Solving the Blank Paper Syndrome 

Do you remember those late nights sitting at your desk with pencil in hand trying to think of something to write down on that blank piece of paper? This is not an uncommon experience to writers of all levels. Many writers do not trust themselves, causing them to have brain freeze. Others are able to come up with ideas, but judge those ideas so harshly that nothing meets their standards and, as a result, the paper is left blank. There are many ways to solve the problem of getting started. First, you must express thoughts on the subject before the next step is taken. After thinking about the topic for awhile, a writer can use many methods to organize ideas and plan the paper. Try the following:

Brainstorming
This method consists of simply listing anything that pertains to the topic. It allows the author to get ideas on paper and shows various ways to approach the subject. If the writer does not know what to write, simply use brainstorming and put down anything that could possibly pertain to the assignment.

Example:

Diagrams
There are many types of diagrams that can aid in getting ideas organized into categories. These will also help the writer see connections between one idea and another.

TREE DIAGRAM

CIRCLE DIAGRAM OR CLUSTERING

The difference between the tree diagram and the circle diagram is that the main topic is the middle circle, and the subtopics and details branch off from it in all directions.

Outline
Another method to keep structure in a paper is by creating an outline. If you have a thorough outline, it will keep you from drifting to other subjects that are not important to the paper. Below is a condensed outline. There can be as many topics as needed. If there is an A subtopic there must be a B subtopic. This rule also applies to the details. The details (1,2) are not a necessity to an outline, but do aid in constructing a well-written paper.

Title

****

Instead of staying up with a blank mind and a blank paper, try brainstorming, various diagrams, or create an outline to generate and organize ideas. These methods do not guarantee a perfect paper, but they help develop a rough draft and give you a place to start!

By Ashley Thomas 1998

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Finding Information on the Internet

The following directories and search engines listed will help you find the information that you are looking for on the Internet. Remember that some search engines charge a fee to run the search. Also, have a few words that relate to your topic to use when you begin your search; some words may be too broad.

Yahoo! http://www.yahoo.com –

• The best directory for general topics, starts with a general topic and moves into more specific categories as you continue your search

Alta Vista http://www.altavista.digital.com –

• General and detailed searches through the largest web index
• The user has access to nearly 11 billion words found in nearly 22 million web pages
• A full-text index of more than 13,000 newsgroups can also be accessed

Excite! http://www.excite.com –

• Tracks down information by searching for concepts, not just key words
• Can find a specific news article from newsgroups by a text search

InfoSeek Guide http://guide.infoseek.com –

• Returns search hits AND a list of topics related to your search
• With each search you get the most relevant matches, related topics to explore, and Current news and views from popular magazines, TV networks, and online experts
• Also helps find email addresses, stock quotes, company profiles, and other materials

Lycos http://www.lycos.com –

• Takes practice and patience to master this search
• Once you enter a topic, the search will give you a list of hyperlinks to various sites on the Internet dealing with your topic

Before looking for your information, there are a number of things to keep in mind!

Caution #1 – Guard against computer viruses.
Caution #2 – Be conscious of security; don’t give out your telephone number, address or password.
Caution #3 – Pay for what you use unless material is clearly freeware or public domain.
Caution #4 – Give proper credit if you find something to use from your search.
Caution #5 – Remember that the Internet does not offer ALL necessary materials – your library is still useful!
Caution #6 – Check reliability; evaluate the source critically.

Checklist for evaluating electronic sources and determining bias:

• Is there evidence of frequent maintenance?
• Are there errors?
• Is the site monitored?
• Have the best available resources been used?
• Is there evidence that copyright has been honored?
• Is the author identified and are his or her credentials given?
• Do the author and any collaborators have a reputation for being fair-minded, knowledgeable, and well-informed?
• Does the presentation of the information inspire confidence in its reliability?
• Is the source located at an institution respected in the academic community?
• Does the work include citations to other sources or, in the case of hypertext, links to other reliable documents?
• Does the author acknowledge the fact that the subject of his or her site is controversial, if you know it is?

Most of the above information can be found when looking at the header and footer of the source.

- Author or contact person (footer)
- Institution, organization, or company (header or footer)
- Date of creation or last revision (footer)
- Intended audience and purpose of document (body)
- Link to local home page (header or footer)

Don’t know how to document a web site? Remember that the APA format requires web sites to be referenced in the text with the URL; they are not included in the reference list. The following examples are for MLA documentation only. Also, a designation like "Home page" should be used if a personal or professional site has no title.

• Scholarly Project

Author. Title. Publication information for any print version of the source. Scholarly project or database. Editor of the scholarly project or database, if Available. Name of sponsoring organization for the Web site. Access date <URL>.
Scholarly Communications Project. 2 Feb. 1998. Virginia Polytechnic Institute. 24 Feb.1998
<http://scholar.lib.bt.edu/>.

• Professional Site

Site Name. Creation date or update. Sponsoring organization. Access date <URL>.
Philosophy General Resources. 31 Jan. 1998. Factasia Philosophy Resource Hub. 24 Feb.1998
<http://cybercom.net/~rbjones/rbipub/philos/inter/015.htm>.

