Once you have a strong idea for your paper, think about the way you are presenting that idea. One way to make a paper sound more interesting is to mix up the types of sentences you are using. Don’t use all simple sentences or all compound or complex sentences. Placing short sentences between longer ones give the shorter sentences a punch–they stand out more.

Here are some other sentence types to consider:
A loose sentence is the type of sentence that is most common. At the beginning of the sentence is the main idea (subject and verb) and then all the other less important information follows. For example: “I left the restaurant feeling dizzy and sick to my stomach as all my surroundings swirled before my eyes.” In this case the subject (I) and the verb (left) are at the beginning of the sentence.

A periodic sentence is not as common and must be used with care. With this type, there is a build-up to the main idea. For example: “Looking at the rose, at its soft petals and thin folds, I saw beauty.” Here, the main idea (I saw beauty) is at the end of the sentence and all the other details lead up to this idea. If used sparingly, this can help your sentences to not all sound the same and give them some flair.

It’s fast approaching that time in the semester when the “end of the semester” research paper is becoming a concrete reality rather than an abstract idea. So here are a few helpful hints to help integrate outside information into your paper as you begin writing…

• First, as Eric’s post on thesis statements suggests, your paper needs to have a thesis which states your opinion on the topic. This thesis should be used to guide the kinds of quotes, paraphrases, summaries, and facts used in your paper. If a quote is really cool, but doesn’t quite make your point or fit in with your argument, it’s better to leave it out and find one that does.
• Make sure your paper flows well by framing outside information with your own words; don’t just use the author’s phrasing. Break apart larger block quotes into smaller phrases that can be integrated into your own sentences.
• Also, be sure to explain your outside information and its relation to the paper. Don’t just drop a quote or a statistic into your paper; it doesn’t add anything to your argument, it just makes your paper longer (longer isn’t always better!).
• CITE YOUR SOURCES!!! Even if it’s a paraphrase or summary, it still needs to be cited. (For help on citation styles, check out the Citation, bib, & Plagiarism link at the top of the list on the right side of our blog)

You can always ask one of the friendly Writing Center consultants for assistance or check out one of the many books we have at the Writing Center (I like Robert Perrin’s Handbook for College Research).

Brianne McClelland
Writing Center Consultant

If you use there is/are frequently, your sentences may lack content. Check out these sentences: There are issues with transponders for highway tolls. One is privacy. There are ways to tell where your car has been.

Note that the first sentence has little content. The first two words are unimportant, and “issues” is vague. The next sentence names the content of privacy, but we’re still not sure about the attitude.

Changing the construction so that the sentence uses a strong verb improves the content: Transponders for highway tolls provide information about where your car has been. Is this invasion of your privacy an advantage or disadvantage and for whom?

Now all the words in the first sentence name something we can picture, something specific. The sentence now uses “provides” as a verb and requires that you (the writer) name what it provides. Now you have a good sentence!

Tip: As you edit circle “there is/are” and eliminate most. You will be pleased as you see your sentences come to life with action verbs and more content.

THE BLUE LIGHT SHOW: episode 2

How is peer editing going for you? Will your struggles with paper #3 stand as evidence that Simone Weil may be right? In this 5-minute pod cast students from Prof. Berrier’s CORE class explain how to set up a good peer editing group and ponder Weil.

 

 THE BLUE LIGHT SHOW, EPISODE 2: CORE class chats about peer editing and Simone Weil: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The conclusion of a paper is always hardest for me to write. I’ve already said everything–what more is there to do?

Well, this is the opportunity to wrap everything up. It is best to restate your thesis at the beginning of your conclusion, just to bring the reader back to your main point. But don’t use the exact same sentence as in your intro. A slight variation will keep your from sounding redundant.

It is also important not to put any new facts in your conclusions. All those should be in the body of your paper. This is where many students have trouble. It is difficult not to sound redundant when you can’t put in any new facts. Here perhaps you can apply your argument to the bigger picture. How does this apply to life? Or, why is your argument important? What effect does your argument have in your life, or in your reader’s life? Have you reached any startling revelation through your argument?

These are some questions you can ask yourself at the end of your paper to perhaps shed some new light on what you have already talked about in the body. Does anyone else have other ideas?

Students often think that they have to agree with the writer in order to write a paper about the writer’s ideas. Some of the best papers, however, come from arguing against a writer’s points. Think about–people usually get the most excited and passionate when they disagree with something, and the best papers are the ones that make a strong argument. If you have the facts to back up your point of view, go for it! Just make sure you are being logical and not blindly attacking for the sake of arguing, and you could end up with a really strong paper!

“I think you need a comma here.” “Make it flow more.” “You really support your thesis.” “Check coherence.” Are these helpful comments?

What kinds of comments are you looking for in peer review? Post a response here describing a peer review comment that has worked for you.

Writing papers in college means a lot of resources. Despite the wonderful world wide web, online library catalogues and interlibrary loan, it can still be difficult to find the information you need. The best thing to do is to find a resource librarian. The most tempting, but definitely most illegitmate thing to do is to cite Wikipedia.

“But it’s Wikipedia dot ORG.”

This explanation is delivered over and over again at the Writing Center. Teachers have told us that websites ending with .org or .edu are more likely to be reliable resources. This does not change the fact that Wikipedia is an open-source encyclopedia. Anybody can post anything, generating a great danger of misinformation. Wikipedia may have a plethora of information on your paper topic, but the process by which the articles are assembled is not appropriate for academic use. Look up Wikipedia’s page on “Wikipedia,” and you will find reports of controversy and lack of academic credibility.

Keep Wikipedia out of your citations and bibliography, but…

Wikipedia can be a useful starting point. Because it is open-source, reading an article can give a general idea to culture’s current perspectives on many topics. Some articles within Wikipedia are highly developed, and provide legitimate citations. After checking their credibility, you can use these citations to find reliable, academic resources for your paper.

As always, good luck and good writing. Look for our Blue Light and drop by the Writing Center for all your writing needs.