students the “option” to submit paper assignments if they are uncomfortable with the matter. Certain courses even cut class short if students opt to discuss the topics on the class blog.

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Pre-Planning for Academic Research Papers

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Often times writers forget the importance of the writing process when creating academic prose and research materials. While someone can write an effective article or brief without having to go through the process, longer research papers require additional care and finesse. The writing process for academic prose includes drafting a thesis, taking notes, and outlining your ideas. To ensure the utmost professionalism, allocate enough time to complete all of the steps, as you will save time when writing the paper.

Develop a Thesis

When someone sets out to write a research paper, they more or less have an idea or topic in mind. The first step is to analyze and narrow down the idea into a manageable paper. Great research papers are focused and cater to specific audiences. Generalized theses result in a fragmented and chaotic paper, with tons of data and commentary that is not substantiated.

Source Material

Once you have a clear topic and direction for your paper, start reading up on your topic and finding primary sources to backup any claims or assertions you are planning to make in the paper. All of your commentary needs to have evidentiary support, preferably first-hand studies, journal articles, first hand interviews, and other legitimate sources. Once you have enough source material, begin taking notes on everything. Taking notes ensures you will not accidentally plagiarize the content, and helps you develop a solid understanding of the topics.

Create the Outline

Perhaps considered the quintessential element of the research process, outlines create order in an otherwise chaotic environment. Review your notes and begin breaking the paper up into multiple sections and subsections. A good outline tells you what belongs in each chapter, paragraph, and sentence. Note major chapters by using roman numerals (I, II, III), sections (A, B, C), paragraphs (i, ii, iii) and sentences with (1, 2, 3) to maximum clarity.

While outlining seams tedious, you know what belongs in your research paper, and where. Pre-planning simplifies the writing process and increases efficiency in your work flow.

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Narrow Your Research For Best Results

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Research papers do not have to cover every major point in your field of expertise. Most undergraduate and graduate papers suffer from a condition known as generalization. Most research papers focus on a key question, topic, or thesis, but fail to narrow down the topic into a manageable chunk. While the length of research papers very, most writers find themselves covering too much information, which hinders their ability to provide insight, evidential support, or other primary facts.

Once you have a reasonable thesis in mind, draft the sentence on a piece of paper and create a mock outline of all the topics that support the thesis. Next, create three points for each topic, which will be the basis of your paragraphs. Considering each topic requires a minimum of five pages (to make your claim and provide supporting evidence), prioritize the topics you want to cover based on the desired page count. Ensure your topics are focused and aligned with the overall mission of the paper.

Don’t Forget the Fine Details

The basic mind map or brainstorming document created previously helps you create a full-fledged outline later on, but for now focus on narrowing your topic. Creating a prioritized list helps you identify additional topics to write about, but good research papers provide a dynamic and thorough explanation of each point. If you find yourself making more than five or six key claims, consider going back and flushing out those assertions before proceeding.

For each claim or assertion, explain how it supports or rejects the thesis, why it is substantial to your overall theory, and how it relates to your primary evidence. Remember, nothing in your paper besides your commentary should come from an undocumented source. A paper full of great points without evidence does not hold weight in the realm of academic writing and research. Your claims as a researcher must first and foremost be compared to previous studies.

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Structured Essays Fair Better Than the Rest

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Writing an essay is one of the traditions of being a student, but the truth is not, everyone knows how to structure a traditional essay. According to a group of teachers, students who structure their essays according to the traditional format receive higher marks than essays without an organized structure. The process is quite simple, as an essay must contain an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. The substantive content, the text in between the introduction and conclusion, varies based on the prompt or assignment.

The Introduction

The introduction is where you should introduce the reader to your topic. Never assume he or she knows or understands what you are going to write. Introduce each of your topics (supporting paragraphs), dedicating a sentence per topic. The final part of your introduction should summarize your claims or assertions, which you will document throughout your paper. Consider the introduction the quintessential component of your paper. For maximum results, revise your introduction after you write the rest of the essay.

Supporting Paragraphs

The “meat” or “body” of your paper lies in the next three to five paragraphs, perhaps more for longer papers. Each paragraph should cover one of the topics you mentioned in the introduction. As a rule, each supporting paragraph should make the necessary claims or assertions, then provide adequate evidential support to support and/or reject your claim. In your commentary, you may inject personal bias, opinions, and other subjective material.

When providing evidence, use a mixture of direct quotations, paraphrasing, and summarizing to help your reader understand the topic. The evidence section should be as objective as possible, referencing the source as needed throughout. Avoid simply rephrasing what the author said, because if the reader wants to read the source, they refer to your bibliography.

Conclusion

Summarize the main points of your paper and make any departing claims based on your findings. Does the evidence support or reject the claims made in the introduction? Discuss the research in relation to your original accusations. The conclusion should not be the same as your introduction, so avoid repetition whenever possible.

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Dissection of a Well-Written Paragraph

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Writing a well thought out paragraph is harder than you may think. A paragraph in itself is a miniature essay, and needs several components to flow cohesively. Regardless of the type of paper, each paragraph should contain an introductory sentence, commentary (two or three sentences), evidence (three or four sentences), and a transitory statement. Using this basic template, you can save considerable time on your next paper while ensuring each paragraph is complete.

According to recent writing news, teachers and professors note that even the brightest students often forget to provide cohesive papers. Unorganized documents, whether persuasive essays or graduate theses, stand out from the crowd. Organization shows that you are dedicated to the work, took the time to complete it thoroughly, and practice elements of good writing.

In the introduction sentence, provide a somewhat thorough overview of the commentary and evidence you are going to present. Avoid inserting your opinion here – simply summarize the points you are going to make and provide appropriate background information. The sentence should not be too long, but jogs the reader’s memory.

The commentary clauses are where you should inject your opinion (if appropriate), make any claims or judgments, and provide your readers a bit of perspective on the issue. Allocate one sentence for each piece of commentary. Avoid using the first person tense and try to keep the paper as objective as possible. For example, rather than saying “I think …” try rephrasing the text to sound authoritative, such as “Based on research thus far, one may conclude …” when appropriate.

In the evidence portion of the paragraph, introduce your findings to the reader. Document your research and literature by referring to the author of the publication. For websites or other non-traditional forms of writing, use the name of the source. Keep your evidence succinct and to the point. Avoid direct quotations and opt for paraphrasing or summaries whenever possible. The evidence you provide is essential for a reader to validate your claims. Following the evidence, include a leading sentence that prepares the reader for the next paragraph.

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