Scary college paper. The thought of writing a paper can frighten even the most confident student. How do you get started? What will you write? Will you finish on time? Do not be afraid. By understanding the structure of a literary paper, carefully prewriting, using multiple drafts, and learning strategies for dealing with deadlocks, you'll be able to make writing a paper for a literature course easy.
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Part 1 of 6: Analyzing Writing and Developing Thesis
Step 1. Read and analyze the writing
Writing is the starting point for any literary analysis. You will need to read the text at least once and take careful notes to prepare for your essay. As you read:
- Think about what appeals to you the most: graphics, characters, plot, pace, feel, etc. Take an example.
- Consider the context. Is writing influenced by other writings, such as the Bible or Shakespeare or even contemporary pop music? Does the writing use a style or form that was popular in an era, such as an epistolary novel from the 18th century?
- Reflect on what you know about the author. How did his biography influence writing?
- Focus on certain elements in the story and how they work. How do the characters influence the story or theme? Why did the writer choose a particular setting, picture, or nuance?
- Make sure what arguments the writing makes or what themes it explores you think. What do you think is the main idea that the author wants you to understand after reading?
Step 2. Choose a topic
The topic is the subject that will be your focus. The earlier you pick a topic, the earlier you can start gathering evidence to back it up. Ideally, you should have an idea of what you want to write before you finish reading it. There are two types of essays, each with its own type of topic:
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Expository essay serves to provide information to the reader.
- Your topic can be a literary element of a work, such as character, plot, structure, theme, symbol, style, image, nuance, etc.
- Another common topic is how a work describes or breaks down the shape of a particular genre or thought.
- You can also draw parallels between the work and real subjects such as historical events or the author's life.
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An argumentative essay takes a position on a debatable topic with the aim of changing the reader's mind. The topic will usually be your thesis.
- Topics cannot be factual: for example, the nobles in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" speak in an iambic pentameter style.
- Arguments should not be won too easily: for example, nobles speak in the official iambic pentameter style in "Hamlet" to accentuate their position.
- The topic has to be something that many people might naturally disagree with: for example, in the story "Hamlet", Shakespeare writes the manner of speech of the nobles in iambic pentameter not to accentuate their elite position, but to emphasize how limited the characters of nobles really are when compared to commoners. more free.
Step 3. Focus on your topic
A good topic should be narrow enough for you to really cover it within the page limit. The key is to start broadly then narrow your focus. Ultimately, you need to develop an argument on the topic. Those arguments will become your thesis. For example:
- Broad topic – Use of humor in Hamlet's work.
- Add words to make it more specific – Hamlet's use of humor in Hamlet's work.
- Turn it into an even more specific sentence – Hamlet's use of humor stands in stark contrast to his madness.
Step 4. Develop a thesis
The next step is to turn your topic into an argument – for example, Hamlet's sense of humor is key to convincing the reader that he is in fact sane. Although your thesis may be revised as you write it, it is still important to write a preliminary thesis about the writing, what it is trying to achieve, and the techniques the author uses to do it. The thesis will help you to organize your ideas.
Be specific. For example: "Techniques free the reader to give meaning to images that are described only slightly to reinforce the theme of freedom against destiny explored in The Night Circus. This sentence is better than something more obscure like: "The author uses rich visual images with great influence in The Night Circus."
Step 5. Gather more evidence to support your thesis
Now that you have chosen your topic and introductory thesis, you can focus your research. Reread the selected work or passage, looking for quotes that can be used to develop an argument. Maybe you need to look for evidence that relates to the next step: outline the essay.
Part 2 of 6: Creating an Essay Outline
Step 1. Arrange the ideas in an outline
It's always a good idea to make an outline. At a minimum, you need to include a thesis statement and a description of what is covered in the next paragraph. For example:
- Thesis: A technique that frees the reader to give meaning to the images described slightly reinforces the theme of freedom against destiny explored in The Night Circus.
- Paragraph 1: Summary – The Night Circus is a novel about young men and young women competing in a magical contest they don't fully understand, with a fantastic circus as the backdrop for the magic.
