UGS 302 Writing Tips

Many thanks to Elaine Rich of the UT CS Department for sharing these tips with me.

These tips are guidelines. Use them as a framework. I don't want your papers to be completely formulaic, but the following tips suggest a reasonable structure for your papers.

Papers should roughly follow this format:

The introductory paragraph explains what the paper will discuss and provides any background knowledge the reader should know. This section can take as much space as needed, but for short papers, this paragraph need be only a few sentences to orient the reader.

The thesis sentence usually comes at the end of the introductory paragraph. This sentence provides a summary of the paper's main ideas, and outlines what the reader can expect to find in the remainder of the paper.

Thesis Sentence Example: Facebook provides many opportunities to network and socialize with users world-wide, but this openness has led to a number of privacy issues, including cyber- stalking between users, student expulsion from school, and information-gathering from potential employers.

From this thesis statement, does the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper? What specific issues will this paper consider? Does the author have a bias or an agenda?

Body paragraphs provide supporting evidence for the thesis sentence, and the majority of the paper consists of these paragraphs. Each body paragraph has a topic sentence followed by supporting sentences that give further details.

Topic Sentence Example: Potential employers consider the job applicants' resumes, but also sometimes use Facebook or other social-networking sites to gather further information on candidates.

Supporting Sentence Example: A survey of employers on CareerBuilder.com found that 20% of employers checked candidates' social-networking profiles and another 9% planned on doing so in the future (PCWorld).

Supporting sentences are where most of the citations occur, as they provide facts to backup what the paper proposes. How conclusive is this particular supporting sentence? Is it from a reliable/verifiable source? What does this statistic actually prove? Sometimes supporting sentences need further clarification or support to form a sound argument.

The conclusion paragraph ties together the main ideas with a concise summary of what the paper says, or can lead into a related idea (e.g. proposing further research). The conclusion may seem redundant, but that is fine (most readers will not get everything on the first read-through so the repetition helps reinforce the important parts). Leading into a new idea that is beyond the scope of, yet directly connected to, the paper is also acceptable and a way to generate further interest in the topic. Use either of these styles depending on what seems most natural and satisfactory.

Tips for Writing a Good Paper:

  1. CLARITY. The most important aspect of a paper is clarity. Use simple words and straightforward sentences when possible. The paper should be easy to read and easy to understand.
  2. THESIS STATEMENT. The most important sentence of the paper is the thesis statement. It should reflect what the rest of the paper says. As this is the hardest sentence to write, do not be surprised if much effort is spent perfecting it.
  3. DRAFTS. Write multiple drafts. A first draft will almost always be of unacceptable quality. Practice writing and rewriting to keep the paper clear and focused.
  4. EDIT. When editing, read the paper out loud or to a friend or roommate. Mistakes or ambiguities become more obvious when spoken rather than just read.
  5. PRACTICE. Practice reading papers and reports, and then practice writing them. Writing is no different than other human activity – the only way to get better at it is by doing.