Table of Contents

Statement on Plagiarism..................................................................................................................1

Sample Title Page............................................................................................................................2

Essential Elements of Essay Writing...............................................................................................3

Tips for Writing a Research Paper...................................................................................................4

General Writing Tips.......................................................................................................................6

Words Commonly Used in Academic Writing................................................................................8

Verbs that Introduce Quotes........................................................................................................8

Coordinating Conjunctions..........................................................................................................9

Correlative Conjunctions.............................................................................................................9

Common Conjunctive Adverbs....................................................................................................9

Common Transitional Expressions..............................................................................................9

Ten Important Grammatical Issues................................................................................................10

1

Statement on Plagiarism

Plagiarism or academic fraud of any type will not be tolerated at St. Joseph’s Seminary. If plagiarism or cheating is suspected, the professor is to contact the Academic Dean immediately with the paper or exam in question. If an initial review of the evidence deems the suspicion to be credible, the Academic Dean convenes an ad hoc committee of three professors from the full-time faculty to review the evidence. If the committee deems that plagiarism or academic fraud has occurred, the Academic Dean thereafter requests a meeting with the student in which the student has the opportunity to explain their work and evidence.

If no credible explanation is proffered, the student receives an automatic failure for the course and the Rector and the Faculty will review the student’s continued matriculation at St. Joseph’s.

Plagiarism occurs when students

directly copy the wording of an author without the use of quotation marks or proper acknowledgement

copy and paste information from the web without using quotation marks or without citing the source

attempt to paraphrase the wording of an author without significant changes and without the use of quotation marks where necessary, even if the source is acknowledged

paraphrase the wording of an author without proper acknowledgement repeat the unique wording or idea of an author without quotation marks or proper

acknowledgement purchase a paper, or hire or utilize someone else to write a paper, which is then presented

as the student's own

Plagiarism often occurs when students procrastinate and/or fail to begin planning and writing a paper in advance. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to begin a research paper well in advance of the due date and to take careful notes from all sources. Your notes should either record the exact wording of an author in quotation marks or significantly paraphrase the wording of an author. Significant paraphrasing includes changes to word order, vocabulary, and possibly sentence structure without altering the meaning of the author's original wording. In your notes, be sure that the original context is apparent so that the author's meaning is preserved.

Whether you paraphrase or record direct quotes in your notes, be sure to record the name of the source and corresponding page number in order to avoid confusion and mistakes when adding footnotes to your paper. Finally, footnote as you write your paper. This will spare you the hassle of trying to determine the correct sources and page numbers at the last minute. For additional guidelines, see "Tips for Writing a Research Paper," pp. 4-5.

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Sample Title Page

Title:

Subtitle

Your first and last name

Name of the course

Your instructor's name

Date of submission

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Essential Elements of Essay Writing

1. Strong introductory paragraph2. Supporting body paragraphs3. Concluding paragraph that sends the reader forward

An Introductory Paragraph should

1. Pique the reader’s interest2. Contain a clear thesis statement3. Provide supporting/secondary elements for the thesis4. Include a sense of where the paper is going5. Include a “plan” for the paper

Body Paragraphs should

1. Include at least 5-7 sentences 2. In some way refer back to the introductory paragraph, support the thesis, and

be part of the “plan” for the paper3. Have a clear topic or theme4. Flow logically from one to the next and include transitional words5. Not include tangents or digression (save these for the footnotes or eliminate

them entirely)

Concluding Paragraphs should

1. Summarize the content of your essay2. Demonstrate that the thesis has been proven3. Refer back to the introductory paragraph/thesis4. Send the reader forward with something to ponder

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Tips for Writing a Research Paper1. Pick a topic as soon as possible after the paper is assigned. If necessary, get approval for your

topic from your professor.

2. Visit the library to select books; go online to the library catalog. Use EBSCO to find relevant

journal articles, many of which can be downloaded as full-text PDFs. (Older articles may require

a visit to the journal section of the library, but you will need to use these as well.)

