Writing Tips For Students!
More Than You Really Wanted To Know About Writing a Paper!
What Are "Conventions?"
Citing Your Sources in Research Pieces
Changing Gears...
Writers must change their tones and their styles depending on the situation. A research paper is much more formal than a grocery list or an email to a family member. (An email for professional purposes must be written formally as well.) A short story can be written in more creative ways than a research paper.
Point of View?
2nd Person: This point of view uses words like "you."
3rd Person: This point of view uses words like "he/she," or "it."
*When writing a research paper (or essay) never ever use 1st or 2nd person and rarely use 3rd person. Since a research paper is a factual piece of writing, the writer's perspective should not be included.
*Refrain from asking questions in formal research papers. The writer is the "expert" on the subject of the paper. In a formal paper the writer is the "authority." It is not typically acceptable to ask questions of the reader. (If you are writing in a much more informal piece of writing such as a creative piece, then style becomes much more important and there is a lot more freedom in a writer's choices.)
Common Technical Mistakes to Avoid!
*Do not use numerals at the beginning of a sentence.
(Ex. 48 ships sailed into the distance. Correct: Forty-eight ships sailed into the distance.)
*When to write numerals in a sentence: only for dates. (Ex. September 24, 2016; years: 2016; December 25)
*Do not end a sentence with a preposition. (Ex. about, at, above, etc.)
*Avoid sentence fragments at all costs! All sentences must have a subject and a verb to be considered a sentence. (Ex. Incorrect: The red dog; Correct: The red dog ran away.)
*Avoid the other extreme---run-on sentences.
Run-on sentences just keep going on and on and on. They must be turned in to distinct sentences.
(Ex. Incorrect: The red dog ran and played while he tried to eat his dog bone, he tried to jump up and down and then he went to sleep after chasing the cat. Correct: The red dog ran and played while he tried to eat his dog bone. He tried to jump up and down and then he went to sleep after chasing the cat.)
*Avoid & and @ symbols as well as "lol," "omg," and "smh" (for example) in formal writing. This is not a text message.
Plagiarism: Just Don't!
*Cite only sources that you have referenced in your paper--NOT every source you happened to read. BUT DO cite your sources.
*Use quotation marks when using direct quotes in your paper.
*Paraphrase. DO NOT copy and paste from the Internet. Read the information and then rephrase in your own words.
*Include a bibliography at the end of your paper. Make sure you list your sources of information in a formal list at the end of your paper. Microsoft Word has a function in the program that allows you to store all of your bibliographic information in it and the program will generate your bibliography when you are finished writing. It's that easy! (Read the next pod for a video tutorial on creating bibliographies in Word. Even if you don't have Microsoft 2016, the basics are the same in 2010, 2011, 2013, etc.)