Comments on Paper #1

Let me share some general comments on Paper #1.

Overall? This was an excellent set of papers! You started with a strong thesis – and an excellent set of notes. The best papers added:

  • A compelling introduction
  • Strong examples and analysis that help deliver the thesis
  • Strong topic sentences to each ¶
  • A strong organization to each ¶
  • Clear, direct – even lively – writing
  • And an interesting conclusion that goes beyond summary

Small errors

  • See the Sample Paper for simple format issues.
  • Newspaper titles should be in italics, book titles in italics, article titles in quotation marks (The New York Herald, “Manufacturing Consent”)
  • Use the full name on first reference to a person – after that you typically use the last name
  • A quotation of four lines or more, format as a block quotation. Indent, single space, no quotation marks
  • Put periods inside of quotation marks
  • Use double quotation marks for quotations – single quotation marks only for quotations within your quotations
  • Use the past tense for events in the past

Citations

  • You must cite your sources!
  • And for this kind of assignment – and history papers – you need to cite them with footnotes
  • Footnotes show how you know what you know
  • They must include the precise page number – unless you are referring to the entire work
  • See the Sample Paper for examples

The use of quotations

  • Always introduce your quotations – don’t just drop them into a sentence or a ¶. They need to make sense to the reader coming to them cold
  • Don’t start a ¶ w/ a quotation
  • Cut them down to the essence to support your point
  • Usually quotations need some explanation. Don’t end ¶ w/ a quotation

Use of sources

  • If you are using more than three words in a row from another source, you need to put them in quotation marks – otherwise, you are at risk of plagiarism
  • And don’t paraphrase in a way that closely follows the original. This, too, is plagiarism

Paragraph (¶) Organization – this is a big one

  • The paragraph is the unit of composition
  • Each ¶ should have one point! That should be clear in a topic sentence.
  • Develop your point with evidence & analysis
  • Give your ¶ a clear organization

Most important? Clear, direct prose

  • Read aloud
  • Eliminate unnecessary words & cut the fluff
  • Make your writing as concrete as you can, with descriptive nouns and lively verbs
  • Avoid the passive voice
  • Make people the subjects of your sentences
  • Vary sentence structure
  • Take your drafts to the Writing Center