How to write a Graduate Paper.ppt

How to write a graduate paper How to write a Graduate Paper Specific to Linguistics studies (2012,8,30) After the lecture, we are going to know 1. choosing a proper topic; 2. deciding on a good title; 3. submitting a perfect proposal; 4. gathering data in and outside the library; 5. Composing each part of the paper. When choosing a topic, learn to narrow it Choose among the following branches (based on your interests) Morphology(word formations) Syntax (grammar) Semantics (word and sentence meaning) Pragmatics (function of context) Cognitive Lingustics Sociolinguistics (language in society) Applied Linguistics (Language Teaching) Ask yourself what you are going to write? Remodification of a theory; Explanary power on a lingustic phenomenon; Comparative study of two languages Then learning to narrow it 1. Go to Library; 2. Search what are they(experts and the other students) doing now? The good website: 中国知网（国内期刊，优秀硕士、博士毕业论文）； 3. Once topic is chosen，go and talk with your tutor. 2. Decide you title A to-the-point title must contain three elements: your theoretical foundation + your data sources + research target Requirements for the title 1. It will clearly show what you are going to investigate in the paper. Problem 1: Research target is unclear. 《透过电影 灵魂梦飞翔对白分析美国黑人英语语言特征》 →《透过电影 灵魂梦飞翔对白分析美国黑人 英语语音特征》 Problem 2: lack of theoretical foundation E.g.《严肃新闻与流行新闻标题中新词的对比研究》 →《严肃新闻与流行新闻标题中新词的顺应论对比研究》 Problem 3: nothing is clear. 《隐喻与英语词汇学习》→ 《英语专业基础阶段隐喻能力培养记在词汇学习中的运用》 2. The topic may not be too general Notice: You are doing graduate paper but not thesis or dissertation problem 1: the data is too general E.g.《批判性语篇分析在美语新闻中的应用》 →《批判性语篇分析在美语政治新闻中的应用》 Problem 2：theoretical foundation is general. 《从认知语言学角度分析广告中的隐喻》 → 《从认知语境角度分析广告中的隐喻》 Problem 3：research target is general E.g.《米歇尔·欧巴马演讲词汇、修辞及语境分析》→ 《米歇尔·欧巴马演讲中词汇的认知语境分析》 Some good examples: 1. 《从概念隐喻角度分析“heart” 的多义性问题》； 2. 《从礼貌原则分析千谎百计中的模糊限制语》； 3. 《中美国家最高领导人在高校演讲中的礼貌原则对比研究》 To sum up Search the int