• Personal Site

Web page author. Site Name. Creation date or update. Access date <URL>.
Hawkes, Lory. Home page. 15 Jan. 1998. 2 Feb. 1998 <http://homepages.waymark.net/~hawkes/index.html>.

Sources used for this handout:

Hawkes, Lory. A Guide to the World Wide Web. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.
Hodges, John C. et al. Hodges’ Harbrace Handbook. 13th ed. Orlando: Harcourt Brace, 1998.
Ryan, Leigh. The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 1998.
Stull, Andrew T. English on the Internet: A Student’s Guide. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998.

By Brandy Marti and Sabina Eghan 1998

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Critically Evaluating the Net and Citing Electronic Sources

Critically Evaluating the Net (Based on J Rettig and C LaGuardia, 1998)

The quality of information available via the WWW varies; this leads to the need to critically approach the contents of Web sites. Here are eight criteria you can use to evaluate the information you find on the Web:

1. Who is providing the information and how can they be contacted? What reason(s) would the creator have to provide the information (s)he does?
2. What authority and qualifications does the creator of the site have to provide the information?
3. For whom is the information intended? How well does the information fit the intended audience?
4. How well does the site cover its subject? Does the site have a scope note describing its breadth/depth of treating the subject?
5. When was the site created and when was it last updated? How often is it updated?
6. How well is the site designed? Does it have internal links along with links for downloading auxiliary software (such as Adobe Acrobat)?
7. How easy to use is the site? Is its use clearly understandable and is it easy to get to the information you are seeking?
8. How well does the site incorporate the various elements of the medium of the Internet? Does it include appropriate text, audio, video, and images and create the impression the information the site contains is well suited for presentation via the Net?

Refer to the following sites for more on critically evaluating the Net:

Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria & Tools
http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/research/webeval.html

Evaluation of information sources (Virtual Library)
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm

www.apa.org/journals/webref.html Click here for more information.

The style you use to cite electronic sources should be based on a specific style guide. Following are forms for citing five different electronic sources based on the APA Style. Remember, the citation should enable another person to locate the same information. (Note: To see examples listed for each category or for more categories, visit http://www.apa.org/journals/webref.html or another resource listed below.)

Email Communications

• Email should be cited as personal communications (refer to Publication manual of the APA (4th ed) p 173,4).
• Personal communications are not cited in the references list.

Entire Web Sites

• Entire Web sites are not cited in the references list.
• To cite an entire Web site in the text, Use the name of the site in your sentence and give the web address in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

Specific Documents on a Web Site

The citation for a Web document is similar to that for a print document but with some information added and some omitted. References begin with the same information (if available) as for a print document. The Web information is added at the end of the reference in a retrieval statement; the date of access is an important element.

Articles and Abstracts from Electronic Databases

Add a basic retrieval statement to the article or abstract citation.

• The basic retrieval statement for CD-ROM databases is: Retrieved from [source] database ([name of database], CD-ROM, [release date], [item no. if applicable])
• The basic retrieval statement for online databases is: Retrieved [month day, year] from [source] online database ([name of database], [item no. if applicable])
• The basic retrieval statement for databases accessed via the Web is: Retrieved [month day, year] from [source] database ([name of database], [item no. if applicable]) on the World Wide Web: [URL]

Web Citations in Text

Refer to Publication manual of the APA (4th ed) p168-74 for the author/date format.

• Indicate a specific chapter, figure, table, or equation from a Web document as appropriate.
• Give the page or paragraph numbers of a quotation if available.

Refer to the following for more on citing electronic sources:

Located in CUW Reference collection at Ref PN171 F56 L5 1996: Li, Xia, & Crane, Nancy. (1996). Electronic styles: A handbook for citing electronic information. Medford, NJ: Information Today.

Located in CUW Reference collection at Ref BF76.7 P83 1994 (also 3 copies in CUW Main collection): American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Electronic Sources: APA Style of Citation Internet Citation Guides

www.uvm.edu/~xli/reference/apa.html www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/Memorial/citing.htm

Writer's Handbook Documentation Styles Internet Public Library Citing Electronic Resources

www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html www.ipl.org/ref/QUE/FARQ/netciteFARQ.html

Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the APA

www.apa.org/journals/webref.html

Rincker Memorial Library.  Concordia University Wisconsin

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Eliminate Wordy Sentences

Use people as the subject whenever possible.

Reduce the use of passive verbs.

Condense lead-in phrases.

Regardless of the fact that Renee no longer plays softball, she still loves the game. (Wordy)
Although Renee no longer plays softball, she still loves the game. (Concise)

Get rid of who, which or that whenever possible.

Condense verb phrases.  Use a verb instead of a noun made from that verb.

Eliminate Redundancies.

As a rule, she usually tries to combine together too many colors. (Wordy)
She usually tries to combine too many colors. (Concise)

Limit the use of prepositional phrases.

