Process: How to write (the steps).
Product: What the final paper looks like (structure and format).
Criticality: How to think and use evidence.
Language: The appropriate style and tone.
Criticality: How to think and use evidence.
Language: The appropriate style and tone.
1. Process: How to Write (The Steps)
The process is the journey from receiving an assignment to submitting a final paper. It's rarely a linear path but a recursive cycle of planning, drafting, and revising.
Key Steps:
Deconstruct the Assignment Prompt:
Action: Read the prompt carefully. Underline key verbs (e.g., analyze, compare, argue, evaluate, describe). Identify the central question, the required word count, formatting rules, and the due date.
Example: A prompt says: "Analyze the impact of social media on the political engagement of young adults (18-24) in Indonesia.
Argue whether its overall effect is primarily positive or negative."
Deconstruction: The key verbs are analyze and argue. You need to break down (analyze) the cause-and-effect relationship and then take a clear stance (argue). The scope is "young adults (18-24)" and "in your country."
Preliminary Research & Brainstorming:
Action: Do some initial reading to understand the topic. Break down everything you know or think about the topic. Ask questions: What do I already know? What do I need to find out? What might be different perspectives?
Example: For the prompt above, you might brainstorm: Positive: easier mobilization, access to information. Negative: echo chambers, misinformation. Need to find statistics on voter turnout, examples of political campaigns on Instagram/TikTok, studies on polarization.
Develop a Working Thesis Statement:
Action: Form a tentative, arguable claim that your paper will prove. It should be specific, debatable, and significant. It will likely evolve as you research more.
Example (Early Draft): "Social media has changed how young adults engage with politics." (Too vague and not arguable—it's a fact)
Example (Improved Working Thesis): "While social media platforms have democratized political information for young adults, their algorithmic structures ultimately foster polarization and performative activism, resulting in a net negative impact on genuine political engagement."
In-Depth Research & Source Evaluation:
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