This document discusses some key differences between writing in high school versus college. In college, students are often asked to do different types of writing, such as analyzing texts and making original arguments supported by evidence. An argument is presented as a set of coherent statements that put forth an interesting claim, provide evidence to support the claim, and address objections to the claim. The document advises students to carefully interpret assignment prompts to understand what is expected, as expectations can vary between instructors. It provides guidance on starting the writing process, including developing a thesis beyond simply agreeing or disagreeing with a statement.
This document provides guidance on various aspects of writing papers and conducting research for a course project. It discusses developing a clear thesis and main idea, researching and evaluating sources, taking effective notes, and using tables, charts and graphs to support arguments. It also outlines an in-class assignment to select a complex problem for the course project and homework to further explore expressions of the problem and preliminary research.
2014 NACAC 2014: Make Your Stories Pop: Strategies to Help Students Share The...Rebecca Joseph
2014 NACAC: Make Your Stories Pop: Strategies to Help Students Share Their Own Unique Voices in College Application Essays: This is the presentation from Rebecca Joseph, Margit Dahl, Valerie Gregory, and Anya Good with tips towards the end of the ppt.
The document provides guidance for writing a literary analysis essay. It discusses the differences between convincing and persuading, with convincing relating to establishing truth and persuading relating to encouraging action. An example is given of friends persuading someone to take a vacation by pointing out they were overworked, rather than convincing them. The document also includes tips for writing essays, such as focusing on a topic with ample evidence, interpreting evidence rather than just quoting it, and ensuring claims support the thesis.
This document provides the syllabus for an English graduate seminar on teaching young adult literature in times of upheaval. The course will explore award-winning young adult novels to develop critical literacy and an awareness of interconnectedness. Students will read one theory text, six novels, and submit three response posts and a final 15-20 page project. Class sessions held on Zoom will include close readings and discussions to elucidate key concepts. Academic integrity and respect for diversity are emphasized. The schedule outlines readings and assignments for each class session.
I stole the classic title here from the mathematician and philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Similarly, Tiger Woods used "How I play golf" for the manual to his trade, so I also copy him. While clearly I am not as great as either, to date I have about 140 published scientific outputs, written with around 60 different collaborators, and these have been cited in around 15,000 articles. This bruising experience has taught me a lot about how to write, and I will pass on all I can in an hour (but no bruises!). You will get plenty of advice here also from Bertrand Russell, Thomas&Turner, Peter Medawar, Kristin Cashore, Simon Peyton-Jones, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King ... and not so much from Tiger Woods.
Ethics - or how to have good manners in your scientific careerJoshua Knowles
Ethics basically means discipline. That is more helpful a thought than to think of it as morals, anyway. What disciplines does a scientist and communicator of science need so as to stay alive, and contribute to the great scientific game? Many of the disciplines needed are the classical social ones of being generous, polite, encouraging, open, honest, modest, and so on. Some others are more specialised, like how NOT to give your best unpublished ideas away at a conference, and how NOT to accidentally copy someone else's great idea they told you in confidence.
This document provides guidance for writing a college philosophy paper, including the professor's expectations, tips for writing the paper, and an overview of the writing and research process. Key points include meeting a 5-page minimum, having an original argument supported by the course text, properly formatting the paper in MLA or related style, avoiding plagiarism, and utilizing credible academic sources while considering potential biases.
The document outlines the plans for the next class session, which will focus on Inquiry 3 of analyzing public debates related to the presidential election. Students are instructed to free-write on several prompts to help choose a topic for their research memo and argument assignment, which will require researching an issue being debated in the election and taking a stance on it. Homework includes bringing a political cartoon to the next class and posting a forum response about the meaning and responsibilities of citizenship.
This document provides guidance on various aspects of writing papers and conducting research for a course project. It discusses developing a clear thesis and main idea, researching and evaluating sources, taking effective notes, and using tables, charts and graphs to support arguments. It also outlines an in-class assignment to select a complex problem for the course project and homework to further explore expressions of the problem and preliminary research.
2014 NACAC 2014: Make Your Stories Pop: Strategies to Help Students Share The...Rebecca Joseph
2014 NACAC: Make Your Stories Pop: Strategies to Help Students Share Their Own Unique Voices in College Application Essays: This is the presentation from Rebecca Joseph, Margit Dahl, Valerie Gregory, and Anya Good with tips towards the end of the ppt.
The document provides guidance for writing a literary analysis essay. It discusses the differences between convincing and persuading, with convincing relating to establishing truth and persuading relating to encouraging action. An example is given of friends persuading someone to take a vacation by pointing out they were overworked, rather than convincing them. The document also includes tips for writing essays, such as focusing on a topic with ample evidence, interpreting evidence rather than just quoting it, and ensuring claims support the thesis.
This document provides the syllabus for an English graduate seminar on teaching young adult literature in times of upheaval. The course will explore award-winning young adult novels to develop critical literacy and an awareness of interconnectedness. Students will read one theory text, six novels, and submit three response posts and a final 15-20 page project. Class sessions held on Zoom will include close readings and discussions to elucidate key concepts. Academic integrity and respect for diversity are emphasized. The schedule outlines readings and assignments for each class session.
I stole the classic title here from the mathematician and philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Similarly, Tiger Woods used "How I play golf" for the manual to his trade, so I also copy him. While clearly I am not as great as either, to date I have about 140 published scientific outputs, written with around 60 different collaborators, and these have been cited in around 15,000 articles. This bruising experience has taught me a lot about how to write, and I will pass on all I can in an hour (but no bruises!). You will get plenty of advice here also from Bertrand Russell, Thomas&Turner, Peter Medawar, Kristin Cashore, Simon Peyton-Jones, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King ... and not so much from Tiger Woods.
Ethics - or how to have good manners in your scientific careerJoshua Knowles
Ethics basically means discipline. That is more helpful a thought than to think of it as morals, anyway. What disciplines does a scientist and communicator of science need so as to stay alive, and contribute to the great scientific game? Many of the disciplines needed are the classical social ones of being generous, polite, encouraging, open, honest, modest, and so on. Some others are more specialised, like how NOT to give your best unpublished ideas away at a conference, and how NOT to accidentally copy someone else's great idea they told you in confidence.
This document provides guidance for writing a college philosophy paper, including the professor's expectations, tips for writing the paper, and an overview of the writing and research process. Key points include meeting a 5-page minimum, having an original argument supported by the course text, properly formatting the paper in MLA or related style, avoiding plagiarism, and utilizing credible academic sources while considering potential biases.
The document outlines the plans for the next class session, which will focus on Inquiry 3 of analyzing public debates related to the presidential election. Students are instructed to free-write on several prompts to help choose a topic for their research memo and argument assignment, which will require researching an issue being debated in the election and taking a stance on it. Homework includes bringing a political cartoon to the next class and posting a forum response about the meaning and responsibilities of citizenship.
