Everything you do in college will be graded on your ability to write a graduate paper well. A good graduate paper is a gateway to future academic and professional success. Despite differences in scope and sources, the principles of good writing remain the same. Here are five tips to help you write a graduate paper that accomplishes everything you need.
1. Understand the Assignment Completely
Before you do anything else, know exactly what you need to write. This may seem like an obvious first step, but too often, students begin fleshing out an assignment without truly grasping what’s expected of them. Read over the assignment prompt carefully, and if there’s anything about it that’s unclear, ask your instructor for clarification.
You can also consult with a graduate paper writing service if you need some input. The more you know about the scope of the paper, what needs to be included, and what you’re trying to accomplish with it from the beginning, the happier you’re going to be when you finish.
2. Develop a Clear and Concise Thesis
The thesis statement (your paper’s main point or argument) is generally one of the most important parts of your essay. Your thesis statement – your paper’s main point or argument – should adhere to all the same academic standards as your research questions. It should relate to your results, be arguable (rather than obvious), and reflect the research you conducted. Invest a good deal of time in this statement.
3. Conduct Thorough Research
Don’t forget that writing at the graduate level demands graduate-level research. That means going beyond the textbook and an elementary online browse.
Search academic databases, peer-reviewed journals, books, and other quality sources. Be critical, questioning the relevance and reliability of information as you go. Make sure to organize your findings systemically and then integrate your information in a deliberate way so that it supports your thesis.
4. Write with Clarity and Precision
Be clear and precise in your graduate papers, avoiding very long sentences or jargon that will confuse a reader. Your work should express a thought as clearly and as simply as you can. After you have finished the first rough draft, revise your paper: edit with an eye for clarity, check the flow of your arguments, and polish your language. The process might involve several drafts, but the result will be a good paper.
5. Master the Art of Citation
Citations are important in academic writing. Not only are they a protection from plagiarism, they also make your paper look like it came from people who know what they are doing. Get to know what style your discipline calls for and pay attention to the details (margins, font, spacing, etc). Incorrect citations detract from the professional look of your paper.
Here are the main citation styles you need to note:
- APA (American Psychological Association) style is often used in the social sciences, like psychology and education. It focuses on the author and the date of the work, helping readers easily find the source materials.
- MLA (Modern Language Association) style is a go-to for humanities, especially in literature and language arts. It emphasizes the author’s name and the page number, which is super handy for quoting your favorite novel or poem.
- Chicago Style actually offers two ways to do things: the Author-Date system and the Notes and Bibliography (NB) system. It’s versatile, used widely in history and the arts, and is known for its detailed footnotes, which can be a mini-encyclopedia at the bottom of your page.
- Harvard is similar to APA in that it uses author-date citations within the text. It’s massively popular across many universities worldwide and is used across many scientific and professional disciplines.
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style is big with the tech crowd. This style is often used in technical fields like computer science and engineering, focusing on numbered citations in the text that correspond to a numbered list at the end of the document.
- Turabian style is a simplified version of the more comprehensive Chicago style adapted to fit the needs of students who are writing assignments rather than full-on scholarly books.
- Vancouver style is interesting because it uses numbers within the text to refer to sources listed in the order they appear in the text. It’s used primarily in the health and physical sciences.
- AMA (American Medical Association) style is, you guessed it, used in medical sciences. It’s pretty concise and to the point, which is perfect when you’re trying to save lives and can’t be bothered with overly complex citation rules.
Your Road to Academic Excellence
So, how do you write a good graduate paper? Use these five tips to help you approach your next graduate paper, and start thinking of it as a chance to demonstrate your intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and commitment to your field. A good paper matters long after you graduate because it adds to the pool of knowledge on the specific subject. So, grab a pen and paper and start writing!
