I need to write a strong graduate term paper
Move from summary to argument, and plan a course paper that shows what you think, not only what you've read.
In short
Start here, today. Write down three places in this course's readings where something didn't fit: a disagreement, a surprising claim or a gap. Turn each one into a question that begins with “how” or “why”, and take the most promising one to your instructor. This takes about 30 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
0 of 6 steps done
Start from a question, not a topic
“Remote work and wellbeing” is a topic. “Why do studies of remote work and wellbeing reach opposite conclusions?” is a question you can argue about. Turn your topic into a how or why question before you read further, and let it guide what you read.
Draft a thesis you could defend
Write one or two sentences that answer your question, in a form someone could reasonably disagree with. It will change as you write, and that's normal. Check it with the instructor early, since most are happy to look at a proposed argument before you draft.
Plan the steps of the argument
List the three to five claims a reader needs to accept for your thesis to hold, in the order they need them. Each claim usually becomes a section or a few paragraphs. Each paragraph needs a topic sentence that makes a point, evidence for it and your explanation of what the evidence shows.
Deal with the strongest objection
Ask what a smart critic would say against your argument, and answer it in the paper. You can refute it, concede part of it or refine your claim in response. Harvard's guide recommends building the counterargument in as you write rather than adding it once you've finished.
Use sources as conversation partners
Instead of “Smith says X. Jones says Y.”, show how the sources relate to each other and to you: where they agree, where they part ways and where your argument fits. Phrases like “Smith's account misses…” or “Building on Jones, I argue…” show that you're synthesizing, not summarizing.
Reverse outline before you submit
Write one line in the margin saying what each paragraph does, then read only those lines. You'll see repetition, gaps and paragraphs in the wrong place. If you have comments from an earlier paper in Feedback Tracker, check them now so you don't repeat the same issues, then fix structure before sentences.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- Your undergraduate essays did well, but your first graduate paper came back marked “descriptive” or “where is your argument?”
- You have pages of notes on the readings and no idea what you're claiming.
- You're planning to start the paper in the last week of term.
- You're not sure whether you're allowed to disagree with the authors you're reading.
Why this happens
Graduate papers are judged less on how much you know and more on what you do with it. Instructors want a clear position, built from a real question, supported by evidence and aware of the obvious objections. The Harvard College Writing Center's guide to essay writing describes a strong thesis as arguable, meaning a thoughtful reader could disagree with it. A paper that summarizes the readings well but never takes a position will usually read as descriptive, however good the summary is.
Good arguments usually start from a tension: two authors who disagree, a claim that doesn't fit the evidence, a gap in how a debate has been framed or a case a theory can't explain. Harvard's guide suggests building an analytical question from points of tension like these, and notes that “how” and “why” questions usually demand more analysis than “who”, “what”, “when” or “where” questions.
Timing matters as much as skill. Ralina Joseph, writing for the University of Washington's Graduate School, advises against saving seminar papers for the last week of class, and suggests setting your own deadlines for a topic, a bibliography, an abstract and drafts if the instructor doesn't. Most strong arguments only appear after at least one messy draft.
Worth a look (6)
- Strategies for Essay Writing, Harvard College Writing CenterA clear guide to analytical questions, arguable theses, structure, counterargument and conclusions.
- Succeeding in a Graduate Seminar, Ralina Joseph, University of Washington Graduate SchoolIncludes advice on starting seminar papers early and setting your own interim deadlines.
- They Say / I Say, by Gerald Graff and Cathy BirkensteinTemplates for entering an academic conversation, responding to sources and stating your own position.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)Free guides on every part of academic writing, from structuring a paragraph to citing sources. A good first stop when you're unsure how something should look.
- Writing Center Tips & ToolsShort, friendly handouts answer almost any writing question, from literature reviews and abstracts to passive voice and conclusions. Reach for them when one particular thing is tripping you up.
- Writing AdviceShort, practical pages walk you through planning, drafting and revising, with advice on literature reviews, lab reports and using sources. They're easy to dip into when you have one question.
When to bring someone in
Most university writing centres see graduate students one to one, and it's worth booking an appointment once you have a working thesis and outline, not only when the paper is nearly done. If comments on an earlier paper were hard to interpret, ask the instructor in office hours what a stronger version would have done. If English is an additional language, ask whether your writing centre offers support aimed at graduate students.
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