how to write a seminar paper part ii: writing strategies · 2016. 11. 1. · ! write each section...
TRANSCRIPT
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How to Write A Seminar Paper A Yale Graduate Writing Center Workshop Series
Tuesday, November 3, 2015 5:30-6:45pm HGS 116 (320 York St)
Register on the Graduate Writing Center website at http://ctl.yale.edu/writing/graduate
Part II: Writing Strategies
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HOW TO WRITE A SEMINAR PAPER Part II: Writing Strategies
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Plan
� Getting Started
� Structuring & Drafting Your Paper
� Joining the Conversation
� Survival Strategies
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1 GETTING STARTED What is a Graduate Seminar Paper?
Your Topic
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Getting Started
What is a Graduate Seminar Paper? How is it different from papers you may have written before?
DISCUSSION QUESTION
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YOUR TOPIC
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Your Topic
An ideal paper topic is both realistic and original: • realistic
• topic is narrow in scope • paper poses a very specific question
• original • contributes to a scholarly conversation • introduces new ideas, or challenges well-established
ones
WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD TOPIC?
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Your Topic
• The Controversy Paper: purports to end a controversy or debate
• The Gap in Scholarship Paper: presents a �missing� conversation in the scholarly literature
• The Theoretical Application: applies a theoretical approach to a text or other cultural artifact
• The Pragmatic Proposal: discusses a practical application of a theory
DIFFERENT APPROACHES
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Your Topic
Have your neighbor(s) tell you about their topic; and tell them about yours:
PAPER WORKSHOP 1
• what is the specific question your paper asks?
• what is your approach? • what contribution to
scholarship does your paper make?
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2 STRUCTURING AND DRAFTING YOUR PAPER
Writing Fundamentals
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BUILDING YOUR ARGUMENT
Making a Claim Constructing Your Argument
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Building an Argument
A claim is supported by arguments based on evidence. It acknowledges and responds to other (opposing) views, and has a principle of reasoning (warrant) and a case for its significance (stakes). Your main claim should be • specific in scope • substantive • contestable
MAKING A CLAIM
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Building an Argument
MAKING A CLAIM – AN EXAMPLE
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Building an Argument
This cartoon is of a banana because it looks like a banana and it says that it is a banana. It is yellow, has the crescent shape of a banana, and exhibits the stem of a banana. The cartoon also verbally confirms that is it a banana.
Although detractors may argue that it is not a banana because it has eyes, a mouth, arms a n d l e g s , c a r t o o n i s t s o f t e n anthropomorphize inanimate objects with such features. Establishing that this is a banana is essential to interpreting the cartoons meaning.
MAKING A CLAIM – AN EXAMPLE
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Building an Argument
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOUR CLAIM
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Building an Argument
Try to answer the “So what?” – Question:
• establish that your claim is interesting
• establish that your claim is relevant to the literature.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOUR CLAIM
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Building an Argument
Formulate your claim according to this pattern, and run it by your neighbor(s)
PAPER WORKSHOP 2
• claim • argument(s) • evidence • warrant • stakes
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Building an Argument
� articulate your argument � situate your argument � provide your argument
CONSTRUCTING YOUR ARGUMENT
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Building an Argument
� articulate your argument
• clearly formulate your claim • try to think about its implications
• clearly outline your argument
CONSTRUCTING YOUR ARGUMENT
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Building an Argument
� situate your argument
• think about how your argument falls into the larger history of ideas
• organize the scholarship according to certain logical categories
• get clear on why your work is important – what is your entry point / your angle
CONSTRUCTING YOUR ARGUMENT
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Building an Argument
� provide your argument • collect your supporting evidence, e.g.:
• newly discovered artifacts or data • close readings of the text • unique theoretical approach or methodology
• anticipate and address potential objections to your argument
CONSTRUCTING YOUR ARGUMENT
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Writing & Organizing
run your argument by your neighbor(s)
PAPER WORKSHOP 3
• Is it clear? • Is it compelling? • What are potential
objections?
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WRITING & ORGANIZING Writing Strategies
Paper Organization
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Writing & Organizing
When do you stop reading and start trying to write? • Depends on the writer!
A few thoughts:
• Researching and writing aren’t necessarily discrete stages
• try to articulate your paper’s question or problem (different from articulating your claim/argument!)
STARTING TO WRITE
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�The good old-fashioned model� (adapted from Arlo Guthrie)
! research a topic. ! make an outline. ! write each section of the
outline. ! cap the paper off with a
final summarizing paragraph.
! let the paper rest for a day, then come back to revise
�New model� (William G. Perry Jr.)
• start with freewriting • move into more focused
writing – zero draft • formulate your ideas in first
draft • first draft is followed by
second, third and fourth drafts till we feel comfortable sending it off into the world
Writing & Organizing THE WRITING PROCESS
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Writing & Organizing
" choose and research your topic " narrow down the topic & select a question " select references " outline your argument and evidence " make a list of your section headings/subheadings " create your draft, writing the introduction and
conclusion last.
