Writing Guide: Additional Comments and Suggestions

Dr. Ken Hunt

Grading Comments: Logic And Argument

1. The quote is not analyzed. You must explain to your reader exactly how this quote supports your topic sentence or argument.

2. The quote is "plopped in." It appears without being integrated into a sentence.

3. Ideas do not flow at all, usually because there is no argument to support. Simplistic view of topic; no effort is made to grasp possible alternative views. Many logical contradictions, or simply too incoherent to determine

4. Very little or very weak attempt to relate evidence to argument; may be no identifiable argument, or no evidence to relate it to.

Thesis And Structure: Road Map

1. Look over your thesis and develop a road map. What are the steps necessary to prove your thesis? The steps generally are:

· Establish premises behind the thesis question. Why should we accept your premises as true? Sometimes, premises are so clearly true that their proof can be left in the thesis paragraph. Sometimes, though, they need to be established in the body of the paper. Which of these two premises requires further proof in the body of the paper?

Thesis And Structure: First Paragraph

"The Thesis"
"General Grading Comments,"

Look closely at just your first paragraph.

Have you set the time period and location as specifically as possible?

Can you easily identify your thesis question? (If you have trouble, try writing it out in one sentence on a separate sheet of paper.)

Is your thesis question one that requires you to establish some premises?

If not, it may not be complex enough.

Have you "set up" the problem sufficiently, by establishing the premises, by introducing or clarifying concepts, and by defining key terms?

Is there a thesis?

Does it clearly answer the thesis question?

Does it explain how or why something happened?

Does the paragraph provide your reader a "road map" through the paper? (A road map tells your reader how your paper will be organized and what you will be arguing.)

Is the thesis too easy to answer? If your thesis is not challenging enough, it will be too easy to prove; your paper will end too quickly, and likely wander.

Grading Comments: Topic Sentence

This topic sentence is true, but doesn't seem to support your thesis. In part, this is because your thesis requires clarification.

This topic sentence is true, but doesn't seem to support your thesis. Can you relate it more clearly to your thesis?

How did we get from the last paragraph to this one? You need a transition (either in last sentence of preceding paragraph or in this topic sentence) to tell the reader why you're moving on to this new topic.

This paragraph has no topic sentence, or one that does not seem to have a "mini-thesis" that supports your thesis.

Primary source evidence generally should not appear in the topic sentence.

The first sentence of this paragraph does not look like a topic sentence, which should relate back to your thesis. How does this advance your argument?

Grading Comments: Paragraph

You simply need more evidence to support your point in this paragraph.

There is evidence in this paragraph, but it doesn't seem to support your point.

This is a good concluding sentence to your paragraph (it nicely sums up its argument), but the paragraph needs more evidence to support this conclusion.

This paragraph needs a concluding sentence to sum up the argument here, and perhaps provide a transition to the next paragraph.

Link this paragraph back to your thesis statement. How exactly does it support your argument or clarify your thesis?

This paragraph does not seem to support a thesis. What is its purpose in your paper?

Excellent - A Markedly Exceptional Performance and the “A” Paper

Here, originality, insight, and creativity are demonstrated; the paper goes beyond repeating what others have said and contributes something new to our understanding of the topic.

The “A” Paper

An "A" applies to outstanding student work. A grade of "A" features not simply a command of material and excellent presentation (spelling, grammar, organization, writing style, etc.), but importantly, sustained intellectual engagement with the material. This engagement takes such forms as shedding original light on the material, investigating patterns and connections, posing questions, and raising issues.

An "A" paper is excellent in nearly all respects: It is well argued and well organized, with a clear thesis It is well developed with content that is specific, interesting, appropriate and convincing It has logical transitions that contribute to a fluent style of writing It has few, if any, mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or diction errors It demonstrates command of a mature, unpretentious diction.

Of the Writing Process

Prewrite Think about what you want to write about and what you want to say. Set your purpose for writing (show cause/effect, compare/contrast, etc.).

• Identify your audience.
• Limit your topic.
• Draft a thesis statement that contains the topic and controlling idea.
• Brainstorm ideas/details that support the thesis statement.
• Select two to four main ideas to use to support the thesis statement
• Draft a preliminary outline or map that logically organizes the main ideas.
• Gather any information you need to begin to write (document sources).

Writing

• Put your thoughts on paper.
• Use the logical structure you determined in the outlining process.

Revise

• Make certain the thesis statement is clear and that you have clear topic sentences.
• Rethink and rearrange ideas, sentences, and paragraphs to best support thesis.
• Check for unity and coherence.
• Be sure each paragraph provides good details and well-chosen examples.
• Gather additional information needed to support your thesis (document sources).

Edit /Proofread and Publish

Polish the final draft. Refine sentence structure and word choice. Check spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.