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When you're reading a book or short story and keep saying to yourself, "Just one more page!" that author has succeeded in creating tension and suspense. A good writer not only introduces narrative tension into their short story or novel early on, but can masterfully increase it throughout the story to keep readers engaged. There are two main elements to tension and suspense: pressure and momentum. This...

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How To Build Tension And Suspense In Your Writing

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When you're reading a book or short story and keep saying to yourself, "Just one more page!" that author has succeeded in creating tension and suspense. A good writer not only introduces narrative tension into their short story or novel early on, but can masterfully increase it throughout the story to keep readers engaged.

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Inclusive Writing: How to Craft Your Script About Marginalized Groups - WeScreenplay

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Whether you’re from a marginalized group or want to explore a story outside of your own community, here are some tips on inclusive writing.

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What is an essay?

Essays are a primary means by which scholars communicate their ideas with one another. Within their essays, students and professors focus on significant questions or problems in their field, create arguments to respond to those questions and problems, and support their arguments with specific evidence and citations. While essays differ widely in terms of how they are structured and organized, they generally begin with an introduction that introduces the topic and the thesis of the essay, contain body paragraphs that develop and support the essay's thesis with evidence, and end with a conclusion that highlights the significance of the thesis.

Common problems

1. Topic too broad: Essays topics or questions must be focused and contained enough that they can be examined with depth and complexity.

2. 5-paragraph model is too general or simplistic: The 5-paragraph essays works to prove a single point with three examples or to examine three unrelated points within the same topic. University essays often require students to prove several different points that relate to a larger argument and students can choose how many examples they need to use.

3. Descriptive not analytical: Essays need to move beyond reporting or summarizing information to analyse and explain that information.

4. Improper use of sources: It is essential that students properly paraphrase and quote sources in their essays and that they cite the source of all the information, words, and ideas contained in their essays.

5. Lack of editing and proofreading: Most first drafts contain errors in organization, grammar, and style, errors that prevent the reader from understanding the points within the essay.

Resources for Essay Writers

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What is an essay? Essays are a primary means by which scholars communicate their ideas with one another. Within their essays, students and professors focus on significant questions or problems in their field, create arguments to respond to those questions and problems, and support their arguments with specific evidence and citations.

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How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-By-Step Guide | Grammarly Blog

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Few things strike more fear in academics than the accursed research paper , a term synonymous with long hours and hard work. Luckily there's a secret to help you get through them. As long as you know how to write a research paper properly, you'll find they're not so bad . . . or at least painful.

In this guide we concisely explain how to write an academic research paper step by step. We'll cover areas like how to start a research paper, how to write a research paper outline, how to use citations and evidence, and how to write a conclusion for a research paper.

What is a research paper?

Research papers are a bedrock of modern science and the most effective way to share information across a wide network. However, most people are familiar with research papers from school; college courses often use them to test a student's knowledge of a particular area or their research skills in general.

Considering their gravity, research papers favor formal, even bland language that strips the writing of any bias. Researchers state their findings plainly and with corresponding evidence so that other researchers can consequently use the paper in their own research.

How long should a research paper be?

The length of a research paper depends on the topic or assignment. Typically, research papers run around 4,000-6,000 words, but it's common to see short papers around 2,000 words or long papers over 10,000 words.

If you're writing a paper for school, the recommended length should be provided in the assignment. Otherwise, let your topic dictate the length: Complicated topics or extensive research will require more explanation.

How to write a research paper in 9 steps

Below is a step-by-step guide to writing a research paper, catered specifically for students rather than professional researchers. While some steps may not apply to your particular assignment, think of this as more of a general guideline to keep you on track.

1 Understand the assignment

For some of you this goes without saying, but you might be surprised at how many students start a research paper without even reading the assignment guidelines.

So your first step should be to review the assignment and carefully read the writing prompt. Specifically, look for technical requirements such as length, formatting requirements (single- vs. double-spacing, indentations, etc.) and citation style. Also pay attention to the particulars, such as whether or not you need to write an abstract or include a cover page.

In open-ended assignments, the student must choose their own topic. While it may seem simple enough, choosing a topic is actually the most important decision you'll make in writing a research paper, since it determines everything that follows.

Try not to be robotic about choosing your topic, though; it's still best to pick something that you're personally interested in. Ideally, you'll find a topic that satisfies both requirements, something that provides a suitable amount of content and also keeps you engaged.

3 Gather preliminary research

The sooner you start researching, the better-after all, it's called a paper for a reason.

To refine your topic and prepare your thesis statement, find out what research is available for your topic as soon as possible. Early research can help dispel any misconceptions you have about the topic and reveal the best paths and approaches to find more material.

Typically, you can find sources either online or in a library. If you're searching online, make sure you use credible sources like science journals or academic papers. Some search engines-mentioned below in the Tools and resources section-allow you to browse only accredited sources and academic databases.

4 Write a thesis statement

A thesis statement is the best answer for how to start a research paper. Aside from preparing your reader, the thesis statement also makes it easier for other researchers to assess whether or not your paper is useful to them for their own research. Likewise, you should read the thesis statements of other research papers to decide how useful they are to you.

For example, if your research paper topic is about separating students with ADHD from other students, you'd first ask yourself, "Does separating students with ADHD improve their learning?" The answer-based on your preliminary research-is a good basis for your thesis statement.

5 Determine supporting evidence

At this stage of how to write an academic research paper, it's time to knuckle down and do the actual research. Here's when you go through all the sources you collected earlier and find the specific information you'd like to use in your paper.

6 Write a research paper outline

A lot of students want to know how to write a research paper outline. More than informal essays, research papers require a methodical and systematic structure to make sure all issues are addressed, and that makes outlines especially important.

