How to Produce Elements of a Well Written Paper

Dr. Darrell Dantzler

When I evaluate your paper, I am looking at your interpretation of the subject matter, and how well you
support your arguments and assertions. I also look at the APA formatting, research skills, and paper
organization. I do not expect everyone to interpret the information the same. I provided an APA
formatted template that includes an APA formatted Title Page; Organizational Structure for the Body; and
an Example of an APA formatted Reference Page. Please see the information below detailing the
elements of a well written paper in relation to the scoring rubric:

SYNTHESIS OF KNOWLEDGE (FOCUS/THESIS) [Graduate Learning Outcomes

Assessment Objective #4] (20 points)

Criteria (1) Student exhibits a defined and clear understanding of the assignment. (2) Thesis is clearly
defined and well constructed to help guide the reader throughout the assignment. (3) Student builds upon
the thesis of the assignment with well-documented and exceptional supporting facts, figures, and/or
statements.

Tips: Set the tone of your paper with an explicit introduction, transition to the body including main points,
and wrap up your paper with a conclusion.

Simply, begin the paper with an introduction of your topic. An introduction has an attention getter,
purpose or thesis statement, and an overview of topics to be discussed. An attention getter can begin
with any of the 6 ways: (1) Anecdote, (2) Question, (3) Quotation, (4) Humor, (5) Shocking Statistic, or a
(6) combination of them (http://classroom.synonym.com/5-types-attention-getters-essays-2877.html).
After you introduce the topic, state the purpose of the paper. The purpose can be as simple as restating
the objective of the assignment. The purpose of this paper is to (state purpose). (Overview) The paper
will address the following: (List topics).

Always end with a conclusion. Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After
moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion
should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument.
Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help
you conclude your paper:
In a general way,

• Restate your topic and why it is important,

• Restate your thesis/claim,

• Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,

• Call for action or overview future research possibilities.

FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE [Graduate Learning Outcomes Assessment Objective

#3] (20 points)

Criteria (1) Student demonstrates proficient command of the subject matter in the assignment. (2)
Assignment shows an impressive level of depth of student’s ability to relate course content to practical
examples and applications. (3) Student provides comprehensive analysis of details, facts, and concepts
in a logical sequence.

Tips: Ensure you discuss all of the assignment requirements in detail. This is where you read, assess,
interpret, and provide a discussion based on the assignment requirements. Your discussion topics should
be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Each main point must have an
adequate amount of supporting materials.

APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE (CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS) [Graduate

Learning Outcomes Assessment Objective #5] (20 points)

Criteria (1) Student demonstrates a higher-level of critical thinking necessary for graduate level work. (2)
Learner provides a strategic approach in presenting examples of problem solving or critical thinking, while
drawing logical conclusions which are not immediately obvious. (3) Student provides well-supported ideas
and reflection with a variety of current and/or world views in the assignment. Student presents a genuine
intellectual development of ideas throughout assignment.

Tips: This section supports the foundation of knowledge section. The scoring relates to critical thinking
and higher-level thought processing. This is where you demonstrate that you understand the concepts by
applying the concepts other research, personal experiences, past events, or any other relevant topics.
Use examples, draw conclusions, compare and contrast, make judgments, and/or synthesize materials.
You reported the facts in the foundation of knowledge; now it’s time to elaborate. Attempt to paraphrase
more often than using direct quotes. Paraphrasing demonstrates that you have a high-level
understanding of the material.

ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS/FORMAT (10 points)

Criteria (1) Student thoroughly understands and excels in explaining all major points. (2) An original,
unique, and/or imaginative approach to overall ideas, concepts, and findings is presented. (3) Overall
format of assignment includes an appropriate introduction (or abstract), well- developed paragraphs, and
conclusion. (4) Finished assignment demonstrates student’s ability to plan and organize research in a
logical sequence.

Tips: Apart from tips discussed in previous sections, headings work well to organize your work. The
use of headings effectively organizes ideas within the paper, and succinct headings aid the reader in
identifying key points within the writing. Take a look at the template and see the following link:
https://awc.ashford.edu/cd-formatting-headings%20in-apa-style.html

WRITING SKILL [Graduate Learning Outcomes Assessment Objective #2] (10 points)

Criteria (1) Student demonstrates an excellent command of grammar, as well as presents research in a
clear and concise writing style. (2) Presents a thorough, extensive understanding of word usage. (3)
Student excels in the selection and development of a well- planned research assignment. (4) Assignment
is error-free and reflects student’s ability to prepare graduate-level writing for possible publication in a
peer-reviewed (refereed) journal.

Tips: Writing conventions and APA formatting are critical in this area. This includes in-text citation and the
reference page. Remember all material that is not you own thoughts must have an in-text citation. The
in-text citation should have the (Author’s Name and Date). The page or paragraph number is required if
you are citing a direct quote or statistics. Please see the following links for APA citation basics. Please
see the following link for reference page rules.

USE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY/ APPLICATIONS (10 points)

Criteria (1) Student provides a high-caliber, formatted assignment. (2) Learner exhibits excellent use of
computer technology in the development of assignment. (3) Quality and appropriateness of stated
references demonstrate the student’s ability to use technology to conduct applicable research. (4) Given
assignment includes appropriate word processing, spreadsheet and/or other computer applications as
part of the final product.

Tips: This part of the scoring addresses the overall formatting of the paper to include APA formatting for
the title page, body, and reference page. Also, paragraph construction, header, and headings formatting
will be evaluated in this section.

RESEARCH SKILL [Graduate Learning Outcomes Assessment Objective #1] (10 points)

Criteria (1) Student provides sophisticated synthesis of complex body of information in the preparation of
assignment. (2) Research provided by student contributes significantly to the development of the overall
thesis. (3) Student incorporates an appropriate amount of quality references in assignment. (4) Student
incorporates a variety of research resources and methodology in the preparation of assignment.

Tips: This part of the scoring evaluated how you utilize research sources to form your argument. Ensure
you use peer-reviewed or scholarly resources.