Refer to Diana Hacker, Rules for Writers , 3rd ed. The student should identify the internal logic of the subject and use this logic to structure the paper. Once the best structure is chosen, the student should proceed to arrange research materials in a clear and persuasive manner. The paper should move beyond simply relating a list of facts or retelling a story. A detailed analysis of the subject matter is required.
Superficiality is a crime.
So is plagiarism. To avoid getting an automatic F, be sure to document any direct quotation, paraphrase, statistical data, facts that are not common knowledge, or any derived idea. Documentation should follow the in-text citation method rather than footnotes or end notes. The in-text citation method simply includes the author's name and the page number. This information is placed in parentheses following a quote or at the end of a paragraph.