By: Sabrina Klindworth Introduction So you’ve written a research paper before but now your professor wants you to add something called an abstract and headers? This blog post is here to help with lots of information on how to write an abstract and some tips on how to organize your paper with section headers. Headers Some research papers will have an APA style title page, which has an entire page for the header. The title page header contains the title of your paper, the authors (you), the class the paper is for, the professor that teaches that class, and the name of the college you attend (Seattle University), in that order. An outline of a title page header is provided below. The header is centered on the first page and your essay begins on the second page. Hi This is The Title Author UCOR Class Name Dr. Professor Name College Within University Seattle University For longer research papers, paragraph headers are used as signposts throughout the essay to let readers know what the following paragraph or section is about. Professors will typically state whether they want paragraph headers or not in your paper; if not the page requirement is another indicator. A paper below five pages in length doesn’t need paragraph headers, but in a paper with more than five pages, they’re helpful to add. Examples of paragraph headers are used throughout this blog post. Abstract Some research papers have an abstract before the introduction. The abstract is a summary of your paper about 150-250 words long. The purpose of your abstract is to allow your reader to “pre-read” your main points and key findings. Another purpose of an abstract is to help researchers decide if the paper has the information they need or not, as an abstract contains keywords used in cross-referencing so your paper can be compared to other papers on the same subject. One thing to note is that the information in your introduction should be different from the information in your abstract. Your introduction will lay background on your topic and lead into your thesis statement while the abstract functions as an overview of your paper. There are two types of abstracts: informative and descriptive. An informative abstract is the most common and condenses the main point of the paper, including the initial problem and background, into a sentence or two. Any methodology or key findings will also be mentioned as well as the major conclusions reached in your paper. In comparison, a descriptive abstract takes a different approach to summarizing the paper by acting as a table of contents. A descriptive abstract is more broad when describing what your paper is about and doesn’t capture the content of your essay but rather the outline of how your paper goes. However, descriptive abstracts are uncommon and not generally used as informative abstracts are preferred. Conducting Research If you conducted your own research, congratulations! This paragraph lays out how to fit in your own research in your paper as the outline is different. In the introduction, you would write about the research questions that guided your research and your hypothesis. After your introduction, there should be a materials and methods section stating how you conducted your research, followed by a section about the results of your research. Any tables or graphs you used would be inserted after your results to show your data before the discussion section, which puts your research into conversation with previous research, showing why your data or results matter in the context of your field. A conclusion recapping the main point from each section can be added but isn’t necessary. Once your paper is done, add your references and you are ready to get published! Conclusion Not sure which citations to use? Ask your professor. Different professors and disciplines prefer different citation methods such as MLA, APA, or Chicago citations. Information about the different citation styles can be found at the following links: MLA Citations (Link), APA Citations (Link), Chicago Citations (Link). Finally, whether conducting your own research or researching a topic, putting information into a new perspective is key to writing a research paper. But with all your research, your paper is bound to be interesting, so go write it! Happy writing! References http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/research/paper.html
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By Grace Kohler No matter the level of writing you are used to doing, the writing process can end up being pretty exhausting. When you feel stuck, it can feel easy to want to give up on what you are working on, but like we know, that option is not always available to us when we are on a deadline. So, here are some ways to take a break without completely feeling like you have lost your productivity:
If these do not work for you, look up resources that may have direct answers for what can help! This could be a meditation app or a simply an article with a few alternative options. The main thing is, try not to let yourself get stuck in a space where you feel like your productivity is making you frustrated or angry. Find what works and remember it! Once a resource seems to work for you, do not ignore your body! Utilize the new found knowledge you have discovered and use it to your advantage! :) -Grace (Writing Center Consultant) by Mady Schroeder Picture this: you’re sitting down at your computer, meticulously drafted outline in hand and ready to write that essay that’s due next week and...you have no idea how to start. Thinking up those first few sentences of your essay can often be the most daunting part of the writing process, and can feel like a hurdle to getting the rest of your paper written. This post will provide some tips and tricks for getting started on your essay, focusing on writing those first few sentences. Writer’s block, begone! The Hook: Every high school English teacher’s favorite part of an essay is the famous “hook”. The idea seems simple- start your essay off with an interesting, attention-grabbing sentence that gets your readers invested in your paper. Easier said than done. Here are some ideas for writing a strong “hook” for your introduction: 1. Share a shocking or interesting fact about your subject (this is a good move for a persuasive essay!) 2. Pose a question and immediately answer it to invite readers to think about your answer 3. Start with a few sentences describing the setting of your paper (good for narrative/ story-telling essays) 4. Begin with a funny anecdote, joke, or quote that reveals something significant about your paper. 5. Establish a contrast between reality and image, especially if your paper is arguing something 6. State your thesis outright, and then elaborate on it with a couple sentences 7. Wait until the end: You might find that once you’ve written the rest of your essay, the introduction is easier to write. Hold off on an intro until you’re done with the essay, then return to it and give it a go. What Makes a Good Introduction? Now that you’ve gotten some intro-writing inspiration, spend some time making sure that your introduction is effective in the context of your essay as a whole. As a reminder, an effective introduction will:
