Recommended Format

Introduction
This is where you are going to ‘roadmap’ your entire essay and argument. Roadmapping is where you lay out the format of your entire paper so the reader knows what expect and when to expect it. This is a great place to use first person (e.g., “I will be arguing that...”;  “In this paper I will...”; “I will consider the objection...”).
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General length recommendation: Usually one paragraph is standard and can help you to meet your goal of setting up the reader’s expectations. About half a page is a good guideline.


Main argument
This is where you will show philosophical engagement! Often, you’ll be articulating whether you agree or disagree with an idea/tradition/concept/philosopher/etc. Remember, if you’re agreeing with a philosopher, don’t just explain their argument over again. You should engage with their ideas and argue in favor of them by going further than what your source states.

General length recommendation: This section will vary. It should take up the majority of your paper, so it should be a few paragraphs at least. It will depend on your specific paper so there isn’t really a set number of paragraphs.


Objection
When writing your objection, don’t present an unrealistic/wimpy argument that no one would actually agree with (i.e., avoid the strawman fallacy). Present objections faithfully and charitably. In other words, you want to present a genuine concern someone might present in opposition to your argument. You’ll then go on to show why this objection fails or can amend your own argument to accommodate this concern.

This is also a great place to demonstrate creativity and original thought. It can be useful to start with your initial questions about or any problems you have with an idea, and after this brainstorming, you can use examples if appropriate.

General length recommendation: It’s usually better to use one strong objection and go in depth on that idea rather than to go briefly over several examples quickly. Objections often require at least a few paragraphs to fully explain.


Response to Objection
When you respond to the objection, explain why the objection does not actually pose a problem for your argument or amend your argument to take into account the objection.

General length recommendation: Length also varies for this section. It depends on how much time it takes to convince your reader that the objection is not a major concern for your own argument. A common mistake is not writing enough for this section. It should be around the same length as the objection itself or else you risk not adequately disproving the objection.

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Conclusion
To conclude your paper, provide a general recap of what you have done in your paper. This is another area where it is a good idea to use first person (e.g., “I have argued that...”).

General length recommendation: Usually one paragraph is enough for the conclusion. It might make sense for some assignments to have a longer conclusion if you want to talk about the implications of your argument.

In the Counseling Psychology MA program here at Santa Clara University, we are tasked with writing many final papers that emphasize a reflective component. These papers are a wonderful opportunity to explore parts of ourselves that we may not have traversed previously. Reflecting upon our experiences in a course and the ways in which the course concepts may have altered our perceptions of the world around us and ourselves will allow us to become better therapists. The better we understand ourselves, the better we may learn to understand others. Something that you may often hear is that, as therapists, we can only go as far with our clients as we have gone ourselves. This can be debated, but there is certainly no harm to be found in self-exploration through writing.

Still, it can be difficult to balance the reflective and more concrete elements of a paper. Many of us may not have had the opportunity to write reflective pieces in our previous schooling, especially not to the extent that many of our classes ask of us. I want to emphasize that the core component of a reflective paper is that it is personal. A reflective paper should feel like a genuine representation of your experience. 

When we are given the flexibility to preserve our unique voices, it can be daunting to grab hold of them. Even though we communicate our experiences through language every day, somehow it feels distinctly different to sit down and write them. Reflective writing is a more polished, more creative, kind of communication. It can be fun, whimsical, silly, and devastating all at the same time. In my own reflective writing, I have previously employed a potentially superfluous extended metaphor to describe how I envision the place in which all my memories live. I used this metaphor as a theme throughout the entire paper that allowed me to weave in and out of both the past, present, and course materials. 

By nature, a reflective paper is unique, because it is a representation of the writer. We share our thoughts and feelings and gift them to our professors. In the process, we better understand ourselves and they have the opportunity to better understand us. I have found that the best way to be successful in writing these types of papers is to try and produce something that is uniquely yours. This is a lofty goal, to be sure. To attempt to specify, I am asking you to embrace your experience in the class as it is. If the course changed your life entirely, as many of the courses in our program tend to do, then describe the ways in which it has done so. Conversely, if the course topics left you feeling bewildered or uncomfortable, share about these feelings. The experience of discomfort can be an especially interesting path to walk down and can be the basis of as strong of a paper as any. We are given the opportunity to explore why certain topics may have made us uncomfortable and how this might affect our practice going forward. 

