Q&A for How to Write a Paper

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How do you narrow down a paper topic?

Matthew Snipp, PhD
Sociology Professor, Stanford University
C. Matthew Snipp is the Burnet C. and Mildred Finley Wohlford Professor of Humanities and Sciences in the Department of Sociology at Stanford University. He is also the Director for the Institute for Research in the Social Science’s Secure Data Center. He has been a Research Fellow at the U.S. Bureau of the Census and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. He has published 3 books and over 70 articles and book chapters on demography, economic development, poverty and unemployment. He is also currently serving on the National Institute of Child Health and Development’s Population Science Subcommittee. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin—Madison.

Matthew Snipp, PhD

Sociology Professor, Stanford University

Expert Answer

Determining your focus is very important to writing a paper. You have to decide what your paper is going to be about. Next, it is equally or even more important to determine what your paper will not be about. In the grand scheme of things, everything is related to everything else, so you have to determine what topics your paper will not be covering.

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Question

What is a good schedule to keep when writing a paper?

Matthew Snipp, PhD
Sociology Professor, Stanford University
C. Matthew Snipp is the Burnet C. and Mildred Finley Wohlford Professor of Humanities and Sciences in the Department of Sociology at Stanford University. He is also the Director for the Institute for Research in the Social Science’s Secure Data Center. He has been a Research Fellow at the U.S. Bureau of the Census and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. He has published 3 books and over 70 articles and book chapters on demography, economic development, poverty and unemployment. He is also currently serving on the National Institute of Child Health and Development’s Population Science Subcommittee. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin—Madison.

Matthew Snipp, PhD

Sociology Professor, Stanford University

Expert Answer

Everybody has their own style. There are certain times of day when people are more productive than others. For example, some people write their best work early in the morning, while others may not be able to work productively early in the day. Try experimenting and find what works best for you.

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Question

How can I create a topic to write my first paper?

Community Answer

Think about your interests and choose one to write about.

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Question

How do I brainstorm?

Community Answer

I would suggest reading wikiHow's article on brainstorming for some helpful advice.

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Question

Should the title be centered?

MrExpert

Community Answer

Yes.

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Question

How do I pick a topic for my paper?

Community Answer

Think about what inspires you most, and work from there. Looking up "Titles for school paper" can be quite handy.

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Question

To follow the structure of writing well a paper's format takes time and effort, and to do so needs planning. What would be some strategies or tips to do so?

Gavin Donnelly

Community Answer

Always start by developing your thesis statement. This will guide your whole paper. Once you have a statement, create a detailed outline of all the major supporting points for your thesis statement. Include sub-points below each of those to help you write the body of your paper. Follow this formula to write any paper!

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