3. Build a bibliography. Once you have selected even just a few books or articles that you would

like to use for your paper, open a Word document and entitle it “Bibliography.” Using the

guidelines found in Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and

Dissertations and in the St. Joseph's Citation Guide, add your selected books and articles to your

bibliography. The entries should be listed alphabetically according to the author’s last name. The

bibliography is often the first thing your professor will check – even before reading your paper –

so use it to make a good impression.

4. Make a template for your footnotes. As you build your bibliography, format each entry as a

footnote and as an abbreviated citation. As you write your paper, you can copy and paste the

entries into your footnotes, changing only the page numbers.

5. Take notes. Starting as far in advance of your due date as possible, select one or two books or

articles a week and begin taking notes. Open a new Word document for your notes. At the top of

the entry for each book or article you are reading, record the title and author’s name. As you take

notes – whether you record direct quotes or paraphrase the author’s words – put the page

numbers in parentheses. When it is time to write your paper and record the footnotes, you will

have all the necessary information in your notes document; this will spare you the hassle of

searching through your books to find the correct page numbers.

6. Organize your notes according to topic. Once you have taken notes on all the articles and books

you intend to use, highlight the notes in different colors according to topic. For example, if you

are writing a biblical exegesis, highlight in blue all the information pertaining to the historical

context of the passage. Highlight in yellow all the information pertaining to word exegesis.

Highlight in pink any disputed issues surrounding the passage. When you begin writing your

paper, you can organize it according to subheadings. For a research paper of 10-15 pages, three

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or four different subheadings should provide you with a solid basis to make a strong

presentation.

7. Let the evidence speak to you. Rather than beginning a research paper with a firmly established

thesis in mind, it is often better to let the results of your research guide you in formulating a

thesis. Read through the work of various theologians on a particular topic. Consider the salient

points of their research. Is there a common thread to what they are saying? Do theologians

disagree on particular points pertaining to your topic? Often your thesis can involve presenting

the different aspects of a disputed topic.

8. Formulate a thesis. Once you have read through your research thoroughly, write your thesis in

one or two sentences. Then build an introductory paragraph around it. Introduce the topic in a

manner that is engaging and piques the reader’s interest. Explain how you will demonstrate your

thesis. Lay out the organizational structure of your paper – topic by topic – and follow that

structure throughout your paper. You can always return to and refine your thesis statement once

you have finished compiling your research.

9. Write body paragraphs according to the plan delineated in your introductory paragraph.

The body paragraphs will form the bulk of your paper. Be sure to focus on one solid point in

each paragraph. Begin a new paragraph whenever you introduce a different perspective on what

you were previously discussing. Make sure that each paragraph pertains to your thesis and

follows the plan you delineated in your introductory paragraph. Avoid tangents. If there is a

tangential topic that you believe merits some attention in your paper, incorporate it into your

introductory paragraph so that it coincides with the rest of your paper or delegate it to a footnote.

Use subheadings to help you maintain focus.

10. End with a bang. It is easy to let a paper fizzle out at the end; this can unravel all the positive

effects of your hard work. A concluding paragraph should summarize what you have discussed

and refer back to the thesis you presented at the beginning, but it should also send the reader

away with something to ponder.

11. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!! First drafts should NEVER be submitted to your professors. Finish the

first draft of your paper at least a few days or a week in advance of the due date. Spend time

reading it over, checking for grammatical errors, and making sure it is cohesive. Think about it

when you are not sitting in front of it. Do not hit “print” until you are sure it is the best possible

representation of your work. On the television show Madame Secretary, the Secretary of State

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says of her speech writer, “I don’t usually like his first draft, or his second, but I love his third.”

Your professors will love your third draft too.

