Tips for Writing an Academic Paper

 

Writing an academic paper requires careful planning and execution. After writing your paper, you should revise it numerous times to make sure you have all the requirements.

Here are a few tips that will help you with writing your paper.

1. Select a Thesis Statement 

Your thesis statement is your argument for your paper. After selecting your research topic, do some research into the topic to find out what you would like to focus on. Once you've selected what you will focus on, write a thesis statement that has your argument for the topic.

2. Write a strong introduction

Your introduction should introduce your readers to the topic. It should grab our attention and also let us know what you will cover in the body. Your introduction will also include your thesis statement.

3. Cite multiple sources 

Using multiple sources helps to validate your paper and gives you additional support for your argument.

4. Proofread your work 

Read your work over and over. Ask a friend to proofread your work. There are also free resources that you can use such as the school's Writing Studio that can help you with writing your paper.

5. Give at least one opposing side

Presenting the argument of the opposing side shows that you have considered arguments opposing your argument and are prepared to defend your argument.

6. Use APA style

APA style is the format that will be used for this paper. To learn more about APA format, read Purdue's Online Writing Lab help guides.

Try to Avoid:

1. Plagiarism - Make sure to give credit or cite any article that you are using in your work. Points will be deducted for plagiarizing. The software, Turnitin, will be used to detect plagiarism. Therefore it is a good idea to cite anything that isn't your idea.

2. Writing in the first person - Your paper is an academic paper, therefore using the first person, "I", should not be a part of your paper as it sets a more informal tone than a formal tone.

3. Citing or quoting a dictionary - It seems like a good idea since you may want to define a term, however, avoid this. Instead, cite the definition used in an article.

4. Asking a question to begin the paper - This seems like a good idea as you want to clarify your point or define a term, however, avoid doing this when writing your research paper. It is best to just discuss your point with in-text citations.

5. Using generalizations - Generalizations tend to discredit your argument as there is no evidence to substantiate your statement. Use statistics or information that is supported by scholarly research to support your argument.

These are just a few tips that can help you to write a great paper.