‘Tips on Writing a Paper Generaladvie: Your essay should be organized asan argument (a "ease") fora thesis rather than as running commentary onthe texs(not fo mention plot summary). The thesis the rin des ofgour papersttod explicitly ax an aswrion—thet is, nthe Som ofasentence, nota phrase, (A tole can be expressed asa phmsesa thsis generally ean not “The elation erween Aand B" a pic. "Aand Bate fundimeraly diferent could be a thesis.) The thesis is the central claim that you set out to support and develop in your essay. The wordiag ofa thesis is important for example, ifthe thesis has more atone aus, the sain point should bein the min Gndependen classe. Often the tess canbe thoughto fas youranswer w the question pose by theassignmest. Your evidence in the fm of documented discussion ofthe texts) should be subordinate to the points that you make in yourtopic sentences. In our introduction, you ned to state your thesis, ofcourse, But not ist rater, theconventinal place frthe thesis atthe end ofthe itodaction, wich ina short rpper,onepan graph long. Why there, mt eater? Beease its hipfl to povidea context in'wlich your feats acquves nmatiag and imgortanes bfive you sist the ths ie, So Jour nmoduetion should ead wp to your thesis by contextalizng 2, proving background The cies fr this canofiex be Dundin well-designed assignments or deaved fomelass rots, In umaritiesconres.mpertopis areo fen designed 9 require you work through 8 spific roblem tats an instance ofa larger question or issue. Your pape shuld eimnsttte some avarenss ofthis, especially inthe intoducion and conelsion In your eonelasion, youshovld conclude”-thats, state your “conctsion.” In fc this usally means restanng your thesis, preeably notin the very samme words ted in yourinodvetion, You may recap yourargument briefly. In adliton, having worked througha portclar example, you may te the opprtuity in your conclusion t genenlize 1 bit witon the focus of he osay, © tam fom the specific extn question © te larger implications ofthe wpic-but not to introduce anew one “The bulk of your paper--itsbody-should be built up of paragraphs each of Which makes point fundamental to vour thesis. Thebody ofthe essay should provide sufficient supp in he form ofsupportxg elms and supporting evidence (ferences texts convinee a masotablereader tht your thesis ix sound, (Thats whats meant by callingan argument ‘compeling it compels the readers agreement) ‘Organiation: ideally, your organization wil be deriva fom the thesis sel A sod principle i thatthe oxlerof ideas i your essay should correspond w ther omer in your thesis or introduction. When you are dealing with a narrative text, mrrative onder is soften the last fective organizational scheme itencotrages you to stmnarie the plot ‘ven when isnot relevant to your thesis, jus to make the transition to yournext Point, instead of just mm king your point and offering a textual efercace to back ip oF ilustrate it. Always subordinate discussion of pt and character to thesis and argument, Dow't enbed your commentary in plot simmary oF paraphrase ofthe primary source; rather, embed references to plot and character in an argument that tas is own overarching thes and its own organization.