Parts+of+a+Paper


 * PARTS TO A PAPER **
 * The introduction(head) which contains the thesis statement or opening paragraph. The introduction needs to pull your reader in.
 * The body (neck to ankles) is the meat of the paper. It is the part of the essay you back up your thesis statement, explains your beliefs, thoughts, facts and findings.
 * The conclusion (feet) is the part that ties it all together. This section should finalize your thoughts, and give a brief recap of the paper in a way that leaves the reader with a feeling of closure, and an understanding of the author's purpose in writing.

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?
A thesis statement:
 * 1. tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
 * 2. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
 * 3. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
 * 4. makes a claim that others might dispute.
 * 5. is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet.
 * GETTING STARTED WRITING/GATHERING IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF THE PAPER **
 * 1) Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?
 * 2) Who is your audience?
 * 3) What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?
 * 4) What kind of writing style is acceptable?
 * 5) What are the absolute rules of the paper?

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Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write. While the body is often easier to write, it needs a frame around it. An introduction and conclusion frame your thoughts and bridge your ideas for the reader. Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note. Your conclusion should make your readers glad they read your paper. Your conclusion gives your reader something to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest your reader, but also enrich your reader's life in some way. It is your gift to the reader.

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One or more of the following strategies may help you write an effective conclusion. > You: ////Basically, I'm just saying that education was important to Douglass.//// Friend: ////So what?//// You: ////Well, it was important because it was a key to him feeling like a free and equal citizen.//// Friend: ////Why should anybody care?//// You: ////That's important because plantation owners tried to keep slaves from being educated so that they could maintain control. When Douglass obtained an education, he undermined that control personally.//// You can also use this strategy on your own, asking yourself "So What?" as you develop your ideas or your draft.
 * 1. Play the "So What" Game. If you're stuck and feel like your conclusion isn't saying anything new or interesting, ask a friend to read it with you. Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, "So what?" or "Why should anybody care?" Then ponder that question and answer it. Here's how it might go:
 * 2. Return to the theme or themes in the introduction. This strategy brings the reader full circle. For example, if you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is helpful in creating a new understanding. You may also refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel concepts and images that you also used in the introduction.
 * 3. Synthesize, don't summarize: Include a brief summary of the paper's main points, but don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together. Pull it all together.
 * 4. Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper.
 * 5. Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. This can redirect your reader's thought process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see the broader implications.
 * 6. Point to broader implications. For example, if your paper examines the Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. A paper about the style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:
 * KEY TERMS **


 * Information words**** ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.
 * ****define****—give the subject's meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject's meaning
 * ****explain****—give reasons why or examples of how something happened
 * ****illustrate****—give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
 * ****summarize****—briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
 * ****trace****—outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
 * ****research****—gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found


 * Relation words**** ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.
 * ****compare****—show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
 * ****contrast****—show how two or more things are dissimilar
 * ****apply****—use details that you've been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
 * ****cause****—show how one event or series of events made something else happen
 * ****relate****—show or describe the connections between things


 * Interpretation words**** ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.
 * ****assess****—summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
 * ****prove, justify****—give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
 * ****evaluate, respond****—state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
 * ****support****—give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
 * ****synthesize**** —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
 * ****analyze—****determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
 * ****argue—****take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side