Phase 4: Bringing it Together

 

The fourth and final phase is focused on bringing together the outline and the annotated bibliography. By this point, you have gotten to brainstorm, conduct both exploratory and focused research, made choices about what to include and what the exclude, as well as the order of the narrative. Now you just have to pull all the pieces together and smooth it out.

 

 

Task 1.

 

Start constructing full paragraphs out of the notes and quotes that are deposited in each part of the outline. You do not have to begin with the first paragraph. Each section of the essay will begin to come together as full fledged claims, statement and arguments that draw on the existing notes and quotes you wrote in previous phases.

 

Task 2.

 

Once you have written each section of the essay in complete paragraphs, start looking at how to connect the paragraphs together. Use transitions that tie together your supporting claims and evidence based on the main claim of research statement.

 

Task 3.

 

Review your essay looking for clarity, focus and cohesion. Incrementally stop yourself to ask whether what you are reading from your work is communicating your core idea. Make sure that you have properly cited all your sources and that you have a bibliography/reference page.

 

 

Tips and Hacks

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As you get to this final stage you will realize that you already have a significnat amount of your paper written in the form of the outline and your notes and quotes (the annotated bibliography). You are not there yet, but you have a lot of meanignful content already generated that you can begin explicating, developing, elaborating and refining.

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Transitions are extremely important., and a vital vehicile to making a comprehensive and cohesive major claim. Think of it as the thread that will bring the different parts and components of the paper together. This means not only having a transition word, but an entire sentence that brings the paragraphs into conversation with one another.

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When reviewing, read your paper several times. If possible, allow at least a day between finishing a complete draft, and beginning to edit. It is easier to see flaws and mistakes with a clear head. Read it at least twice: once for grammar, spelling and accuracy of citations. Read it a second time for content- make sure your eliminate redundancy, that your transitions are strong and that your main claim is evident throughout the paper. Of course, reading it more than twice is twice as beneficial!