Once you have a list of what you want to talk about, consider the best order to present the information. Which subtopics are related and should go next to each other? Are there any subtopics that don't make sense if they're presented out of sequence? If your information is fairly straightforward, feel free to take a chronological approach and present the information in the order it happened.

Because research papers can get complicated, consider breaking your outline into paragraphs. For starters, this helps you stay organized if you have a lot of information to cover. Moreover, it gives you greater control over the flow and direction of the research paper. It's always better to fix structural problems in the outline phase than later after everything's already been written.

Don't forget to include your supporting evidence in the outline as well. Chances are you'll have a lot you want to include, so putting it in your outline helps prevent some things from falling through the cracks.

Once your outline is finished, it's time to start actually writing your research paper. This is by far the longest and most involved step, but if you've properly prepared your sources and written a thorough outline, everything should run smoothly.

If you don't know how to write an introduction for a research paper, the beginning can be difficult. That's why writing your thesis statement beforehand is crucial. Open with your thesis statement and then fill out the rest of your introduction with the secondary information-save the details for the body of your research paper, which comes next.

Even after the body is written, you still need to know how to write a conclusion for a research paper. Just like an essay conclusion , your research paper conclusion should restate your thesis, reiterate your main evidence, and summarize your findings in a way that's easy to understand.

Don't add any new information in your conclusion, but feel free to say your own personal perspective or interpretation if it helps the reader understand the big picture.

8 Cite your sources correctly

You need to check with the assignment to see which formatting style is required. Typically, academic research papers follow one of two formatting styles for citing sources:

The links above explain the specific formatting guidelines for each style, along with an automatic citation generator to help you get started.

In addition to MLA and APA styles, you occasionally see requirements for (The Chicago Manual of Style), (American Medical Association) and (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

Citations may seem confusing at first with all their rules and specific information. However, once you get the hang of them, you'll be able to properly cite your sources without even thinking about it. Keep in mind that each formatting style has specific guidelines for citing just about kind of source, including , , , and YouTube videos .

Here's a tip: Use Grammarly's Citation Generator to ensure your essays have flawless citations and no plagiarism when citing scientific papers in MLA, APA, and Chicago.

To help you catch everything, here's a quick checklist to keep in mind while you edit:
Structural edit:

Is your thesis statement clear and concise?

Is your paper well-organized, and does it flow from beginning to end with logical transitions?

Do your ideas follow a logical sequence in each paragraph?

Have you used concrete details and facts and avoided generalizations?

Do your arguments support and prove your thesis?

Have you avoided repetition?

Are your sources properly cited?

Have you checked for accidental plagiarism?

Word choice, grammar, and spelling edit:

Is your language clear and specific?

Do your sentences flow smoothly and clearly?

Have you checked for proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation?

Some people find it useful to read their paper out loud to catch problems they might miss when reading in their head. Another solution is to have someone else read your paper and point out areas for improvement and/or technical mistakes.

Technical issues like grammatical mistakes and misspelled words can be handled effortlessly if you use a spellchecker with your word processor, or even better, a digital writing assistant that also suggests improvements for word choice and tone, like Grammarly (we explain more in the Tools and resources section below).

Tools and resources

If you want to know more about how to write a research paper, or if you want some help with each step, take a look at the tools and resources below.

Google Scholar

This is Google's own search engine, which is dedicated exclusively to academic papers. It's a great way to find new research and sources. Plus, it's free to use.

Zotero is a freemium, open-source research manager, a cross between an organizational CMS and a search engine for academic research. With it, you can browse the internet for research sources relevant to your topic and share them easily with colleagues. Also, it automatically generates citations.

FocusWriter

Writing long research papers is always a strain on your attention span. If you have trouble avoiding distractions during those long stretches, FocusWriter might be able to help. FocusWriter is a minimalist word processor that removes all the distracting icons and sticks only to what you type. You're also free to choose your own customized backgrounds, with other special features like timed alarms, daily goals, and optional typewriter sound effects.

Google Charts

This useful and free tool from Google lets you create simple charts and graphs based on whatever data you input. Charts and graphs are excellent visual aids for expressing numeric data, a perfect complement if you need to explain complicated evidential research.

Grammarly goes way beyond grammar, helping you hone word choice, checking your text for plagiarism, detecting your tone, and more. For foreign-language learners, it can make your English sound more fluent, and even those who speak English as their primary language benefit from Grammarly's suggestions.

Research paper FAQs
What is a research paper?
A research paper is a piece of academic writing that analyzes, evaluates, or interprets a single topic with empirical evidence and statistical data.
When will I need to write a research paper in college?
Many college courses use research papers to test a student's knowledge of a particular topic or their research skills in general. While research papers depend on the course or professor, you can expect to write at least a few before graduation.
How do I determine a topic for my research paper?
If the topic is not assigned, try to find a topic that's general enough to provide ample evidence but specific enough that you're able to cover all the basics. If possible, choose a topic you're personally interested in-it makes the work easier.
Where can I conduct research for my paper?
Today most research is conducted either online or in libraries. Some topics might benefit from old periodicals like newspapers or magazines, as well as visual media like documentaries. Museums, parks, and historical monuments can also be useful.
How do I cite sources for a research paper?
The correct formatting for citations depends on which style you're using, so check the assignment guidelines. Most school research reports use either or styles, although there are others.
This article was originally written by Karen Hertzberg in 2017. It's been updated to include new information.

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The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Research Paper

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Writing a research paper doesn't have to be intimidating. Our handy guide to research papers will help you make the grade.