I am not encouraging the sharing of thoughts and experiences that we might be uncomfortable sharing, but these reflective papers may be a good opportunity to push ourselves into the realm of exploration in a safe environment. The unknowing that accompanies self-exploration is inherently uncomfortable. We can theorize about how or why we may do certain things, but we can never know with certainty. This is where the integration of course materials comes in. We can use the materials from each course to help us make sense of our experiences within the course. They provide a road map for what themes in our lives we might like to explore. We can start with whatever stuck out to us the most, and work from there. There are often many points of entry, and as writers, we get to choose our own path.
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Our reflections of ourselves will inevitably change as we do. There is beauty to be found in showing up as we are on paper. These reflections capture a moment in time, something for us to look back on when we are in practicum, in our associate years, and even when we are licensed. We will be able to look back on our reflections and witness our growth and change. Self-exploration through writing can be immensely difficult, especially if we have not attempted it in the past, and the integration of course materials adds an additional layer of complexity. Try to remember that at its core, the paper is supposed to represent you. It is not necessary to repeat the textbook back to your professors, as they have already read it. Write as yourself and as you are. I have not yet been met with judgment for doing so.

About the Author: 
Nicole Bloch (She/Her) is a third-year Counseling Psychology Master's student. She has been a HUB Writing Partner since Fall 2023. During undergrad, she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. Outside of her studies, Nicole loves playing guitar, reading science fiction, plants, spending time with her pets, and learning new things!

​Research is the foundation of any strong academic paper, project, or assignment, yet the process can often feel daunting and overwhelming. In whatever stage of research you find yourself, the key to success lies in utilizing the right strategies and resources. This guide, compiled with insights from HUB writing partners, will break down essential and practical research tips and tricks to help streamline the process (and maybe even make it enjoyable!).


Choosing a Topic/Research Question 
The first step to deciding what and how to research is choosing an effective topic or research question. It is always helpful to start early so that you can have time to explore and switch topics if necessary. 

• Brainstorm all the ideas that come to mind that relate to the assignment criteria. 
• ​Select your research topic and research question by considering areas that have interesting or diverse perspectives throughout the different sources. Try searching in resources such as the library database, Google Scholar, and Jstor to see if any helpful sources exist for your topic.
• Pick something that genuinely interests you. What do you care about or want to learn more about? Keep in mind that you’re probably going to be spending a lot of time researching this topic.
• Craft a research question or topic that is specific to ensure that your scope of research isn’t too broad. On the flip side, make sure that your research topic/question isn’t too narrow and nuanced that it might make source-finding difficult. 

Finding Sources
Now that you’ve found a topic to work with, the next step is to find relevant sources to craft arguments for your topic.

• Familiarize yourself with the assignment criteria! What types of sources will be necessary for your assignment (primary, secondary, peer reviewed, all of them)? Are there specific sources or sites that your professor expects you to use for your research? 
• Use Wikipedia and scroll to the Footnotes to see a list of related topics, terms, and sources if you are unsure about where to start searching.
• Search available databases, especially databases that are relevant to your topic. While you can use databases such as JSTOR, Google Scholar, and the SCU library advanced search to start, you can also use the SCU library A-Z database list to search a specific academic discipline or subject related to your topic.
• Use effective keywords when searching in databases. For instance, boolean phrases such as AND to search for multiple words (ex: marketing AND analytics), OR to find information about either of your terms (ex: marketing OR analytics), NOT to exclude specific keywords (ex: marketing NOT analytics). You can also use truncation to search for all forms of a word (ex: femini* to search for the words “feminine”, “feminist”, and “feminism” all in the same search). 
• Utilize the library interloan request form for sources not readily available in the library database and the library will secure your desired source and email it to you within 1-3 business days.
• Find sources through the sources you’ve already found! You can look at the sources listed on the works cited or references page to find other sources that are related to the same topic.
• Compile a structured list of sources with brief details on each, including how you plan to use them in your work. This will streamline the writing process when you begin.
• It’s better to find a lot of sources generally first and later narrow down and use the best ones (remember you don’t have to use all of them!). 