The document discusses the key elements and structure of an effective argumentative essay. It states that the goal of an argumentative essay is to persuade readers to adopt the writer's point of view on a given issue. A good argumentative essay presents a clear thesis, supporting evidence incorporated from thorough research, consideration of alternative perspectives, and a reasonable conclusion. The document provides guidance on developing logical reasoning, avoiding fallacies, and establishing an organized argument through outlining.
The document provides guidance on writing effective essays. It discusses the importance of having a clear structure, with a solid introduction, well-organized body paragraphs that build upon each other, and a powerful conclusion. It emphasizes analyzing and arguing your own points, rather than just describing information. The document also provides tips on style, such as using proper grammar and avoiding unnecessary words. It recommends using the Harvard referencing system to cite sources. The overall message is that with thorough research, a well-thought-out structure, and attention to style, students can write high-quality essays and earn better marks.
Academic writing on literature (from Gocsik’s Writing About World Literature)Amanda Preston
The document discusses several key aspects of scholarly writing, including conventions, analysis, and thesis statements. It notes that scholarly writing conforms to certain expectations, including analysis, interpretation, and using evidence from texts. Writers must consider the ongoing academic conversation and audience expectations. A strong thesis statement makes an arguable claim and sets the scope of the argument to follow. Supporting details and examples from the text must then be provided to back up the thesis.
This document provides an overview of the Toulmin method of argumentation. It discusses the key components of an argument according to this method - the claim, qualifiers, exceptions, data (reasons), warrants/evidence, anticipated objections, and rebuttals. Students are instructed to read an article on euthanasia and then analyze it using the Toulmin framework during a one hour break. They will then return to class to discuss their analysis. Key philosophers and sources on argumentation are also cited. The document aims to teach students how to deconstruct arguments according to the Toulmin model.
This document provides information and assignments for students on August 26, 2014. It outlines the learning targets of gathering information from multiple sources and bookmarking online resources. Students are assigned to complete a checklist and news quiz in a Google+ community. They are also given instructions for an activity called Cooperative Squares and guidelines for participation grades.
The document provides guidance on conducting a literature review. It emphasizes that a literature review is not just a listing of sources but a critical analysis that demonstrates understanding. It advises researching whether similar work has already been done to identify gaps and avoid duplication. A literature review involves mapping the "jigsaw puzzle" of the field to find missing pieces and place one's own work in the broader context and conversation. It should consider theories, be critical of sources, and reference all ideas from other works. Developing a theoretical framework can help structure the review.
This document outlines the agenda for a class, including an icebreaker where students share their favorite current and past TV shows. It discusses retreating from using Twitter for class announcements and instead using an "ask me" function on the instructor's Tumblr. It reminds students that projects are due next week and to bring laptops. It covers how to give constructive peer feedback when workshoping projects, using examples of American Idol judges to illustrate both positive and negative approaches. Students will practice peer reviewing in groups. The homework assigned is to read two articles and respond to a previous forum post with questions.
This document provides an agenda and terms for a class on English composition. The agenda includes presenting terms, discussing an essay assignment, in-class writing time, and learning about directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions. Several terms related to gender and sexuality are defined. The essay assignment involves writing a three-part essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Guidance is provided on writing directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions for academic essays.
Clear, james young, scott h ultralearning- master hard skills, outsmart the...Humberto Molina Jimenez
This document is the foreword to the book "Ultralearning" by Scott Young. It describes how the author first encountered Scott Young through his project of learning the MIT computer science curriculum in under a year. It discusses how Scott's commitment to intense, active practice of skills through "ultralearning" projects resonated with the author and informed his own self-directed learning experiences, such as intensely learning photography and writing. The author explains how Scott's principles of ultralearning aligned with the approach he used to become a successful author, and how following these principles can allow anyone to efficiently learn new skills or domains.
This document contains an agenda, terms list, and guidance for writing an essay on the book Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg.
The agenda outlines the class activities, which include a presentation on terms, discussing essay #3, in-class writing, and learning about directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions.
The terms list defines 13 terms related to gender and sexuality such as androgyny, bisexual, cross-dresser, cultural humility, and heterosexual privilege.
The essay writing guidance provides tips on how to write a directed summary that introduces the literary work, hooks the reader, assumes familiarity, uses transitions, and includes a clear thesis statement. It also explains
Sabbatical (Open Polytechnic) - Faculty as Scholars: Tips for Becoming Effect...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2011, April). Faculty as scholars: Tips for becoming effective researchers and writers. An invited presentation to the Open Polytechnic, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
The document discusses plagiarism and proper citation. It defines plagiarism as copying someone else's work and passing it off as your own without giving proper credit. This includes directly copying text, turning in another's paper, using someone else's ideas without citation, or paraphrasing without attribution. The document provides guidelines for integrating and citing others' work, such as using quotation marks for direct quotes and citing sources of ideas. It also discusses reasons why students plagiarize and encourages teaching proper citation to avoid plagiarism.
This document contains an agenda and terms list for Class 15 EWRT 1B. The agenda includes an in-class writing assignment on essay #3, which will involve a directed summary, counterargument, and conclusion. The terms list defines key terms like androgyny, anti-Semitism, assigned (biological) sex, bisexual, cross-dresser, cultural humility, and FtM/MtF. Guidance is provided on how to write a directed summary, counterargument, and conclusion for the essay assignment.
The document is a lesson plan for teaching students how to critically analyze persuasive texts. It discusses different types of evidence an author may use to support their claim, including statistical, testimonial, anecdotal, and analogical evidence. It also warns students about logical fallacies authors may use, specifically mentioning the false dichotomy fallacy where only two options are presented when more likely exist. The lesson encourages students to separate an author's argument from unnecessary language and identify the primary claim being made and whether sufficient evidence is provided to support it.
The document provides an overview of the lesson plan for a class on argumentation. It discusses various types of invention techniques - definition, exemplification, comparison, causality, and effects - that students can use to systematically develop ideas for argumentative essays. As homework, students are asked to generate 8-10 pages of invention notes using all the techniques and to read a chapter on researching and the internet.
This curriculum vitae summarizes Reena Vyas's background. She has a B.Com degree from Barkatullah University and is currently pursuing an MBA there. Her areas of interest are banking and share marketing. She has basic skills in Microsoft Office, C+, and Tally accounting. Her strengths include being a fast learner who respects deadlines and responds well to challenges.
The document provides a series of English language exercises including:
1) A multiple choice question asking what the reader would like to eat that day with various food options.
2) A question asking what color balloons are shown alongside color options to select.
3) A matching exercise asking for the capital cities of listed countries and providing tiles to reveal the answers.
This document outlines proper dining etiquette, including arriving on time, placing your napkin on your lap, using the appropriate glassware for different beverages, and knowing which utensils to use for salad, main courses, and dessert. It also covers social graces like making conversation with others at the table and thanking the host when finished.
The document discusses different perspectives on the meaning and purpose of life. It emphasizes that life is precious and should be lived fulfilling one's potential through personal growth and positive relationships. Several perspectives are presented, including humanistic approaches focusing on well-being, Confucian philosophy about achieving virtue through strong relationships, and life satisfaction coming from developing one's strengths and contributing to others. Overall, the key message is that life's meaning is found in the present moment by appreciating life as a gift and living fully through love, service, and realizing one's dreams.
