BOVA'S WRITING PAGE
What follows is a list of miscellaneous guidelines for writing term papers. This list is not exhaustive, is not meant to substitute for the long and arduous process of learning to write clearly and effectively, and is not intended to substitute for consultation of a style manual.  It merely attempts to help you avoid some of the problems that tend to appear most frequently in student papers. Note that these guidelines are intended for students writing papers for my classes.  While I believe that most of the advice that follows has utility beyond my classes, keep in mind that other teachers will often have their own preferences regarding documentation, organization, style, evaluation standards, etc. which will, of course, take precedence in their classes.
 
Your Thesis & Its Development

1. Be sure to indicate your objective(s), central question(s), and thesis early in the paper. Be sure you have accomplished the objectives, answered the questions, and proven the thesis by the end of the paper.

2. Be sure to support generalizations with evidence and logic. [i.e. Do not give me cause to write "how do you know this?" or "how did you reach this conclusion?" on your paper].

3. Be sure that the information, facts, data that you include are there for a purpose. An approach that simply throws information at the reader with no clear objective apparent should be avoided. [i.e. Do not give me cause to write, "interesting facts, but so what?" or "how is this info important to proving your thesis?" on your paper].

4. Related to points 1-3 above, the best papers will have a sense of purpose and direction that remains clear throughout the paper. What you say on page 2 should somehow be relevant to and help to set up what you will say on page 10. 
 

Using & Citing Sources

1. Avoid the use of direct quotes unless absolutely necessary. Situations where such use is necessary might include those where the author's views and words are themselves the focus of analysis or where the particular style or phrasing of the author cited needs to be captured. On the other hand, you normally do not need a direct quote simply to convey information.

2. Long quotes (5+ lines) should be indented and single-spaced.

3. Short quotes (even if only a few words) should always be put in quotation marks.

4. Citation of sources is required. Generally speaking you must provide a citation for:

  • a) quantitative data,
  • b) direct quotes (even two or three words),
  • c) facts that are not a part of general knowledge,
  • d) opinions of others,
  • e) analyses and interpretations of others.
If in doubt, footnote. It may help you in deciding when to footnote to keep in mind that the purposes of footnotes are to tell the reader where you found your information and to avoid taking credit for the work of others. Failure to cite sources properly can result in plagiarism. 

5. You have two general options for citing sources:

  • a) the traditional numbered notes at the bottom of the page (footnotes) or at the end of the paper (endnotes) or
  • b) in text references indicating author and page (in parentheses) combined with a full list of sources cited at the end of the paper. Be sure that the list of sources included at the end is in alphabetical order (by author's last name if known) and that the first word in each entry is the word used to cite the source in the body of your paper. Include in your list of sources only those materials which are actually cited in the paper.  Materials that you read as background can, if required or desired, be listed in a separate bibliography.
In either case the reference must include author, full title, date of publication and page(s). For books also include place of publication and publisher. For articles and chapters in edited volumes include the name of the journal or edited volume in which the article was found. Note that in the case of edited volumes you must begin the reference with the author and title of the individual article or chapter and then include the larger source in which it was found. For more detail on documentation of sources, consult a style manual.

6.  When citing internet sources be sure to include: the author of the document, the document title, the publisher and/or name of the web site, date of publication (if available), the URL (web address), and the date you accessed the site.  For details on citing electronic sources of all kinds see the links at the end of this page.

7. Bibliographies (for papers in my classes) are optional unless otherwise indicated. The primary purpose of a bibliography is to provide a service to readers who want to read further on a subject. No one will be fooled by a paper with 2 footnotes and a 3 page bibliography. 
 

Organization & Presentation

1. Consider the use of subheadings to help organize your paper. Subheadings are especially useful in longer papers (10 pages or more) and can sometimes be useful in shorter papers as well. Be careful not to overdo it in this regard however.

