2 Pages critical reflection paper

EDUC 144 Writing Tips The writing assignments in this class require students to engage in critical thinking and analysis, producing papers that go beyond simple summaries of course readings by utilizing concepts, ideas, and findings in course readings to critically analyze contemporary schooling and academic achievement in the United States. Below is a list of suggestions to help you write strong papers that are critical and analytical. The introductory paragraph should briefly mention the topic and purpose/focus of your paper and state your thesis in clear, specific terms (i.e. “In this paper, I will argue…” or “I will contend...,” or “I will demonstrate…”). Each paragraph in the body of the paper should be tightly organized around one main idea. Each paragraph should build on previous ones and provide concrete examples/findings from the week’s readings that serve as data that support your analysis, or examples from your own experiences and observations of schooling that serve as evidence in support of your analysis. If you are drawing on a specific theoretical concept(s) or idea(s) in your analysis, remember to clearly define and explain the concept(s) or idea(s) before using that concept(s) or idea(s) to investigate and analyze particular aspects of contemporary schooling. The concluding paragraph needs to restate the thesis and main points addressed in the paper. Sometimes writers do not know what their argument is until they have reached the end of the paper—or the thesis has changed by the end. If either of these happens to you, be sure to put your thesis in the first paragraph as well and/or make sure that you are making the same argument throughout the paper. Things to keep in mind, at the level of the paragraph: Make sure your comments are relevant to the topic at hand: one way to do this is to make an outline of each paragraph’s main idea; each one should clearly relate to the topic and focus/purpose or thesis of your paper. It is writer’s responsibility to select relevant concepts or ideas, examples of research findings from the week’s readings, and/or personal experiences and observations that relate directly to the topic and purpose/focus of the paper. It is not appropriate to expect the reader to do this instead. Remember, examples/research findings and personal experiences and observations are not “obviously” evidence in support of your analysis until you explicitly explain how these examples/findings/ experiences/observations support the claims in your analysis. Make sure each paragraph’s main idea is clearly connected to your thesis. *Smoothly transition between paragraphs: connect first line of new paragraph with main idea of previous paragraph. *Stick to the facts at hand—do not overstate your case. Things to keep in mind, at the level of the sentence: *Tighten sentence structure: combine sentences when possible by eliminating redundant information.

*Employ parallel sentence structure. *Use active rather than passive voice: Circle ‘to be’ verbs—can you replace them with stronger verbs? Try moving the end of your sentence to the beginning (making the end the subject). *Avoid misplaced or unclear modifiers. Write complete sentences: Each sentence should have a subject and verb. Embed quotations within your own prose, connecting them to the thesis.

Clearly define all terms you use.

Cite your sources properly.

Avoid broad, encompassing terms: i.e. “always” or “exactly”—reality is usually more complex. Things to keep in mind, at the level of the word:

*Make sure subjects and verbs agree. Keep language academic. Avoid:

colloquialisms (e.g. use “children” instead of “kids”) casual speech: (i.e. “kinda,” “a lot,” “lots”) contractions (use “cannot” instead of “can’t”) exclamation marks (academic papers are rarely exciting!)

Keep verb tense consistent.

Use apostrophes properly. Remember: The onus is on you as the writer to make your points and argument clear to the reader. If the reader has to read your paper several times to understand your meaning, you need to rewrite it. How to know? Ask a friend to read your paper and restate its main ideas and argument. If s/he cannot do this, you need to re-write the unclear parts. When you have what you think is the final draft, read your paper aloud to ensure that it reads smoothly.