<p>Let's share the tips on writing a college paper! For example, which words/phrases are good to use, and things like that. Hopefully, a helpful thread for all upcoming freshmen as well as college students!</p>
<p>What kind of a college paper? They can be very different depending on the discipline. A good thing to do, though, is check out the writing centre at your college - they can be a great help. Also, pay close attention to how you are graded on the first paper you submit to a prof, as each prof may mark papers very differently.</p>
<p>You really don’t want to ask for good words or phrases to use, as they’ll either be trite and over-used, or may be inappropriate for the context. Unless you meant more generally (i.e. in terms of length or obscurity), in which case it really depends on your own style of writing and the content/context of the writing.</p>
<p>One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was planning. I was accustomed to sitting down and writing whatever came to mind - an outline was something ‘they’ had suggested, and I didn’t need it. However, in college, the strength and coherence of your analysis and argument is what makes the grade. Think of your paper is a proof; proofs require outlining and planning! Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.</p>
<p>Use a thesaurus to help your essay sound better.</p>
<p>Be careful with a thesaurus though; it’s fine to use if you’re overdoing a word but make sure you know the connotations of the substitute word you’re using because a thesaurus might suggest words that aren’t actually the same and then you’ll just seem like you’re trying to sound smarter than you are.</p>
<p>Do not EVER use the word “I” in an academic paper, even if it’s an opinion-based paper, UNLESS the assignment prompt and your professor says its okay to do so! Unfortunately, there are still students who forget this simple rule. For example, my introductory animal science class in spring quarter had to write a scientific observation and experiment paper, and there were students (many of them freshmen) who still used “I” in their paper, such as “I hypothesized that (so and so would happen)” instead of “It is hypothesized that…”</p>
<p>Sit down and read something academic. You’re not expected to pump out journal-worthy work as a freshman, but you will NOT be writing a standard 5 paragraph essay in college either. Find somewhere in between.</p>
<p>Expand your vocabulary, but make sure you know exactly what each word means.</p>
<p>try not to procrastinate. It’s tempting, but try not to. If your school has a writing help center, draft your paper and bring it in. They are staffed with students who know how to write a paper and know what a professor is expecting.</p>
<p>I work in the writing center, so I see a lot of freshmen. Some thoughts:</p>
<ol>
<li>Some profs write great prompts: clear, thought-provoking, and appropriate for the page limit. Still, if you take any arts/humanities/social science courses, you’ll probably run across at least one prompt that leaves you confused. Do not panic. If the prompt seems broad or overwhelming, don’t be afraid to meet with your professor to break it down. Take notes. This is not grade-grubbing–it’s clarification. </li>
</ol>
<p>If the more superficial stuff (page format, citation format, etc.) isn’t covered in the prompt or course syllabus, email your prof to see what he or she prefers. Some have very specific requirements; others don’t care as long as you cite all outside sources and your paper looks neat.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If your paper is argumentative in nature (most are), there should be a “so what?” in your argument. It’s not enough to state that X represents Y in novel Z and then provide paragraph after paragraph stating that the symbolism exists. What larger concept does the symbolism reveal? This may seem obvious, but your claim has to be arguable. Could a reasonable person present an opposing argument? Anticipate such opposing arguments in your paper.</p></li>
<li><p>Be able to distinguish which rules always apply and which rules only apply in some cases. The “I” rule, for instance, greatly depends on context–many profs are fine with it for certain assignments. If you’re unsure, you can always ask.</p></li>
<li><p>That being said, definitely try to avoid using the passive voice (“it is thought that”). This is pretty common and many profs hate it. You can almost always find a way around the passive voice even if personal pronouns are off the table. Verbs are your friend (suggest, imply, indicate…).</p></li>
<li><p>You’ll probably quote outside sources a lot. Learn the rules of capitalizing and punctuating quotes, and take the time to reacquaint yourself with the in-text citation rules for whatever citation system you’ll be using for a paper. The Purdue OWL site is a great resource for this.</p></li>
<li><p>Ask for help! Don’t be afraid to take advantage of your campus writing center and office hours with your profs. If English is your second (or third or fourth) language, many campuses have extra resources to help you transition. If you have friends in your courses, swap papers and trade suggestions. Of course, all of this will require that you don’t start your papers the night before they’re due. :)</p></li>
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<p>I hope this helps!</p>
<p>Most important- DO NOT PLAGIARIZE, it can be deadly.</p>
<p>Besides that, outline, take your time and proof-read. Besides those general steps, read the assignment carefully so you don’t write about the wrong thing.</p>