It's 2 a.m. and tomorrow you have to submit papers. Unfortunately you don't understand what a paper is, much less write it. Don't worry, Wikihow is here to help! Writing or paper is writing that draws ideas and information from various sources and makes it a coherent whole. Writing it requires the ability to digest information and organize it well. Although this ability is taught at the secondary and higher education levels, it is also needed in the business and advertising world. Read on to learn how to write it.
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Part 1 of 4: Determining the Topic
Step 1. Understand the concept of the paper
The purpose of writing a paper is to make meaningful connections between the various writings/sections of work to complement each other and reinforce the basic idea on the topic of your choice. In other words, if you research a topic, you will look for common threads and then organize them into one solid perspective on the topic. Some of the categories of papers are as follows::
- Opinion pool: This is a type of paper with a strong thesis statement that presents the author's point of view. Relevant information is organized by research in a logical way to strengthen the point of view in the chosen position. In the business world, these are referred to as “position papers”.
- Review: Generally written as the opening section of an opinion paper. Reviews are a form of discussion of things that have been discussed on a topic, along with critical analysis of the sources. The main thesis usually covers what needs to be investigated further or has not been discussed in the existing discussion. This type of paper is common in social science and medical classes.
- Background/explanatory paper: This type of essay helps the reader to understand the topic by categorizing facts and presenting them for the reader's understanding. This paper does not require a certain point of view, and even if it has a thesis statement, it does not need to be strong. Some business papers have this form, although they generally retain a point of view.
Step 2. Choose an appropriate topic for the paper
This topic should be broad enough to draw on several related sources, but not too broad to then compile a variety of sources that are too dissimilar. If you can choose a topic, read it first to determine what you want to write about. However, if you're writing a term paper for a class, it's likely that the topic has already been defined or you'll have to select it from a list.
An example of narrowing a broad topic into a sensible paper topic: instead of writing about the broad issue of social networking media, narrow it down and talk about the effect writing short messages has on English (or Indonesian, for example)
Step 3. Choose and read your sources carefully
Choose at least three sources for this essay, and possibly one or two more, depending on the time you have to research and read it. Look for material in your sources that relates to the reason for writing the paper (whatever your argument is).
Step 4. Compose your thesis statement
After reading sources or doing research, you should give your opinion or opinion on the topic. Your thesis is the main idea in the paper. It should contain the topic and your perspective on the related topic. Say it as a complete sentence. Depending on the type of your paper, this thesis statement could be the opening sentence or the last sentence of the first paragraph.
Example: Text messages have a positive effect on English as long as it helps young people to form their own language
Step 5. Reread your sources for things that support your paper
Read your sources again and select the key citations, statistics, ideas or facts that support your thesis. Once you find it, write it down. You will use this in the paper.
- If you plan to use a claim that contradicts your idea and points out its flaws, you should also find citations that contradict your thesis statement and find ways to prove it untrue.
- Example: For the thesis statement listed above, strong sources include quotes from linguists to discuss new words formed when using “short-message-language”; statistics showing that English has evolved with each generation, and the fact that students can still write using good grammar and spelling (it is likely that your opponent will use this statement as the main reason why text messages have such a bad effect on English).
Part 2 of 4: Creating Outlines
Step 1. Outline your thesis
You can do this with a formal outline or simply structure it in your head, but you will need to decide how to present the text for the best effect. A good structure is as follows::
- Opening paragraph: An opening sentence that acts as a hook, capturing the reader's interest. 2. Identify the issues to be discussed. 3. Thesis statement.
- Body of paragraph: 1. Topic sentence that gives one reason to support your thesis. 2. Explanation and opinion on the main topic. 3. Support from your sources that support the claims you make. 4. An explanation of the importance and relevance of your sources.
- Conclusion paragraph: 1. State the importance of your topic based on the evidence and reasons discussed in the paper. 2. Deep thoughts to end your paper.
Step 2. Use a more creative structure in presenting your thesis
You can use some of the approaches below to structure them.:
- Example/illustration. This can be in a summary, a direct quote or a recount of sources that support your point of view. You can use more than one example or illustration if necessary. If not, you should still provide a series of examples to support your thesis.
