the significance of the notion of normality as an intervention in disability theory

Writing Style & Citations

WSDB 398 FINAL PAPER GUIDELINES*

There are no separate guidelines for the paper draft. The draft should be a substantially
expanded version of the outline with a view of the below criteria for the final paper, giving as
detailed as possible a preview of what the final paper would look like.

The work-in-progress nature of the draft is taken under consideration when grading. It is
expected for exposition and argumentation to be incomplete in your draft. The draft should
give an idea of how well they would potentially be developed in the final version.

All the criteria are interrelated and the separations between them are somewhat artificial.
How you do in one area affects the others: Readability can affect the force of
argumentation, and a good structure can add to the clarity of exposition and argument, etc.

Thesis:

The thesis of a paper is the ultimate claim that the paper aims to establish. The thesis is
evaluated according to its clarity, originality and relevance to the course themes, ideas,
discussions. The clarity of the thesis overall depends on the clarity of the relations that
obtain between the concepts invoked and the clarity with which it is stated.

1) Indicate your thesis to your reader right away and very quickly indicate what original
forms of support you’ll be providing to persuade them your position on this matter is right
(you’ll loop back to this support in the body of the essay and flesh it out in more detail) or
that your point is a good one.

2) Make sure your point (the thesis) is indicated in the introductory paragraph(s).

3) Make sure the point you’re setting out to make is a genuinely novel point/reveals
something interesting about the relevant domains and discussions in the course and
specifically as it relates to your topic.

4) Make sure the point is clear and precise (don’t make your reader work to understand
you).

5) Make sure the point is hard-won. In other words, you had to write an essay to make this
point come across for the reader: it wouldn’t be apparent or obviously plausible if the essay
you’ve written had not been produced.

Support for the thesis:

What is said in other parts of the essay helps you lead up to the thesis/point you’re making.
Below are some of the kinds supports you might use to make your point and how to use
them.

1) Most papers for this class will make the kind of thesis that requires a lot of textual
support, so make sure you are bringing in ample support of this kind.

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2) If your thesis hinges on an analysis of a certain thought or argument offered in the
readings you chose, then perform that analysis well: break the thought (or argument) into its
parts. Examine the assumptions that underlie these parts, etc. (Orienting questions in the
paper topics might help you do this sort of analysis.)

3) You might use your own experience or examples from your own life provided that you
make how this is useful obvious. Frame your experience in a way that makes its
consequences for the theory you’re discussing conspicuous.

4) You might rely on a different kind of example (or counterexample) to make your point in a
compelling way. Make sure you explicitly explain how the example is functioning for you
(what point is it helping you make and how is it functioning to do this?).

Exposition:

Exposition is the expression of the ideas, arguments, and views relevant to the topic at
hand. This also includes the exegetical element: critical explanation and interpretation of the
main texts you are using, the ideas of the authors you mean to be explaining, critiquing, etc.
Exposition is evaluated according to its clarity and accuracy.

1) At least 5 sources from the course (which are full chapters or articles) must be engaged
and at least 2-3 of these must be engaged closely.

2) Devote sufficient space to explain key ideas in the main texts you’re working with,
demonstrating solid understanding of main moves and clearly establishing how they are
relevant to your main points, how they support or challenge your various claims, etc.

3) Make sure to represent the ideas and arguments of other authors faithfully and
accurately, in sufficient detail, and with textual evidence and proper citation.

4) Paraphrase from other authors in your own words to show your deep engagement with
the readings. Use direct quotes in moderation.

5) If you use direct quotes, introduce and explain the point and significance of the
quotations (don’t rely on quotations to ‘speak’ for themselves).

6) Define key/special terms (bodymind, intersectionality, ableism, cisnormativity, etc.) as
soon as you introduce them. If there are different possible understandings or uses of the
terms in circulation, clarify the specific sense in which they are used in the domains you are
exploring and/or the specific sense in which you will use them in the paper.

