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How to write a formal, draft, working paper

PLAGIARISM NOTE: You MUST write all parts of any academic paper yourself. I am interested in your ideas. If you do not believe that you have ideas, or are not willing to share them, then plead your case to do something else. Cheating is not an option.

Here are some general suggestions for writing a paper:

  1. Read all the problem statement documents at least twice.
  2. Paraphrase the problems in your own words.
  3. Scan through the resource materials (books, articles, PowerPoint slides, class notes, newsgroups, etc.). Make a list of possible ideas that might apply to the problems that you have outlined.
  4. Make a list of points that you would like to make. Refer to this list over the course of a few days. If something turns out to not be of interest to you, then delete if from the list. Add points you would like to make as they occur to you.
  5. A general rule is: if it is not of interest to you, it is probably not going to be of interest to your reader. So, write about things that interest you.
  6. Write an outline of your paper, including the various sections that will comprise the structure of your arguments. Remember: good writing is not about the grammar, but rather about the structural quality of your arguments.
  7. The general rule for both the structure of the full paper, and also on a smaller scale for paragraphs, is: tell us what you are going to say; say it; tell us what you said. (The third part is different from the first because now we know what you are talking about, and you can be much more specific.)
  8. Write the introduction to your paper, explaining what you are going to talk about.
  9. Write the sections of the paper that are easiest for you.
  10. Go back and write the harder sections.
  11. When your paper is complete write a summary or a (restatement of) conclusions section.
  12. Let the paper sit for a day or two, at least.
  13. Read your paper, and note which ideas are interesting, and which are not. Are your arguments clear?
  14. Create a "cuts" file. The idea is that you move sections, and ideas, here. If later you need them, they will still be there. And, if you are working in an area, you can always use them in another paper.
  15. Re-write the paper, adding sections that may have occurred to you, moving sections that are not promising to the "cuts" file, and re-writing other sections that you wish to keep. A good policy is to find at least ONE victim that will be cut! :)
  16. Give the paper to someone to read for some general comments.
  17. Re-write the paper based on their feedback.
  18. Re-write the introduction while asking yourself these two questions (which should be something you can state in in three sentences or less): (a) what is my main point? and (b) why do we care? (Your introduction need not be limited to three sentences, however!)
  19. Re-write the conclusion, stating what you have said, and why we cared to read it.
  20. Give the paper to your formal editor, who will comment on the clarity of your ides, and good writing style.
  21. Re-write the paper based on your editor's comments.
  22. Let the paper sit.
  23. Re-read the paper yourself. Edit one more time.
Note: There are many different styles used in formal papers. However all such styles are linked to exactly one style manual such as The Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian, The Elements of Style, The New York times Manual, The Publication Manual of the APA and so on. (See Style Manuals.) Be prepared to defend your writing based on one, single, style.

Style hint: Formal writing does not use contractions, except as quoted parts of speech.