The inaccessibility of user-friendly informational materials at convenient locations has long been a problem for visitors to the museum. (Wordy)
Visitors continue to find it difficult to locate informational materials in the museum. (Concise)

 

Source:

Hairston, Maxine and John J. Ruszkiewicz. The Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers, 1993.

By Michelle Sieg 1997

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Three Research Strategies: Quote, Paraphrase, & Summarize

Sample passage:

When you quote from a source, you copy its exact words, enclosed by quotation marks to indicate the borrowing. When you paraphrase, you express the content of a passage in your own language, using about the same number of words as the original. When you summarize, you express the content of the source using far fewer words than the original (Maner 121).

On quoting...

Use quotes sparingly.

Quote well-written, strikingly relevant passages.

Quote passages that are not analyzed at length within the paper.

Example: "When you quote from a source, you copy its exact words, enclosed by quotation marks to indicate the borrowing" (Maner 121).

Use paraphrasing to highlight the source's relevant arguments.

Use paraphrasing to exclude the source's distracting arguments.

Paraphrase passages using your own sentence structure.

Example: A paraphrase is the same length but restates the passage in your own words (Maner 121).

Write summary notes immediately after reading from a source.

Summarize entire articles that support your main ideas.

Use summarizing when many sources are required for your paper.

Example: A summary is shorter but conveys the main idea of the source.

Source: acheive

Maner, Martin. The Spiral Guide to Research Writing. London: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1996.

By Michelle Sieg 1997

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Make Sure It's Organized

Stop!  Don’t turn your paper in yet!  Did you check to make sure that it’s ORGANIZED?

When editing and revising a paper, don’t just check for grammar and punctuation mistakes! Make sure that your paper is logically organized! Does your paper fit this checklist?

• The opening of my paper is interesting—it will make the audience want to keep reading the rest of the paper.
• The way that I have told things in my paper makes sense—the paper is orderly, and it is easy to follow what I am saying.
• All my ideas, sentences, paragraphs, and sections flow into one another.
• I have used adequate transitions.
• The topic sentences in my paper all support my thesis—they work together and lead up to my main point or conclusion.
• The sentences, details, examples and quotations in each of my paragraphs support its topic sentence.
• My paper ends effectively—it doesn’t just stop suddenly or drag on too long.
• There is nothing that is unexpected, contradictory, or missing in my paper.
• My paper is properly organized according to the appropriate format, whether it is a lab report, cover letter, literature paper, or argument paper.
• I have learned proper organization of my paper through the professor or the Hodges’ Harbrace College Handbook.
• I can go to The Write Place, Concordia University Wisconsin’s Writing Center, to get further help for organizing my paper.

By Brandy Marti 1998

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Formatting, Revising, and Polishing Your Rough Draft into a Final Draft

First Step:

Take a break from your rough draft.  When you go back to it your mind will be fresh and more critically objective.

Read through the entire draft and ask yourself these questions:

Who is your audience?

What is the main thesis of the paper?

Does the paper show a clear purpose?

Is the general tone of the paper consistent in expressing your ideas?

Is each paragraph structured around a single theme?

Does the transition from one paragraph to another flow smoothly?  Don’t be afraid to move paragraphs around in your draft.

Re read your whole draft again, this time out loud.

Revising check list:

1.      Show a clear purpose.

2.      Address your audience which you already identified.

3.      Have an interesting introduction and a good conclusion.

4.      Have a clear and focused subject.

5.      Check for choppy or repetitive sentences.  Move sentences around for more coherence and variety.  If necessary tighten them up to avoid wordiness.

6.      Maintain a consistent tone which is suitable for your writing.

Finally:

Be your own best critic!  Revising your draft thoroughly will result in a well written and thoughtful paper.

Sources:

1.        Alred, Gerald J., Brusaw, Charles T., Oliv, Walter E.

Writing that works.  New York:  St. Martins Press, 1998.

2.        Reed, Kit. Revision. Cincinnati, Ohio:  Writers Digest Books,

F + W Publications, 1989.

Sally Hahlbeck 2003

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FORMAL VS CASUAL TONE

Using Academic Vocabulary

ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE:

ACTIVE VOICE:

~ Indicating that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action expressed by the verb. Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.

PASSIVE VOICE:

~ Used to indicate that the grammatical subject is the object of the action or the effect of the verb. For example, in the sentence They were impressed by his manner, were impressed is in the passive voice.

PASSIVE VOCABULARY TO AVOID:

am, is, was, were, be, been

CASUAL VS. FORMAL TONE:

CASUAL VOCABULARY TO AVOID:

should, would, could, has, have, had, can, go, goes, did, do, does, thing, something, anything, never, really, get, got, getting, just, only, a lot, etc.

~ Substitute formal vocabulary for casual vocabulary whenever possible, for example: use observed or commented, instead of watched or said.

NOTE:

~ Always write from the third person (with the exception of response papers), never use I or You.

RESTATING SENTENCES:

~ Restate sentences to change passive voice to active voice, and/or casual tone to formal tone whenever possible.  A suggestion: if you are having difficulty restating, try being specific with word choice as in the following examples:

Instead of:      Some people do not agree with Freud’s theory on hypnosis.