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If you've ever seen or read about a great lawyer (or watched a great actor play a great lawyer) in action, you know that a key element in winning a case is the closing argument.
The same goes for the concluding paragraph in a piece of writing.
The conclusion is your last opportunity to persuade your reader that the information you just imparted is significant. This is particularly important because a reader will typically remember the conclusion paragraph more vividly than the beginning of your paper. (Thank you, recency bias!)

Luckily, we've crafted a foolproof, three-step method to show you how to write a conclusion. Let's dive in!

Step 1: Anchor It

A good conclusion paragraph begins by transitioning your message from the body of your paper to the conclusion and anchoring it to your thesis statement.

A transitional phrase should be used in the opening of your conclusion; consider using a phrase like "it is clear," "it is evident," or "overall." Similarly, a lawyer might begin their closing argument with a line like "without a doubt." This sentence will set the tone for the rest of the concluding argument.

Rephrasing your main point to establish your conclusion and tie all your arguments together is an effective way to kick off the paragraph and begin to bring your thought process full circle for your reader.

Step 2: Prove It

Every good lawyer's closing argument is presented with intent and persuasion. Lawyers explain why their evidence is superior to that of the opposing council and why the judge or jury should consider their arguments when arriving at a verdict. This is what your conclusion paragraph should also achieve.

Your conclusion is the big finish to your paper. Be careful not to repeat your introduction or main ideas verbatim. Instead, you want to summarize your evidence while reminding the reader why it is significant in the context of your paper.

In the courtroom, once the closing argument has begun, a lawyer will try to persuade the jury to consider all of the valid points they presented throughout the case and why that evidence matters-similarly, you should explain to your reader why they should care about what you said in your paper.

To begin this process, review the main points you made within your paper. Create a summary of each point as well as the significant contributions each makes to your argument. Next, concisely present each summary in a sentence or two for the reader.

Think of it this way-if a lawyer's client has an alibi supported by their employer and colleagues that they were at work when a particular crime took place, the lawyer might summarize this finding as follows:

The alibi provided by my client's employer and colleagues indicates that there were no plausible means by which my client could have left the office, robbed the bank, and made it back to their desk without being noticed. The time required to travel between these locations is too significant for this to be possible; no person could have successfully accomplished this task without their absence being noted.

Use transitional phrases to move from one idea to the next. Consider how each point works in tandem with the others to arrive at the conclusion you have drawn-or want the reader to draw-from your work.

If our hypothetical accused has an alibi, an eyewitness description of the actual culprit, and no DNA evidence placing them at the scene of the crime, then a seamless summary of these facts using this advice may read as follows:

The alibi provided by my client's employer and colleagues indicates that there were no plausible means by which my client could have left the office, robbed the bank, and made it back to their desk without being noticed. The time required to travel between these locations is too significant for this to be possible; no person could have successfully accomplished this task without their absence being noted. Furthermore, a key witness stated that the perpetrator of this crime was a Caucasian male with blonde hair and a tall frame. My client is not only female but also stands at a height of only 5'2"; this is a clear indication that my client's appearance does not align with the eyewitness's account of the true culprit's appearance. These key description discrepancies are only furthered by the lack of DNA evidence produced by the prosecution.

As you can see here, each idea supports one overall theme and provides evidence that leads to a verdict or a conclusion (i.e., innocence). This evidence is used to persuade the target audience (in this case [pun intended], the jury). Similarly, your conclusion should present evidence to convince your reader to agree with your main argument.

In the final sentence(s) of your conclusion paragraph, you need to bring your desired conclusion to light. Leave the reader feeling as though your evidence is, without a doubt, valid. Accordingly, the lawyer of the hypothetical client accused of bank robbery may read a closing sentence similar to the following:

Not only has the prosecution failed to produce any substantially valid evidence against my client, but the evidence that has been presented in this court further supports my client's innocence. Therefore, we ask the jury to render a verdict of not guilty.

Step 3: Close It (Flawlessly)

If you were undergoing the trial of a lifetime, you would want your lawyer's closing statements to be delivered flawlessly and without hesitation. The same is true for your conclusion paragraph. To be persuasive and convincing, it needs to be logical, coherent, and grammatically correct.

Once you have written the first draft of your conclusion paragraph, take a moment to reread it. Ensure that you have indicated a transition from the body of your paper to your conclusion and that the key elements of your paper are anchored on your overall argument.

Make adjustments to your statements to ensure that they are concise, accurately reflect your intention, and explicitly provide the evidence required to support your claims. Furthermore, check that you did not introduce any new major ideas (these should all be discussed in the main body of your work).

Then, ask a friend or-better yet-a professional essay editor to edit your paper. This step may seem inconsequential; however, the most minor details and adjustments can truly empower and sculpt an argument.

How many shows or movies have you watched more than once? You may have observed that each time you rewatch certain scenes, you notice inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Editing a paper is no different. The editing process ensures that your ideas are clear of all ambiguities and errors and polishes your conclusion paragraph into a beautifully articulated reflection on your work as a whole.

Here's an Example

If the thesis of your paper indicated that businesses would be more profitable if they adopted a four-day workweek to ensure higher employee engagement, then your concluding paragraph might be structured and written as follows using our foolproof, three-step method to writing a great conclusion paragraph.

Anchor It

It is clear that a four-day work week is beneficial for both businesses and employees.

Prove It

When an employee has a healthy work-life balance, they are more likely to be engaged when they are at work. As a result of this heightened engagement, the business can operate more efficiently, thus generating higher profits. Furthermore, if an employee is engaged, they are less likely to leave their organization, and instances of absenteeism will decrease. This will lower both hiring and turnover costs as well as benefit plan costs.