The document discusses the key elements and structure of an effective argumentative essay. It states that the goal of an argumentative essay is to persuade readers to adopt the writer's point of view on a given issue. A good argumentative essay presents a clear thesis, supporting evidence incorporated from thorough research, consideration of alternative perspectives, and a reasonable conclusion. The document provides guidance on developing logical reasoning, avoiding fallacies, and establishing an organized argument through outlining.
The document provides guidance on writing effective essays. It discusses the importance of having a clear structure, with a solid introduction, well-organized body paragraphs that build upon each other, and a powerful conclusion. It emphasizes analyzing and arguing your own points, rather than just describing information. The document also provides tips on style, such as using proper grammar and avoiding unnecessary words. It recommends using the Harvard referencing system to cite sources. The overall message is that with thorough research, a well-thought-out structure, and attention to style, students can write high-quality essays and earn better marks.
Academic writing on literature (from Gocsik’s Writing About World Literature)Amanda Preston
The document discusses several key aspects of scholarly writing, including conventions, analysis, and thesis statements. It notes that scholarly writing conforms to certain expectations, including analysis, interpretation, and using evidence from texts. Writers must consider the ongoing academic conversation and audience expectations. A strong thesis statement makes an arguable claim and sets the scope of the argument to follow. Supporting details and examples from the text must then be provided to back up the thesis.
This document provides an overview of the Toulmin method of argumentation. It discusses the key components of an argument according to this method - the claim, qualifiers, exceptions, data (reasons), warrants/evidence, anticipated objections, and rebuttals. Students are instructed to read an article on euthanasia and then analyze it using the Toulmin framework during a one hour break. They will then return to class to discuss their analysis. Key philosophers and sources on argumentation are also cited. The document aims to teach students how to deconstruct arguments according to the Toulmin model.
This document provides information and assignments for students on August 26, 2014. It outlines the learning targets of gathering information from multiple sources and bookmarking online resources. Students are assigned to complete a checklist and news quiz in a Google+ community. They are also given instructions for an activity called Cooperative Squares and guidelines for participation grades.
The document provides guidance on conducting a literature review. It emphasizes that a literature review is not just a listing of sources but a critical analysis that demonstrates understanding. It advises researching whether similar work has already been done to identify gaps and avoid duplication. A literature review involves mapping the "jigsaw puzzle" of the field to find missing pieces and place one's own work in the broader context and conversation. It should consider theories, be critical of sources, and reference all ideas from other works. Developing a theoretical framework can help structure the review.
This document outlines the agenda for a class, including an icebreaker where students share their favorite current and past TV shows. It discusses retreating from using Twitter for class announcements and instead using an "ask me" function on the instructor's Tumblr. It reminds students that projects are due next week and to bring laptops. It covers how to give constructive peer feedback when workshoping projects, using examples of American Idol judges to illustrate both positive and negative approaches. Students will practice peer reviewing in groups. The homework assigned is to read two articles and respond to a previous forum post with questions.
This document provides an agenda and terms for a class on English composition. The agenda includes presenting terms, discussing an essay assignment, in-class writing time, and learning about directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions. Several terms related to gender and sexuality are defined. The essay assignment involves writing a three-part essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Guidance is provided on writing directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions for academic essays.
Clear, james young, scott h ultralearning- master hard skills, outsmart the...Humberto Molina Jimenez
This document is the foreword to the book "Ultralearning" by Scott Young. It describes how the author first encountered Scott Young through his project of learning the MIT computer science curriculum in under a year. It discusses how Scott's commitment to intense, active practice of skills through "ultralearning" projects resonated with the author and informed his own self-directed learning experiences, such as intensely learning photography and writing. The author explains how Scott's principles of ultralearning aligned with the approach he used to become a successful author, and how following these principles can allow anyone to efficiently learn new skills or domains.
This document contains an agenda, terms list, and guidance for writing an essay on the book Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg.
The agenda outlines the class activities, which include a presentation on terms, discussing essay #3, in-class writing, and learning about directed summaries, counterarguments, and conclusions.
The terms list defines 13 terms related to gender and sexuality such as androgyny, bisexual, cross-dresser, cultural humility, and heterosexual privilege.
The essay writing guidance provides tips on how to write a directed summary that introduces the literary work, hooks the reader, assumes familiarity, uses transitions, and includes a clear thesis statement. It also explains
Sabbatical (Open Polytechnic) - Faculty as Scholars: Tips for Becoming Effect...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2011, April). Faculty as scholars: Tips for becoming effective researchers and writers. An invited presentation to the Open Polytechnic, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
The document discusses plagiarism and proper citation. It defines plagiarism as copying someone else's work and passing it off as your own without giving proper credit. This includes directly copying text, turning in another's paper, using someone else's ideas without citation, or paraphrasing without attribution. The document provides guidelines for integrating and citing others' work, such as using quotation marks for direct quotes and citing sources of ideas. It also discusses reasons why students plagiarize and encourages teaching proper citation to avoid plagiarism.
This document contains an agenda and terms list for Class 15 EWRT 1B. The agenda includes an in-class writing assignment on essay #3, which will involve a directed summary, counterargument, and conclusion. The terms list defines key terms like androgyny, anti-Semitism, assigned (biological) sex, bisexual, cross-dresser, cultural humility, and FtM/MtF. Guidance is provided on how to write a directed summary, counterargument, and conclusion for the essay assignment.
The document is a lesson plan for teaching students how to critically analyze persuasive texts. It discusses different types of evidence an author may use to support their claim, including statistical, testimonial, anecdotal, and analogical evidence. It also warns students about logical fallacies authors may use, specifically mentioning the false dichotomy fallacy where only two options are presented when more likely exist. The lesson encourages students to separate an author's argument from unnecessary language and identify the primary claim being made and whether sufficient evidence is provided to support it.
The document provides an overview of the lesson plan for a class on argumentation. It discusses various types of invention techniques - definition, exemplification, comparison, causality, and effects - that students can use to systematically develop ideas for argumentative essays. As homework, students are asked to generate 8-10 pages of invention notes using all the techniques and to read a chapter on researching and the internet.
This curriculum vitae summarizes Reena Vyas's background. She has a B.Com degree from Barkatullah University and is currently pursuing an MBA there. Her areas of interest are banking and share marketing. She has basic skills in Microsoft Office, C+, and Tally accounting. Her strengths include being a fast learner who respects deadlines and responds well to challenges.
The document provides a series of English language exercises including:
1) A multiple choice question asking what the reader would like to eat that day with various food options.
2) A question asking what color balloons are shown alongside color options to select.
3) A matching exercise asking for the capital cities of listed countries and providing tiles to reveal the answers.
This document outlines proper dining etiquette, including arriving on time, placing your napkin on your lap, using the appropriate glassware for different beverages, and knowing which utensils to use for salad, main courses, and dessert. It also covers social graces like making conversation with others at the table and thanking the host when finished.