General Writing Tips

1. Double-space papers in 12 point Times New Roman font.

2. Use only one space between sentences.

3. Justify the left margin only.

4. Indent one "tab" space at the beginning of each paragraph.

5. Use Chicago Manual of Style citations, 16th edition.

6. Footnotes are preferable to endnotes (unless otherwise specified by your professor).

7. All quotes should be introduced. This can be done in a variety of ways:

Ex. Pope Benedict observes, "Those words of Jesus, 'as I have loved you,'

simultaneously invite and disturb us."1

Ex. Pope Benedict observes that "Those words of Jesus, 'as I have loved you,'

simultaneously invite and disturb us."2

Ex. Pope Benedict observes that these words serve as a Christological goal: "they

are an incentive that....does not permit us to be content with what we are but spurs

us to keep advancing towards this goal."3

8. When citing a Church document such as the Catechism, a Vatican II document, or a papal

exhortation or encyclical, use parenthetical citations throughout, but cite the first

reference in a footnote. See pp. 4-6 of the Citation Guide for examples.

9. Research papers should include a "Bibliography" rather than a "Works Cited" page.

10. In written text, spell out numbers up through and including one hundred as well as

numbers that can be written in one or two words. Hyphenated numbers count as one

word. Longer numbers may use Arabic numerals.

Ex. twenty-two hundred

Ex. 1,463

1 Benedict XVI, The Apostles (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 2007), 83.2

Ibid.3

Ibid.

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11. Place all commas and periods inside the quotation marks. Question marks, exclamation

points, semi-colons, and colons should be placed outside the quotation marks unless they

are part of the quote.

12. Avoid contractions in formal writing.

13. Do not place commas between subjects and their verbs unless there is an intervening

phrase.

incorrect: The young boy, was eager to return to school.

correct: The young boy was eager to return to school.

correct: The young boy, who had just been released from the hospital, was eager

to return to school.

14. Use parallel phrasing when listing items or concepts.

Ex. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis encourages parents to participate actively in

the moral formation of their children, to use correction as an incentive for good

behavior, and to exercise patient realism when formulating expectations.

15. It is preferable to place a comma after the penultimate item in a list.

Ex. All bishops, priests, and deacons are invited to the meeting.

16. When appropriate, use the active voice instead of the passive.

passive voice: In Amoris Laetitia, it is suggested that married couples face crises

together.

active voice (preferred): In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis encourages married

couples to face crises together.

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Words Commonly Used in Academic Writing

Verbs that Introduce Quotes

says proposes

states argues

notes asserts

explains observes

suggests believes

Do not use the word "on" after any of these verbs. All of these verbs may be used in the following ways:

ex. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis says, "....."OR

ex. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis says that "....."

ex. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Frances observes, "....."OR

ex. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Frances observes that "....."

ex. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Frances proposes that "....."

ex. The Church argues in favor of pro-life issues.OR

ex. The Church argues against pro-abortion viewpoints.

However, some other similar verbs run more directly into the rest of the sentence without the use of a comma or "that."

ex. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis discusses the important role played by parents in the ethical formation of their children.

ex. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis advises us to consider the future consequences of the decisions that we make about the earth in today's society.

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ex. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis encourages us to contemplate the future consequences of how we care for the earth today.

Coordinating Conjunctions

ForAndNorButOrYetSo

Correlative Conjunctions

both...and

not only...but also

either...or

neither...nor

Common Conjunctive Adverbs

also furthermore meanwhile still

accordingly however moreover then

anyway incidentally nevertheless therefore

besides indeed next thus

consequently instead nonetheless

finally likewise otherwise

Common Transitional Expressions

after all for example in other words

as a result for instance on the contrary

by the way in addition on the other hand

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even so in fact that is

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Ten Important Grammatical Issues

1. Run-on sentences: A run-on sentence consists of two complete sentences that are combined together as if they are one sentence. Run-on sentences occur when two sentences are fused together with a comma where there should be a semi-colon, or when there is no punctuation or coordinating conjunction between the two sentences.

