This document provides guidance on evaluating common issues in research papers such as overgeneralization, lack of or improper use of sources, weak counterargument rebuttals, dull openings and titles, unclear theses, and poor transitions. It instructs readers to examine their papers for these issues and determine if rewriting is needed to address deficiencies in areas like adding sources, reworking openings and titles, strengthening theses, and improving transitions between ideas. The document emphasizes that identifying issues is the first step and significant rewriting will likely be required to resolve them.
2. Today’s activity is designed to help you
figure out a game plan for your research
paper.
We’ll be going through and talking about
common issues in papers so you can
determine if it is an issue you need to
fix.
3. Generalizations
Look through your paper
Cross out every sentence/statement that
begins with:
Many, or Many people
Some, or Some people
Most, or Most people
People, students, researchers, etc.
How much of your paper is crossed out?
4. Using Source Material
Look through your paper
How many sources do you cite?
0: This needs to be addressed immediately.
1-2: You will need to bring in more sources.
3-4: Depending on the quality of your
sources, this may be okay, but you probably
should bring in more sources.
5+: You should be okay in terms of quantity
5. Using Source Material
Look through your paper
What kinds of sources are you using?
Primarily academic: Awesome, keep it up.
A fairly even mix between academic and
non-academic: Make sure that you’re
establishing your credibility, but if you have
enough sources, this should work.
Primarily non-academic: You’ll need to find
credible academic sources to support your
opinion and provide credibility.
6. Using Source Material
Look at the last page of your paper
Is it a Works Cited?
Yes: Awesome, double check Purdue OWL
or the A&B to make sure it’s properly
formatted.
No: Create a Works Cited promptly.
7. Addressing Counterarguments
Look through your paper
Do you address counterarguments?
Yes: Good, how are you refuting them?
No: You should address counterarguments.
If you don’t feel that your paper has a
counterargument, then you need to refocus
your paper so that it is an arguable point.
8. Opening Sentence
Look at your opening sentence
Is it interesting, attention-grabbing,
explanatory?
Yes: Awesome
It could be better: Work on rewriting your
opening sentence so that it is interesting,
etc.
9. Title
Look at your title
Do you have a title?
Yes: Cool
No: Make sure you write one
Is your title relevant and attention
getting?
Yes: Even more cool
It could be better: Rewrite your title so that it
is relevant and attention getting.
10. Thesis
Look at your thesis
Does it explain your purpose and map
out the rest of your paper?
Yes: Awesome
It could be better: Rewrite it until it does
11. Transitions
Look through your paper
How are your transitions?
Good, I used old before new and the ideas
tie together rather nicely: Awesome, make
sure that you keep those transitions nice
and tight as you rewrite and revise your
paper.
Alright, some are pretty good, but most
could use some work: Transitions should be
part of your rewriting process then
Could use work: Transitions should be a
major part of your rewriting process then
12. Stopping the bleeding
How’s your paper holding up?
If you’ve got a long list of things to address,
then you’ve obviously got a lot of work, and
you should start that promptly.
If you’ve got a very short list of things to
address, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a
lot of rewriting ahead of you. You’ll just be
focused on a different kind of rewriting.