The document discusses different perspectives on the meaning and purpose of life. It emphasizes that life is precious and should be lived fulfilling one's potential through personal growth and positive relationships. Several perspectives are presented, including humanistic approaches focusing on well-being, Confucian philosophy about achieving virtue through strong relationships, and life satisfaction coming from developing one's strengths and contributing to others. Overall, the key message is that life's meaning is found in the present moment by appreciating life as a gift and living fully through love, service, and realizing one's dreams.
Knightdale Baptist Church November 15th 2015 Worship BulletinKnightdale Church
This document provides the order of service for a worship gathering at Knightdale Baptist Church on November 15th, 2015. It includes the hymns, scripture reading, sermon title, and announcements. The service will celebrate the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost and feature the sermon "Wherever We Stand" by Rev. Trent Sessoms based on Exodus 3:1-6. Upcoming events are also announced such as a Thanksgiving community service, Christmas cantata, and opportunities to support the food pantry and Backpack Buddies program.
Chris Newman is a half back player for the Richmond Football Club who was drafted in 2002 and played his last game on September 13, 2015. According to his stats, he played 268 games with 56 goals, a career-high of 32 possessions in a game, and over 2800 kicks and 1400 handballs in his career. He grew up in Victoria and played for Dandenong Stingrays and Coburg Football Club before joining Richmond. Richmond defeated Carlton in their first game this year but lost the 2015 elimination final against North Melbourne.
Este documento presenta información biográfica de Andrea Hervas Paredes y resume el Octavo Hábito de Stephen Covey sobre avanzar más allá de la efectividad hacia la grandeza. El reto es encontrar nuestra propia voz e inspirar a otros a encontrar la suya descubriendo y expresando nuestros dones de nacimiento a través de la visión, disciplina y conciencia.
Hoje é o aniversário da Tina e ela recebeu presentes de seus amigos Sara e Joãozinho. Depois da festa, Tina passeou com seu irmão Toninho e cachorro Tito e quando voltou para casa encontrou uma surpresa de aniversário planejada por sua família, tornando esse o melhor aniversário que ela já teve.
The document discusses the Portland State Aerospace Society's (PSAS) efforts to develop small scale liquid fuel engines to enable lower cost access to space. Specifically:
1. PSAS aims to develop ultra-low cost space systems through open source design documents and involvement of amateur engineers.
2. Their initial struggles included a lack of mechanical engineering volunteers and limitations of off-the-shelf solid rocket motors, leading them to pursue developing a liquid fuel engine design.
3. The mechanical engineering capstone project aims to develop such a liquid fuel engine through open source design documents and 3D printing, with the goal of making the design and iteration process easier.
The French National Day commemorates important events in the French Revolution in 1789 and 1790. Celebrations are held throughout France on July 14th, including a large military parade on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The document then provides descriptions of various wines that will be served at a wine dinner, including details on the vineyards and winemaking techniques.
The Paleoecology of Holme Moss Human interference influences on habitat changeNicola snow
This study aims to investigate habitat changes over time at Holme Moss using paleoecology techniques. Peat cores were taken from different habitats and analyzed for pollen and metal concentrations at various depths. Results show variations in lead, copper, potassium and magnesium concentrations between fresh and dry weights in both cores. Core Plat generally had higher metal levels than Core T1. Statistical analysis found several strong correlations between metal concentrations in the two cores and with depth, suggesting human interference has impacted Holme Moss habitats over time.
To write a successful academic essay in high school, students must understand three key concepts: 1) Academic writing focuses on ideas that scholars have debated for centuries and requires following certain conventions; 2) Topics must be relevant, appropriate, and of interest to other students and scholars by helping the reader understand or see the topic in a new way; 3) Arguments must be informed by sorting what is known from what is thought about a topic and determining a fresh observation beyond what is already understood.
Adapted from the University of Chicago Writing Program2 Pr.docxgalerussel59292
Adapted from: the University of Chicago Writing Program
2: Preparing to write and drafting the paper
Preparing to prove your point: the process of gathering evidence
Once you understand the assignment, your next task is to find data relevant to meeting it. The word "data" makes some humanists flinch a bit, but we need a word that distinguishes all the facts, quotations, references, numbers, events that might be relevant to your assignment from those fact, quotations, references, etc. that might support your specific claim or point. All the information related to your assignment is data; data becomes evidence when you use it to convince readers to agree with your point.
There isn’t space here to discuss the process of reading critically and selecting data,
thinking about what you have gathered, analyzing it, and discovering the point or claim that you want to make and support. Every assignment will ask you to look at your readings in a different way, and every text you read will raise its own problems of interpretation and analysis. In fact, that is what most of your classes are about: selecting and analyzing data, and arriving at a plausible conclusion about them.
The best generic advice we can give is this:
· Go through your readings once and mark with a highlighter everything you think plausibly relevant to answering the assignment.
· So that you can get a sense of it all, go through a second time, skimming what you have highlighted.
· Go through a third time, marking passages that seem most central to your assignment. Try to assign to each passage a key word that will help you sort them later.
· Now try to categorize those passages according to how they might support different points. Which ones support one point, which ones support another point. (Spend the time it takes to find data that might support different, even opposing, points. You need such data so that you can critically balance one point against another.)
· On a piece of paper, jot down what you think are the central concepts that emerge from this analysis.
· To these central concepts attach subsidiary concepts. Use some sort of symbol to represent the kinds of relationships that the subsidiary concepts have to the central concepts and to one another: cause and effect, similarity, contrast, more important-less important, earlier-later in time, and so on. Spend time playing with these relationships. Make lists of the central concepts, order and re-order them, find categories and subcategories.
· Then create a working outline around topics suggested by your categories of evidence.
At this point, you may have a fairly clear idea about the point you want to make; more often, you won't. Either way, if you have even a dim idea about the shape of your general point, prepare to start your first draft.
Planning your first draft: styles of outlining
You may have been told in high school that you needed a detailed outline before you began to draft a paper. For some writers, .
Adapted from the University of Chicago Writing Program2 Pr.docxbobbywlane695641
Adapted from: the University of Chicago Writing Program
2: Preparing to write and drafting the paper
Preparing to prove your point: the process of gathering evidence
Once you understand the assignment, your next task is to find data relevant to meeting it. The word "data" makes some humanists flinch a bit, but we need a word that distinguishes all the facts, quotations, references, numbers, events that might be relevant to your assignment from those fact, quotations, references, etc. that might support your specific claim or point. All the information related to your assignment is data; data becomes evidence when you use it to convince readers to agree with your point.
There isn’t space here to discuss the process of reading critically and selecting data,
thinking about what you have gathered, analyzing it, and discovering the point or claim that you want to make and support. Every assignment will ask you to look at your readings in a different way, and every text you read will raise its own problems of interpretation and analysis. In fact, that is what most of your classes are about: selecting and analyzing data, and arriving at a plausible conclusion about them.
The best generic advice we can give is this:
· Go through your readings once and mark with a highlighter everything you think plausibly relevant to answering the assignment.
· So that you can get a sense of it all, go through a second time, skimming what you have highlighted.