Evaluating the credibility of sources     
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One way that you can narrow down the sources you find is to examine the source’s credibility. ​
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• Identify the year of publication to make sure it is still relevant to your topic today. If the source was not written recently, it may be important to consider how much of its information is outdated or disproven. 
• Prioritize using peer-reviewed sources. It can be helpful to check if the source is peer-reviewed through the filters on certain databases (such as the library database) or check off other boxes that hint at its credibility such as if it is an academic journal and or published in a reputable journal or media outlet. 
• Search the author’s background. What are their credentials (and do they match the topic you are writing about)? What are other topics and sources they’ve written? Do they have a conflict of interest or potential bias against or for the topic?  
• Look at the evidence that is presented in the sources. A lack of support for the arguments presented in the source may be a red flag that it is not credible.

Reading Sources 
While this step seems the most tedious, it is important to skim and read your sources to determine if it would be helpful to use and what specifically you can take away from it. 

• Read the abstract and then skim the resource, especially the introduction and conclusion to see if it would be helpful for your arguments and topic. Sometimes a source’s title can be misleading on the actual content.
• While reading, annotate your text so that you can be engaged and come back to anything important that you find when you begin the writing process. For instance, make note of any subheadings and chapter titles that seem like they may be relevant to your argument.
• Use Command + F to look for keywords related to your topic so you can find the information in the source that is most helpful and relevant for you.
• Don’t be afraid to read sources critically! They might have aspects that you can critique through a counterargument. 

Using sources as you compose your text
When implementing sources into your writing, remember to:

• Keep a bibliography going as you go so that you don’t lose the sources you use and can readily go back and read through the resources you cite! 
• Think about which parts of the source apply to your research as not every part of a source is going to be relevant to your conversation. Consider using the most important and impactful lines to directly quote from the source and paraphrase instead of utilizing large block quotes (remember to add an in-text citation to all information that you paraphrase as well). 
• Always include analysis after a piece of evidence and let the source support an argument that you make (don’t let the source speak for itself). Explain why the evidence is important to your line of reasoning and how it ties back to the central theme and thesis of your topic.
• Cite correctly in the text. All sources should be cited in-text and added in the citation page at the end. If you have difficulty remembering the correct citation format, you can always find a citation guide online that lists the specific formatting requirements for whatever style citation you happen to use, such as MLA, APA and CMS.

Finally, always check the prompt and rubric for the assignment to make sure that you meet all of the requirements outlined by your instructor. Also, keep in mind that the research process may take longer than you plan for so it’s always best to start early! And lastly, if you ever find yourself feeling stuck or in need of guidance throughout any part of the research process, feel free to stop by the HUB and talk to one of our writing partners!

Happy researching and best of luck!

Freewriting:​

• Try freewriting! Sometimes we know exactly what we want to say but just don’t know how to present it in the setting it needs to be presented in (i.e. a formal essay). By free writing, you can get your ideas out onto a page in a way that only you will see and be able to pick up on any ideas you want to add to, which you can then adjust to match the style you are writing in, without worrying about that part while brainstorming. In other words, keep it simple! You can always add on and make it more complex once you have solidified your idea (Faith Fitzpatrick)
• Let all the bad ideas out before good ideas start to flow. Write as much as you can. If you feel like things are starting to get muddled, open up a new document and start recreating/reorganizing the parts that you liked the most from your old document  (Thomas Mathew)
• Get all ideas out of your head and onto the page (John Paul Kraus)

“Looking at a blank page (or, more likely, a blank Google Doc) is daunting for anyone, and finding motivation to start and continue the writing process is a challenge,” states writing partner Katy Wolff. Almost all the writing partners at The HUB admit to this. For example, Lindsey Kendall adds, “I often find myself overwhelmed before starting to write for any big paper. Sometimes I have lots of ideas swirling around in my head but don’t know how to put them down on paper, and other times my mind simply draws a blank. In either situation, I find it difficult to start putting words on the page.” In this blog post, the HUB writing partners gather some tips that can help you overcome the challenge of getting started with writing or continuing the writing process. ​

Applying for graduate school could be a very stressful period, especially with the large number of different essays that are typically required. However, if you understand the process and work step by step on every part of your application, you may be able to secure your spot in your program of interest.

