HOW TO DO WELL ON VICTOR’S PAPERS—SOME SUGGESTIONS

DO: 

Read the question carefully and answer it as posed. If it has more than one part, be sure to answer all parts.

Make your substantive points clealy and concisely. Making a point in two or three lines counts for just as much as making it in ten, of the other 7 or 8 don’t add anything specific.

Provide some sketch, anecdote, or situation from your life or t?at of someone else ¥øu know—at least a 1-4 page paragraπh—that can serve as a basis for the next item below.

Where possible, apply each substantive point to your own behavior that of another person in a way that demonstrates clear understanding of it. 

Be tthoughtful—every idea, application of a principle, or connection that you draw between two ideas or situations that shows that you’ve genuinely thought about what you’re writing is a plus. 

Whenever possible, write something that only you, uniquely from your own vantage point, could have written. This will help you stay away from vage generalities. 

Refer to specific pages and passages in both the assigned reading and any outside reading you do. 

Include a reference list at the end. (In the first paper, either MLA or APA format was OK.  From now on, please use APA format.)

Spell-check and use the most correct grammar you can.

Proofread your paper before turning it in. (Last minute strikethroughs and written-in words or sentences are OK.)

Do remember that I consider (a) apparent time and effort put into the paper;  (b) thoughtfulness; (c) quality of your writing all as “pluses,” even though I do not grade down for poor writing unless I can’t understand what you’re saying.

DON’T

Write vague generalities, such as “I think this is a very important subject with profound implications and great possibilities for good, besides being significant in our society today. . . “ blah blah blah etc.   The technical term for this is a “snow job.” It says nothing specific. Anyone could write it. You can waste your time writing a whole page of that and get zero points for it.

Take many lines to say something you could say in few. You get no extra points for extra verbiage that adds no additional substance or insight.

Don’t bother with a cover sheet. Put your name at the top of the first page and start writing immediately under it.

Don’t spend a lot of time figuring out how to begin. If it doesn’t come easily, start with your first substantive point. You can go back and do your introduction later, if you even need one.

Don’t write more than a sentence or two of introduction unless it is needed to understand what comes afterward. It won’t get you extra points unless it’s clever, insightful, or extraordinarily lucid. 

If you want to write a catchy lead prior to your introductory sentence, think like a magazine author. You have about six lines to hook the reader’s attention before you reach “(continued on page 75).”  If your first lines don’t do it, the reader won’t turn to page 75.

Don’t bother with a summary at the end unless it adds something new or puts your ideas together in a new way. If it just repeats what you’ve already said, for me it adds nothing.

If you’re into the writing thing, a  powerful quotation can make a good lead or ending. These days on the web it’s easy to find a wealth of good quotations. Just insert your terms in a search engine.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR THE WEPT (Written English Proficiency Test)

Take it early. If you don’t pass, it means you need to take another composition course or get some tutoring. If you do one or both of those things earlier rather than later, it may improve your grades in other classes. And good writing is a real-world life-skill.

Answer every part of the question.

Us English you know is totally correct. Plodding and pedestrian is fine as long as it’s mistake-free and true to the point. Don’t try to be Danielle Steel or Ernest Hemingway. No incomplete sentences (like this one). Don’t try to impress with fancy writing. Just be completely correct.

If you don’t know how to start, begin about halfway down the first page and start with your first substantive point. Then come back and write your introduction after you’ve finished the rest.

Leave about 1/3 of your total time for proofreading and editing.