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With Fran Northcutt, Honors Adviser, Hunter College of the City University of New York
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HEAD Start
By now you've probably picked up some good techniques for writing college papers. You can't even believe that you were once a naïve high school student writing five-paragraph essays and using words like "myriad" and "motif." But just in case you're not yet getting the grades you think you deserve, try the following.

HEAD Lines
ASK YOURSELF:
  • First and foremost, does your paper take a stand?

  • Does your introductory paragraph have a clear thesis sentence, one so obvious that even your stoner roommate could read it and understand what the paper is supposed to be about?

  • Are your sources reputable? (Hint: no Wikipedia!)

  • Have you cited your sources faithfully, and included a References page at the end?

  • Have you replaced just about every fancy four-syllable word with a clearer, simple alternative?

  • Have you read your paper aloud (or in reverse!) in order to catch typos and awkward sentences?
If you can answer a resounding "Yes" when you ask yourself all these questions, you are well on your way to an "A" paper. Now stop talking to yourself, and go find a friend to trade proofreading favors with. There's no substitute for a fresh pair of eyes when you've been staring at your computer screen for the last five hours!

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From Other HEADS
WHEN I WROTE THESIS-STYLE PAPERS in college, my grade would always be higher when I used examples from the text in every paragraph. It took me a little while to realize this, but once I had it down I started seeing As instead of Bs on my papers. Because a thesis paper is all opinion, I learned that as long as I was supporting my points, I was on target. And once I had the formula down, it became easier to crank out those papers.

-- AMANDA TUST
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO


TAKE THE TOTAL APPROACH. The best papers I wrote were ones I could pull from all different parts of class: the reading, the class discussions, my own notes and insights. The professors are looking for that type of total understanding. That's what an A paper is.

-- SARAH DAVID HEYDEMANN
MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY




Web Resources



HoH Tip
Trouble getting started? Now's a good time to visit the Writing Center. "But I haven't written anything yet!" you might say. "How can they help me?" Luckily for you, Writing Center tutors at most colleges are trained to help you with any stage of writing a paper, whether that's brainstorming and outlining or putting on the final polish.


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