Conclusion

Using our three-step method, you, too, can learn how to write a conclusion paragraph. Just remember: practice makes perfect! No lawyer becomes great overnight, and the same goes for great writers.

Here's a handy graphic describing each step involved in writing a great conclusion paragraph. Feel free to download, save, and print it at your convenience.

Happy writing!
Image source: stevanovicigor/elements.envato.com
Polish your conclusion to leave an impact on your reader.

About the Author

Scribendi's in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing turn into a great one after the editing process. Scribendi's in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained nearly 20 degrees collectively. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.

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How to Write a Conclusion Paragraph (in Three Easy Steps!) | Scribendi

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If you've ever seen or read about a great lawyer (or watched a great actor play a great lawyer) in action, you know that a key element in winning a case is the closing argument. The same goes for the concluding paragraph in a piece of writing.

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Before you start to write any document, it is helpful to have a broad plan in mind setting out what information you intend to include, and in what order. This is known as the structure of your document or text.

Developing this structure or framework will save you time as you write. It will ensure that you include all the necessary information, without any unnecessary detail. It will also help to improve the flow of the writing.

This page describes the process of developing a suitable structure for any document. It also provides some examples, although many more exist online and in study guides.

Why Use a Structure?
Developing a structure or framework for your writing will ensure that the most important points are covered at the appropriate point in the writing.
A framework or structure will also allow you to break down the daunting task of writing a longer document into more manageable sections.

For example, being asked to write a 10,000-word report is an intimidating prospect. However, you can use a framework to decide that you will need 500 words in an introduction, 2,000 to explain the methods you used, 2,500 to set out your results, and so on. Writing a 500-word introduction is a much less daunting task than writing a 10,000-word report.

Adhering to your framework will also prevent you from writing too many words for one section and then having to delete these to make enough room for another section.

Developing a Structure
There is no one set structure or framework that covers all possible forms of written communication.
Check Before You Begin!
Your first step in developing a structure is to check whether one already exists.
For example, if you are writing a business document, or something at work, your employer may already have a template for that document. If you are a student, there may be a required structure for each kind of written assignment.
Checking first will save you considerable time developing your own structure, or putting your document into the correct structure later. If there is no outline structure provided, you will need to develop one.
However, don't panic, because there are many examples of structures for different forms of writing available on the web and within study guides. You really do not need to reinvent the wheel.

Start by searching for a suitable example using your keywords (for example, 'factual news article', or 'business report'). You can then compare outline structures, and decide which one you think will work.
If you really cannot find a suitable outline, then you will have to develop one.
A Process for Structure Development

There are broadly two options for structuring documents.

1. 'Chronological', or the order in which you have developed your thinking.
Academic writing generally takes this form. You start with background and previous research, then describe your methods, results, and conclusions, setting this into the context of previous research. Finally, you put forward proposals for future research.

2. Non-chronological, which follows the order in which the reader needs the information.
Business writing often takes this form, because executives tend to want to read the conclusions or recommendations first. If they don't understand or support these, then they want more information about how the ideas were developed. They usually know the background, so that is often included in an appendix, rather than the main text.

Some Tips for Deciding Your Structure:

It is a good idea to start by thinking about your conclusion or recommendations, and decide whether you want those upfront, or at the end. This depends chiefly on your readers' need.

Consider whether you need to include any background, and if so, how much. To decide this, again consider your reader. You can then decide if you want to include the background early on (because your audience needs this information), or if it can be included as an appendix for anyone who wants to read it later.

Decide when and where to include the arguments supporting your conclusion or recommendations.

This will probably give you enough clues to decide on a chronological or non-chronological structures. Beyond that, you will need to be flexible to decide what is most appropriate for your purposes.

It's not set in stone!

When you are developing a suitable structure, remember that it is not set in stone. You do not have to use it rigidly. Even within an organisational outline, there will be some flexibility.

The structure is designed to help you and your reader, not to constrain you and make your life difficult.
You will probably have realised by now that perhaps the most important consideration is your audience. There is more about this process of understanding your readers' needs in our page on Know Your Audience.
Once you have decided whether you are using a chronological or non-chronological structure, set out some possible headings and sub-headings for your document. These should allow you to set out all the necessary information, in a logical order.

Using Your Structure
The next step is to start to populate the structure with notes about what content to include.
Under each heading in the structure, make a note of the required information. You can then start to fill in the sections in more detail.

You will often be able to use the titles of the main sections in your structure as headings and subheadings within the text. These help the reader to navigate through the piece.

However, even if you are not expected to use the section titles in the finished document, they will still help you to structure your writing into the desired framework.

You don't need to write in the final order

One of the most useful aspects of a structure is that you do not need to write your document in the final order. Instead, you can move about the document, writing different sections to follow your train of thought.

For example, some people find that it is helpful to start with their conclusion or recommendation. This means it is clear in their mind as they write their supporting arguments.

In academic writing, it is common to start with the methods, because this is often the easiest section. The introduction or background may be written early, but will often need much more work once you have developed your conclusions.

Whatever structure you choose to use, you should constantly check that you are adhering to it. If you find that your structure does not work, then revisit it to see whether another structure might be more appropriate.

You should also check the flow of your text as you write. Paragraphs and sections should flow logically from one to the next. Conclude one subject area before introducing another. Hopping from one topic to another with no clear structure confuses the reader and demonstrates a lack of clarity.

Examples of Structures for Written Work

Two examples of common structures for writing different types of communication are provided below. Remember that these are simply examples, and many variations on these frameworks exist.

