Paper #1

Guidelines for Writing Papers

For each paper assigned, develop a thesis, or narrowly focused argument, that addresses the selected topic from a particular angle. If you need help selecting a topic or developing a thesis, consult with me, after carefully reading the guidelines and suggestions included in the syllabus. There is more than one “correct” answer; feel free to exercise creativity and take risks in constructing an interesting, convincing argument. REL-C330 essays are NOT research papers, and undergraduates may NOT use internet or other outside sources without first obtaining specific permission from the professor. Use assigned readings, lectures, artifacts, and discussions for ideas and evidence to support your position, but I am more interested in your analysis than in your summary of these materials.

Paper #1 (2-3 pages) = 50 points

The first paper should be a close reading of a brief primary source text (or portion of a text) assigned for this class. You might, for example, select a narrative written by Samson Occom, a poem written by Phillis Wheatley, or a letter written by Ann Judson. I recognize that there are many effective ways of approaching a paper, but I suggest trying the following strategies. Prepare to write by making one or more extra copies of the text so that you can mark it up. Re-read the text with pencil and (several colors of) highlighters in hand. Take notes in the margins, or on a separate page, and jot down any reactions or questions that come to mind. It is absolutely crucial to develop a system to differentiate quoted/paraphrased material from your own words/analysis! Highlight specific words or phrases that catch your attention, develop a color-coding system to mark up the text, and/or draw lines connecting repeated words or ideas. Make a list of observations about the text, even if some of the observations seem trivial. Ask questions of your text while you read. Who is writing? When? What else is happening in American culture or the world at the same time? For what occasion is the text written? Who is the expected audience? What is the author’s purpose in writing or speaking? What kind of diction is used? How is the text organized? Are there unusual rhetorical strategies? What style or tone does the author adopt? What surprises you? Does this text remind you of anything else you have read? Develop interpretations that stem from your observations and questions about the text. What accounts for observed patterns? Why might some seemingly trivial details be significant? What does all of this mean, and why does it matter? This is where you figure out what is really important about what you have observed (and what is not important for the purposes of your essay). Finally, use your collection of interpretations to develop a focused argument. Here you will need to narrow in from broad exploration of the text to a single line of reasoning. The paper’s thesis should be a coherent argument about the text. Tell the reader how to think about this text and why thinking about it in this way is significant. What is at stake? Why should a reader (who may care nothing about the particular author or text) care about your argument?

How to Prepare to Write:

I recognize that there are multiple effective writing styles, but I suggest the following basic structure for course papers. First, write your name, the assignment name, and date at the top of page one. Next, supply a descriptive title. Use the first paragraph to 1) invite the reader’s interest (e.g. with a quotation, question, or startling fact), 2) identify the text(s) to be discussed, incl. a) author’s full name, b) title (in italics for a book or movie, or quotes for an essay), c) publication date, 3) provide a roadmap of how the argument will be developed (e.g. This paper will explore three reasons that Whitefield’s sermons should be considered revolutionary. First, . . .), and 4) state the thesis (the last sentence of the first paragraph). The thesis is the most important sentence in the paper! The thesis is more than a statement of the topic; it is an argument about the topic that makes a case for why anyone should care. The thesis should provide a clear answer to questions raised by the essay; do not try to keep the reader in suspense until the conclusion. Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence (or mini-thesis) that forwards the thesis. Next, each body paragraph should include specific textual evidence, e.g. quotations, facts, or paraphrased information (with appropriate citations—including page numbers), and analysis of how the evidence supports the topic sentence and thesis. Write a concluding sentence that explains the significance of the paragraph and provides a transition to the next. Do not end any paragraph with a quotation; most such quotations have not been adequately analyzed. Paragraphs should build on each other to carry the thesis forward through the progression of the paper. In the concluding paragraph, recap the thesis of the essay, remind the reader of how you have proven your position, and emphasize the implications.

How to Cite Your Sources:

Every paragraph that borrows ideas, quotations, or paraphrased information from another source—incl. course texts, lectures, discussion comments, (and, when used, websites—NOT permitted for REL-C330 students)—must be documented meticulously; either endnotes or parenthetical references (with accompanying works cited list) are acceptable. If endnotes are used, a works cited list is unnecessary. Endnote markers should be positioned at the end of the sentence (or after a semicolon), after the punctuation (e.g. Chavda describes his father as a “striking man, with rich black hair.”¹). Help with source citation may be found online from Writing Tutorial Services, “Pamphlets” (www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml), and College of Arts and Sciences, “Plagiarism” (www.indiana.edu/%7Ecollege/plagiarism/index.shtml). I strongly advise purchasing a style manual, such as Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th rev. ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007), or (for graduate students) The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010)—available online through IU. N.B., bibliographic information supplied on the syllabus will in most instances need to be reformatted for use in endnotes or works cited lists. For example, for a reference to page 23 of Left Behind, parenthetical: (LaHaye & Jenkins, Left Behind, 23); endnote: Tim F. LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth’s Last Days (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale, 1995), 23. (no need for “p.” ); Works Cited: LaHaye, Tim F. and Jenkins, Jerry B. Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth’s Last Days. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale, 1995.

How to Format and Proofread Your Paper:

I expect essays to be formatted in exact compliance with syllabus guidelines and will deduct points if guidelines are not followed. Adopt a “formal” writing style; avoid contractions, colloquial expressions, use of the second person or excessive use of the first person. Write in the active voice; always assign agency (who did what). Proofread for spelling, grammatical or typographical errors. For questions on writing style, purchase William Strunk and E. B. White, The Elements of Style, 4th ed. (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000), and/or Christopher Lasch’s Plain Style: A Guide to Written English (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002). You might also consult the chapter “Fixing Weak Theses,” from David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen’s book, Writing Analytically, 2nd ed.(Fort Worth, Tex.: Harcourt College, 2000), posted on Canvas, and pamphlets from Writing Tutorial Services (www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml). Every graduate student should own and read: Joan Bolker’s Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day (New York: Owl, 1998).

Avoid common writing errors. “While” means “at the same time”; “although” means “in spite of the fact that.” “Like” indicates comparison; “such as” denotes an example. The procedure had an undesirable “effect,” but the procedure “affected” him; the procedure “effected” a change. A comma should precede the last item in lists. Avoid awkward self-referential phrases, e.g. “As previously stated”; instead, clarify the essay’s organization. An ellipsis is not needed at the beginning or end of a quotation; to indicate omission of text within a quotation, use three periods with a total of five spaces separating them. ( . . . ); if a period ends the sentence before the omission, this is additional (. . . . ); beware of auto-replace and preset formatting in Word! Write out number names when referencing centuries, etc.; hyphenate if used as an adjective (in the eighteenth century, but eighteenth-century society). In general, do not begin a sentence with a conjunction such as “However”; instead, position it within the sentence (e.g. I was, however, mad.). When first introducing a source from whom a quotation is drawn, give first and last name and a brief identifier, e.g. “Noted historian of evangelicalism Mark Noll argues . . .” Use 8 ½” by 11” paper, 12-point Times New Roman font (this includes endnotes), double space (do not skip lines between paragraphs or allow Word to add space points between lines—you may need to adjust the spacing settings under the Paragraph tab to “0”), 1” margins on all sides (n.b. the default setting in MS Word is 1.25”—change it!), indent five spaces at the start of each paragraph. Number pages in the top right corner (starting on p. 2).  Submit your essay in a standard file format, such as Word or rtf. Your filename must have an extension (e.g. doc, docx); on a Mac, check the “append file extension” checkbox when you save your file. Do not include any unsupported characters, such as a number sign (#) in your filename.