Replace with: Researchers do not agree…, or Psychologists, such as Maslow, do not agree…

Instead of:      When someone responds poorly to hypnosis…

Replace with: When one responds poorly…, or When the individual responds poorly…                                                                                                                 

Instead of:      The study on hypnosis had many participants in it.

Replace with: The study on hypnosis included 25 participants.            

NOTE

~ Always remember to keep tenses constant in papers.  Avoid switching back and forth from past, present, and/or future tense.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. (2003). Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Available: http://dictionary.reference.com/

Contributing source: Prof. Reimer-Becker

By: Amy St.Onge, 2003

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Recasting Sentences 

Why?

• Recasting sentences is a good way to prevent their being awkward, choppy, confusing, wordy, or otherwise stylistically unsettling. 

How?

• Examine the sentence in question; read it aloud and try to fix it after hearing it said.
• Try to isolate an awkward area, such as a specific phrase or word. 

Þ     One useful method is condensing, that is, reducing a sentence to specific parts, providing grammatical names if necessary.  This makes it easier to check your sentence with specific rules, such as having a verb that corresponds with the subject in the main clause.

This:        The doctor, who had just graduated from medical school where he had done remarkably well and had met his fiancé who had been studying to be a nurse. 

Becomes:    The S, who dependent clause where dependent clause who dependent clause.    

Ø       There is no verb for the subject

Trouble with a Word

• Try adding words.

Confusing: Thomas wanted to fix Andrew’s tie, but he was in a bad mood.

Clear:        Thomas wanted to fix Andrew’s tie, but he was prevented by Andrew’s bad mood.

• Consider deleting words, especially those that have no effect on the sentence’s meaning, such as that.

Wordy:     My position is similar to that of Petruchio.

Concise:     My position is similar to Petruchio’s.

•  Substitute words (thesauruses are good here) that don’t fit with the tone, or are over- or under-dramatic

Awkward: The puppy arfed and wiggled its entire hind end before masticating his puppy chow.

Sound:      The puppy arfed and wiggled its entire hind end before chomping his puppy chow.

Trouble with Phrases

·         Move them around.

Confusing: The room, because my brother would have it no other way, was purple.

Clear:      Because my brother would have it no other way, the room was purple

• Making them into parenthetic phrases.

Wordy:    The balloon was like a globe reddened in blood and also reminded me of the carnivals of my youth. 

Concise:     The balloon, like a globe reddened in blood, reminded me of the carnivals of my youth.

• Condensing the phrases into non-parenthetic phrases, or, if possible, a single word. 

Wrong:     The book, which was the color red, sat on the table.

Right:      The red book sat on the table.

Trouble with Whole Sentences

• Switch from Passive to Active.

ÞThis is often made easier by switching the place of the subject and object. (See handout Active vs. Passive)

• Check the sentences for parallelism. (see handout Parallelism)
• Splice or slice the sentence(s).

Choppy:     The boy headed off toward the pond.  His faithful dog followed him 

Smooth:     The boy headed off toward the pond, followed by his faithful dog. 

Confusing: The toaster broke, proving the last straw and my mother broke down sobbing.

Clear:        The toaster broke.  This proved to be the last straw and my mother broke down sobbing.

• Try more advanced punctuation: colons, semi-colons, dashes, parentheses, commas.
• Also avoid nominalization (turning verbs into nouns).

Wordy:     Benjamin Franklin, a person important to the foundation of our country, is also known for the discovery of electricity and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Concise:     Benjamin Franklin, who helped found our country, is also known for discovering electricity and signing the Declaration of Independence.

• Read the sentence once again, and then turn the page over.  Rewrite the whole thing, conserving words; don’t look at the original until the new sentence is finished:

This:       The uncle of the boy, who had been in the war, came home, but this cost him a price that was high, finally.  He lost his sight. 

Becomes:    The boy’s uncle had finally come home from the war, but he paid a high price: his sight. 

David Reher 2003

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Don't leave anyone out! Use inclusive language

Every language seems to develop methods of saying things that reflect some type of bias. Writers need to be aware of the words they choose and the message those words may convey. Try these tips to avoid statements that may negatively or unnecessarily specify or label a person:

When it is not vital to the message of the sentence, do not specify gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or disability. It is often irrelevant to the document.

• Male nurse, young contestant, blind man, lawyers and their wives (use spouses)

Use gender-specific or biased pronouns or words (he, she, him, her, Muslim, Learning Disabled, gay) only when that information about a specific person has already been established or is necessary for the purpose of the text.

• The doctor examined the patient (not his patient) carefully.
• Sarah was having trouble in some classes because she was dyslexic.
• Not: Sarah enjoyed singing in the choir. She was dyslexic, but she had a lovely voice.

In many cases, making a subject plural can prevent gender-biased wording.

• Instead of: A carpenter must use his power tools carefully so he does not injure himself.
• Try: Carpenters must use power tools carefully so they do not injure themselves.

In many cases, reworking the sentence can prevent the need to write "he/she."

