For all you grammar nuts and English teachers: Is it incorrect to say “do a paper” rather than “write” or not?

It’s a form of Ebonix. Man you really know how to DO English.

I think its correct, there’s a verb and a noun, sure its not very specific but I don’t think it violates any grammar rules.

When you say your going to do a paper, It sound like your going to have sex with your paper.

Both sound correct to me; neither one is literal. The infinitive to do or to make (in French faire) is used to describe many actions. It is hard to explain which to choose to a nonnative speaker. For example, do the dishes or make your bed. While “write a paper” may sound more appropriate it really is not a better choice since no one actually “writes” a paper any more, right? A computer or typewriter is used. So do might actually be more accurate in that you are not constrained to any particular writing implement by this verb.

I have always considered myself one of those grammar nuts you are referring to and very proud ot it. To do means to perform an act of some kind. Sometimes it is appropriate and sometimes not. I think do a paper is not perfect English but in my book it is definitely acceptable. Similar expressions are do the dishes instead of wash the dishes, or do the laundry instead of wash the clothes or even more appropriate, do your homework.

You are correct when you think the statement sounds off.
When you perform an action, you ‘do’ something. But you cannot ‘do’ an inanimate object. So you can do a critical review of a topic, but you can not ‘do’ a topic. You can write a paper, but you can’t ‘do’ it.

Would anyone not know what you meant if you told a fellow student you had to do a paper by next Tuesday? Everyone would understand you!

It doesn’t violate any grammar rule; the objecting answerers don’t like it because of the word choice, or diction. In fact, English grammar uses “do” as an all-around substitute for verbs in the simple present.

While it is generally accepted informally, it’s not strictly correct. You use ‘do’ for things in general or for an activity for which no specific physical object is created.

You can ‘do’ dishes, ‘do’ a job, ‘do’ housework, etc.

But you ‘write’ a paper, ‘make’ a salad, ‘build’ a house – some other verb is used when someting is made.

While ‘do’ is not incorrect, ‘write’ is more precise and therefore the better option.