Guidelines to writing
1. A useful first step is to frame a thesis statement for your paper. In two or three sentences
write down exactly what you wish to accomplish. Writing a thesis statement is a way of
making sure that you do indeed know where you are heading, and it will help keep you on
the right track as you plan and write.
2. After you have framed a satisfactory thesis statement, you should prepare a preliminary
outline for the paper. The outline will help you organize your ideas into a logical, fluent, and
effective paper. In general, make your outline as detailed as possible. It is a good idea to
indicate, specifically and precisely, not only the methods of development of your thesis
statement, but also the quotations you will use. All this planning will take a good deal of
time and thought and you may well make several preliminary outlines before you arrive at
the one you will follow.
3. Once you have your final outline in hand, you are ready to begin writing. But do not expect
your first draft to be the finished product. Start off by trying to set down all your ideas in the
order by which you want them to appear. Even though the writing may be fairly rough, the
first draft should follow your outline very closely. You should then read over this raw
material and try to refine it. In revising, you may add, eliminate, and rearrange material. If a
section in the first draft seems sketchy or unclear, you may have to expand it by writing
another sentence or two or even a new paragraph. Similarly, to improve the fluency and
coherence of the paper, you may need to add transitions to show how one sentence relates to
another or how one paragraph leads to the next. For the sake of unity and reader interest, you
should delete any material that is irrelevant, unimportant, repetitive or dull. If the
presentation of ideas seems illogical or confusing, you may find that you can clarify by
rearranging phrases, clauses, sentences, or paragraphs. Finally, check punctuation, grammar,
and usage, and consult a standard dictionary to check the spelling and meaning of words.
4. Effective writing depends as much on clarity and readability as on content. The organization
and development of your ideas, the unity and coherence of your presentation, and your
command of sentence structure, grammar, and diction are all important considerations, as
are the mechanics of writing- capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and so on. In all writing,
the challenge is to find the words, phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs the express
your thoughts and ideas precisely and that make them interesting to others.
5. A good dictionary is an essential tool in writing.
A thesis statement:






is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the
rest of the paper.
directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or
subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II
or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
makes a claim that others might dispute.
is usually a single sentence that appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper and
presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay,
gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your
interpretation.
Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in
your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.
A thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove. A good
thesis statement makes the difference between a thoughtful research project and a
simple retelling of facts.
Attributes of a good thesis:







It should propose an arguable point with which people could reasonably disagree. A
strong thesis is provocative; it takes a stand and justifies the discussion you will present.
It is specific and focused.
It provides the reader with a map to guide him/her through your work.
It anticipates and refutes the counter-arguments
It avoids vague language (like "it seems").
It avoids the first person. ("I believe," "In my opinion")
It should pass the So what? or Who cares? test (Would your most honest friend ask why
he should care or respond with "but everyone knows that"?) For instance, "people
should avoid driving under the influence of alcohol," would be unlikely to evoke any
opposition.
Is it a thesis?
I would like to become a chef when I finish school
Although both chefs and cooks can prepare fine meals, chefs differ from cooks in education,
professional commitment, and artistry.
I enjoy water rafting.
A first water rafting experience can challenge the body and spirit and transform an adolescent
into an adult
Men are chauvinists.
Our American family structure encourages men to repress their true feelings, leaving them open
to physical, psychological, and relationship difficulties.
Steroid abuse
Steroids, even those legally available, are addictive and should be banned from sports.
Hip hop is the best thing that has happened to music in twenty years
Though many people dismiss hip hop as offensive, hip hop music offers urban youth an
important opportunity for artistic expression, and allows them to articulate the poetry of the
street.
Many people object to today's violent horror movies.
Despite their high-tech special effects, today's graphically violent horror movies do not convey
the creative use of cinematography or the emotional impact that we saw in the classic horror
films of the 1940s and 50s.
PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
Whether your project is two or twenty pages long, think of each body
paragraph as a small essay, with a beginning, middle, and end. The
beginning is the topic sentence, which tells the reader what the
paragraph will be proving. The middle sentences are the evidence
which you provide to support your topic sentence. A concluding
sentence at the end of each body paragraph, ties together your
points and focus you to make sure you have stayed with the topic
sentence.
Transitions
Provide the reader with transitions between paragraphs. The transitions
can be words like “therefore”, “similarly,” “in addition to,” “however,”
“nevertheless”.
Introduction
The introduction should have an opening that captures the reader’s
attention. Avoid writing, “In this paper I am going to..”. The rest of
the introduction should lead into the thesis, which is always the last
sentence of the introduction.
Conclusion
The conclusion sums up your points and ends with a final evaluation or
comment.
A TRANSITION FOR EVERY OCCASION
The transition can be a word, a phrase or a sentence. It can come at the end of one paragraph or
the beginning of the next, wherever it suits best. No paragraphs can be isolated without
transitions of some kind. Here are some examples:
Also
along with
in the same manner
as well
likewise
furthermore
similarly
likewise
so
moreover
correspondingly
still
Therefore
yet
for that reason
too
thus
otherwise
then
However
accordingly
in spite of that
consequently
after all
hence
nevertheless
for example
nonetheless
after all
be that as it may
for instance
still
Because of this
yet
inasmuch as
though
now
on the other hand
whereas
on the contrary
Besides
additionally
Plagiarism
To plagiarize means to take words and/or ideas from someone else and use them as
your own. Plagiarism is stealing. Stealing words and ideas is just as serious as
stealing money, jewelry, electronic equipment or anything else and the penalties for
plagiarism are severe. Plagiarism will result in a grade of zero for this paper. In many
colleges and universities, plagiarism can be grounds for immediate expulsion.
Students must understand exactly what plagiarism is and how to keep from
committing it, either intentionally or unintentionally.
HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM
Essentially, if a student follows these four simple rules, plagiarism will not occur:
1. Do not copy or steal words from others.
2. Do not copy or steal ideas from others.
3. Do not have someone else do your work.
COMMON ERRORS MADE BY STUDENTS
Sometimes, plagiarism occurs unintentionally. This is no excuse, and does NOT
change the fact that the student is still liable and accountable. Some of the most
common mistakes made by students in recent years have been unintentional.
1. Copying from and/or working with another student is PLAGIARISM.
2. Copying a passage and changing a few words (e.g. "good" to great, "big" to
huge, "happy" to delighted, etc.) and then not acknowledging and documenting
the source is PLAGIARISM. Changing a few words is not the same as writing
something in your own words.
3. Using your own words, but using someone else's ideas or opinions is
PARAPHRASING. If you paraphrase the ideas, opinions, words, or observations of
someone else, and do not clearly acknowledge, document, and give credit, it is
PLAGIARISM.
4. Printing information/research directly off the Internet, without citing the
reference, is PLAGIARISM.
6. Downloading and/or printing something off the Internet or off a CD ROM
resource is PLAGIARISM. All of the information which is available in
cyberspace must still be documented. It is not simply floating out there for
free. Someone else wrote it and credit must be given.