How to Write a Good Paper - Essay Example

How to Write a Good Paper Research and Outlines When writing a good research paper, you, as the author, must first do the research. You need to consider the topic that you want to discuss and decide your stance on that topic. Do you agree or disagree with what it is saying? This is important to know because you are trying to convince your audience of your position by providing them with this paper. Research will allow you to back up your argument, letting your audience see the evidence you have to support your claim. Once you have your resources and the basis of your paper, it is best to write an outline. This will allow you to stay on track when writing your paper and to keep your ideas and facts organized. It will also help you to flesh out your ideas even more, in the case you want to dwell a bit more on certain aspects of your argument. Introduction and Thesis Statement When it comes to writing a good paper, the author must know and understand all of the components that are required within in that paper, as well as which order to have those components in. The way a paper is presented is important; affecting the way the audience views and understands the topic, deciding for themselves if the proper research was done to convey that topic and if they can trust what is being said. In writing a good paper, you show your readers how well you have grasped the topic that you are writing about. The more you understood the topic, the easier it will be for you to convey that information to your audience, so that they can gain the same understanding that you did. The most vital parts of any informative paper are the introduction and the thesis statement, which can go hand in hand; while the entire paper is of importance, it will be the introduction and the thesis statement that will draw in the audience, and this should usually be one of the first things that they read. A good thesis statement states quite clearly the purpose of the paper. In one or two sentences, you prepare your audience for what the topic of your paper is; this is what will grasp their attention, letting them know upfront if the paper is something that would interest them. The thesis statement sets up the rest of the paper, whether it is presenting an argument, a claim, or a stance that you take on a certain subject. It acts like "a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper ("Thesis")." Body Following your thesis statement, you should briefly sum up the rest of your paper in a paragraph. Most papers cover three facts, though this, of course, can be more depending on your topic and the amount of information you have. In the sentences following your thesis statement, you quickly state the other subtopics that you have written about, so that the audience, once again, knows what they are looking forward to. It can be seen as a vague, yet detailed, table of contents. In the following paragraphs, also known as the body of the paper, you state your information and your research on the topic. You refer back to the points that you listed in your previous paragraph, though it is now that you get into all of the details of your research and of your findings. Depending on the type of paper that you are writing, such as a dissertation or a proposal paper, you will also need to include your literature review, which is the section of the paper that you reflect on the research materials that you used to gather your information based on what others have found on the topic. In the body of the paper, you also list and describe your methods of research, whether the information was from a book, an interview, or from conducting a lab or an experiment. You describe in detail what it took for you to understand the topic so that you can help your audience to also understand. The research is the most important part in putting a paper together, so it is best to include it within the paper. In regards to what is in the body of the paper, remember that all of the information that you give must be relevant and supportive of your topic (Fenton). You do not want to stray off topic; otherwise you will confuse your audience. The information that is vital to your argument is the information that you want to use. Conclusion At the end of the paper is the conclusion, the paragraph or two that sums up everything for the final time, though including the final results. It is in the conclusion that you also want to repeat your thesis statement, so that the audience remains on track with the basic idea, the research, and the final conclusion. The conclusion can be seen as the finishing touch on a good paper; you start with the introduction and the thesis statement, which draws the audience in, so you want a catchy conclusion to leave a lasting impression. Technical Aspects As with any sort of paper, grammar, punctuation, and spelling are vital. You want to be sure that your words, sentences, and paragraphs run together smoothly, so that they are read that way. Your audience is more likely to be attracted to a paper that reads like it was written by someone who knows what they are doing, someone who seems to be something of a professional in the topic that they are discussing. Misspelled words or misused phrases will only throw off the readers, making it difficult for them to finish reading the paper. When putting the content of the paper together, you want to make the paragraphs run seamlessly into each other, so that each corresponds with the next. Information that is out of order will not only confuse you, but will also confuse the audience. The use of headers can help to keep separate facts from running into each other. It also helps to make the paper look cleaner and more organized. Headers are also a good way when you or your audience wants to refer to something previously written in the paper – all they would have to do is find the corresponding header to find that bit of information. Citations and Plagiarism A good, well-written paper that has been properly researched would contain information, facts, and ideas from people who have previously studied the topic. This adds a solid foundation when trying to support an idea, or argue against it. However, when it comes to using the words and ideas of someone else in your paper, you must remember to cite them within the paper and in the bibliography. Credit must be given where credit is due, otherwise it is known as plagiarism, which is the act of one person taking credit for someone else’s work. Not only is it morally responsible to credit someone within a paper for their ideas and their contributions to a topic, but it also helps you to further convince your audience if you have the backing of someone else in that field of study. You will also gain your audience’s trust if you cite the works of others; your audience will also know that you did proper research to come upon the evidence that you did. The Overall Paper Once your paper has been written, it must then be edited. Not only do you edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, but for format and content. You want to make sure that all of your information is vital to supporting your claim, and not just being used as filler. You also want to check your sources to be definite of their accuracy, in the case that your audience decides to further their own research. It is wise to edit more than once, perhaps one time for each separate aspect. It would also be helpful to get someone else to look over the paper for you. Reading the paper out loud while editing it is a good way to pick up on grammar or punctuation errors that you may otherwise pass over while just reading the paper (Garner). A well-organized, easy to read paper will have a better affect on your audience than a paper that had not been written with care and precision. Citations Fenton, Norman. “General Principles of Good Writing.” 13 July 2000. Online. Available http://www.dcs.qmul.ac.uk/~norman/papers/good_writing/general_.principles.html#Five%20golden%20rules. Garner, Bryan. 2008. Garner on Language and Writing. American Bar Association: New York. “Thesis Statements.” 2007. Online. Available http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html. Read More