One of the essays required in almost every graduate school application is the Statement of Purpose (SOP). As its name suggests, this essay should focus on your future intentions. It should clearly communicate your goals, explain how and why pursuing a graduate degree would help you achieve these goals, and convince the admission committee that you are a good candidate. This blog post will help you understand the major components to include in the SOP, give you ideas on how to organize it, and provide you with some stylistic and grammatical tips to make your SOP stand out.
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Planning and brainstorming:

The first step in writing your SOP is brainstorming the ideas that you want to include. This step should typically start two to three months prior to the application deadline in order to have enough time to gather the appropriate information. To begin, start thinking about your experiences and accomplishments. Usually, such experiences should preferably be research oriented, especially for PhD applications. Ask yourself questions like: What are the research projects that I have worked on? What did I learn during my work? What was my own contribution to these projects? What was the outcome of these projects? For example, did they get published? Did they provide an important advancement to my research field?

Additionally, you may think about including information regarding other experiences, such as work or teaching experience; however, only include these if they are relevant to the program to which you are applying. If they are irrelevant, they are probably not going to help you convince the admission committee that you are a good fit for their program. Use your limited space wisely to elaborate on the components that are more related to your area of interest.

Then, carefully look at the website of the university to which you are applying in order to find potential professors with whom you would like to work. For each professor in your intended department, check their personal website to familiarize yourself with their research interests and accomplishments. This will help you identify several professors whose research interests align well with your own interests and experiences. This is very important because if you are applying to a program where none of the professors conduct research in your area of interest, your chances of being accepted will probably be low.

The university website is usually the most helpful and accessible way to get familiar with faculty members and their research areas; however, there are of course many other approaches, such as connecting with them through LinkedIn or email, or even reaching out to current graduate students in the same department. In addition to identifying potential professors of interest, you could also identify any resources at the university that might help you achieve your main goal.

Writing your first draft: 

Once you have gathered your ideas, you can start drafting your SOP. To get an idea on how to organize your essay, you can examine some SOP samples in your field of study, either by searching for online resources or asking some colleagues who were already accepted into graduate school. Looking at how other people in your area organize their SOPs will help you understand the conventions of your field and recognize the expectations of the admission committee. A typical organization of the SOP could be as follows:

1. An introductory section that briefly introduces your background and research interests and maybe mentions to which department/program you are applying.
2. A second section highlighting your experience and accomplishments. Clearly explain your role in each project on which you have worked, in addition to describing what you have learned in each experience. Highlight the outcomes of your projects and demonstrate their implications in real world scenarios by giving concrete examples and quantifying your outcomes. For example, "This project improved peoples' awareness of X by 60%". Such numbers and percentages will stick out to the admission committee.
3. A third section that discusses what you want to achieve at the university to which you are applying. Mention the area of research that interests you in your intended department and list any research labs that you would like to join. Specifically state what you would like to study and explore. List the professors with whom you are interested in working and clearly show how your interests and experiences that were highlighted in the previous section align with their interests. This would help you demonstrate that you are a good fit in the program. Feel free to also suggest any potential research projects on which you can work with these professors. This would highlight your creativity, curiosity, and passion for discovery. Additionally, list any university resources that you can benefit from to achieve your goals. Finally, state how you are going to positively contribute to the university community and to promote the advancement of your research field.
4. A concluding section where you emphasize why you believe that you are a good candidate, state your future career goals, and maybe thank the committee for their time.

Revising, editing, and proofreading:

Once you are happy with the content of your first draft, you can start revising your document to make any necessary edits, improve its readability, and correct any grammatical mistakes. Here are some of the most important aspects to consider when revising your SOP: 

• Be concise. Admission committees have a large number of applications to read in a limited time period, which reduces the amount of time that they can spend on reading one application. Therefore, you should make sure to convey your ideas in the most simple and concise way. 
• Use strong verbs. Strong verbs, such as “I implemented an algorithm” and “I developed a questionnaire for our survey research”, would specifically highlight how you contributed to the success of projects. These verbs are more effective than weak verbs, such as “I was part of this research lab” and “I participated in this research project”, which would not help you to clearly demonstrate your role in your previous projects.
• Write clear and well-focused paragraphs. The ideas that you develop in each paragraph should be related to one topic. For example, it would be ideal to discuss each research project in a separate paragraph when highlighting your experience. This would help you emphasize each one of them and would increase the readability of your SOP.
• Proofread for typos and grammatical mistakes. Such mistakes will give a bad impression not only of your writing but also of you as a careless student.

