How to write a paper Preparation

How to write a paper
Preparation:
Decide on a topic: what do you plan to examine and analyze in your paper? What is your thesis?
How will you go about demonstrating the thesis of your paper?
1. If you want to do a comparison, select two appropriate sources; otherwise, you will find it
difficult to determine criteria that will allow you to generate the kind of information that is
expected.
Writing your paper:
1. Title: should not be too long (more than two lines)
2. First paragraph (Introduction):
ï‚· Your thesis is clearly stated in the first paragraph (thesis statement)
o Thesis: the point that an essay is trying to prove
ï‚· A valid thesis:
o It is not a question
o understandable;
o coherent: goes through the entire essay; it should not make two points
– A complex thesis, with interrelated parts is OK, as long as it’s clear
how the different parts relate to each other
o A thesis should be arguable:
– This statement is not obvious, and it would require evidence to prove
o Examples:
– “Gender inequality in China has its roots in Confucian tradition”
– “Although women in Confucian tradition were essentially kept in
an inferior social position, some women also established a degree
of status and power for themselves/there was always complexity
of women’s position”
– …
3. The body of your text:
 Don’t present superficial statements of ideas;
ï‚· Clear and precise evidence offered; specific examples from texts that directly support
the claim and analysis;
4. Conclusion: In your concluding section, you should summarize your main findings and state
a clear conclusion.
5. Bibliography: MLA recommended; or use one citation form consistently
Other requirements:
1. Organization, grammar, mechanics, spelling, punctuation, sentence structures;
2. Length;
3. On time submission