having a hard time with your College Research Papers? here are two areas to focus on in writing better papers: content and form. Content means quality of ideas and form means quality of writing. You have to have both to successfully articulate your ideas - so don't underestimate the value of spell check and peer revision! here's a Term Paper Example tips
Content:
* Choose topics you can research and are comfortable with. If you're developing your own talk out your ideas with your professor or a peer - this will help you find direction and maybe a new perspective on your idea. If you're assigned a topic ask questions if you need to in order to understand what you're doing.
* Research - including the old-fashioned way: books! Find quality resources using your college's academic resources - they are likely to subscribe to a number of online databases for academic research. You pay for them and they can help you a lot - so use them! Ask a librarian or your professor for any special resources they know of relating to your course and/or topic.
* Do free-writes just to develop your ideas. I couldn't believe how much this helped me. Just write for 7-8 minutes without stopping (or longer if needed) to get your ideas on paper. It helps you to get the wheels turning and writing in a low-stakes environment you're less likely to dismiss an idea for being too "this" or not enough "that" - so write it all down and you'll get ideas if not exact phrases to incorporate into your final draft.
* Have somebody read your paper and specifically address the content, not the placement of your commas or use of a semi-colon. Did you quotes to support your ideas? Do you have credible sources that support what you're saying? Are your ideas presented in an order that makes sense and helps you develop your paper? Are your ideas easily identified?
Form:
* Always ALWAYS do a spell check. Spell checks don't necessarily catch words being used incorrectly (like using the wrong kind of "there") so be sure to print a copy of your paper and edit it yourself, too.
* Have someone look at it for you. A friend, a classmate, your brother, someone in the writing center. It's always good to have an outside perspective because you know what you're trying to say and they can tell you if they're understanding it the way you meant it.
* Try to begin each sentence within the same paragraph with a different word - and try to avoid "it." Seems easy enough and it creates a better flow to your paper than if you start every sentence with "the" or "it."
* When revising, try reading each paragraph backwards: read the last sentence first and work your way to the beginning. That way you're not reading your paper the way you think it, you're reading it the way it is on the page. This helps you catch simple mistakes and make sure all your phrases are related to the topic.
* Be academic in your writing, but don't use words you don't understand or that sound "smart." You don't want to sound conversational, but you also don't want to sound too lofty or inexperienced. Choose a tone that's appropriate for your assignment and choose words appropriate for your tone.
* Use appropriate words. Sure, throw in a few flashy words - as long as you know you're using them properly. If you have a somewhat stale verb like "said" or even "is" try to replace it with a more dynamic one like declared, stated, asserted, or reported. (It's harder to suggest replacements for "be," but use the context of the verb to find a more vibrant one). If you write with confidence and a strong vocabulary you will stand out from your peers and may earn a better grade even if your content isn't as strong as it could be.
* I know this seems obvious, but it's hard to do in practice - don't wait till the last minute! Write your paper with at least one full day between its completion and its due date. The day before it's due re-read the paper and you can catch awkward phrases, mistakes, or areas for improvement. Even if you write better in a stress or pressure environment, don't wait so late that your paper (and grade!) suffers. still hard for you? for Custom Term Papers you can count on termpaper-blog.com
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
i lurve term papers!
Posted by Rai at 8:36 PM
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