A Written Report

Reports are always presented in sections and subsections, because they contain a lot of information. This needs to be organised in a way that makes sense to the reader.

Sections are often numbered, and long reports generally include a title page and a table of contents.

Example Structure:

Title Page

Contents Page (with headings, subheadings and page numbers)

List of Illustrations (optional)

Acknowledgements (optional)

Abstract/Summary/Executive Summary

Introduction which may be combined with the next section.

Background/Literature Review

Research Methods/Methodology

Findings/Analysis

Conclusion

Recommendations (optional; in some business situations, this section may be included at the beginning of the report)

Further research

References/Bibliography

Appendices

A Press Release

See also: How to Write a Press Release

A press release is a written statement to the media. They are used by organisations to try to generate a news story.

Journalists receive numerous press releases every day. The key aim is therefore to capture their interest quickly and show them that you have a good story for them, which will repay their attention.

In this example, the headings and subheadings provided below should not be included within the press release. They are only to help you structure the text.

Example Structure:

Statement "For immediate release" or "Embargoed until (date and time)" as appropriate

Headline (a short, attention- grabbing summary of the story)

Photo opportunity (optional)

Body Copy:

Paragraph 1 Lead Sentence: Summarise the story - who, what, where, when and why. All key information needs to be in this paragraph. It needs to keep the reader's interest and follow on from the headline.

Paragraph 2: Include more details to flesh out the story that you outlined in the first paragraph

Paragraph 3: Quotes from someone relevant to the story. Each quote should make one point. If you wish to include more than one point here, use quotes from different people.

Paragraph 4: Any additional relevant information
Contact Information
Note for Editors (background information; whether you can offer interviews or additional pictures; any additional relevant information)

A final thought
A structure is chiefly useful in ordering your thoughts, and helping your reader to navigate your document.
As you develop your structure, and then use it to write your document, you therefore need to keep these aspects in mind.

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Written documents should be structured in a logical way to make them easier to follow. Learn how to develop a suitable structure and what you need to take into account, and how to use your structure to write your document.

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What Is Diction? Definition, Examples, Use Cases, and More

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You might notice right away that the word “diction” sounds a lot like the beginning of “dictionary.”

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay - Planning

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How to Write a STRONG Thesis Statement | Scribbr 🎓

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"Grammar is the structural foundation of our abiity to express ourselves. The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language. It can help foster precision, detect ambiguity, and exploit the richness of expression available in English."
David Crystal, "In Word and Deed," TES Teacher, April 30, 2004

Grammar is not just about avoiding mistakes. Understanding how grammar works is fundamental for all writers. While it can be argued that good grammar knowledge will not necessarily make you a better writer, it is recognized that it will help make you a more effective writer. Good grammar knowledge enables you as a writer to understand what makes a piece of writing successful, so that it will capture both the interest and understanding of the reader. It helps you to know how to craft words into coherent sentences, and how to form those sentences into paragraphs that successfully convey your meaning. Punctuation is an aspect of grammar that should never be underestimated. Correctly used, it can clarify meaning while, on the other hand, lack of use can cause ambiguity. Punctuation also acts as a signposting system for the reader, indicating where to pause, and what to stress. The various sections, listed on the right hand side, provide a useful grammar overview, and will help you to enrich your writing.

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Skip to main content "Grammar is the structural foundation of our abiity to express ourselves. The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language. It can help foster precision, detect ambiguity, and exploit the richness of expression available in English."

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The Writing Center * University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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What this handout is about

This handout will provide a broad overview of gathering and using evidence. It will help you decide what counts as evidence, put evidence to work in your writing, and determine whether you have enough evidence. It will also offer links to additional resources.

Introduction

Many papers that you write in college will require you to make an argument; this means that you must take a position on the subject you are discussing and support that position with evidence. It's important that you use the right kind of evidence, that you use it effectively, and that you have an appropriate amount of it. If, for example, your philosophy professor didn't like it that you used a survey of public opinion as your primary evidence in your ethics paper, you need to find out more about what philosophers count as good evidence. If your instructor has told you that you need more analysis, suggested that you're "just listing" points or giving a "laundry list," or asked you how certain points are related to your argument, it may mean that you can do more to fully incorporate your evidence into your argument. Comments like "for example?," "proof?," "go deeper," or "expand" in the margins of your graded paper suggest that you may need more evidence. Let's take a look at each of these issues-understanding what counts as evidence, using evidence in your argument, and deciding whether you need more evidence.

What counts as evidence?

Before you begin gathering information for possible use as evidence in your argument, you need to be sure that you understand the purpose of your assignment. If you are working on a project for a class, look carefully at the assignment prompt. It may give you clues about what sorts of evidence you will need. Does the instructor mention any particular books you should use in writing your paper or the names of any authors who have written about your topic? How long should your paper be (longer works may require more, or more varied, evidence)? What themes or topics come up in the text of the prompt? Our handout on understanding writing assignments can help you interpret your assignment. It's also a good idea to think over what has been said about the assignment in class and to talk with your instructor if you need clarification or guidance.

What matters to instructors?

Instructors in different academic fields expect different kinds of arguments and evidence-your chemistry paper might include graphs, charts, statistics, and other quantitative data as evidence, whereas your English paper might include passages from a novel, examples of recurring symbols, or discussions of characterization in the novel. Consider what kinds of sources and evidence you have seen in course readings and lectures. You may wish to see whether the Writing Center has a handout regarding the specific academic field you're working in-for example, literature, sociology, or history.

What are primary and secondary sources?