- Paragraph 2: While the novel is visually appealing, the description is actually very meager, as in the description of the fantastic clock that sits at the entrance of the circus.
- Paragraph 3: His description of the magical snow garden is also very simple.
- Paragraph 4: Its simplicity frees the reader to give their own description using the guidelines provided by the writing, just as the main characters interpret the circus within the limits of the game's rules.
- Paragraph 5: The simple but beautiful description reinforces the theme of freedom against destiny that lies behind the story.
Step 2. Use an outline to help structure and guide your research
If you write an outline early in the research process, you can use it to help focus on specific areas that you need to explore in more detail. This will save you time, by preventing you from researching areas that will not appear in the paper.
Step 3. Add outline content while working on the paper
Outlines can also be "containers" for placing information. Once you have an outline, you can start putting evidence and analysis into it as you get it, to produce a more detailed outline that includes citations and evidence for each paragraph, like this example outline.
Part 3 of 6: Drafting a Paper
Step 1. Start with an introductory paragraph
Enter the title and author of the main work you worked on, as well as your thesis. It aims to clearly define the problem to be addressed in your essay.
- Don't write something vague like "This story is about the problems of human civilization."
- Be specific: "At the end of the story, Rainsford becomes like Zargoff, another civilized assassin. He has taken the brutal attitude of his opponents so easily that we are invited to question civilization's claims to control human aggression".
Step 2. Write a summary, if necessary
If writing is something the whole class should read, you won't need to summarize it. However, if this is a piece of writing that readers may not know much about, you need to provide a brief summary (one paragraph).
Step 3. Give an example of the topic you will analyze
If you are discussing a particular aspect of the work-character, plot, style, etc.-you need to start with a representative example of the literary work you are analyzing.
Step 4. Explore and support the thesis in the next paragraph
Each paragraph must provide evidence to support the claims made in your thesis, as well as an analysis of the evidence. You also need to anticipate counter arguments. A good essay will include:
- Evidence – Examples from the writings discussed that support your thesis.
- Assurance – An explanation of how the evidence supports your thesis.
- Support – Additional thinking that may be required to support the warranty.
- Counterclaim – Anticipate arguments that are not the same as your thesis.
- Rebuttal – The evidence and arguments you present to disprove your counterclaim.
Step 5. Draw a conclusion by going over more of your thesis
Start by thinking about what you want the reader to get out of the paper. But a good conclusion won't just restate the thesis. The conclusion should further explore why it is important, to speculate on its broader implications (eg is it true for the entire genre or period?) or to suggest that it could be explored further.
Part 4 of 6: Leveraging Multiple Drafts
Step 1. Focus on the arguments throughout your first draft
Don't worry about style, spelling, or paper length. Your first draft should focus on the argument you are making and build evidence to support the argument. Perfecting prose, grammar, essay structure, and argument all at once is very difficult. You can actually save time by writing multiple drafts focusing on these elements one at a time.
Step 2. Create a second draft, focusing on the arrangement of your essay
Now that you have the main idea and supporting evidence for your paper, it's time to tweak it to create an essay that flows logically from one section to the next.
- Try using a reverse outline (the process of removing supporting text to show only the main ideas) to understand the structure of the essay. In the left margin, write the topic of each paragraph in as few words as possible. In the right margin, write how each paragraph supports the overall argument. This will help you see how individual paragraphs fit into your paper, and which sections can be adjusted for better impact.
- Once the paragraphs are in proper order, focus on smoothing the transitions between each paragraph. If the paragraph flows well, you don't need transition words (visit https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html for such a glossary). The end of one paragraph should lead to a reasonable beginning of the next paragraph.
Step 3. Let others read your paper
Now that you have a paper that you think has explained your argument and developed that argument with sufficient and well-structured evidence, it's time to ask other people for opinions. Many universities have writing centers that will provide feedback on drafts. At least let other students read it. They will be able to spot confusing passages or statements that are not well supported. Take advantage of their feedback to write a third draft.
Part 5 of 6: Editing Papers
Step 1. Print your paper to edit it
Now that you have a clear and well-organized paper, it's time to edit it sentence by sentence to make sure your prose looks concise and doesn't contain any spelling or grammatical errors. It's easier to spot errors on a printed page, so be sure to work on it in print. Changing the font can also help, as it will make your brain see the paper as a new document.