Run-on: St. Augustine was the greatest theologian of his time, his work became the foundation for many essential teachings of the Catholic Church.Correct: St. Augustine was the greatest theologian of his time; his work became the foundation for many essential teachings of the Catholic Church.[compound sentence with semi-colon]Correct: St. Augustine was the greatest theologian of his time. His work became the foundation for many essential teachings of the Catholic Church. [two sentences]

Run-on: St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, wanted him to become a Catholic, she was worried that he would continue to live a dissolute life.Correct: St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, wanted him to become a Catholic, but she was worried that he would continue to live a dissolute life.[compound sentence with comma and coordinating conjunction] Correct: St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, wanted him to become a Catholic; however, she was worried that he would continue to live a dissolute life. [compound sentence with semi-colon plus conjunctive adverb]

2. Fragments: A sentence fragment occurs when part of a sentence is punctuated as if it were a whole sentence. Fragments usually result when there are subjects or verbs missing from the sentence, or when a clause does not express a complete thought.

Fragment: Jesus and his disciples on the hill while Jesus preached. [missing verb]Correct: Jesus and his disciples sat on the hill while Jesus preached.

Fragment: Jesus preaching to his disciples. [missing helping verb]

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Correct: Jesus was preaching to his disciples.

Fragment: Said that he came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. [missing subject]Correct: Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it.

Fragment: By providing them with loaves of bread and fish. [not a complete thought – missing subject and verb]Correct: By providing them with loaves of bread and fish, Jesus taught his disciples that God would provide for them.

Fragment: After the Passover preparations had been completed. [adverb clause fragment]Correct: After the Passover preparations had been completed, Jesus shared a meal with his disciples.

3. Semi-colons v. commas: Use semi-colons between independent clauses that are closely related in thought. Semi-colons should also be used to separate items in a list if the items in the list already contain commas or if the items in the list are detailed and complicated.

Incorrect: Pope Francis was the first Jesuit to become a pope, he was also the first pope from the Americas. [two independent clauses]Correct: Pope Francis was the first Jesuit to become a pope; he was also the first pope from the Americas. [two independent clauses joined by a semi-colon]

Incorrect: Pope Francis completed Pope Benedict’s encyclical on faith, subsequently he has written influential encyclicals of his own. [run-on sentence]Correct: Pope Francis completed Pope Benedict’s encyclical on faith; subsequently, he has written encyclicals of his own. [semi-colon with conjunctive adverb and comma]

Incorrect: Pope Francis has visited many influential cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Seoul, South Korea, and Strasbourg, France.Correct: Pope Francis has visited many influential cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Seoul, South Korea; and Strasbourg, France.

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Incorrect: The Synod on the Family covered many topics, such as the need for greater pastoral awareness of the challenges faced by blended families, the question of how to deal with divorced and remarried Catholics, and outreach to Catholics who feel alienated from the Church.Correct: The Synod on the Family covered many topics, such as the need for greater pastoral awareness of the challenges faced by blended families; the question of how to minister to divorced and remarried Catholics; and outreach to Catholics who feel alienated from the Church.

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4. Punctuation marks with quotations: Commas and periods are always placed inside closing quotation

marks.Ex. With regard to racism, Cardinal Dolan has said that "neither

I nor anyone in the Church would ever tolerate hatred of or prejudice towards any of the Lord's children."

Ex. When speaking of his recent move to New York, Cardinal Dolan noted, "New York has grown on me," while patting his belly.

An exception to this occurs when providing in-text citations; in this case, all punctuation marks are placed after the bracketed citations.

Ex. Jesus told Nicodemus, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

Semi-colons and colons that are not part of a quote are placed outside closing quotation marks.

Ex. Jesus told the rich man, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"; however, the man "went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions" (Matt 19:19, 22).

Question marks and exclamation points are placed inside closing quotation marks if the quotation is a question or an exclamation. Otherwise, they are placed outside.