• Instead of: A student was sitting in the back of class; he or she laughed quietly.
• Try: A student who was sitting in the back of class laughed quietly.

Avoid all stereotypes or trivializations. Focus on positive aspects. Do not call people by their condition.

• Instead of confined to a wheelchair, try uses a wheelchair
• Instead of the mentally ill, try persons with mental illness

Respect preferred titles or labels. Use accurate terms.

• Ms. (no definition of marriage), Person of Color
• Instead of Oriental, try Asian or Chinese
• Instead of college girls, try college women

Be careful of word choice.

The main idea is to never define a person by any conceived limitation or unnecessary information. Keep all other statements broad so to include every individual.

By Jen Freund 1998

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Strategies for Proofreading

This guideline is designed to help you, the writer, proofread more effectively

• by giving you some useful strategies for proofreading well
• by giving you strategies to catch the common errors that you personally would often make
• by giving you specific strategies for finding and correcting those errors.

GENERAL STRATEGIES

• Begin by taking a break. Allow yourself a little time in between writing and proofing. The goal is to give you a fresh eye and mind to see your mistakes more clearly.
• Try to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n as you read through the paper; this should help you catch mistakes that you would normally pass by.
• Read the paper aloud to allow yourself to concentrate on each word, starting with the last sentence of your paper and continuing to the beginning.
• Read your paper with a cover by sliding a blank sheet of paper down the page as you read. This will help you look at the paper line by line.
• Reading the paper aloud also gives you the chance to see yourself as the audience and help you to perceive your words in a different way.

PERSONALIZED PROOFREADING

• Try to discover what types of errors you make on a regular basis.
• Review some of your past papers to find out which mistakes your instructor commented on or see a Writing Center tutor that could aid you in finding those mistakes.
• Learn how to fix the errors by using a reference book or consulting a Writing Center tutor, so that you understand those mistakes.

SPECIFIC STRATEGIES FOR PROOFREADING

• For spelling: Remember that spell-check does not always catch everything.

1. Examine each word in the paper individually. Move from the end of each line back to the beginning. Also, pointing with a pencil helps you really see each word.
2. If necessary, check a dictionary to see that each word is spelled correctly. Dictionaries can be found in the Library or in the Writing Center.

• For compound sentence commas:

1. See whether there is a complete sentence on each side of the conjunction. If there is, place a comma before the conjunction. Conjunctions are and, but, for, or, nor, so and yet.

• For comma splices:

1. Skim the paper and stop at every comma.
2. Check to see if there is a complete sentence on each side of the comma. If there is, add a coordinating conjunction after the comma or replace the comma with a semicolon (;).

• For run-on sentences:

1. Review each sentence to see if there is more than one independent clause. Start with the last sentence of your paper by reading it aloud, and check every sentence all the way back to the beginning.
2. Break the sentence into two separate sentences if it is necessary.

• For apostrophes:

1. Skim your paper, stopping only at those words that end in "s".
2. See whether or not each "s" word needs an apostrophe or not.

• For left-out words:

1. Read your paper aloud, pointing to every word as you read. Don’t move on to the next word until you have finished reading the previous word. Also, make sure that you have not doubled any words.

This handout originated from the Purdue University Writing Lab. Cory A. Wielert has modified it. 1999

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Did I get the grade I deserved?

Why did I get a C and not an A on this paper? I worked hours on it; doesn't that count for anything?

Time is precious, so before writing a paper that results in an undesirable grade, take a look at these guidelines.

An "A" Paper
Content

• stated length
• easily flows
• thesis is clear and significant
• coherent organization
• vocabulary and word usage is superior
• thorough insight and analysis
• fully detailed and developed topic
• complex thought
• maintains theme
• introduction is cleverly and clearly stated
• conclusion restates topic and reinforces main points; it leaves the reader with a feeling of completeness
• information from sources cited

Style

• has own apparent style
• original and creative
• honest and from the heart

Mechanics

• no more than 2 grammatical errors
• few spelling mistakes
• sentences skillfully and logically constructed
• sentences vary in length

A "B" Paper
Content

• little under required length
• support for thesis is adequate
• some points could be expanded on
• vocabulary and word usage above average
• introduction and conclusion follow guidelines but is not catchy
• information from sources cited

Style

• less captivating

Mechanics

• 3 or 4 grammatical errors
• minor flaws that don’t interrupt meaning
• few choppy sentences

A "C" Paper
Content

• one page shorter or longer than stated length
• thesis is too general with limited concrete details
• body not thorough in stressing important points
• paragraphs don’t stay with theme
• fall into pattern of same sentence length
• average vocabulary and word usage
• conclusion doesn't restate theme and review main points
• an acceptable job
• information from sources have few citations

Style

• average
• doesn't display your own writing style throughout paper
• overuse of cliché language

Mechanics

• 5 or 6 grammatical errors
• sentence fragments; run-ons; incomplete thoughts

A "D" Paper
Content

• more than a page from stated length
• thesis is not evident
• body not connected to theme
• does not flow when read orally
• paragraphs are inconsistent
• topic not defined
• organization is haphazard and lack unity
• introduction and conclusion has few supporting details
• words and sources used but not cited

Style

• unoriginal
• sounds like someone else's work
• stereotypical in thought

Mechanics

• 7 or more grammatical errors
• may show major flaws in sentence structure; confusing
• incomplete sentences which obscure meaning

• no theme
• 10 or more grammatical errors
• incomplete ideas
• off-topic
• choppy sentences, very difficult to read
• plagiarism

This general guideline is compiled using criteria from a variety of professors. Our purpose is to give students a basis for writing a paper. If you want more specific criteria for the paper, ask the professor.

