Tips for Excellent College Writing
You might feel a bit overwhelmed the first time you are assigned to write a term paper in college. The material you cover in class is probably more advanced than you were used to in high school, and your professor will most likely expect your thinking to be on an equally higher lever. However, there is no need to feel overwhelmed if you apply an organized writing process to your paper, and if you do so you will be able to come up with compelling arguments and back them up with supporting evidence.
Whether you are analyzing facts in a research paper or interpreting texts in a critical paper, you are required to convince your teacher of the validity of your argument or interpretation. Give your paper clear structure, beginning with an argument of some kind, and supporting your argument with evidence from the material you have studied. Try to keep your focus as narrow as possible. Your goal should be to introduce your paper with an argument or claim of some kind, so make your argument specific and compelling. If your argument is too general it will be too easy to counter argue. A clear concise statement will give your teacher a clear sense of where you are going to take your argument. Then support your argument with thoroughly expressed claims and as many references as you can, spreading them throughout the paper. Always write clearly and convincingly. Take some care with the phrases you construct, and make sure that any metaphors you use or the words you chose make sense.
Always remember to cite your sources to avoid plagiarism. Always provide a citation for material in your paper that is not your own. This includes items such as a quick page reference, a few facts quoted directly from your source, or an occasional longer passage, table, chart, or any other information you may have used in the body of your writing. You can cite these sources by using footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citations, but whatever method you chose, use it consistently throughout the paper.
Finally, try to have fun with your writing. Prove your points, but don’t forget that your paper is also an exercise in creativity and communication. Work on your ability to fine-tune a point and really develop it. Your paper should illustrate who you are as a thinker.