GERMAN 291:  SURVEY OF GERMAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE

AUFSATZENTWURF

This is what should be contained in your Aufsatzentwurf:

• Proposals should be computer-generated or typewritten, double-spaced, and stapled in the top left-hand corner.  Please, no plastic folders!
• Title page (containing working title of your paper, your name, course number, and date of submission).
• Introduction to Topic: a short paragraph (2-4 sentences) describing your topic in general terms.
• Thesis Statement: A one-sentence statement that clearly states the argument/point you wish to make in the paper.  (Go to the Online Writing Lab - http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/point.html - at Purdue University for more information on how to structure a thesis.)
• Provisional Outline: One or two paragraphs about how your paper will be structured.  This outline should explain how you will organize your paper, and what you will be doing to prove your thesis.
• Bibliography: This should be in two parts.  Under the heading Primary Literature, provide the information on your primary sources.  Under the heading Secondary Literature, provide the bibliographical information on the secondary sources, if any, which you are consulting.   Use MLA style.  (Go to the Online Writing Lab - http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html - at Purdue University for more information on how to use the MLA style bibliography.)

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Resources

Here are a couple of very good sites about academic writing.  They offer information on every aspect of writing an essay at university.  Visit them and see what they have to offer!

Advice on Academic Writing: http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/advise.html

Writing a Research Paper: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/index.html (An excellent site at Purdue University.  Check out, for example their Step-by-Step Procedure for writing a research paper.)

Harvard's Guide to Writing: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/html/tools.htm

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