Hello from the left coast of Canada!
Here's a few tips on writing a paper that I always give my class. I hope you find it helpful in writing yours
My Master of Arts thesis statement consisted of 4 simple words:
"Professional Wrestling is Theatre".
Remember its a statement and not a question!
Your opening paragraph: 4 step model.
1) Introduce your subject
2) State your thesis (a one sentence statement works best)
3) How you plan on proving your thesis (Methodology)
4) Tie the introduction sentence to your thesis and repeat it at the conclusion of your paper
State your points as clearly and simply as you can.
Don't try and do too much: remember to keep it simple
8 easy steps to a better paper:
1) Outline it 1st
2) Write a very rough draft
3) Re-write that into a1st draft
4) Proof read it for factual errors
5) Re-write your first draft --- yes, it will improve your mark!!!
6) Let it sit for a bit, hopefully more than just overnight
7) Proof read it again
8) Look out for the little stuff: title page, staples, etc
Good luck!
AGAIN:
Do yourself a favor and Keep it simple!
Trust me: essays are easy and they get easier over time!
Point in case:
As an undergrad, you couldn't get 4 written pages out of me, but as a graduate student you couldn't shut me up after 40! *S*
Thanks for listening!
See you at the turnbuckle!
david
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3 comments:
Hey David. Thanks for the advice for students. I have a followup question and one we've been discussing for a while. It is the WHY, especially for people who are not interested in pro wrestling as a topic in particular, etc. I don't think we are at a place, especially within this class, where we have to defend the study, but we always have to be prepared in academia for the so what. For "pro wrestling is theater," what would you consider the "so what?" the creater cultural implications of proving that to be the case.
Just as an alternate model I tend to prefer (and always shove on my little brother):
1)Set up a narrative framework/guiding metaphor for the paper
2)Link this into the original question you asked when starting research
3)Trace the key points in your research (or key facts) which lead you to your thesis statement
4)Explain any last discrepencies you have with prior theories/research
5)State thesis
6)Write middle bit
7)Come back to your thesis and original narrative claims, and tie back to original references, if appropriate
There's no one right way to eat a Reese's, eh? Just remember, this paper is too long for the three point model...
Introductory paragraph with thesis and three points, followed by a paragraph that looks at each point, finished up with a conclusion...Works well for GRE essays, though.
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