7) Practice proper parenthetical citation throughout, not only for direct quotes but also
paraphrases and any references to any idea, term, or argument someone else made.
Unless it is general knowledge (e.g., “The capital of New York is Albany”), you are expected
to support your claims with argumentation and/or appropriate peer-reviewed and otherwise

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accountable sources. (Blogs, websites, online magazines, general online dictionaries and
encyclopedias may or may not be considered proper sources. Check with instructor.)

8) The above implies that you should make the sorts of claims that are supportable, or
demonstrable to begin with. Refrain from making broad, non-demonstrable generalizations
and blanket statements like “since the dawn of time, people have …” ; “for centuries,
philosophers have argued…” ; “every disabled person is…” ; “all societies are…” ;
“everyone thinks that…”; “we are all… “; “feminism says…”; “disability theory says…”, etc.

9) Be specific. Ground yourself firmly in the literature, and the discussions and claims
within. For instance, if you say “several theorists in feminist disability studies argued x” be
ready to open a parenthesis and cite several people who argued x (preferably with a page
number which precisely locates the claim or argument, so your reader can check for
themselves if indeed said authors made such argument).

Argument:

The argument of a paper is the thread of reasoning used in support of the thesis.
Argumentation is evaluated according to its clarity, how well reasoned it is, and how
compelling it is. An argument’s compellingness is measured by how plausible it is that the
opponent or some relevant neutral party could be convinced to endorse the argument’s
conclusion because of the reasoning presented to reach it.

1) Your overall argument and what it is trying to accomplish is clear to your reader.

2) Your argument is convincing in demonstrating your thesis with a solid thread of reasoning
showing how different parts fit together, as well as textual and other support.

3) You express your claims, and examples in a way that shows you have thought critically
and constructively about them.

Structure:

The structure of the paper is the way in which the ideas, arguments, etc. are presented in
relation to each other. The structure of a paper can be improved by having a clear and
explicit thesis statement, an accurate ‘roadmap’ that the reader can follow, clear section
headers, coherent paragraphs, clear distinctions between lines of thoughts, transition words
when appropriate. The structure is evaluated according to how good it is at helping the
reader follow along and understand what you’re doing at each point in the paper.

1) The writing is clear and easy to follow

2) The writing unfolds in a way that makes sense (it doesn’t jump around and doesn’t force
the reader to make connections between parts of the essay). This was the point of outlining

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and roadmapping. The structure of your paper should follow and expand upon your
roadmap and/or your outline.

3) The writing doesn’t force the reader to become a detective.

4) Signposting is used in the essay when it would be helpful for the reader to show where
they are in the argument or what part of the paper. For this you may use transition words
(like “therefore”, “furthermore”) within or between paragraphs; and summary sentences
between sections (Now that I explained x and y, in the next section I will introduce z on this
basis, etc.). Overall and within each paragraph, distinctions between lines of thought are
clearly demarcated.

5) The different parts of the essay work together to make it possible for the thesis to have
impact: It is obvious why each paragraph is necessary for your argument, how it functions
within the general body of the paper, how it functions to support your thesis, etc.

6) There is no unnecessary repetition in the body of the essay

7) Any specific instructions provided in the chosen topic have been followed. (For instance,
if the topic instructions said discuss at least two points of view, discuss at least two points of
view.)

Readability and Citations:

Readability is the ease with which the reader can understand what you are saying at any
given time. The readability of your text is impacted by grammar, the number of typos, the
amount of jargon or needlessly complex language, whether the ideas stated flow naturally
with the structure imposed upon them, etc. Readability is graded according to its quality.

English is not everyone’s first language. For that reason, grammar and spelling weigh less
than the other factors here. Unless grammar/spelling significantly impedes understanding,
this will not negatively impact your grade.

1) The paper is highly readable according to the criteria above. Clear use of language, etc.
There are minimal grammar/spelling mistakes.

2) The page-limit has been roughly observed (going a little over or under is OK).

3) Good citational practice and consistent citation method is observed throughout. There
are proper in-text citations for all referenced material.

4) There is a bibliography listing your sources at the very end of the essay formatted with
the citation style observed in the body of the paper. Preferably APA, but MLA or Chicago are
also fine.