Some pitfalls to avoid:

Throughout the writing process, remember to:

• Avoid listing experiences that are not related to your intended program. They will not help you demonstrate that you are a good fit for this program and they are already listed in other application documents, such as your CV.
• Avoid including just a mere list of your projects and publications without mentioning specific details. These projects and publications are typically listed on your CV, and you are sometimes also asked to submit their titles in your online application.
• Avoid focusing just on how you want to benefit from the program to achieve your purpose without also showing how you want to contribute to the community.
• Avoid exceeding the page or word limit. Look for this information in the prompt or on the program’s website, and if nothing is mentioned, try to limit your SOP to 1-2 pages.

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Finally, always check the given SOP prompt before starting to draft your essay because it might be different from one university to another, and even from one department to another. Also, consider customizing your SOP for every university and program to which you are applying. And most importantly, remember to ask your friends, colleagues, professors, and the HUB writing partners to read your SOP and give you their feedback!


About the Author:
Maha Issa is a graduate writing partner at the HUB writing center since Fall 2023. She is a PhD student in Computer Science and Engineering, and she is happy to work with other writers and help them improve their writing and communication skills.

Wondering what to do with four weeks of free time this Winter Break? Try picking up one of these awesome reads, curated by your favorite Writing Partners! Keep scrolling to read our collection of one-sentence book recs!

The Club by Ellery Lloyd
"This book is a murder mystery that has a great build up and comes with various twists and turns!​" -Faith Fitzpatrick

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
"Set against a backdrop of cold weather and dark academia, this captivating and suspenseful story follows college students studying Greek." -Jordan Scott

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
"It was a great read that was incredibly eye-opening to the horrible injustices that happened so recently in our modern history. " -Jessica Garofalo

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
"The color purple made me reflect deeply about my faith." -Jonathan ​Terryn

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
"Nothing really happens in this book... yet I was left feeling deeply disturbed in the end." -Nadine Koochou

​The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
"Whatever you think you know, you don't. Trust me, you won't know whodunit until Michaelides tells you." -Seta ​Salkhi

Normal People by Sally Rooney
"Sally Rooney puts into words the nuances of interpersonal relationships and the human experience in a beautiful way." -Lindsey ​Kendall

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
"Dear Justyce is a the sequel to Dear Martin, refrencing the stark realities and issues within the juvenile justice system." -Lady Elizabeth Roy

Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
"Verghese transports you to the beautiful state of Kerala in his story about a family plagued by a mysterious medical condition." -Mathew Thomas

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
"It changed the way that I think about the world." -Nicole Bloch

Luster by Raven Leilani
"It's a beautiful and really engaging character study of a young Black woman as she navigates personal struggles, including a complex relationship with an older white man who is in an open relationship with his wife." -Katy Wolff

Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson
"A beautiful collection of queer poetry that really helped ground me when I was feeling listless." -Madeline Coquilla

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
"A great novel about knowledge as power and ultimately a sort of commentary on animal testing, as well." -Maddie Vitanza

​Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
"It's a unique, funny, and sometimes sad novel centered around a woman who works in a convenience store." -Natalia Cantu​

A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
"This book is British, the first Sherlock Holmes novel, and has plenty of cool words to learn." -John Paul Kraus

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
"The stunning artwork and narrative present an academically informed children's story on the indigenous movements of the Water Protectors - a good read for children and adults." -Lucia Heese

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
"It's remarkably well written, and despite being emotionally challenging, it's satisfying to watch the characters grow and come across good fortune." -Jwwad Javed

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
"If you're in the mood for a magical and lyrical fantasy story, this is for you!​" -Anj Zanger

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
"This memoir is written in beautiful prose and is sure to inspire any writer." -Rhiannon Briggs

​About the Author
Nadine Koochou is a Senior studying English with minors in Creative Writing and Women's & Gender Studies. When she's not reading and writing, she enjoys baking treats, spending time outside, and practicing yoga.