Tips & Techniques for Writing.

Overall Organization: Most papers in political science are organized in a similar fashion. You will need to think about a thesis statement, an introductory paragraph, how your argument will flow from one point to another, etc.

Introductory Paragraphs: This is the first impression your reader will have of your paper. You will want it to be concise and straightforward. Your reader should not have to read it several times in order to figure out what your argument is.

Thesis Statements: This is the most difficult part of the paper for many students. Unfortunately, it is also the most important part of a paper. This section will help you distinguish a thesis statement from statements of fact or opinion.

Paragraph Structure: Each paragraph should have a clear purpose and should flow logically from the previous paragraph to the next.

Citation Methods : This link will take you to the Political Science Writing Style Manual. This manual provides citation methods for everything from books to websites to e-mail.

Plagiarism Guidelines: What is and how to avoid plagiarism.

The Most Common Problems: A must read for everyone.