Short Paper

By Anselmus SudirmanTh Laksmi Widyarini

STIKES Jenderal Ahmad Yani Yogyakarta

Pointers

Thesis versus controlling idea Pre-paraphrasing technique:

alternating active and passive verb forms

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

Thesis versus controlling idea

Short paper is generally three to five pages in length.

A paper of six, seven, or eight pages can also be considered a short paper.

But the short paper is not a formal research paper.

In assigning a short paper, a professor usually specifies the subject matter and the manner in which students approach it.

Thesis versus controlling idea

Based on the nature of assignment, three elements are common to all short papers:

1. All short papers begin by explicitly stating the controlling idea or thesis. Therefore, are all developed deductively (general to specific).

2. All short papers require that evidence or examples from some objective sources are provided to support the generalization made at the beginning.

3. All short papers are written objectively.

Thesis versus controlling idea

In persuasive writing – a special type of controlling idea called a thesis – is most often used.

Persuasive writing presents arguments on an issue. It requires connections between (1) ideas, (2) systematic use of information, and (3) especially careful use of examples.

A thesis is a controlling idea that limits and predicts the kinds of information that are most likely to follow.

Thesis versus controlling idea

A thesis makes a statement about a subject which the writer will support by providing evidence of the “truth” of the statement.

The search for “truth” is the goal of all academic papers.

A thesis evaluates and judges, and it is supported by evidence to convince the reader that the judgment or interpretation is “true”.

Thesis versus controlling idea

The following types of information are not considered theses:

1. Simple Enumerative statements (naming things on a list one by one)

Infectious diseases occur for several reasons.

There are many kinds of internal diseases which kill thousands of patients.

Thesis versus controlling idea

2. Statistical or Descriptive Information There are thousands of infectious

diseases in Indonesia each month. More students attend STIKES A. Yani

today than two years ago.

3. Historical Facts Henry Dunant was responsible for the

invention of the red cross.

Thesis versus controlling ideaThe statements in the previous slides

appear as the controlling ideas, but none qualifies as an acceptable thesis statement.

Why?Because a thesis identifies

important thought relationships – it talks about causes and results,

or it suggests important similarities or differences – and evaluates information according to the perception of the writer.

Thesis versus controlling idea

Example: There are three types of barriers which

inhibit good communication: physical,

human, and semantic. (Controlling idea)

Of the three barriers to communication – physical, human, and semantic – perhaps the most difficult to remedy is that of

human limitations. (Thesis)

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating active and passive verb forms

In general, academic writing aims at being “objective” in its expression of ideas.

Therefore, a writer tries to avoid specific reference to personal opinion.

Example1. I propose…2. In my opinion… 3. It seems to me…

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating active and passive verb forms

The ability to alter or change between active and passive structures is a useful paraphrasing technique.

There are situations in which the passive is preferred to the active – when the performer of the action (1) is not known, (2) is not important, (3) is perfectly obvious, or (4) refers to the writer.

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating active and passive verb forms

1. No one knows the exact period when language was first spoken.

(The actual performer of the action is not known.)

2. The sweater was made in England. (The identity of the industrial worker who made

the sweater is not important.)3. French is spoken in France. (“By the French people” is obvious.) 4 It can be concluded that further research is

necessary. (It is the writer who is drawing the conclusion: “I

conclude that….)

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating active and passive verb forms

Basic sentence structures:

1. Subject Verb Direct Object Nurses play an important role.

active (direct object) An important role is played by nurses.

passive

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating active and passive verb forms

2. That-clauses as direct objects

-You can see that nurses play an important role.

ACTIVE (direct object = that-clause)

-It can be seen that nurses play an important role.

PASSIVE (direct object = that clause)

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

A pre-paraphrasing is a way of expressing an author’s thought in your own words.

So you need to change the form of one word, from a verb to a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Example Verb: to succeedNoun: success/successor Adjective: successful/succeeding Adverb: successfully.

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

to persevere (verb) Perseverance (noun)Persevering (adjective)

To manage (verb) Manager (noun) Management (noun)Managing (adjective) Managerial (adjective)Managed (adjective) Managerially (adverb)

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

Verb: to succeed (menggantikan)Soeharto succeeded Soekarno as President of the Republic of Indonesia.

Noun: successor (“the person who…”) Soeharto was Soekarno’s successor.

Soekarno’s successor was Soeharto. Noun: succession (“the act of…”)

The Republic of Indonesia Constitution provides for the peaceful succession of power.

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

ORIGINAL SENTENCE:

A manager’s success is due to perseverance.

(perseverance = ketekunan, kegigihan) POSSIBLE PARAPHRASES:

1. A manager often succeeds because of perseverance.

2. Perseverance often leads to managerial success.

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

3. A persevering manager is often successful.

4. Successful management is often a result of perseverance.

5. A manager who perseveres often succeeds.

6. Perseverance often causes a manager to achieve success.

Pre-paraphrasing technique: alternating word forms

7. Success is often a result of perseverance on the part of a manager.

8. If a manager perseveres, s/he will succeed.

9. Perseverance often contributes to a manager’s success.

10.A manager’s success often stems from perseverance.

11.A manager’s success often depends on (rests upon) perseverance.

Exercise: Paraphrase each of the following sentences by changing the italicized words or phrases in the

suggested manner. (1)

1. A variety of definitions of leadership have been proposed over the years.

2. Leadership has long been considered one of the most important factors influencing performance in organizations.

3. Early research focused on traits, or personality characteristics, typically found in leaders who have achieved success.

(2)

4. Fiedler believes that no one leadership style is equally successful in all job situations.

5. Indeed, the effectiveness of a leadership style depends on the “three situational factors” and how they relate to the job in question.

6. One factor of extreme importance, “leader-member relations”, refers to the amount of confidence subordinates have in a leader.

(3)

7. Secondly, there is “task structure” – that is, the degree of routine which exists in carrying out assigned tasks.

8. “Position power” is the third important factor; the term refers to how authoritative a leader’s position actually is within the entire structure of an organization.