· Go through a third time, marking passages that seem most central to your assignment. Try to assign to each passage a key word that will help you sort them later.
· Now try to categorize those passages according to how they might support different points. Which ones support one point, which ones support another point. (Spend the time it takes to find data that might support different, even opposing, points. You need such data so that you can critically balance one point against another.)
· On a piece of paper, jot down what you think are the central concepts that emerge from this analysis.
· To these central concepts attach subsidiary concepts. Use some sort of symbol to represent the kinds of relationships that the subsidiary concepts have to the central concepts and to one another: cause and effect, similarity, contrast, more important-less important, earlier-later in time, and so on. Spend time playing with these relationships. Make lists of the central concepts, order and re-order them, find categories and subcategories.
· Then create a working outline around topics suggested by your categories of evidence.
At this point, you may have a fairly clear idea about the point you want to make; more often, you won't. Either way, if you have even a dim idea about the shape of your general point, prepare to start your first draft.
Planning your first draft: styles of outlining
You may have been told in high school that you needed a detailed outline before you began to draft a paper. For some writers, .
The document provides guidance on writing effective essays, emphasizing the importance of developing a clear structure and argument. It advises students to begin with a solid introduction, organize analysis around key themes in logical order, and conclude by tying ideas together. Students are warned against superficial writing techniques like waffling and told to focus on substantive analysis supported by evidence.
Here the reader has moved beyond a simple restatement of facts to analyze how specific language and stylistic elements work together to convey the main idea or theme of the text. This is an example of critical reading.
The essay for college application gives a sense of anxiety and fright to most of the students. It isn’t an easy job, after all it plays a major role in deciding your fate to admission.
Senior High School Reading and Writing Skillsqueenpressman14
The document discusses the key properties of well-written texts, including organization, coherence and cohesion, language use, and mechanics. It defines organization as the structural framework for writing, including logical arrangement of ideas. It discusses different types of text structures and parts of a text, including the introduction, body, and conclusion. It also discusses coherence and cohesion as principles that ensure ideas are connected and flow logically. Finally, it discusses five types of claims that texts may make: claims of fact, definition, cause, value, and policy.
PROBLEM Suppose a manager for X Corporation is having a hard time.docxbriancrawford30935
PROBLEM: Suppose a manager for X Corporation is having a hard time keeping employees. The company is striving to be an industry leader in consumer products and packaging, appealing to the millennial consumer, across the globe. As a UD intern, you suggest X Corporation implements an assessment of ability and/or personality to screen applicants better. Your manager sets your to work, exploring different ability assessments tied in with the job application process.
For this one-page paper, you will explore the hiring practice of multinational corporation Procter and Gamble (which we will say is a competitor to X Corporation!)
1. Go to the website: http://us.pgcareers.com/ Explore opportunities. What internship or co-op might be appropriate for you? Select a specific opportunity.
2. Then, explore their hiring process: http://pgcareers.com/apply/our-hiring-process/
3. What are their assessments?
4.Take the reasoning practice test. Make sure you time yourself, and truly test yourself. How did you do? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Explore ways in which you can improve your score. What options are available on the internet?
5. (Consider actually applying to an internship at P&G. If you do an complete any assessments, please share your results.)
6. Do you think these are fair assessments of one's ability to work at that environment? Why? Why not? Prepare a one-page report for your "supervisor" where you share your results, and persuade him/her to/not to implement an applicant screening process.
Again, this should be a ONE PAGE paper, single spaced, with sources cited and electronically linked.
20% of your grade will be howprofessionallyyou present your paper, with visual interest.
Department of Philosophy
Florida Atlantic University
Rev. 7-17
1
Essay Writing for this Course
Classes in the Humanities all plan, in some way, to help you develop your writing skills. Many careers you might pursue are heavily
dependent upon your ability to argue your point of view.
We all know everyone has a point of view and has the right to express that view in a socially recognizable manner, and many important
issues on which we have an opinion require far more than 140 characters to be expressed effectively. That is why we still study the
essay form of writing in Humanities courses. The essay is a form of writing that reaches back to 1580, when French philosopher
Michele de Montaigne first published his Essays on topics such as “Of the Custom of Wearing Clothes,” “Of Cannibals,” and “Of the
Inconvenience of Greatness.” Montaigne’s object was to express himself to people he would never meet through his writing. When
you can express yourself in a way that any person who might pick up your paper will easily understand you, writing can make you
influential among colleagues and fellow members of your community.
We all ‘know how to write,’ but there is a mile of difference between being able to write a 5-sentence profile de.
This document provides guidance on writing persuasive essays. It discusses establishing facts to support an argument, clarifying relevant values for the audience, and prioritizing facts and values to build the argument. It also mentions forming conclusions and convincing the audience that the conclusions follow from the agreed upon facts and shared values. The document provides strategies for completing a persuasive writing assignment such as determining facts and sources, evaluating an author's argument, and asking what is missing from an argument.
This document provides an agenda and terms for a lecture on inclusiveness and social justice. The agenda includes a presentation on key terms, a lecture covering counterarguments and conclusions, and an in-class writing assignment. The document then defines terms related to economic class, ethnocentrism, gender, gender expression, inclusiveness, internalized oppression, queer, resistance, and sexism. It concludes by outlining the structure for essay #2, including an introduction, thesis, body paragraphs, counterargument, and conclusion.
The document discusses plagiarism and how to avoid it. It defines plagiarism as presenting another's ideas as one's own without proper attribution. It emphasizes the importance of citing sources to distinguish between ideas borrowed from others and one's own analysis. It recommends taking careful notes, including bibliographic information, paraphrasing ideas in one's own words, and using quotation marks. It advises using citations liberally to demonstrate understanding while making clear distinctions between what authors say and one's own analysis.
Running Head FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 1 F.docxwlynn1
Running Head: FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY
1
FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY
2Chapter 3A Selecting a Problem and Reviewing the Research
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS CHAPTER:
· • How to select a research problem
· • Defining and sorting out idea after idea until one fits your interests
· • The importance of personal experience in selecting a problem
· • The steps in reviewing the literature
· • Different sources of information and how to use them
· • How to use journals, abstracts, and indices
· • The difference between primary and secondary resources
· • Using a synthesis of literature
· • How scholarly journals work
· • Using the Internet to complete your literature review
So here you are, in the early part of a course that focuses on research methods, and now you have to come up with a problem that you are supposed to be interested in! You are probably so anxious about learning the material contained in your professor’s lectures and what is in this volume that you barely have time to think about anything else.
If you stop for a moment and let your mind explore some of the issues in the behavioral and social sciences that have piqued your interest, you will surely find something that you want to know more about. That is what the research process is all about—finding out more about something that is, in part, already known.
Once you select an area of interest, you are only part of the way there. Next comes the statement of this interest in the form of a research question followed by a formal hypothesis. Then it is on to reviewing the literature, a sort of fancy phrase that sounds like you will be very busy! A literature review involves library time online or actually there, note taking, and organizational skills (and of course writing), but it provides a perspective on your question that you cannot get without knowing what other work has been done as well as what new work needs to be done.