By Ashley Thomas 1998

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The Aspirin Alternative to Writer’s Block

In the attempt to tackle writing projects, we all experience moments of panic due to writer’s block.  “Aargh!  My paper is due      (fill-in-the-blank)     , and I have no idea where to go from here!  Help!”  Writer’s block can strike anyone at anytime—freshman, senior, (yes, professors and professional writers too)—halfway through a project or before the project even begins.  The next time a writer’s block headache sets in, do not overdose on aspirin; instead, seek relief in some of the following strategies:

Spark Words:

Fill a shoebox with random words written on small slips of paper.  Choose words that are meaningful to you—emotions, events, controversies, images.  You could also open a dictionary to various places for random words.  Have fun with it.  Add to the shoebox collection whenever you feel inspired.  When you feel writer’s block coming on, pull a word out of the box to spark your thoughts.

Pictures:

Tear random pictures (that interest you, of course) out of magazines and file them away.  When writing, use them by pulling them out randomly and writing about one or two of them.

Journaling:

Keep a journal of meaningful moments in your life.  When you are faced with a writing task, use the entries to recall an event you have been through.

 Index Cards:

Carry index cards with you and take notes on life.  What did you do today?  What did you see today?  What made you laugh today?  What made you cry today?  This is similar to journaling but is done on the spot, as the scene unfolds, whereas journaling takes place after the fact as you look back on it.  Use the events described on the cards as a starting point for a paper you are working on.

Music:

Listen to your favorite music and take note of any phrases you like or the way the music makes you feel.  Repeat these steps, but this time, listen to a type of music you normally would not (perhaps taking note of parts you do not like and how the music makes you feel).  How do your emotions change between the varying music types, and how does this affect what you are working toward in your writing?  Pay special attention to the artist’s motivation or message.  What lines (if the song has lyrics) speak to you?  How could this change your focus, your goal, or the progress toward your goal?  How can you express these new feelings in your writing?

Change of Location:

If you normally write in the bathroom, try composing a piece from within the branches of a tree.  If you normally write at your desk, try your best friend’s or your roommate’s desk.  If you normally write below sea level, try leaving the Peace Center.  If you normally write in the library, try the cafeteria.  Move.  Go to an area outside of your comfort zone to gain a new perspective on life.

Yellow Pages:

Flip through the yellow pages and locate random businesses you know nothing about.  Write an off-the-wall narrative about one of them.

Fortune Cookies:

Not a fan of the Dining Hall’s lunch and dinner showings?  You will be after the next appearance of Chinese Bar.  Crack open a fortune cookie, allowing the message inside to spill out; write about your good—or bad—fortune.  (And you thought nothing good could come from Chinese Bar!)

Due to the range of writing assignments that professors inflict on their students, a wide variety of prescriptions are available to relieve writer’s block.  The above mentioned strategies are fun to experiment with when a professor provides you with an open-ended topic, which frees you to go in whatever direction you wish.  However, what if a professor hones in on a topic for you and instructs you not to leave the scope of that radar?  Whether you are interested in the topic your professor has chosen or not, examine the question of how it impacts your life.  Finding relevance in the project will spark an interest and “pump you up” for your assignment.  For these assignments, here are new ideas as well as previous ideas presented in new contexts:

Journaling and Index Cards:

Apply the assigned topic to your life by recalling experiences you have recorded in a journal or on index cards.

Brainstorming:

What can you pick out of the given topic that is interesting or important to you?  Find something (perhaps by using another writer’s block strategy) and go with it.

Freewriting:

Write for five minutes without stopping, using everything you already know about the subject as a basis for the freewriting.  Loosen up and let your mind go.  After five minutes, analyze what you have written; if the ideas generated in your freewriting are too broad for your purposes, conduct another five-minute session.  Continue freewriting intervals until you reach your desired focus.

Talk to Others:

Writing is a collaborative process.  Discussing a writing task with others will distance you from your work and will make you aware of another point-of-view.

Keep in mind that these are suggestions which are to be interpreted and adapted to fit your needs.  The bottom line, though, is this—the best writer’s block remedy is writing.  So write often!

Portions of this handout were created with the assistance of Rekulak, Jason.  The Writer’s Block.  Philadelphia:  Running Press Book Publishers, 2001.