THE WRITING PROCESS, STEP BY STEP (AFTER THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED MODEL)
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Writing & Organizing
� The Introduction � The Body � The Conclusion
THE MAIN PARTS OF A SEMINAR PAPER
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Writing & Organizing
• the introduction concisely states: • the background for your paper • your topic • the importance of your topic • your claim • your argument
• in your introduction, you… • clearly present your claim • situate your argument • explain why your argument is important or useful • try to excite your reader
� THE INTRODUCTION
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Writing & Organizing
• Tips for Writing
• comes first, but should be written last • sketch beforehand • read examples of introductions in your field • get to the point • define key terms and new terms • think about �your voice� • make sure to outline the rest of your paper
� THE INTRODUCTION
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Writing & Organizing
• in your paper’s body, you… • review the literature • explain your main claim • lay out your arguments (starting with the most compelling) • present the evidence in support of your argument
• some nuts & bolts: • when quoting a primary or secondary source, always make
sure to explain what you take it to mean/support clearly • Specify: explain precisely what is meant by an abstract
phrase or concept • take account of contrary evidence
� THE BODY
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Writing & Organizing
• Tips for Writing
• don’t forget about your reader! • make sure to guide your readers, and to speak to them • do not force them to make inferences
• style: • simple is beautiful • find your own voice
• If you get lost during the writing process, ask yourself: • What am I doing here, and why am doing it? (“So What?”) • What am I focusing on, and why?
� THE BODY
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Writing & Organizing
• in your conclusion, you… • briefly summarize your results • show the bigger picture • restate the articles relevance to the scholarly
debate • outline possible directions for future research
� THE CONCLUSION
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Writing & Organizing
• Tips for Writing
• try to provide a sense of closure
• a conclusion should not be a restatement of your introduction, but another stage of thinking
• plan on having sufficient time to write a well-formulated, well-thought-out conclusion
� THE CONCLUSION
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Writing & Organizing
share and evaluate your outlines
PAPER WORKSHOP 4
• How is the paper structured?
• Is it well-organized? (Why? Why not?)
• Is there something missing?
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3 JOINING THE CONVERSATION
Setting Your Paper in Conversation with the Scholarship
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Joining the Conversation
• Ask yourself: Who is your audience? # ideally, the scholarly community interested in this
topic # think about this paper potentially being sent out
to journal that will ask them to serve as reviewers # try to motivate the paper in a way that will interest
them # make space in your paper to respond to them
FRAMING YOUR PAPER FOR AN AUDIENCE
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Joining the Conversation
Where in your paper can you try to effect this? • in your claim (originality) • in the introduction (as a place to signal the debate you
are part of) • in the language you use • in the lit review • in the bibliography, citations, footnotes • in responding to objections/acknowledging
alternatives • in your choice of topic/problem
FRAMING YOUR PAPER AS A CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOLARSHIP
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Joining the Conversation
• aims of a literature review: • situate your view • highlight its significance and originality • help your reader understand your position
• no need to exhaustively cite the literature • impose some kind of typology • tip: read other literature reviews to save time / develop a map of the debate
SITUATING YOUR ARGUMENT: THE LITERATURE REVIEW
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Joining the Conversation
• different ways for connecting with the literature: • refine and extend • offer an new way of parsing the debate • argue for a gap in the literature • debunk and trailblaze
SITUATING YOUR ARGUMENT: THE LITERATURE REVIEW
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Building your Argument
explain to your neighbor how your paper engages with the literature
PAPER WORKSHOP 5
• How does your paper connect to the literature?
• Where in your paper do you do so / are you planning to bring it in?
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4 SURVIVAL STRATEGIES Dealing With Writer’s Block
Tools
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Survival Strategies
# if you feel so intimidated by the task that you don't know where to begin,… …divide the process into smaller pieces, and do them one at a time.
# if you put off working on the paper because you want it to be perfect,… … try to accept the reality of the time pressure, and remember this is a first draft, not a final product.
# if you have too many things to do and can't start writing yet,… …keep your topic in mind as you are doing other tasks.
DEALING WITH WRITERS BLOCK
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Survival Strategies
• develop writing habits: • Write at the same time on the same days every week • Do not skip writing at your allotted time • Set a concrete goal for each day of writing • Create lists/tasks for each session • Break writing sessions into smaller pieces
• Start with small sessions (~30 min) • 90 min were found to be best for uninterrupted
sessions • Take structured breaks
BECOME A WRITER!
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Survival Strategies
• pomodoro method • calendars
• reference managers • outlining/drafting software • task managers
• monitoring software • meditation
START USING TOOLS
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Thank You!