- The Strawman argument technique. With this technique, you provide an argument that contradicts the argument you have chosen, and then points out the shortcomings of the opposing argument. Using this format, you show that you are aware of conflicting questions and are prepared to answer these. You provide opposing arguments right after your thesis, followed by evidence to refute those arguments and ending with positive arguments in favor of your thesis.
- Concession technique. Essays with concessions are structured similar to the straw man technique, but in the concession technique, they still believe in the validity of the opposing arguments while showing that their arguments are stronger. This structure is important if the essay is aimed at a reader who has opposing viewpoints.
- Comparison and contrast. This structure compares similarities and contrasts differences between two subjects or sources to see both. Writing a paper with this structure requires careful reading of your source material to find the main points of both similarities and differences. This kind of paper can present arguments between sources or based on points of similarities or differences.
Step 3. Create an appropriate outline for the background or synthesis paper
While most synthesis papers generally focus on stating and supporting a thesis, background and review papers focus more on the ideas from the source than on the author's point of view. There are two basic ways to structure this kind of paper:
- Summary. This structure presents a summary of each relevant source, strengthening the arguments for your thesis. This provides specific evidence that supports your point of view but usually also undermines your own. It is generally used for background papers and reviews.
- List of background-problems. This is a series of sub-points from the main points of your paper as set out in the thesis. Each reason is supported by evidence. As with the concatenation method, the reasons should be more progressive with the most important reasons at the back.
Part 3 of 4: Writing Your Paper
Step 1. Write your first draft based on the outline
Be prepared to deviate from the original plan, but only if you find new ideas and information from sources that support your assertion.
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Your paper should have an opening paragraph including a thesis and a body to present the evidence supporting the thesis and an overview summarizing your points. #Write in third person. Use the word "author" and clear and complete sentences. Provide enough information to demonstrate your credibility as the subject of your essay. You should write in the active form as much as possible, although passive sentences are acceptable if you use first-person ("I") or second-person ("He") pronouns.
Write a Synthesis Essay Step 10
Step 2. Use transitions between paragraphs to make the writing flow logically
Transitions are a good way to show how all of your sources support each other: “Hallstrom's theory of pricing is supported by Pennington's paper, “Cliffhanger Economics” in which the following points are made:”
Long quotes that are longer than three lines should be arranged as a block of quotes for easier viewing
Part 4 of 4: Completing Your Paper
Step 1. Revise your essay
This is a time to strengthen arguments and improve transitions between one point and another. You should be able to make arguments that are as concise as possible and easy to understand. Try reading your paper aloud, as this will make it easier for you to notice ambiguous sentences or incoherent opinions.
Ask someone else to proofread your paper. There is a saying that says "Two heads are still better than one". Ask your friend or coworker to review the paper. What would they add or remove from the paper? Most importantly: do your arguments make sense and are supported by existing references?
Step 2. Proofread (reread) your paper
- Reread the text and look for grammatical errors, punctuation or misspellings. Are all names and all words spelled correctly? Are there any ambiguous sentences or fragments? Fix it as you read.
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Read the paper aloud to ensure that you don't add or remove words accidentally in your head.
Write a Synthesis Essay Step 13 - If you can, ask a friend or classmate to read too. They can see what they missed.
Step 3. Citing sources
For most papers, this means using a footnote in the body of the paper and a bibliography at the end. Footnotes and direct quotations must be used in any paraphrased citations or material cited. If you are writing for an AP test, you will be asked not to use a specific style but to state the source immediately after you have cited it.
- An example cites in an AP paper: McPherson states that “writing short delivery has changed English in a positive way – it has provided a new way for a new generation to communicate” (Source E).
- For college papers, you will most likely write in MLA format. Whatever format you choose, be consistent in its use. You may also be asked to use the APA or Chicago style of writing.
Step 4. Give your paper a title
This title should be able to describe the main idea in the thesis statement as well as the supporting arguments. Choosing a final title can help ensure that the title you choose fits the essay you've already written, and not the other way around.