But hold on a minute! How is someone supposed to have a broad enough understanding of the field and spew forth well-formed hypotheses before the literature is reviewed and then become familiar with what is out there? As poet John Ciardi wrote, therein “lies the rub.”
The traditional philosophers and historians of science would have us believe that the sequence of events leading up to a review of what has been done before (as revealed in the literature) is as shown in Figure 3A.1a. This sequence of steps is fine in theory, but as you will discover, the actual process does not go exactly in the manner shown in the figure.
The research question and research hypothesis are more an outgrowth of an interaction between the scientist’s original idea and an ongoing, thorough review of the literature (good scientists are always reading), as you can see in Figure 3A.1b. This means that once you formulate a hypothesis, it is not carved in stone but can be altered to fit what the review of the literature may reflect, as well as any change in ideas you ma.
This document discusses the importance of arguments in academic writing. It defines an argument as making a claim or thesis and supporting it with evidence. The document explains that instructors expect students to develop a point of view on course material and provide evidence, rather than just summarizing facts. It emphasizes finding the main point or claim of an assignment and backing it up with appropriate evidence from the field of study. The document also stresses considering and addressing potential counterarguments to strengthen the position.
This document discusses the importance of arguments in academic writing. It defines an argument as making a claim or thesis and supporting it with evidence. The document explains that instructors expect students to develop a point of view on course material and provide evidence, rather than just summarizing facts. It emphasizes finding the main point or claim of an assignment and backing it up with appropriate evidence from the field of study. The document also stresses considering and addressing potential counterarguments to strengthen the position.
1) Making an academic argument requires taking a position, or claim, on a topic and supporting it with evidence. It is not enough to simply summarize information but one must develop an interpretation and back it up.
2) A claim is the main idea or position being argued, and it must be supported with evidence that proves why the position is valid. Claims can be complex ideas and the paper then provides reasoning and evidence for why the reader should believe that position.
3) Strong evidence from credible sources is needed to back up any claim. The evidence used needs to be consistent and directly relevant to claims being made. Considering counterarguments can also strengthen an argument by demonstrating a thorough understanding of the issue.
The document discusses writing a literature review and provides guidance on the process. It explains that a literature review critically evaluates and analyzes existing relevant research rather than just summarizing it. It should show relationships between studies and how they relate to the author's own work. Key questions a literature review should answer are outlined. The author emphasizes developing an argument and making a case for why further study is needed. Guidance is provided on reading and writing techniques like flow writing and annotating to develop ideas and one's perspective. Structuring the literature review is discussed, noting that chronological ordering alone may not be effective.
The document discusses critical thinking versus logic, providing examples to illustrate the differences. It argues that critical thinking encourages skepticism and subjective reasoning, while logic assumes the existence of objective truth. It provides guidance for teaching children logic, including understanding the difference between valid and true arguments, and avoiding fallacies. Examples of fallacies like ad hominem attacks are given. The goal is to train children to evaluate arguments for both truth and logical soundness.
This presentation includes basic of PCOS their pathology and treatment and also Ayurveda correlation of PCOS and Ayurvedic line of treatment mentioned in classics.
Walmart Business+ and Spark Good for Nonprofits.pdfTechSoup
"Learn about all the ways Walmart supports nonprofit organizations.
You will hear from Liz Willett, the Head of Nonprofits, and hear about what Walmart is doing to help nonprofits, including Walmart Business and Spark Good. Walmart Business+ is a new offer for nonprofits that offers discounts and also streamlines nonprofits order and expense tracking, saving time and money.
The webinar may also give some examples on how nonprofits can best leverage Walmart Business+.
The event will cover the following::
Walmart Business + (https://business.walmart.com/plus) is a new shopping experience for nonprofits, schools, and local business customers that connects an exclusive online shopping experience to stores. Benefits include free delivery and shipping, a 'Spend Analytics” feature, special discounts, deals and tax-exempt shopping.
Special TechSoup offer for a free 180 days membership, and up to $150 in discounts on eligible orders.
Spark Good (walmart.com/sparkgood) is a charitable platform that enables nonprofits to receive donations directly from customers and associates.
Answers about how you can do more with Walmart!"
A workshop hosted by the South African Journal of Science aimed at postgraduate students and early career researchers with little or no experience in writing and publishing journal articles.
Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
This is part 1 of my Java Learning Journey. This Contains Custom methods, classes, constructors, packages, multithreading , try- catch block, finally block and more.
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, and GDPR: Best Practices for Implementation and...PECB
Denis is a dynamic and results-driven Chief Information Officer (CIO) with a distinguished career spanning information systems analysis and technical project management. With a proven track record of spearheading the design and delivery of cutting-edge Information Management solutions, he has consistently elevated business operations, streamlined reporting functions, and maximized process efficiency.
Certified as an ISO/IEC 27001: Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) Lead Implementer, Data Protection Officer, and Cyber Risks Analyst, Denis brings a heightened focus on data security, privacy, and cyber resilience to every endeavor.
His expertise extends across a diverse spectrum of reporting, database, and web development applications, underpinned by an exceptional grasp of data storage and virtualization technologies. His proficiency in application testing, database administration, and data cleansing ensures seamless execution of complex projects.
What sets Denis apart is his comprehensive understanding of Business and Systems Analysis technologies, honed through involvement in all phases of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). From meticulous requirements gathering to precise analysis, innovative design, rigorous development, thorough testing, and successful implementation, he has consistently delivered exceptional results.
Throughout his career, he has taken on multifaceted roles, from leading technical project management teams to owning solutions that drive operational excellence. His conscientious and proactive approach is unwavering, whether he is working independently or collaboratively within a team. His ability to connect with colleagues on a personal level underscores his commitment to fostering a harmonious and productive workplace environment.
Date: May 29, 2024
Tags: Information Security, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, Artificial Intelligence, GDPR
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How to Add Chatter in the odoo 17 ERP ModuleCeline George
In Odoo, the chatter is like a chat tool that helps you work together on records. You can leave notes and track things, making it easier to talk with your team and partners. Inside chatter, all communication history, activity, and changes will be displayed.
A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRMCeline George
Odoo 17 CRM allows us to track why we lose sales opportunities with "Lost Reasons." This helps analyze our sales process and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to configure lost reasons in Odoo 17 CRM
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRM
College writing part 1
1. Writingin College,
by Joseph M. Williamsand LawrenceMcEnerney
1. Some crucialdifferencesbetweenhigh school
and college writing
From high school to college
Some students make very smooth transitions from writing in high school to writing in college, and
we heartily wish all of you an easy passage. But other students are puzzled and frustrated by their
experiencesin writing for college classes. Only months earlier your writing was winning praise;
now your instructors are dissatisfied, saying that the writing isn't quite "there" yet, saying that the
writing is "lacking something." You haven't changed--your writing is still mechanicallysound, your
descriptionsare accurate, you're saying smart things. But they're still not happy. Some of the
criticism is easy to understand: it's easy to predict that standards at college are going to be higher
than in high school. But it is not just a matter of higher standards: Often, what your instructors
are asking of you is not just something better, but something different. If that's the case, then you
won't succeed merely by being more intelligent or more skillful at doing what you did in high
school. Instead, you'll need to direct your skills and your intelligence to a new task.