Still Stuck? Don’t worry, this is tough! If you’re still having a hard time coming up with an introduction, consider doing some brainstorming exercises to get your creative juices flowing. Some of these may include:
You’re ready to tackle that intro! And as always, feel free to make an appointment with a Writing Consultant if you want more support. References: https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-begin-an-essay-1690495 by Elena Selthun
It’s difficult to balance creative writing with life, school, and work. If you’re someone who once loved to write creatively and now finds it almost impossible to find the time or find the ability to care about creative writing amidst stressful academic writing, you’re not the only one. The transition from high school to college was a hard one for my creative writing. Suddenly, I felt like I had no free time and no space in my brain for “creative” ideas and stories. I stopped writing creatively, then couldn’t understand why I was more stressed and felt less confident in my writing in general. The key to keeping up the habit of creative writing is to view it as an exercise in imagination and catharsis, not futility. Creative writing shouldn’t be a chore, but at the same time, it’s a good idea to set aside time for it each day or a few times a week if possible. It’s important to have some kind of schedule for creative writing, especially if you have a busy life and other responsibilities which keep distracting you. If you’re the kind of person who likes making color-coded calendars, do that! If you’re the kind of person who prefers making endless to-do lists in your Notes app (guilty as charged), then do that! There is no wrong way to work creative writing into your life as long as it works for you. Figuring out what to write about can be another beast entirely, but your academic pursuits might actually help you with this rather than hurt you. Are you particularly interested in a subject you learned about or wrote an essay on? Maybe you took a UCOR about zombies and pop culture, a History course about the Ottoman Empire, or even a Physics course about astronomy. These could all be topics that factor into your creative writing if you’re at a loss for ideas — there doesn’t have to be a strict separation between your academic papers and your personal creative writing. It may even strengthen your academic work if you end up learning more about the topic! Sometimes, however, you might need that separation and creative writing can serve as an escape from stress and deadlines. Poetry can be a good way to enter the world of creative writing and keep up the habit without too much effort or time commitment. It can also be a great way to get your thoughts, emotions, and memories in order: writing short daily poems like haikus can be an easier alternative to keeping a daily journal. Similarly, you may find it helpful to keep a little notebook to jot down creative ideas as they strike you throughout the day (the Notes app works just as well for this). Taking a moment or two out of your day to observe the world around you thoughtfully is not only helpful for creative writing inspiration, it gives you a chance to briefly slow down in the whirlwind of university life. Practicing writing in any form will have positive effects on your writing as a whole, whether creative or academic. Just as importantly, it can both provide a much-needed escape from the daily grind and make you more thoughtful about the world around you as you engage with it in a new way. Like most things in college, it can be hard to find the time — but I promise you it’s worth it to try. by Sarah Mahl It’s wintertime in Seattle, which means cloudy skies, a nearly constant stream of rain, the occasional snowstorm, and a lot of coffee. With the sun setting at 4PM, it can be extremely difficult to stay motivated in your schoolwork, especially when you have to write a lengthy paper. Below are some tips to help, and while many of them are good study tips to follow year-round, they can be especially helpful in the winter. First, find a new workspace! If you find yourself stuck in the dorms, this can be as simple as moving from your bed to your desk. Studies show that studying where you sleep decreases your level of productivity and material retention as well as making it harder to sleep later on. It may also be helpful to clear your desk of distractions to prevent procrastination. Next, make a snack or a hot cup of tea! It may not be necessary to a successful study session, but having a snack to eat or something warm to drink can help you focus! Plus, it’s an easy way to make your homework more enjoyable. Once you’ve found a new workspace, made sure it was free of distractions, and sat down to work, don’t forget to take study breaks. Setting up time intervals for working and for taking a break can help tremendously with staying motivated. They also prevent procrastination and help you get more work done in a shorter amount of time! If you’ve found yourself at an impassable road block and it feels impossible to focus, it could help to get some fresh air or to take a meditation break. Taking a walk, whether it’s in the rain or snow, does wonders for clearing your mind. Opening a window and meditating for ten minutes can also help. You don’t need a structured meditation routine—you can even just close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a few minutes—but if you have trouble with meditation, there are plenty of free exercises to choose from online. Study with friends! This may seem counterproductive—studying with others can be distracting—but if they are also struggling with their work, you can help each other focus. If your schedule allows it, take a break to get coffee with a friend! If you find that you have too much work for even a small break, make an appointment with a consultant here at the Writing Center! Bad weather in the wintertime can be isolating, especially if there’s a snowstorm, but braving the cold can make all the difference. Lastly, don’t forget to stay warm. Not only is it hard to focus when you’re cold, but the cold can also put you in a bad mood and make your quarter miserable. Above all, it’s important to listen to your body and your mind. Self-care is crucial in every quarter, but especially in the winter when there’s a lack of sunshine. It can not only help your work, but also help you stay happy and healthy in the colder months. Good luck this quarter! |
SUWC Blog AuthorsAny posts on the SUWC Blog are authored by current consultants working to improve, refine and perfect our practice as peer tutors. Find a Post!
January 2024
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