A note on terminology: many researchers distinguish between primary and secondary sources of evidence (in this case, "primary" means "first" or "original," not "most important"). Primary sources include original documents, photographs, interviews, and so forth. Secondary sources present information that has already been processed or interpreted by someone else. For example, if you are writing a paper about the movie "The Matrix," the movie itself, an interview with the director, and production photos could serve as primary sources of evidence. A movie review from a magazine or a collection of essays about the film would be secondary sources. Depending on the context, the same item could be either a primary or a secondary source: if I am writing about people's relationships with animals, a collection of stories about animals might be a secondary source; if I am writing about how editors gather diverse stories into collections, the same book might now function as a primary source.

Where can I find evidence?

Here are some examples of sources of information and tips about how to use them in gathering evidence. Ask your instructor if you aren't sure whether a certain source would be appropriate for your paper.

Print and electronic sources

Books, journals, websites, newspapers, magazines, and documentary films are some of the most common sources of evidence for academic writing. Our handout on evaluating print sources will help you choose your print sources wisely, and the library has a tutorial on evaluating both print sources and websites. A librarian can help you find sources that are appropriate for the type of assignment you are completing. Just visit the reference desk at Davis or the Undergraduate Library or chat with a librarian online (the library's IM screen name is undergradref).

Observation

Sometimes you can directly observe the thing you are interested in, by watching, listening to, touching, tasting, or smelling it. For example, if you were asked to write about Mozart's music, you could listen to it; if your topic was how businesses attract traffic, you might go and look at window displays at the mall.

Interviews

An interview is a good way to collect information that you can't find through any other type of research. An interview can provide an expert's opinion, biographical or first-hand experiences, and suggestions for further research.

Surveys

Surveys allow you to find out some of what a group of people thinks about a topic. Designing an effective survey and interpreting the data you get can be challenging, so it's a good idea to check with your instructor before creating or administering a survey.

Experiments

Experimental data serve as the primary form of scientific evidence. For scientific experiments, you should follow the specific guidelines of the discipline you are studying. For writing in other fields, more informal experiments might be acceptable as evidence. For example, if you want to prove that food choices in a cafeteria are affected by gender norms, you might ask classmates to undermine those norms on purpose and observe how others react. What would happen if a football player were eating dinner with his teammates and he brought a small salad and diet drink to the table, all the while murmuring about his waistline and wondering how many fat grams the salad dressing contained?

Personal experience

Using your own experiences can be a powerful way to appeal to your readers. You should, however, use personal experience only when it is appropriate to your topic, your writing goals, and your audience. Personal experience should not be your only form of evidence in most papers, and some disciplines frown on using personal experience at all. For example, a story about the microscope you received as a Christmas gift when you were nine years old is probably not applicable to your biology lab report.

Using evidence in an argument

Does evidence speak for itself?

Absolutely not. After you introduce evidence into your writing, you must say why and how this evidence supports your argument. In other words, you have to explain the significance of the evidence and its function in your paper. What turns a fact or piece of information into evidence is the connection it has with a larger claim or argument: evidence is always evidence for or against something, and you have to make that link clear.

As writers, we sometimes assume that our readers already know what we are talking about; we may be wary of elaborating too much because we think the point is obvious. But readers can't read our minds: although they may be familiar with many of the ideas we are discussing, they don't know what we are trying to do with those ideas unless we indicate it through explanations, organization, transitions, and so forth. Try to spell out the connections that you were making in your mind when you chose your evidence, decided where to place it in your paper, and drew conclusions based on it. Remember, you can always cut prose from your paper later if you decide that you are stating the obvious.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself about a particular bit of evidence:

1. OK, I've just stated this point, but so what? Why is it interesting? Why should anyone care?

2. What does this information imply?

3. What are the consequences of thinking this way or looking at a problem this way?

4. I've just described what something is like or how I see it, but why is it like that?

5. I've just said that something happens-so how does it happen? How does it come to be the way it is?

6. Why is this information important? Why does it matter?

7. How is this idea related to my thesis? What connections exist between them? Does it support my thesis? If so, how does it do that?

8. Can I give an example to illustrate this point?

Answering these questions may help you explain how your evidence is related to your overall argument.

How can I incorporate evidence into my paper?

There are many ways to present your evidence. Often, your evidence will be included as text in the body of your paper, as a quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sometimes you might include graphs, charts, or tables; excerpts from an interview; or photographs or illustrations with accompanying captions.

Quotations

When you quote, you are reproducing another writer's words exactly as they appear on the page. Here are some tips to help you decide when to use quotations:

1. Quote if you can't say it any better and the author's words are particularly brilliant, witty, edgy, distinctive, a good illustration of a point you're making, or otherwise interesting.

2. Quote if you are using a particularly authoritative source and you need the author's expertise to back up your point.

3. Quote if you are analyzing diction, tone, or a writer's use of a specific word or phrase.

4. Quote if you are taking a position that relies on the reader's understanding exactly what another writer says about the topic.

Be sure to introduce each quotation you use, and always cite your sources. See our handout on quotations for more details on when to quote and how to format quotations.

Like all pieces of evidence, a quotation can't speak for itself. If you end a paragraph with a quotation, that may be a sign that you have neglected to discuss the importance of the quotation in terms of your argument. It's important to avoid "plop quotations," that is, quotations that are just dropped into your paper without any introduction, discussion, or follow-up.

Paraphrasing

When you paraphrase, you take a specific section of a text and put it into your own words. Putting it into your own words doesn't mean just changing or rearranging a few of the author's words: to paraphrase well and avoid plagiarism, try setting your source aside and restating the sentence or paragraph you have just read, as though you were describing it to another person. Paraphrasing is different than summary because a paraphrase focuses on a particular, fairly short bit of text (like a phrase, sentence, or paragraph). You'll need to indicate when you are paraphrasing someone else's text by citing your source correctly, just as you would with a quotation.
When might you want to paraphrase?

