Additional Resources

You may think that getting a good grade on a paper or presentation should be as simple as checking for typos, and turning your paper or presentation in on time.

While that may go a long way towards achieving your goal, it won't get you all the way home. In this section we have provided a list of websites which will help you clarify your writing, improve your grammar, and check for common mistakes when writing or presenting. You will not be graded in any way on this supplementary section.

Avoid plagiarism or risk getting an "F" or academic sanctions, such as probation or expulsion. When you put your name on your paper or project, you are stating that this work is your original one of a kind submission. "If through carelessness or design you've blurred the lines between what's yours and what you've taken from others, you are stealing intellectual property. Don't do it. Plagiarism is risky and counterproductive. It harms your intellectual and moral development. It leaves a permanent paper trail that can have devastating consequences, even years down the line. And, most of all, it's wrong." (source: The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing).

Getting an A on a paper
More resources

Getting an A on a Paper

Thesis
The sine qua non of a good English paper is its thesis, the main argument it makes. If yours is weak, you won't get an A -- that simple.

Research
Though different professors require different degrees of research, you should certainly learn your way around a library. Any paper will be improved by judicious use of reference books, other books , articles, and (brace yourself) Internet resources.

Close Reading
Professors in every department want well-researched papers with good theses. Professors in English departments also want to see that you can read closely, paying excruciatingly close attention to the details of language.

Style
Achieving the right tone in an English paper can take some work. This section addresses the style you should work toward, and includes links to articles in my Guide to Grammar and Style.

Mechanics
The niggling details of writing and citation, including more links to my Grammar and Style guide.

from Jack Lynch's guide,
Getting an A on an English Paper