Many first time writers fail to make the distinction between an opinion essay and an informative/persuasive essay. The truth of the matter is that research is essential to a successful essay of this nature. Without it, the audience has no reason to trust the author.
Using Proper Voice
The first thing to note is the tone of the piece. While personal information/opinion can be incorporated in a research based academic essay, first person voice cannot. First person or "I" voice is very colloquial/conversational in tone. This is far too informal for a research essay.
The audience has no reason to trust an author without the author first establishing some authority. This can be done by eliminating the first person voice. Changing a statement from first person to third, makes the prose seem more formal and academic in tone. This will make the audience trust and believe in what the author is saying.
Research Integration
It is very important to find references to back up every opinion or idea that is being expressed in the paper. Not only this, but any factual statement that is written, needs to be backed up by a good citations--unless the information being expressed is common knowledge (i.e. George Washington was the 1st President).
Now, not any reference would be acceptable in an academic research paper. There are a few guidelines to follow. Anything from a school or local library would be an acceptable resource. Newspapers, Magazines and Reference books, both print and online, are trustworthy sources.
The writer can also head to the internet for research material. However, the internet is not always the best place for information. So, caution must be used. Any websites ending in .edu, .org or .gov are generally acceptable. There are plenty of other credible websites out there, but it is best to check with an instructor before using information from a website.
There are also some internet resources that are not acceptable. Anything from WikiePedia or any similar site is NOT acceptable. The reason for this is that anyone can write an article, edit an article, mess with an article. There is no way of know where the information came from, who wrote it or even if the information is correct. So, it is best to stay away from this type of resource.
Proper Citations
All the research in the world will not matter if it is not properly integrated into the paper via use of good in-text citation and references. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the rules and restrictions of the writing style that is required (APA, MLA, Chicago Manual, etc.)
The research needs to come through with paraphrasing, quoting, in-text citations and references. These tips are very valuable when writing a paper that requires a research element. The instructor will want to see the research come through in the work. Failure to properly cite this research can result in unintentional plagiarism which can be a severe issue.
Jessica Gleason - Jessica Gleason is merely a woman walking through life with words. She lives to write and writes to live. She has an affinity for cats and ...
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