Outline for PresentationI. Skeleton

Initial StepsPaper StructureOutlineReferences

II. ClarityDefineSpecify StylisticColloquial/AcademicNo EmotionsShow what you want

to say do not just state

III. Technical IssuesDo not confusePunctuationMiscellaneous “The”

Conclusion

Initial Steps Research: Read up on the topic you will write about!

Use www.googlescholar.comSearch online newspapers, if the topic is currentSecondary sources Primary sourcesSearch and check for data availabilityCheck library databases AUA, CRRC, others

Outline of the paperHave one central question, then ask other key questions, FOCUSDecide the titles of each of your sections

Decide approximately how many pages each section will be

Skeleton

Paper Structure1) Abstract 2) Introduction3) Abbreviations’ section 4) Key terms 5) Methodology 6) Body-3 parts, 3 subparts (3,3,3,3,3,3…!)

(1 paragraph should not be less than 3 sentences)

7)Conclusion8)Policy Implications /Recommendations9)References

Skeleton

OUTLINEOSCE’s Assessment of Elections and Its Significance: The Cases of Armenia and Ukraine 

Introduction Provide some background

List what questions you are trying to answer (what is your main question?) What presents a basis for OSCE criticism? Is the basis valid?

Describe the structure of the essay and its logic I. OSCE and Its Election Work Introductory paragraph

a. Objectives OSCE/ODHIR history OSCE’s overall objectives ODHIR’s objective

b. ODIHR’s Election Observation and Assessment OSCE election observation history OSCE election observation procedures Various criticisms of OSCE election observations

c. OSCE’s Achievements Legislative achievement Possibly helps opposition parties (controversial) How to test this? Introduction to next section

Concluding paragraph

II. Comparison between OSCE’s assessment of Armenian and Ukrainian electionsIntroductory paragrapha. Technical Aspectsb. Pre-Election Assessmentsc. Points missed by the OSCEConcluding paragraph

 III. Criticism of OSCE’s Goals and ImplementationsIntroductory paragrapha. Sovereigntyb. Inaccuracyc. PartisanshipConcluding paragraph

 Conclusion 

Skeleton

“References”, “Works Cited”, “Bibliography”Start your references’ section before you even start

writing your essay. If you read information that is relevant to your

paper, write down the citation of the source.Where did you get the information from?Is it a reliable source?Have you used citing?- Both respectful to the

author of the information source and the reader of your article

Even if you read something but do not directly use it in your paper, you still need to have a citation.

Skeleton

Styles of CitationChoose a method in which you will cite-Turabian,

MLA, Chicago Style, APA, etc. MLA Style: Parenthetical Documentation & Works

CitedEx.: Medieval Europe was a place both of “raids,

pillages, slavery and extortion and of “traveling merchants, monetary exchange, towns if not cities and active markets in grain” (Townsend 10).

Ex.: In the winter snowy owl feeds primarily on small rodents (“Snowy Owl,” Hinterland), but in spring it also feeds on the eggs of much larger waterfowl, such as geese and swans (“Snowy Owl,” Arctic).

Skeleton

Works Cited

“Snowy Owl.” Arctic Studies Center. 2002. Natl. Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Inst. 8 Aug. 2002 <http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/index_e.cfm>.

“Snowy Owl.” Hinterland Who’s Who. 15 May 2002. Canadian Wildlife Service. 8 Aug. 2002 <http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/index_e.cfm>.

Townsend, Robert M. The Medieval Village Economy. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993.

Skeleton

Define!Section-Term DefinitionsDefine terms that are key to your

paper/that you use often throughout the paper

Define, define, define!Always assume that the reader is

completely unfamiliar with the topic you are writing about. Thus, you always need to provide full information and you always need to define terms/words that are not used on a daily basis.

Clarity

Specify!Do NOT assume that your readers are

extremely smart, and that they have the exact information or general knowledge as you

You should not write so that the reader assumes, guesses what you want to mean. You want to make sure that the reader understands what you write exactly as you mean it

When you present your paper, the discussion should not be about understanding your paper but rather about the disagreements or agreements that the readers have with your arguments

Clarity

Expressing Yourself Better• Minimize use of “-ing”• Use active and not passive voice • Do NOT abbreviate-don’t, weren’t, isn’t ….. • USE VERBS• Minimize use of is, are, was, were• Avoid using THEY, IT • Avoid speaking in the first term, “we” or “I”

Clarity

Colloquial/Academic DO NOT write as if you are speaking!When we speak, we use many extra words to

gain time, to collect our thoughts. When you write, you need to get rid of extra

words, so that you do not waste the reader’s time with fluff.

“Let’s, of course, it’s worth mentioning, in any case, anyway, obviously, somehow, somewhat” –not to be used

Avoid using bullet points in your paper. Short ones are OK, long ones NOT OK.

Clarity

EMOTIONS? NONE!This is not a place to express your angerThis is not a place to express your passionThis is not a place to make people feel bad for

youThis is not a place to show how compassionate

you are

Clarity

SHOW What You Want to Say, DO NOT Just State“The fact is that”“It is a fact that”“Proves the above mentioned fact” Leave it up to the reader to decide whether

what you have noted is a fact or notJust because you say something is a fact, the

reader is not going to believe so

Clarity

DO NOT CONFUSETHEN with THANIT’S=it is and ITSEFFECT and AFFECTRegion does not mean ռեգիոն“Caucasian” in English refers to white

people, not people from the Caucasus

Technical Issues

PUNCTUATION Comma before “which”

Ex. “The movie, which we saw, was very interesting.

In general, finally, furthermore, moreover, In Armenia, in the future-all followed by commas when in the beginning of a sentence

Reading out loud helps

Technical Issues

Miscellaneous DO NOT forget page numberIf you are going to abbreviate use the full

phrase with the abbreviation in parenthesis the first time.

Ex.: The OSCE (Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe) has faced criticism in the past few years, especially in regards to its election work in its member states.

“The”The is used for a specific or a particular noun.“The” definite articleThe is both for singular and plural nounsCan be used with both count and non-count

nounsSometimes used before geographical nouns“South Caucasus” is always proceeded by “the”Must use “the” before

The last, the first, the most, the least, the best More on “The”

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/

Technical Issues

ConclusionChoose a focused topic.Start with references.Build an outline of the paper.Pay attention to your writing style. Pay attention to your grammar. Finally, have others read your paper

before you send it off for publication. Proofread your paper!