1
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- Review of Writing Principles
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2
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- Overstatement
- Pronoun and its antecedents need to be clear
- Clear Issues
- Flow and Cohesion
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3
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- A synopsis – a thesis that is really concise
- More than a summary; it has a specific purpose
- Abstract’s purpose: sell the paper
- Avoid being too personal/colloquial
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4
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- European: Deductive– general ideas coming together to make a specific
conclusion.
- American: Inductive– specific idea(s) supported by more general data.
- Some Cultures: assume that people are intelligent enough to figure out
the point (this type of writing is common in magazines such as The
Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, Scientific American, Wall Street
Journal, The New York Times, Society, Smithsonian, The Economist,
Civilization, and Modern Art.
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5
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- Always focus on the author!
- Why is this written?
- How is it put together?
- Read over details quickly, and pause frequently to summarize.
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6
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- What is the author’s subject matter?
- What is the specific aspect of the topic does the author focus on?
- Why did the author include this paragraph?
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7
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- Title: needs to be descriptive; at most 2 lines
- Be sure to state the problem; why are you writing the paper?
- The paper and the abstract need to be on the same level.
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8
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- Inductive: state point & use proof to back it up
- Problem
- Background: previous work dealing with the subject, pro & con
(don’t let out your opinion at this point)
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9
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- Thesis: make an assertion (positive or negative); this is where you
state your opinion.
- Support for your opinion
- Don’t give away results
- Not much analysis
- Avoid being too abstract
- Conclusion
- Recap: what’s the issue?; what do you think, and why?
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10
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11
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- What’s the Issue?
- Background on WHY it’s an issue and why it’s important.
- Analysis of the issue.
- Your stand on the issue: thesis with little elaboration.
- Conclusion
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12
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- Introduction (aka Background): 30%
- Analysis: 50%
- Conclusion: 20%
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13
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- Point – Counterpoint
- What you support should come last
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14
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- Be very careful about your use of the passive voice.
- Use a ‘logical chain’: one point flows into the next – creating a sense
of linear motion.
- Conclusion: Revisit the Big Picture
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15
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- Vary the length of sentences.
- Don’t be repetitive (i.e. beginning the consecutive sentences with
‘the,’ etc.)
- Watch your diction.
- Flow, Flow, Flow!!!!!!!!
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16
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