1. Paraphrase when you want to introduce a writer's position, but his or her original words aren't special enough to quote.

2. Paraphrase when you are supporting a particular point and need to draw on a certain place in a text that supports your point-for example, when one paragraph in a source is especially relevant.

3. Paraphrase when you want to present a writer's view on a topic that differs from your position or that of another writer; you can then refute writer's specific points in your own words after you paraphrase.

4. Paraphrase when you want to comment on a particular example that another writer uses.

5. Paraphrase when you need to present information that's unlikely to be questioned.

Summary

When you summarize, you are offering an overview of an entire text, or at least a lengthy section of a text. Summary is useful when you are providing background information, grounding your own argument, or mentioning a source as a counter-argument. A summary is less nuanced than paraphrased material. It can be the most effective way to incorporate a large number of sources when you don't have a lot of space. When you are summarizing someone else's argument or ideas, be sure this is clear to the reader and cite your source appropriately.

Statistics, data, charts, graphs, photographs, illustrations

Sometimes the best evidence for your argument is a hard fact or visual representation of a fact. This type of evidence can be a solid backbone for your argument, but you still need to create context for your reader and draw the connections you want him or her to make. Remember that statistics, data, charts, graph, photographs, and illustrations are all open to interpretation. Guide the reader through the interpretation process. Again, always, cite the origin of your evidence if you didn't produce the material you are using yourself.

Do I need more evidence?

Let's say that you've identified some appropriate sources, found some evidence, explained to the reader how it fits into your overall argument, incorporated it into your draft effectively, and cited your sources. How do you tell whether you've got enough evidence and whether it's working well in the service of a strong argument or analysis? Here are some techniques you can use to review your draft and assess your use of evidence.

Make a reverse outline

A reverse outline is a great technique for helping you see how each paragraph contributes to proving your thesis. When you make a reverse outline, you record the main ideas in each paragraph in a shorter (outline-like) form so that you can see at a glance what is in your paper. The reverse outline is helpful in at least three ways. First, it lets you see where you have dealt with too many topics in one paragraph (in general, you should have one main idea per paragraph). Second, the reverse outline can help you see where you need more evidence to prove your point or more analysis of that evidence. Third, the reverse outline can help you write your topic sentences: once you have decided what you want each paragraph to be about, you can write topic sentences that explain the topics of the paragraphs and state the relationship of each topic to the overall thesis of the paper.

For tips on making a reverse outline, see our handout on organization.

Color code your paper

You will need three highlighters or colored pencils for this exercise. Use one color to highlight general assertions. These will typically be the topic sentences in your paper. Next, use another color to highlight the specific evidence you provide for each assertion (including quotations, paraphrased or summarized material, statistics, examples, and your own ideas). Lastly, use another color to highlight analysis of your evidence. Which assertions are key to your overall argument? Which ones are especially contestable? How much evidence do you have for each assertion? How much analysis? In general, you should have at least as much analysis as you do evidence, or your paper runs the risk of being more summary than argument. The more controversial an assertion is, the more evidence you may need to provide in order to persuade your reader.

Play devil's advocate, act like a child, or doubt everything

This technique may be easiest to use with a partner. Ask your friend to take on one of the roles above, then read your paper aloud to him/her. After each section, pause and let your friend interrogate you. If your friend is playing devil's advocate, he or she will always take the opposing viewpoint and force you to keep defending yourself. If your friend is acting like a child, he or she will question every sentence, even seemingly self-explanatory ones. If your friend is a doubter, he or she won't believe anything you say. Justifying your position verbally or explaining yourself will force you to strengthen the evidence in your paper. If you already have enough evidence but haven't connected it clearly enough to your main argument, explaining to your friend how the evidence is relevant or what it proves may help you to do so.

Common questions and additional resources

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout's topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial. We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 2016. Everything's an Argument, 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin's.

Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. 2016. The New Humanities Reader, 5th ed. Boston: Cengage.

University of Maryland. 2019. "Research Using Primary Sources." Research Guides. Last updated October 28, 2019. https://lib.guides.umd.edu/researchusingprimarysources.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Evidence - The Writing Center * University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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What this handout is about This handout will provide a broad overview of gathering and using evidence. It will help you decide what counts as evidence, put evidence to work in your writing, and determine whether you have enough evidence. ... Read more

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A thesis statement is what defines the purpose of your writing. A solid thesis statement can kick off your entire essay in the right direction. It can instantly frame the objective - not only for your readers but also for you as the writer.

What is a Thesis Statement?

Any writing you come across, be it a news article or an elaborate term paper, can be condensed into a single sentence. It can be a question or an argument that presents the gist of the text.

A thesis statement, in simple terms, is a summary of an academic paper. A good thesis statement serves as a road map for the rest of the article. It tells the audience what comes next by presenting the writer's point of view. The rest of your paper is about reinforcing this statement with supporting facts or case studies.

A thesis statement falls within the introductory paragraph of a paper. When you order a cheap essay for college from writing service, you will notice that the thesis statement is the very first sentence of the piece. Others also choose to save it towards the end of the first paragraph.

However, if you are writing a longer research paper, you might save the thesis for later paragraphs. But it will always be in the first chapter.

Importance of a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement always has to be specific. It should be able to:

Distill your ideas into one or two sentences

Guide your reader to your argument

Organize and develop your essay based on your perspective.

It might sound like too much to contain in a sentence or two. We have some tips that you can use to arrive at your best thesis statement.

