Becoming a Better Essay

Writer

Becoming a Better Essay

Writer

Dr. Sean Gouglas with thanks to Dr. Aimée Morrison

Dr. Sean Gouglas with thanks to Dr. Aimée Morrison

History 261: A History of Post-Confederation CanadaHistory 261: A History of

Post-Confederation Canada

Your Argument (or Thesis Statement)Your Argument (or Thesis Statement)

• You must be argumentative• You are not telling a story• Someone must be able to argue against ita

• You must be argumentative• You are not telling a story• Someone must be able to argue against ita

A. Avoid ‘statement of fact’ argumentsA. Avoid ‘statement of fact’ arguments

• “The British North American Act of 1867 created one new Canada composed of four provinces, with powers divided between the federal and provincial elected bodies.”

• No kidding?• How exactly is this an argument?

•Was Matteo’s argument a good one?

• “The British North American Act of 1867 created one new Canada composed of four provinces, with powers divided between the federal and provincial elected bodies.”

• No kidding?• How exactly is this an argument?

•Was Matteo’s argument a good one?

Your ArgumentYour Argument

• Someone must reasonably want to argue against your position

• Someone must reasonably want to argue against your position

B. Avoid the obvious interpretive argumentB. Avoid the obvious interpretive argument

• “Children who are severely sexually and physically often suffer psychological problems as adults.”

• Not really something that anyone would disagree with, nor really want to argue against.

• “Children who are severely sexually and physically often suffer psychological problems as adults.”

• Not really something that anyone would disagree with, nor really want to argue against.

Your ArgumentYour Argument

C. Avoid observation without explanationC. Avoid observation without explanation• Narrative without explanation is story-telling• Interpretation and explanation is key• Narrative without explanation is story-telling• Interpretation and explanation is key

• “This paper will provide a detailed history of the construction and development of ENIAC, the world’s first real computer.”

• Do not tell a story• Throughout your paper, only relate facts as they

are necessary to make and support arguments

• “This paper will provide a detailed history of the construction and development of ENIAC, the world’s first real computer.”

• Do not tell a story• Throughout your paper, only relate facts as they

are necessary to make and support arguments

The IntroductionThe Introduction

• Be crisp, clear, and focused• Avoid staggering generalities

• eg, “throughout history”• Move from the general to the specific

• Be crisp, clear, and focused• Avoid staggering generalities

• eg, “throughout history”• Move from the general to the specific

A. Provide an interesting openingA. Provide an interesting opening

B. Provide a roadmap to your argumentB. Provide a roadmap to your argument• Be clear and focused – this isn’t a mystery novel• Be specific about schools of thought that affect your

argument

• Be clear and focused – this isn’t a mystery novel• Be specific about schools of thought that affect your

argument

C. Be argumentative throughout your introC. Be argumentative throughout your intro• Avoid narration (except to get started), the obvious, and

tautologies• Lead into the thesis statement – no surprises

• Avoid narration (except to get started), the obvious, and tautologies

• Lead into the thesis statement – no surprises

ConclusionConclusion

A. Reiterate thesis

B. Restate the path of discovery that you followed throughout the thesis

C. Provide conclusions

D. Offer insights into future research

A. Reiterate thesis

B. Restate the path of discovery that you followed throughout the thesis

C. Provide conclusions

D. Offer insights into future research

The ParagraphThe Paragraph

• Topic sentence (introduction)

• Evidence

• Exploration

• Significance

• Transition (conclusion)

• Topic sentence (introduction)

• Evidence

• Exploration

• Significance

• Transition (conclusion)

• A paragraph is a mini-paper that should have most or all of the following elements

• A paragraph is a mini-paper that should have most or all of the following elements

Look at these in greater detailLook at these in greater detail

The Paragraph continuedThe Paragraph continued

• Introduce each paragraph with a mini-thesis statement

• Create argumentative topic sentence, not simple statements of fact or observations

• Relate each topic sentence directly to your thesis in some fashion

• Build your ideas from one paragraph to the next

• Introduce each paragraph with a mini-thesis statement

• Create argumentative topic sentence, not simple statements of fact or observations

• Relate each topic sentence directly to your thesis in some fashion

• Build your ideas from one paragraph to the next

• Topic Sentence• Topic Sentence

The Paragraph continuedThe Paragraph continued

• SUPPORT your topic sentence with a variety of evidence: direct or indirect citation, statistics, argumentation, examples, analogies, etc.