By Daisy Steinke  2001

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Interpreting a Writing Assignment: Reading the fine print always helps

• Things you need to know
  • English professors…stress the word English are usually the only ones making dramatic corrections on your paper.  Don’t assume other professors won’t.  Treat each paper as though it’s for an English professor.
  • Be aware of each professor’s criteria…and what they require from you.
  • Writing consultants also make corrections or suggestions on your papers to improve its quality.

Things that you aren’t told

 How do I blend my sources into my paper, I’m not sure where I should start?

·         As you figure out what you have to write about, choose your topic or title based on your interest of the subject.

How do I know if my topic is interesting enough?

·         Don’t attempt to press too much information into one thought.

·         Choose something interesting that is not always talked about.  Commons topics to stay away from: Abortion, HIV, STD’s

Questions to Ask

q       Does this response paper pertain to what I think or what I think the writer thinks?

ü      This is based on your professor’s guidelines. Don’t be afraid to ask this question.

q       What guidelines should I follow involving research papers?

·         An airplane never drops a bomb on a country without any precision.  The information used in a research paper should be strategically placed in it, not just forced into it or listed as you read material

q       How do I know how to respond to poetry or literature?  I don’t understand either of them.

o        There is no way you can determine what a writer meant in writing his/her work if you can’t ask him/her one-on-one or in an interview. 

o        Ask your professor to give you an overview of the poem. The professor should be able to help you with this, if it has been done in this class before.

            I’m tired

I’m tired of the structure, all the research I must do, all the outlines I should follow, all the dates this stuff is due. Never did I think of this as much as I do now, but as I get more papers back, I know I must learn how.  How to make mistake— free work, and how to find some aid, just because I want that much better a grade!              

Things to look for in a Journal Critique

How much of this paper allows me to respond or use information interesting to me?

o        For an assignment like this, the outline is strict, but relates to a creative writing; ideas in your head can go on your paper as long as they have to do with your paper.

o        Journal Critiques use very scholarly words so be sure to choose one within or outside of your major that you find interesting to write about…not just read about.

Narrow your focus

How much information should I have ahead of time?

§         That depends on what your topic is and how much information is needed to get your point across within your paper.

Keys to success

v      Don’t attempt to make your writing tougher than it needs to be.  Understand your directions and go from there.

v      Ask questions about things when you want to know the details.

v      Prepare accordingly for the type of paper you are approaching.  If you want an “A”, know what to do in order to get one.

Rick Hutchins (2003)

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Academic Writing

 ü      Avoid using words such as you in formal writing. 

Incorrect: If you think the Grand Canyon is unattractive, you would be very wrong.

Correct: If one believes the Grand Canyon is unattractive, that person would be very wrong.

Words such as we and us should be avoided when referring to an exclusive group or viewpoint of which the reader is not a part. 

Incorrect:  We believe that Bill Clinton was the best president in the history of the United States.

Correct: We as a nation must come together in a time of national crisis.

 ü      Do not end sentences with prepositional phrases.

Incorrect: I did not attend the meeting because it was for an organization I am no longer a member of.

Correct: I did not attend the meeting because it was for an organization of which I am no longer a member.

 ü      Do not use phrases such as “in my opinion…” or “I think…” in the body of a paper.  Try using phrases such as “This may be…” or “It appears that…”  Using I is permissible only when recording personal experiences.

Incorrect: I think that this author was correct in saying that abortion is wrong.

Correct: It appears that the author is one of many who believe abortion is wrong.

ü      Do not use contractions.

Incorrect: We hadn’t expected the Peace Center to fall off the bluff so soon.

Correct:  We had not expected the Peace Center to fall off the bluff so soon.

 ü      Avoid clichés.

Examples: It’s not over until the fat lady sings.

                Tonight is the beginning of the rest of our lives.

                She woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

                The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

                The Internet is the information superhighway.

                He didn’t get off on the right foot at his new job.

 ü      Avoid overused words such as many, some, or a lot.

Suggestions: numerous, various, countless, large amounts of

If you still need help, try the thesaurus on the computer for helpful hints.  However, make sure you know what a word means before you use it in your paper.

ü      Do not overuse the verb “get.”  Instead, try using verbs such as maintain, possess, encompass, obtain, and receive.  If you still need help, use the thesaurus on your computer.  Again, make sure you know what a word means before you use it in your paper!

 ü      Do not overuse the “be” verb.  Instead, try to think of different ways to phrase the sentence.

Incorrect: It grew to be very hard to talk to her when she got older because her hearing was bad.

Correct: It became very hard to talk to her as she aged because her hearing worsened.

 ü      Be consistent.  Make sure the same tense is maintained throughout the sentence.

Incorrect: She is very strong, but she was not strong enough.

Correct: She is very strong, but she is not strong enough.

  ü      Avoid redundancy.  Make sure that you do not use the same phrases repeatedly in your paper.

Incorrect: It was a horrible war that killed many.  Thousands of people died in this destructive war.

Correct: The horrible, destructive war killed thousands of people.

  ü      Eliminate wordy sentences and avoid using too many prepositional phrases.

Incorrect: The problems of humanity at many times seem unsolvable.

Correct: Humanity’s problems often seem unsolvable.