We should note here that a college is a big place and that you'll be asked to use writing to fulfill
different tasks. You'll find occasions where you'll succeed by summarizing a reading accuratelyand
showing that you understand it. There may be times when you're invited to use writing to react to
a reading, speculate about it. Far more often--like every other week--you will be asked to analyze
the reading, to make a worthwhile claim about it that is not obvious (state a thesis means almost
the same thing), to support your claim with good reasons, all in four or five pages that are
organized to present an argument . (If you did that in high school, write your teachers a letter of
gratitude.)
Argument: a key feature of college writing
Now by "argument" we do not mean a dispute over a loud stereo. In college, an argument is
something less contentious and more systematic: It is a set of statementscoherently arranged to
offer three things that experienced readers expect in essays that they judge to be thoughtful:
• They expect to see a claim that would encourage them to say, "That's interesting. I'd like to
know more."
• They expect to see evidence, reasons for your claim, evidence that would encourage them to
agree with your claim, or at least to think it plausible.
2. • They expect to see that you've thought about limits and objections to your claim. Almost by
definition, an interesting claim is one that can be reasonably challenged. Readers look for
answers to questions like "But what about . . . ?" and "Have you considered . . . ?"
This kind of argument is less like disagreeablewrangling, more like an amiable and lively
conversationwith someone whom you respect and who respects you; someone who is interested
in what you have to say, but will not agree with your claims just because you state them;
someone who wants to hear your reasons for believing your claims and also wants to hear
answers to their questions.
At this point, some students ask why they should be required to convince anyone of anything.
"After all," they say, "we are all entitled to our opinions, so all we should have to do is express
them clearly. Here's my opinion. Take it or leave it." This point of view both misunderstandsthe
nature of argument and ignores its greatest value.
It is true that we are all entitled to our opinions and that we have no duty to defend them. But
universitieshold as their highest value not just the pursuit of new knowledge and better
understanding, but the sharing of that knowledge. We write not only to state what we have think
but also to show why others might agree with it and why it matters. We also know that whatever it
is we think, it is never the entire truth. Our conclusions are partial, incomplete, and always subject
to challenge. So we write in a way that allows others to test our reasoning: we present our best
thinking as a series of claims, reasons, and responses to imagined challenges, so that readers can
see not only what we think, but whether they ought to agree.
And that's all an argument is--not wrangling, but a serious and focused conversationamong
people who are intensely interested in getting to the bottom of things cooperatively.
Those values are also an integral part of your education in college. For four years, you are asked to
read, do research, gather data, analyze it, think about it, and then communicateit to readers in a
form in which enables them to asses it and use it. You are asked to do this not because we expect
you all to become professionalscholars, but because in just about any profession you pursue, you
will do research, think about what you find, make decisions about complex matters, and then
explain those decisions--usually in writing--to others who have a stake in your decisions being
sound ones. In an Age of Information, what most professionalsdo is research, think, and make
arguments. (And part of the value of doing your own thinking and writing is that it makes you
much better at evaluating the thinking and writing of others.)
In the next few pages, we're going to walk you through a process of creating an argument in a
Humanitiesor Social Science paper. Note that we're describing "a" process and not "the" process.
We're not describing the way that everyone does go about writing an argument. We're certainly not
describing the way everyone must go about writing an argument. Further, we can't cover
everything, and some of your teachers will expect something other than what we describe here.
There are even some differencesbetween how you write papers in Humanitiesand in the Social
Sciences. But within all these limits, we can lay some groundwork for writing college papers.
We begin with the assignment that gets you started; then we discuss some ways to plan your
paper so that you don't waste too much time on false starts. We conclude with some strategies for
drafting and revising, especially revising, because the most productive work on a paper begins
3. after you have gotten your ideas out of the warm and cozy incubator of your own mind and into
the cold light of day.
Interpreting assignments: a guide to professors' expectations
Not all of your instructors will be equally clear about what they expect of your paper. Some will tell
you in detail what to read, how to think about it, and how to organize your paper, but others will
ask a general question just to see what you can do with it. Some instructors will expect you to
stay close to the assignment, penalizing you if you depart from it; others will encourage you to
strike out on your own. Some few instructors may want you to demonstrateonly that you have
read and understood a reading, but most will want you to use your understandingof the reading
as a jumping-off point for an analysis and an argument.
So your first step in writing an assigned paper occurs well before you begin writing: You must
know what your instructor expects. Start by assuming that, unless you see the words "Summarize
or paraphrasewhat X says about . . . ," your instructor is unlikely to want just a summary. Beyond
this point, however, you have to become a kind of anthropologist, reading the culture of your
particular class to understand what is said, what is not, and what is intended.
Start by looking carefully at the words of the assignment. If it is phrased in any of these ways,
one crucial part of your task has been done for you:
• "Agree or disagree: 'Freud misunderstoodthe feminine mind when he wrote . . . .'"
• "Was Lear justified in castigating Cordelia when she refused to . . . ?"
• "Discuss whether Socrates adequately answered the charge that he corrupted the youth of
Athens."
For questions like these, you start (but it's only a start) by considering two opposing claims: Freud
understood the feminine mind or did not , Lear was or was not justified, Socrates did or did not
answer the charges against him. For reasons we will discuss below, you will not want the claim of
your paper to be merely yes or no, he did or he didn't. But an assignment like this can make it
easier to get started because you can immediatelybegin to find and assess data from your
readings. You can look at passages from the reading and consider how they would support one of
the claims. (Remember: this is only a start. You do not want to end up with a claim that says
nothing more than "Freud did (or did not) understand the feminine mind." "Lear was (or was not)
justified in castigating Cordelia " "Socrates did (or did not) adequately answer the charge.")
More likely, however, your assignments will be less specific. They won't suggest opposite claims.
Instead, they'll give you a reasonably specific sense of subject matter and a reasonably specific
sense of your task:
"illustrate," "explain," "analyze," "evaluate," "compare and contrast,"
"Discuss the role that the honor plays in The Odyssey. "
"Show how Molière exploits comic patterns in a scene from Tartuffe."
4. None of these assignments implies a main point or claim that you can directly import into your
paper. You can't just claim that "honor does play a role in The Odyssey" or that "MoliËre does
exploit comic patterns in Tartuffe." After all, if the instructor has asked you to discuss how MoliËre
used comic patterns, she presumably already believes that he did use them. You get no credit for
asserting the existence of something we already know exists.
Instead, these assignments ask you to spend four or five pages explaining the results of an
analysis. Words such as "show how" and "explain" and "illustrate" do not ask you to summarizea
reading. They ask you to show how the reading is put together, how it works. If you asked
someone to show you how your computer worked, you wouldn't be satisfied if they simply
summarized: "This is the keyboard, this is the monitor, this is the printer." You already know the
summary--now you want to know how the thing does what it does. These assignments are similar.
