RESOURCE GUIDE TO WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER

Criteria for Papers

Papers will be graded on the following criteria:

1. STRUCTURE:
   Begin your paper with a brief description of your topic. Give your thesis statement, which is a concise statement of your central argument or idea. Then build your argument or idea in a series of well-structured paragraphs.Each paragraph should have a topic sentence. Each paragraph should explain ONE idea, not 3 or 4.Each paragraph should have a clear connection to the ONE idea, not 3 or 4. Pay attention to transitions! Each paragraph should have a clear connection to the next. End with a strong conclusion that explains what your topic is for the paragraph you have just concluded.
   
2. SCIENCE:
   Physics 107 is a science course, and the essay must have some scientific content. This could take several forms.
   If you are writing about a large science project, remember that these cost lots of money, and scientists had to convince congress (nonscientists) to pony up. The scientists were somehow able to convey the scientific importance and potential of their project in terms that a lay person could understand - you should also be able to do this!
   If you are writing about a Nobel prize winner, remember that they were recognized with the most well-known science prize in the world their work. What was it and why was it so important?
   
   
3. ANALYSIS:
   Remember that each paragraph should advance your argument or idea. Support your thesis with evidence from your sources, always remembering to explain what that evidence means.
   
4. STYLE:
   Clarity comes from knowing what you mean and saying it plainly. Don’t try to write like a writer—write like a person who wants to be understood. We will reward clear, active, powerful writing.PLEASE do not use the passive voice. Use active verbs. Revise your paper to remove wordiness, redundancy, passive voice, and inactive verbs.Make sure that your grammar and spelling are correct. Careless errors, especially run-ons and comma splices, WILL lower your grade.
   
   This is an example of BAD writing: “There were changes in southern society during the war that made southerners turn their anti-government beliefs against the south.”
   
   This is an example of BETTER writing: “Many white southerners interpreted wartime taxation and conscription as the same sort of interference with southern ‘domestic relations’ that the Confederacy founders had promised to prevent.”
   
5. ORIGINALITY
   Although you can get a good grade (a B) for a paper based on arguments presented in lectures or readings, “A” papers must offer more original insights and arguments.We strongly encourage you to think for yourselves, building on evidence and arguments from the course but pushing your insights further than what is covered in the lectures or the readings.

The Superior Paper (A)
Structure:Your thesis is clear, insightful, original, sophisticated, even exciting. All ideas in the paper flow logically; your argument is identifiable, reasonable, and sound. You have excellent transitions. Your paragraphs have solid topic sentences, and each sentence clearly relates to that topic sentence. Your conclusion is persuasive.

Science: You have included a section describing some science aspect of your topic, and gotten all the ideas substantially correct.

Analysis: You support every point with at least one example from your primary sources.You integrate quoted material into your sentences well. Your analysis is fresh and exciting, posing new ways to think of the material.

Style: Your sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and citations are excellent. You have NO run-on sentences or comma splices. Your writing style is lively, active, and interesting. You use active verbs, and do not use the passive voice. You are not wordy or redundant.

Originality:Your arguments show a great deal of independent insight and originality.

The Very Good Paper (AB)
Structure:Your thesis is clear, insightful, and original. Your argument flows logically and is sound. You may have a few unclear transitions. You end with a strong conclusion.

Science: You have included a section describing the science, but you have some small conceptual mistakes, or did not focus sufficiently.

Analysis:You give examples to support most points, and you integrate quotations into sentences. Your analysis is clear and logical, and even makes sense.

Style:Your sentences structure, grammar, spelling, and citations are good. You have no more than one run-on sentence or comma-splice. Your writing style is solid and clear.You use active verbs and do not use the passive voice. You are not wordy or redundant.

Originality: Your arguments show independent thought.

The Good Paper (B)
Structure: Your thesis is clear, but may not be insightful, original, or easily identified.Your argument is generally clear and appropriate, although it may wander occasionally.You may have a few unclear transitions, or paragraphs without strong topic sentences.You may end without much of a conclusion.

Science: You seem to have the basic ideas correct, but sometimes it is hard to tell because you are writing in generalities. You have several conceptual difficulties.

Analysis: You give evidence to support most points, but some evidence may appear where inappropriate. Your argument usually makes sense, although some gaps in logic may exist.

Style: Your writing style is clear, but not always lively, active, or interesting. You sometimes use the passive voice. You may become wordy or redundant. Your sentence structure, grammar, and spelling are strong despite occasional lapses.

Originality: You do a solid job of synthesizing the material but do not develop your own insights or conclusions.

The Borderline Paper (BC)
Structure: Your thesis may be unclear, vague, or unoriginal, and it may provide little structure for the paper. Your paper may wander, with few transitions, few topic sentences, and little logic. Your paragraphs may not be organized coherently.

Science: You haven't really addressed any scientific aspects, or you have not given a particular focused description of a particular aspect.

Analysis:You give examples to support some but not all points. Your points often lack supporting evidence, or else you use evidence inappropriately, often because there may be no clear point. Your quotations may be poorly integrated into sentences. You may give a quote, but then fail to analyze it or show how it supports your argument. Your logic may fail, or your argument may be unclear. Your end may dwindle off without a conclusion.

Style: Your writing style is not always clear, active, or interesting.You use the passive voice, or become wordy or redundant. You have repeated problems in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, citation style, or spelling.You may have several run-on sentences or comma splices.

Originality: You do a fair job of synthesizing the material but do not develop your own insights or conclusions.

The “Needs Help” Paper (C)
Structure: Your thesis is difficult to identify, or it may be a bland restatement of an obvious point. Your structure may be unclear, often because your thesis is weak or non-existent. Your transitions are confusing and unclear. Your paragraphs show little structure. The paper is a loose collection of statements, rather than a cohesive argument.

Science: You haven't said anything at all about the science. You spent the entire essay describing Einstein's childhood.

Analysis: Your examples are few or weak.You fail to support statements, and the evidence you give is poorly analyzed, poorly integrated into the paper, or simply incorrect.Your argument may be impossible to identify.Ideas may not flow at all, often because there is no argument to support.

Style: Your writing style has problems in sentence structure, grammar, and diction.You have frequent major errors in citation style, punctuation, and spelling.You may have many run-on sentences and comma splices.

Originality: You do a confusing or poor job synthesizing the material, and you do not develop your own insights or conclusions.

The Bad Paper (D or F)
A bad paper shows minimal lack of effort or comprehension. The arguments are very difficult to understand owing to major problems with mechanics, structure, and analysis.The paper has no identifiable thesis, or an incompetent thesis. It’s difficult to tell that you’ve done the research and the reading.