  ü      Avoid using colloquialism (conversational vocabulary and phrases)

Examples: okay, like, stuff, totally, for sure, et cetera, kind of a

Incorrect: For lots of people it is okay to do things such as drinking, smoking, etc., but for others, it is like, totally wrong.

Katie Langer  2001

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Expanding Your Writing

When writing papers, students often have difficulty expanding explanations of events.  Enough information may be available, but deciding what information to use and how to write it can be very difficult.  One of the best strategies for dissecting any situation into its most relevant elements has been used by journalists consistently and effectively.  Only six questions need to be asked: who, what where, when, why, and how.  By using these questions in context, any situation can be related to readers with better precision.

Passages dealing with personal experience and learning

Students often have the most difficulty relating personal experiences in academic writing.  Their perceptions of situations may be based primarily on the feeling of what happened.  When asked to relate a lesson learned from experience, students can easily state their conclusion and nothing more.  Showing how this conclusion was reached gives validity to the argument as well as giving the reader a better understanding of the situation.

Who was involved in the learning experience?
What did you learn?
Where did you learn this?
When did you reach this understanding?
Why did you come to this conclusion?
How did you rationalize this conclusion?

Passages explaining events witnessed by the author

In many situations, personal opinion is not appropriate.  Instead the passage should describe the actual events that happened.  By painting a complete picture of these events, students can be sure that the reader will be involved in the description and fully understand the situation.  These questions are enough to describe personal experiences.

Who was involved?
What happened?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
Why did it happen?
How does this affect the topic?

Passages explaining events not witnessed by the author

Most situations recorded by authors of academic papers are not personal experience, but rather drawn from outside sources.  Second and third person accounts of events add new information to the paper.  To maintain objectivity and give the reader a better understanding of the chain of exchange of information, it is often important to state something about the source of the information presented.  These questions are useful both for identifying sources and writing longer sections about the sources themselves.  Use them in combination with the questions for explaining events witnessed by the author.

Who recorded this?
What did the author add?
Where was this written?
When was this written?
Why did the author record this?
How did the author receive this information?

Passages dealing with comparison and contrast

One technique that is often used in academic situations is comparison and contrast.  When this is done between two sources concerning different events, the questions for describing any events can be used.  When this is done between two sources concerning the same event, questions need to be asked about the motivations and presentation of the information to relate the views to one another.

Who are the authors of these documents? (similarities/differences of identity)
What information is presented? (similarities/differences of selection and omission)
Where were these documents written? (similarities/differences of location)
When were these documents written? (similarities/differences of time)
Why were these documents written? (similarities/differences of motivation)
How did the authors rationalize their opinions? (similarities/differences of ideas)

By Evan Zimmermann 2001

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FLOW: A UNIFIED PAPER

Huh? Coherence?

1. A COHERENT paper is fully connected. One sentence flows to the next and each idea develops from the last. Coherent papers are easy for readers to follow and understand.
2. A UNIFIED paper is narrowed down to a main idea. Each paragraph contains a single focus and every sentence relates back to it.
3. CLEAR RELATIONSHIPS between concepts in the body of the paper lead to successful papers. Introductions and conclusions reinforce the topics in the body.

Topic Sentences

1. Every paragraph should contain a topic sentence to state its main idea and to comment on that idea.
2. Think of your topic sentence as a “mini thesis,” the anchor that keeps the paragraph on course.
3. Topic sentences are often the first in a paragraph but DON’T have to be. Wherever yours are in the paragraph, they should be like magnets around which all of your sentences cluster. 
4. A topic sentence makes an assertion that needs to be elaborated.

Make Unity Happen in Your Paper

1. Identify the topic sentence in your paragraphs and then decide if every sentence reinforces the topic.
2. Eliminate any sentence that breaks up the paragraph’s unity or use it elsewhere.
3. Revise sentences that nearly relate to the topic by adding a transition or detail.
4. In paragraphs with two topics, recast the topic sentence to connect both or make another paragraph. 

Organization Patterns

1. CHRONOLOGICAL arranges ideas in the order in which they happened (especially for narrations or processes).
2. QUESTION AND ANSWER begins by posing a question and develops a response.
3. COMPARISON AND CONSTAST uses a comparison as your topic and follows it with alternating similarities and differences.
4. CAUSE AND EFFECT starts with one point and then describes the counter point.
5. EMPHATIC usually arranges information from least to most important (especially for persuasion).
6. LOGICAL works from specific to general or general to specific:  begin with a series of details and conclude the paragraph with a summarizing statement, or vice versa.
7. ILLUSTRATION follows a general statement with supporting details, evidence, examples, or personal description.

What About Connecting Those Pesky Paragraphs?

1. What do all of your paragraphs have in common? - They relate back to the same thesis or main topic. 
2. If two paragraphs are situated in the same paper there must be some link between them.
3. Express the relationship between two paragraphs at the beginning or end of a paragraph. Try a topic sentence that compares the current paragraph to the previous one, or perhaps try a “clincher” sentence to conclude a paragraph and introduce the next.

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