You can see a list of common errors at
Step 2. Eliminate unnecessary words
Watch out for verbs that are overly verbose (e.g. "to have knowledge of", rather than "know"), adverbs, unnecessary prepositional phrases, and overly high-level language (e.g. "to utilize" instead of "to use"). For a general list of unnecessary words, see https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Clear, _Concise, _and_Direct_Sentences.pdf.
Step 3. Delete repeated sentences
When drafting, writers generally say the same thing in two consecutive sentences in slightly different ways while working on their ideas. Delete or combine the sentences to avoid this, as in the following example:
- Original caption: "Rachel Watson, the protagonist of Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train, is an unreliable narrator with classic imagery. In particular, her inability to remember events in her life due to alcohol-induced loss of consciousness makes the reader uneasy able to believe events from his point of view".
- Rewrite it as: "Rachel Watson, the protagonist of Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train suffers from alcohol-induced loss of consciousness, which leaves her unsure of what has happened in her life, making her an unreliable narrator with a classic image".
Step 4. Eliminate all references to yourself
How you reach your conclusion is not important. Present your idea without the "I" statement. It is clear that the work reflects your own beliefs because your name is listed there.
- Don't write: "At first I thought Hamlet was just pretending to be crazy, but after reading it a second time I believe he really is".
- Instead, you might write: "Many critics assume that Hamlet is just pretending to be crazy, but their analysis is based on a more modern understanding of madness. If we take into account the worldview of Shakespeare's audience, it seems more likely that Hamlet is mad."
- Or, more simply: "A careful reading that takes into account the worldview of the time reveals that Hamlet is insane."
Step 5. Read your paper aloud
This technique is especially effective for finding sentences without punctuation and other grammatical errors, such as excessive use of commas.
Step 6. Read the paper from back to front
Reading one sentence at a time, starting at the back, will disrupt the way the essay flows and help you see what the sentence is saying, and not what you're trying to say.
Step 7. Run the spell check option
Always run a spell check as a last step. Be careful that you pay attention to names and terms, as a spell check may suggest replacing with different words with the correct spelling.
Part 6 of 6: Overcome Writing Deadlocks
Step 1. Give yourself plenty of time
Writing does not develop at a fixed pace. Sometimes you can write as many as a dozen pages in an hour. Other times, you can have a hard time generating anything on the page. In both cases, you are still doing productive work. However, if you start working on your paper late, the slow writing time can lead to panic that eventually leads to a writing deadlock. To avoid this, start early and schedule plenty of time to write.
- Work in 2 to 6 hour sessions divided over several days. Trying to stay productive after 6 hours is tough.
- Begin at least a week before your paper must be submitted.
Step 2. Ignore the page numbers
The number of pages to go to-especially large ones like 15 or 20 pages-can be intimidating. Don't worry about pages. Time is the most important. Focus on taking the time to write, not on the number of pages you write in a session.
Step 3. Work alternately with the computer and pen and paper
Sometimes when you're stuck, changing the format you're writing in will help. Writing on a computer, in particular, can slow you down because of the computer's ability to easily edit every sentence over and over again. Pen and paper can help you work faster on drafts.
Step 4. Write freely
If you're having trouble starting a section on a paper-a thesis, outline, or draft-start with a new document and write whatever comes to mind. This could be an analysis of a specific section, a summary of the story, or simply a list of ideas. That's not important. The important thing is that you can write again.
Step 5. Write in detailed outline form
The challenges of writing well-structured sentences and forming clear arguments and compiling evidence can sometimes feel overwhelming. If you get stuck while drafting your essay, try writing in a detailed outline: include your evidence and analysis, and don't worry about language or even writing in full sentences. This can be a great way to speed up writing your first draft. After that, you can focus on making sense of your sentences in the second draft.
Step 6. Take a break
If neither of these strategies work, often just walking away will help. Take a walk and give your mind time to sort things out. Sit down and focus on your breathing. Take a nap and let your subconscious try to rest.
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