• Everything cannot be related to Nazism

• SYNTHESIZE evidence in your own words

• EVALUATE the evidence

• RELATE evidence to your overall thesis with specific statements

• SUPPORT your topic sentence with a variety of evidence: direct or indirect citation, statistics, argumentation, examples, analogies, etc.

• Everything cannot be related to Nazism

• SYNTHESIZE evidence in your own words

• EVALUATE the evidence

• RELATE evidence to your overall thesis with specific statements

• Evidence• Evidence

The Paragraph continuedThe Paragraph continued

• Relate the specific implications of the topic sentence to the thesis statement

• Relate the specific implications of the topic sentence to the thesis statement

• Significance of evidence or argument • Significance of evidence or argument

• Relate ideas in this paragraph to the next (although this can also be done with a good topic sentence).

• Don’t be sloppy or pedantic in your transitions• “My next point…”

• Don’t use numbered transitions too often• First, second, etc.

• Relate ideas in this paragraph to the next (although this can also be done with a good topic sentence).

• Don’t be sloppy or pedantic in your transitions• “My next point…”

• Don’t use numbered transitions too often• First, second, etc.

• Transition• Transition

The Paragraph – an exampleThe Paragraph – an example

Topic sentence Topic sentence

Transition Transition

SignificanceSignificance

Explanation Explanation

ImplicationsImplications

OverwritingOverwriting

The most common error in undergraduate writing The most common error in undergraduate writing is overwriting:is overwriting:

• Unnecessary wordiness means you don’t have Unnecessary wordiness means you don’t have room to argue your thesis.room to argue your thesis.

• How can we improve the following?How can we improve the following?

““Since the beginning of time, man has always Since the beginning of time, man has always used literature to understand the social world. used literature to understand the social world. Charles Dickens’ Charles Dickens’ Hard Times Hard Times examines examines Victorian education.”Victorian education.”

The most common error in undergraduate writing The most common error in undergraduate writing is overwriting:is overwriting:

• Unnecessary wordiness means you don’t have Unnecessary wordiness means you don’t have room to argue your thesis.room to argue your thesis.

• How can we improve the following?How can we improve the following?

““Since the beginning of time, man has always Since the beginning of time, man has always used literature to understand the social world. used literature to understand the social world. Charles Dickens’ Charles Dickens’ Hard Times Hard Times examines examines Victorian education.”Victorian education.”

OverwritingOverwriting

1.1. Purposeless extra wordsPurposeless extra words• ““I’m considering the pursuit of a further degree.”I’m considering the pursuit of a further degree.”

2.2. RedundanciesRedundancies• ““The consensus of critical opinion agrees.”The consensus of critical opinion agrees.”

3.3. Needless complicationsNeedless complications• ““I am in a position to help with your writing.”I am in a position to help with your writing.”

1.1. Purposeless extra wordsPurposeless extra words• ““I’m considering the pursuit of a further degree.”I’m considering the pursuit of a further degree.”

2.2. RedundanciesRedundancies• ““The consensus of critical opinion agrees.”The consensus of critical opinion agrees.”

3.3. Needless complicationsNeedless complications• ““I am in a position to help with your writing.”I am in a position to help with your writing.”

What can you do?What can you do?

1.1. PrunePrune your draft your draft

• You can usually remove 30% very easilyYou can usually remove 30% very easily

• Really good writers cut 50% out of their draftsReally good writers cut 50% out of their drafts

1.1. PrunePrune your draft your draft

• You can usually remove 30% very easilyYou can usually remove 30% very easily

• Really good writers cut 50% out of their draftsReally good writers cut 50% out of their drafts

Focus on three things:Focus on three things:

What can you do?What can you do?