They ask you to identify parts of things--parts of an argument, parts of a narrative, parts of a
poem; then show how those parts fit together (or work against one another) to create some
larger effect.
But in the course of so doing, you can't just grind out four or five pages of discussion,
explanation, or analysis. It may seem strange, but even when you're asked to "show how" or
"illustrate," you're still being asked to make an argument. You must shape and focus that
discussion or analysis so that it supports a claim that you discovered and formulated and that all
of your discussion and explanation develops and supports. We'll talk more about claims -- also
known as points -- in later sections.
A third kind of assignment is simultaneouslyleast restrictiveand most intimidating. These
assignments leave it up to you to decide not only what you will claim but what you will write about
and even what kind of analysis you will do: "Analyze the role of a character in The Odyssey." That
is the kind of assignment that causes many students anxiety because they must motivate their
research almost entirely on their own. To meet this kind of assignment, the best advice we can
give is to read with your mind open to things that puzzle you, that make you wish you understood
something better.
Now that advice may seem almost counterproductive; you may even think that being puzzled or
not understandingsomething testifies to your intellectual failure. Yet almost everything we do in a
university starts with someone being puzzled about something, someone with a vague--or
specific--dissatisfactioncaused by not knowing something that seems important or by wanting to
understand something better. The best place to begin thinking about any assignment is with what
you don't understand but wish you did.
If after all this analysis of the assignment you are still uncertain about what is expected of you,
ask your instructor. If your class has a Writing Intern, ask that person. If for some reason you
can't ask either, locate the Academic Tutor in your residence hall and ask that person. Do this as
soon as possible. You're not likely to succeed on an assignment if you don't have a clear sense
of what will count as success. You don't want to spend time doing something different than what
you're being asked to do.
Another key feature of college writing: what's your point?
However different your assignments may seem, most will share one characteristic: in each, you
will almost certainly be asked to make a point. Now when we talk about the "point" of your paper,
5. you should understand what we do and do not mean. If asked what the point of their paper is,
most students answer with something like, "Well, I wanted to write about the way Falstaff plays
the role of Prince Hal's father." But that kind of sentence names only your topic and an intention
to write about it.
When most of your instructors ask what the point of your paper is, they have in mind something
different. By "point" or "claim" (the words are virtually synonymous with thesis), they will more
often mean the most important sentence that you wrote in your essay, a sentence that appears on
the page, in black in white; words that you can point to, underline, send on a postcard; a
sentence that sums up the most important thing you want to say as a result of your reading,
thinking, research, and writing. In that sense, you might state the point of your paper as "Well, I
want to show/prove/claim/argue/demonstrate( any of those words will serve to introduce the
point) that
‘Though Falstaff seems to play the role of Hal's father, he is, in fact, acting more like a
younger brother who . . . .’"
If you include in your paper what appears after I want to prove that, then that's the point of your
paper, its main claim that the rest of your paper supports.
But what's a good point?
A question just as important as what a point is, though, is what counts as a good one. We will
answer that question here, even though it gets us ahead of ourselves in describing the process of
writing a paper. Many beginning writers think that writing an essay means thinking up a point or
thesis and then finding evidence to support it. But few of us work that way. Most of us begin our
research with a question, with a puzzle, something that we don't understand but want to, and
maybe a vague sense of what an answer might look like. We hope that out of our early research
to resolve that puzzle there emerges a solution to the puzzle, an idea that seems promising, but
one that only more research can test. But even if more research supports that developing idea, we
aren't ready to say that that idea is our claim or point. Instead, we start writing to see whether
we can build an argument to support it, suspecting, hoping that in the act of writing we will refine
that idea, maybe even change it substantially.
That's why we say we are getting ahead of ourselves in this account of writing a paper, because
as paradoxicalas it may sound, you are unlikely to know exactly what point you will make until
after you have written the paper in which you made it. So for us to talk about the quality of a
point now is to get ahead of ourselves, because we haven't even touched on how you might think
about drafting your paper, much less revising it. But because everything you do at the beginning
aims at finding a good point, it is useful to have a clear idea about what it is you are trying to
find, what makes for a good point.
A good point or claim typically has several key characteristics: it says something significant about
what you have read, something that helps you and your readers understand it better; it says
something that is not obvious, something that your reader didn't already know; it is at least mildly
contestable, something that no one would agree with just by reading it; it asserts something that
you can plausibly support in five pages, not something that would require a book.
6. Measured by those criteria, these are not good points or claims:
• "1 Henry IV by William Shakespeare is a play that raises questions about the nature of
kingship and responsibility." Sounds impressive, but who would contest it? Everyone who has
read the play already knows that it raises such questions.
• "Native Son is one of the most important stories about race relations ever written." Again,
your readers probably already agree with this, and if so, why would they read an essay that
supported it? Further, are you ready to provide an argument that this point is true? What
evidence could you provide to make this argument? Are you prepared to compare the effect of
Native Son with the effects of other books about race relations?
• "Socrates' argument in The Apology is very interesting." Right. So?
• "In this paper I discuss Thucydides' account of the Corcyrean-Corinthian debate in Book I."
First, what significant thing does this point tell us about the book? Second, who would contest
this (who would argue that you are not going to discuss Thucydides' account?).
None of these is a particularlysignificant or contestable point, and so none of them qualifies as a
good one.
What does qualify as a good claim? These might:
• The three most prominent women in Heart of Darkness play key roles in a complex system
of parallels: literally as gatekeepers of Africa, representativelyas gatekeepers of darkness,
and metaphoricallyas gatekeepers of brutality.
• While Freud argues that followers obey because each has a part of themselves invested in
the leader, Blau claims that followers obey in order to avoid punishment. Both neglect the
effects of external power.
You should recognize, however, that you will only rarely be able state good points like these before
you write your first draft. Much more often, you discover good points at the end of the process of
drafting. Writing is a way of thinking through a problem, of discovering what you want to say. So
do not feel that you should begin to write only when you have a fully articulated point in mind.
Instead, write to discover and to refine it.
One note on the language of point sentences. If you're like us, you will want your readers to think
that your points are terrifically interesting and significant. What almost never accomplishesthis is
to say: "My point is terrifically interesting and significant." Many writers try to generate a sense of
importancefor what they write by simply adding some synonym of the word "important:" "An
important question to consider . . ." "It is essential to examine . . . " "A crucial concern is
whether. . ." This isn't going to work. What convinces readers that a point is important is not the
word "important," but the words that tell us the substance of the point. If, during your first draft,
you find yourself using words like "important," you should make a note to yourself to come back
during your revisionsto replace "important" with more substantive language. Then don't forget to
do it. It's really important.
7. Now: in order to prove that important point -- or to go through a process that will help you
develop one -- you'll need a strategy for gathering evidence and writing a first draft. We offer
advice on these matters in the next section: "Preparingto write and drafting the paper."
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Lawrence McEnerney is Director of the University of Chicago Writing Program. Joseph M. Williams (1933-2008)
was Professor of English Language and Literature and the founder of the University of Chicago Writing Program.
Writing in College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
license. You may use and share this essay and/or its chapters for non-commercial educational purposes,
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