Tips to Write a Strong Thesis Statement

Brainstorm your ideas. A well-written thesis statement is no good if you cannot defend it with evidence. When thinking about your essay's thesis, imagine how you would phrase the body paragraphs that would support your argument. Furthermore, you should also consider the counterarguments and make sure that you can support your thesis against those contradictions. But if it feels really troublesome for we can recommend you to pick a legit thesis writing service from Omnipapers and stop worrying too much about it.

Have a specific answer. A vague thesis statement does not serve its purpose. Look at it as an answer to a question. It has to be as specific as possible so that your reader knows that the paper is worth their time and attention. In other words, it should persuade the audience to continue reading.

Keep it concise: The best thesis statements are those expressed effectively in a single sentence. In some cases, a multi-sentence thesis statement might be appropriate, but be sure not to get in too far into your argument. That is what the rest of your paper is for.

Visualize your thesis as the center: Your thesis has to be strong enough to take the central stage of your paper. Consider it as the title for a blog article. You need the rest of the content to relate to the title.

Similarly, every topic sentence has to connect to the thesis directly. The body paragraphs then work as an elaboration of these topic sentences. If your thesis can't accomplish this significance, then it is best to revise it.

How to Write a Thesis Statement in Three Steps

As simple as it might sound, writing the thesis statement is the hardest part of a paper for many students. So we read domyessay review and consulted their writing professionals on how you can craft the perfect thesis statement. All it takes is 3 simple steps.

1. Turn your idea into a question and answer it

Include a question in the first paragraph of your paper. Then, build up your thesis statement as the answer to this. For example, you can ask, "What is the most versatile food?". Then your thesis statement would be along the lines of "The most versatile food is a sandwich."

This method will get your readers hooked from the first sentence and encourage them to read further to find the answer.

2. Add an argument and a counterargument

As you can see, the above thesis statement might appear weak. What it lacks is a refute and a reason why you would defend your statement.

For example, you could modify the above statements to - "While some people believe a sandwich is too simple, the right filling can turn it into a sophisticated meal suitable for any occasion, from breakfast to dinner. This is better because it has evidence and demonstrates your confidence.

3. Outline your main points

The keyword here is the outline. Unlike a preface to a book, a thesis statement has to offer the reader just enough to convince them to continue reading. You do not want to go into the details of your essay.

Conclusion

Remember that your thesis needs to demonstrate the conclusions of your paper as well. It should justify the need for a discussion and why you chose the particular topic for your paper.

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Why a Thesis Statement Is So Important & How to Write It Well - Right Attitudes

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A thesis statement is what defines the purpose of your writing. A solid thesis statement can kick off your entire essay in the right direction. It can instantly frame the objective - not only for your readers but also for you as the writer. What is a Thesis Statement?

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Papers, essays, articles and reports are a must in college. Ever since we start our freshmen year in high school, teachers put a lot emphasis on writing assignments. We are taught how to write an introduction, how to present and develop ideas, and how to sum everything up in the conclusion. We are supposed to write papers all by ourselves, with our own ideas. But still many students go online, looking for information, and end up copying and pasting other people's work.

What's plagiarism?

The word "plagiarism" comes from the Latin "plagium", which means kidnapping. So essentially, plagiarism means stealing someone else's words and passing them off as one's own, this is a prohibited practice in the United States. If you get caught plagiarizing other people's words, your professor is forced to put it in your personal record. A record that will follow you when you go from high school into college and, later on, a job. It will make it harder for you to be respected by colleagues or university professors, because you'll be looked at as nothing else than a cheater.

Why do students plagiarize?

Even tough students are aware of the bad that comes with plagiarizing, they still do it more often than they admit. Why? They want to maintain a good GPA. Many students expressed their thoughts on plagiarism in an article posted by CNN Online. There, the students said that because they are mainly judge by their GPA, they tend to sacrifice their integrity and values in order to get the best possible grade. They are so scared of letting peoples' expectation down, that they steal someone else's words and make them pass as their own. Other students say that writing isn't their best skill, so they get someone else to write their assignments for them, or look for papers with the same topic online.

Students look for the easy way out. If they have a full schedule, and not enough time to write before their due date, they plagiarize. What would have taken an hour or two off their day, hours they could spend studying for another class, takes only a couple of minutes if they take it off the internet. They think the only negative consequences of plagiarism come once they get caught, and as young people, college students tend to think nothing can get to them or that they can get out of everything without getting hurt. But the reality is different.

Why plagiarizing isn't worth it.

Plagiarizing not only destroys the student reputation while in high school and college. Depending on the size of the offense, plagiarism can lead to legal repercussions. Plagiarizing is the reason Copyright laws were created. You are allowed to look online for inspiration, to inform yourself in a certain topic and maybe quote someone's ideas, but only if you give credit to the person who wrote them. Once you copy and paste someone's words and make other people think you wrote them, you are getting into a dangerous zone. It is seen as a criminal offense and can even lead to expulsion.

Before taking someone else's words and putting them in your paper think about the repercussions. Are you willing to damage your reputation permanently? Lose you values and integrity, or maybe even get expelled? I recommend you go online and read as much as you can about a topic. Learn everything there is to know about it, and the close the internet browser. Focus only on what you're writing not on what others wrote before you. Express your ideas and points of view without getting them influenced by someone else's work. If you think someone's words are too amazing and must be on your paper, use them, but always give credit to whoever wrote them. You are intelligent enough to write you own assignments. Damaging your student and professional reputation by copying someone else is never worth it.

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The Dangers of Plagiarism and Why It's Not Worth It

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Essays are a must in college. Many students go online and end up plagiarising other people's work. Find out the dangers of plagiarism here.