Writing an Excellent Paper
(thanks Patti!!)

I.  Introduction

A good introduction should resemble a “funnel.”  That means it should start off broad and narrow down to a specific topic, or set of ideas, at the end.  Here is an example of an introduction from an insight paper:
 

Everyday life is filed with stressors that can be dealt with in a variety of ways.  The effective management of stress is very important, and can help instill a sense of control over situational stressors, such as financial difficulties or unpleasant work situations.  Coping strategies are important tools that can be used to effectively deal with situational stressors.  There are four main coping strategies that play an integral role in managing stress: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical.

II.  The Main Body

The main body can be composed of anywhere from one to four or more paragraphs.  The number of paragraphs varies depending upon the number of topics discussed.  In the example above, the student chose to discuss four strategies.  Thus, the student had four paragraphs in this section and each paragraph dealt with a different coping strategy.  In general, for a paper that is two pages long, one to three ideas are sufficient.  If the paper presents too many ideas, it will be difficult to adequately address them.  If the paper discusses only one idea, it should be developed thoroughly.

III.  Conclusion

A good conclusion briefly restates the ideas discussed in the paper and makes a few comments wrapping up the argument.  New information should never be discussed in the conclusion.  The conclusion can be conceptualized as sort-of an “upside-down funnel.”  Begin by listing the specific topics that you discussed, and then make a few broad comments about the topic in general.  What follows is the conclusion to the paper introduced earlier:

     The four stress managing strategies mentioned above—cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical—are effective coping methods that can be used to lower stress.  Development of multiple coping strategies is essential to managing situational stress.  Though levels will tend to fluctuate, stress will continue to be a part of human experience.  Therefore, the ability to assess stressful situations and select effective coping strategies is critical to enhancing the quality of life for all human beings.
 
 

Top Ten Writing Taboos

10.  The use of contractions.

I can’t wait to write this paper!  (too informal)

  I cannot wait to write this paper!

9.  The improper use of numbers.

Should I use ten or 10?
    o A good general rule is to write out the number if it is less than 10.

• We have three bananas.

• We have 10 bananas.

 8.  The use of passive voice instead of active voice.

Bobby was sentenced by the judge. (passive)

The judge sentenced Bobby. (active—much better!)

 7.  Making pronoun errors.

               Do I use its or it’s?
                            o Rule of thumb:  “it’s” = “it is”.

               Ambiguous pronouns

Justin and Jason went to the grocery store, and were surprised to see one of his friends. (ambiguous)

Justin and Jason went to the grocery store, and were surprised to see one of Jason’s friends. (clearly written)

               Pronoun agreement

Each of the women in the support group brought their children. (incorrect)

Each of the women in the support group brought her children. (correct)

6.  Writing as if you were talking.  Here are examples of writing as if you were talking and how they can be re-written:
 

“I think in time this condition will improve for me but for now it is a great struggle and quite frankly it sucks.”

Rewrite:  Though this condition should improve for me over time, I currently find it to be a very unpleasant struggle.

“Well, I really didn’t decide to quit.  My favorite saying while I was smoking was, ‘no one likes a quitter!’  On November 21, I stopped, ‘pretty much.’”

Rewrite:  I was very resistant to giving up cigarettes.  While I was smoking, my favorite saying used to be, “no one likes a quitter!”  However, I have been able to give up almost all cigarettes since November 21.

“When someone really ‘gets our goat,’ our superego tells us that it is unacceptable to beat the living hell out of that individual (at least most of the time).  However we are still dealing with all the angst that this individual has stirred up in us.”

Rewrite:  “When someone really ‘gets our goat,’ our superego tells us that it is unacceptable to physically assault the individual.  However, we still contain all the angst that this individual has stirred up in us.”

5.  The inclusion of a paragraph that is too long or too short.
  General rules:

• A good paragraph generally contains at least three sentences.

• A good paragraph in the body of the paper usually contains one main idea.

4.  The poor use of language.

The use of jargon.

o The purpose should be to effectively communicate your thoughts and connect with your readers.  Often writers use jargon to impress their readers, and to sound lofty and knowledgeable.

The use of clichés.

o It is best to avoid the use of phrases that have been overused.  For example:

It was raining cats and dogs.
                or
During a discussion about the use of clichés, the TA beat the issue to death.

The use of sexist language.

A therapist should always treat his client with respect. (sexist)

A therapist should always treat his or her client with respect. (nonsexist)

Mankind is more intelligent than animals. (sexist)

People are more intelligent than animals.  (nonsexist)

3.    Using too many words to convey an idea.  Less is more!  Here is an example of too many adjectives:

“Though stress is always bearable (for the majority of the population, who make the noble and crucial decision to continue forward with their lives and fail to fall into the dark pit of suicide); at times it may certainly feel very unbearable.”

“I am a third semester sophomore at the wonderful, prestigious, and exalted University of Connecticut.”
 

2.  Trying to disguise the length of the paper. Common attempts include:

The use of font that is too large or too small.  A good font to use is Times New Roman, 12-point.

The use of larger or smaller margins.  Most of the time, one-inch margins on all sides are esthetically pleasing.

1.  Forgetting to use spell-check!!!

Spell-check can detect misspelled words, but it is not smart enough to know when you use the wrong word.  In addition to using spell-check, read your paper through carefully, both silently and out loud, for mistakes that are best noticed by a human.

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