2. Do not litter your paper with redundant introductions to each paragraph (e.g. statements such as "I will now discuss ..." should be used sparingly). At times such introductions are appropriate, but exercise judgment in deciding when to use them and how to phrase them.

3. Generally avoid use of the second person. Third person is preferable. First person should be used sparingly since it is usually redundant. (For example, rather than write, "I believe US policy toward Russia is misguided" instead simply write, "US policy toward Russia is misguided." Since you are the writer, the "I believe" is implicit.)

4. Avoid slang. ("Go figure." is currently at the top of my list of the slang phrases that I hate to read in student papers.)

5. Watch your spelling.  In the age of word processing and spell-checkers, there is no excuse for a paper full of spelling errors.

Paper & Page Length

1. Number your pages.

2. Page length is assumed to be approximately 250 words. Avoid extra-large fonts or extra-wide margins. On the other hand, extra-small fonts and extra-skimpy margins should also be avoided. Use of 12 pt. font with a one-inch margin on all sides is the standard.

3. You should adhere to the stated expectations regarding the length of the paper. While there is obviously going to be some room for variation, a five page paper is generally not going to be able to meet the substantive expectations of a 10 page assignment. On the other hand, there is no reward to be expected (and there could even be a penalty) for turning a 10 page assignment into a 20 page paper. Keep in mind that the same topic can often be addressed successfully in a 400 page book and in a 400 word op-ed piece. The page recommendations are there to serve as a guide to what kind of a product you produce. 
 

Evaluating Your Paper

1. My evaluation of your paper is, generally speaking, going to be based on three things:

 a) The quality of the insight and understanding that is demonstrated in the paper--

  • Do you understand the basic facts and circumstances of the matter you are addressing?
  • Do you appreciate the various issues, questions, controversies raised by those facts and circumstances?
  • Can you distinguish between facts or issues of primary and secondary importance? 
  • How well are you able to synthesize the various sources of information and analysis at your disposal?
  • Do YOU have something to say in the paper-- i.e. are you able to draw your own conclusions or provide your own insights based on the materials you have utilized?

b) Your research effort as reflected in the quantity, quality, and variety of sources utilized--

  • How many sources do you actively utilize?
  • Are they of good quality?
  • Do you use a variety of different sources providing a diversity of information and analysis?

c) Your ability to present your analysis in a well-written and well-organized fashion--

  • Does the paper flow logically from point to point?
  • Is your writing consistent with the rules of English grammar?
  • Are your sentences constructed in a way that makes your points with the maximum amount of clarity?
  • Do you choose words appropriately and are they spelled correctly?


2. In summarizing the overall quality of your paper via a letter grade, I utilize the general descriptions of the letter grades cited in the Dickinson College Catalogue:

    A-- "exceptionally high level of achievement"-- grades in this range are reserved for work which is clearly outstanding with respect to understanding and insight, research effort, and writing/organization.

    B-- "substantial level of achievement"  -- grades in this range are a reward for work well done.  Work at this level will, generally speaking, not have any glaring problems but will lack some of the distinctiveness and special effort that characterizes work at the "A" level.

    C-- "satisfactory level of achievement"--grades in this range are given for generally competent work which reflects a reasonable effort to complete the assignment.  There may be many good things about work at this level-- keep in mind that if you think of a "C" grade as a grade in the 70s, it is closer to "perfection" [100] than it is to its opposite [0].  But there will also be some problem or problems apparent with respect to your insight and understanding, research effort, and/or writing and organization.

    D-- "minimal level of achievement required to receive course credit" --grades in this range indicate work whose problems in insight and understanding, research effort, and/or writing and organization are more glaring than in the case of "C" grades and/or whose redeeming qualities are less notable.

    F-- "unacceptable level of achievement"-- grades in this range indicate work which fails to meet the minimum level of achievement and/or effort expected at the college level.

A Useful Writing Link

Last Updated: January 2010
Email:  bova@dickinson.edu