Ex. At the Wedding at Cana, Jesus says to his mother, "O woman, what have you to do with me?" (John 2:4).

Ex. What did Jesus mean in Matthew 17:20 when he spoke of having "faith as small as a mustard seed"?

**Always place footnote numbers directly after the closing quotation marks.**

Ex. When discussing St. Francis of Assisi's approach to self-denial, G.K. Chesterton notes that "It was not...merely in the sense of self-control...He devoured fasting as a man devours food. He plunged after poverty as men have dug madly for gold."4

4

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5. Direct quotes: All direct quotes should have an introduction; a direct quote should not stand as a sentence by itself. Whenever possible, include your own analysis along with the quote.

Incorrect: The Church at Corinth was one of Paul's strongest communities, yet it experienced a variety of difficulties which Paul addressed in his letters. "Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another" (1 Cor 11:33).Correct: The Church at Corinth was one of Paul's strongest communities, yet it experienced a variety of difficulties which Paul addressed in his letters: "Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another" (1 Cor 11:33).Correct: The Church at Corinth was one of Paul's strongest communities, yet it experienced a variety of difficulties which Paul addressed in his letters. For example, he notes in his letter to them that "your meetings are doing more harm than good" (1 Cor 11:17).Correct, with additional analysis added: The Church at Corinth was one of Paul's strongest communities, yet it experienced a variety of difficulties which Paul addressed in his letters. One such difficulty was the inequality that existed between the wealthy and the servants in their community. In 1 Corinthians 11:33, Paul encourages them to practice unity when sharing the Lord's Supper. He writes, "Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another" (1 Cor 11:33).

6. Verb tense consistency: Avoid switching verb tenses within a paragraph or within the course of your paper unless it is grammatically appropriate.

Incorrect: In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis speaks about what it means to be truly patient in our relationships with others. He noted that "Unless we cultivate patience, we will always find excuses for responding angrily" (92). Correct: In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis speaks about what it means to be truly patient in our relationships with others. He notes that "Unless we cultivate patience, we will always find excuses for responding angrily" (92).

When writing about a text, the present tense is preferable; write about the text as though the author is still speaking to us today. However, when speaking of events that clearly took place in the past, use the past tense.

Ex. In his Confessions, St. Augustine speaks of the sordid details of his past life. He describes the sins he committed as a young

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boy, which even included lying about sinning in order to impress his friends (II,3).

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7. Subject-verb agreement: Present tense verbs, except be and have, add -s or -es when the subject is third-person singular. Present tense verbs do not add -s or -es when the subject is a first-person pronoun (I, we), a second-person pronoun (you), or a third-person plural pronoun (they).

Ex. I believe in a triune God. Do you believe in a triune God? They believe in a triune God. However, she believes in Allah.

Singular nouns take singular verbs.Ex. The Archdiocese of New York has many auxiliary bishops.Ex. The pope promotes many missionary activities throughout

the world.

Plural nouns take plural verbs.Ex. Some dioceses in the U.S. have very elaborate cathedrals.Ex. Missionary priests travel throughout the world helping those

in need.

A gerund phrase or an infinitive phrase used as a complete subject usually takes a singular verb. The gerund or infinitive serves as a singular simple subject.

Ex. Studying the works of the Church Fathers requires much diligence.

Ex. To achieve success in one's theological studies demands a strong work ethic.

The number of a subject is not changed by a word in a phrase or a clause following the subject.

Ex. The works are written by the Church Fathers.Ex. The works in this anthology are written by the Church

Fathers.

The use of a phrase that begins with a compound preposition (such as in addition to, as well as, or in conjunction with) does not affect the number of a subject.

Ex. Jesus, along with his disciples, celebrates the Last Supper in an upper room. [singular subject and singular verb]

Ex. The early Christians, as well as St. Paul in particular, were responsible for spreading the gospel throughout parts of the Middle East and Asia. [plural subject and plural verb]

Some indefinite pronouns are singular, some are plural, and some can be singular or plural depending upon their usage.