2.2. Once deadwood is removed, you can Once deadwood is removed, you can assess assess your evidenceyour evidence as you write as you write

• Gouglas thinks that farming is important to Gouglas thinks that farming is important to understanding Ontario. Peterson’s work on understanding Ontario. Peterson’s work on Ontario emphasizes a different point.Ontario emphasizes a different point.

• Gouglas compellingly argues for the primacy of Gouglas compellingly argues for the primacy of understanding agriculture in Ontario’s history, understanding agriculture in Ontario’s history, even though Peterson effectively emphasizes even though Peterson effectively emphasizes the importance of culture.the importance of culture.

2.2. Once deadwood is removed, you can Once deadwood is removed, you can assess assess your evidenceyour evidence as you write as you write

• Gouglas thinks that farming is important to Gouglas thinks that farming is important to understanding Ontario. Peterson’s work on understanding Ontario. Peterson’s work on Ontario emphasizes a different point.Ontario emphasizes a different point.

• Gouglas compellingly argues for the primacy of Gouglas compellingly argues for the primacy of understanding agriculture in Ontario’s history, understanding agriculture in Ontario’s history, even though Peterson effectively emphasizes even though Peterson effectively emphasizes the importance of culture.the importance of culture.

What can you do?What can you do?

3.3. Watch out for Watch out for ‘university diction’,‘university diction’, characterised by jargon, windy phrases, over-characterised by jargon, windy phrases, over-complicated constructionscomplicated constructions

• ““The Task Force is also concerned that it The Task Force is also concerned that it provide the basis for the faculty of this campus provide the basis for the faculty of this campus to govern itself , rather than being governed by to govern itself , rather than being governed by others less understanding of the nature of the others less understanding of the nature of the University. Consequently, we are asking you to University. Consequently, we are asking you to specify the methods you use to evaluate the specify the methods you use to evaluate the effectiveness of your own teaching.”effectiveness of your own teaching.”

• ““The task force wants our faculty to govern The task force wants our faculty to govern itself rather than by those who know less about itself rather than by those who know less about the university. How do you evaluate your own the university. How do you evaluate your own teaching?”teaching?”

3.3. Watch out for Watch out for ‘university diction’,‘university diction’, characterised by jargon, windy phrases, over-characterised by jargon, windy phrases, over-complicated constructionscomplicated constructions

• ““The Task Force is also concerned that it The Task Force is also concerned that it provide the basis for the faculty of this campus provide the basis for the faculty of this campus to govern itself , rather than being governed by to govern itself , rather than being governed by others less understanding of the nature of the others less understanding of the nature of the University. Consequently, we are asking you to University. Consequently, we are asking you to specify the methods you use to evaluate the specify the methods you use to evaluate the effectiveness of your own teaching.”effectiveness of your own teaching.”

• ““The task force wants our faculty to govern The task force wants our faculty to govern itself rather than by those who know less about itself rather than by those who know less about the university. How do you evaluate your own the university. How do you evaluate your own teaching?”teaching?”

SummarySummary

• Good Writing is rewritingGood Writing is rewriting

• What separates an ‘A’ from a ‘B’ is evidence of What separates an ‘A’ from a ‘B’ is evidence of control over the written workcontrol over the written work

• Cut out the windy bits: we’re all used to aiming Cut out the windy bits: we’re all used to aiming for the page count and then quitting. That’s just for the page count and then quitting. That’s just the first half!the first half!

• Rework what you’ve done.Rework what you’ve done.

• Good Writing is rewritingGood Writing is rewriting

• What separates an ‘A’ from a ‘B’ is evidence of What separates an ‘A’ from a ‘B’ is evidence of control over the written workcontrol over the written work

• Cut out the windy bits: we’re all used to aiming Cut out the windy bits: we’re all used to aiming for the page count and then quitting. That’s just for the page count and then quitting. That’s just the first half!the first half!

• Rework what you’ve done.Rework what you’ve done.