1. Writing at the Graduate Level
Kevin Eric De Pew
English 687
June 1, 2005

2. Distinguishing Expectations
B.A.: demonstrate knowledge; especially one’s ability to apply the knowledge
M.A.: show knowledge and understanding of topic; demonstrate participation in the conversation; conference papers
Ph.D.: should be immersed in the conversation; a few steps away from publishable article

3. Conventions of a Document
Develop an argument; even in pedagogical tools and research plans you will be arguing for the effectiveness of these proposals
Support the argument; provide both theoretical and practical evidence to prove your point
Maintain organization & focus
Be professional; know context

4. Develop Your Argument Use the current debate as a foundation
Do not repeat the same point over & over
Be capable of supporting the argument through multiple sources of evidence
Apply discussion to specific context
Acknowledge scope & limitations

5. Understanding the Conversation
Research
Conferences
Listservs

6. Joining the Conversation
Discuss current debates related to topic; demonstrate to your audience that you understand the issues being debated
Align yourself with various theorists; justify this decision
You can align yourself with ideas from one theorist and other ideas from another theorist; again justify this decision

7. Research: Where?
Library: books, journal articles, government documents
Internet: journal articles, organization sites, government documents, popular sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines)
Empirical research: studies (e.g., interviews, observations, surveys)
Personal experience: anecdotes

8. Research: Finding Sources
Use search functions–keyword searches
ODU or other university libraries
Search engines (Google, Yahoo, Dogpile)
Online Bookstores (Amazon, B&N)
Use citations material in articles
When an author refers to an idea that strikes you, look for the source information in the Works Cited
Reference Librarians

9. Using Sources
For an academic audiences, academic sources, especially from a given discipline, carry the most weight.
Sources such as personal experience and popular articles can be used. However, they work better as concrete examples than as the theoretical foundation; use to illustrate the theory

10. Getting Feedback Come to the instructor’s office hours
Do peer reviews–even if they are not assigned
Go to the Graduate Writing tutor