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o The following are singular and always take singular verbs, regardless of any intervening prepositional phrases: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something.

Ex. Anyone who is going on the pilgrimage should meet at the church.

Ex. Each of the students is being assigned to a different parish.

Ex. Either of these articles is suitable as a source for your paper.

o The following indefinite pronouns are plural and always take plural verbs: both, few, many, and several.

Ex. Both of the courses offer a comprehensive survey of church history.Ex. Several of the students have already received parish

assignments.

o The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some may be singular or plural, depending on their meaning in a sentence.

Ex. All of the book was easy to read. [All refers to the singular noun book and takes a singular verb.]

Ex. All of the chapters were well organized. [All refers to the plural noun chapters and takes a plural verb.]

Ex. Is any of the dinner left? [Any refers to the singular noun dinner and takes a singular verb.]

Ex. Have any of the students studied for their exam? [Any refers to the plural noun students and takes a plural verb.]

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8. Past, Present Perfect, and Past Perfect verb tenses: When speaking of events that occurred in the simple past, use the

past tense.Incorrect: David saw Bathsheba from the rooftop of his palace.

Hehad sent one of his men to bring her to him.Correct: David saw Bathsheba from the rooftop of his palace.

He sentone of his men to bring her to him.

Use the present perfect tense when speaking of events that took place before the current time, but which still may be continuing.

Ex. I have given you sufficient time to complete the project; there can be no more extensions.

Ex. He has been working on his thesis for many months, but he still has not completed the first chapter.

Use the past perfect tense when speaking of events that took place before a specific time in the past.

Ex. Prior to his conversion, Paul had persecuted many Christians.

Ex. Nathan's parable reminded King David of the sins he had committed in order to cover up his relationship with Bathsheba.

9. Parallel Structure: Be sure to express similar concepts using similar structures. For example, pair an adjective with an adjective, a prepositional phrase with a prepositional phrase, and a noun clause with a noun clause. Similar ideas should be expressed using the same grammatical form.

Ex. Jesus is both divine and human. [divine and human are both adjectives]

Ex. Sr. Marianne serves her parish as both youth minister and pastoral associate. [minister and associate are both nouns with preceding adjectives]

Ex. In order to improve his grades, Jason has resolved to study harder, to complete all writing assignments, and to eliminate an hour of television every day. [to study, to complete, and to eliminate are all prepositions that are part of prepositional phrases]

Ex. In his spare time, Fr. Jones enjoys swimming and biking. [swimming and biking are both gerunds]

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10. Paragraph structure: Each paragraph should contain at least five sentences. The first line of each paragraph should be indented one "tab" space. Begin a new paragraph when changing topic, and make sure that all sentences within a paragraph share a common theme. Try to vary the types of sentences within a paragraph. Use transitional words to connect sentences and paragraphs, particularly when presenting an opposing point of view.

Ex. At the core of The Only Way is the belief that you cannot preach the first commandment, Love of God, without living the second, Love of Neighbor.5

Las Casas argues that one must draw people to the faith the way teachers draw students to knowledge. In order to learn, students must be freed of anything that will distract them. Las Casas quotes John Chrysostom in saying, "'A teacher must never harm students with truths intended to help them.'"6 Those with no prior knowledge of Christianity, such as the Native Americans, cannot be expected to embrace it when the only Christians they know spread their message through violence in God's name. Instead, Las Casas advocates the use of "gentleness" and a prayer demeanor. He says, "Christ deeds are expressive. As expressive as His words. So Christ's deeds are His words."7

--definitions and format for examples based on John E. Warriner’s Holt Handbook: Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, Sentences, Sixth Course. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003.

5 Bartolomé de las Casas, The Only Way, ed. Helen Rand Parish, trans. Francis Patrick Sullivan, S.J. (New York: Paulist Press, 1992), 58.6

Ibid., 104.7

Ibid., 88.