Part Two: Course Completion

Tips on Effective Writing

The mechanics and style of written work submitted for grading is a matter partly of convention, partly of convenience, and partly of intellectual necessity. A clear style is essential to a good written work, for no matter how clever your thoughts may be, if your style is incoherent, your message will not be delivered. If you experience difficulty in producing written work—as many students sometimes do—you may find the following tips helpful.

1. Try to formulate your argument before beginning to write. A good paper should have a consistent theme; preparing an outline before you start to write will help you keep your written work "on track."
2. Note that written work usually has three main divisions: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction should be brief-often no more than two or three sentences. It should state concisely what your written work seeks to examine, and should explain the approach you intend to take.

The body of the written work is the main section in which you must present and develop your ideas. Your written work must be solidly based on the topic in question. General statements should be supported with specific examples. Choose only information that has direct relevance to your discussion, and explain what relationship exists between the concepts you are presenting and the topic of the written work. In other words, link the individual points and paragraphs back to the written work topic. Transitions between paragraphs should be smooth, and the presentation of ideas should flow evenly from one paragraph to another. Sometimes the connections are established through similarities in content, sometimes through contrasts; sometimes the development is chronological, sometimes logical. You must choose whichever approach is most appropriate for your topic.

The conclusion of your written work, like the introduction, should be brief. It should summarize your ideas and present any conclusions that have emerged from your discussion. Your concluding statements should add strength and credibility to the ideas presented in your introduction. If they do, and you have supported your argument throughout, then you will have succeeded in writing a good piece of work.

3. Please give credit to all sources of quotations and ideas. This practice not only indicates intellectual courtesy and honesty, but also enables the reader to pursue any reference that seems particularly interesting. When you have finished the first draft of your written work, reread it carefully, revising and rewriting it, if necessary. You might try putting the written work away for a day or two and returning to it later. This method should help give you a fresh view of your written work and may assist you in recognizing errors, omissions, and awkwardness in content and style.
4. Your paper must be double-spaced so as to provide sufficient space for your supervisor to insert corrections and comments. Fairly large margins are also appreciated. A typed paper is always preferred, but if you write in long-hand, please be sure your paper is legible, double-spaced, and written in ink. Before submitting your written work, take the time to proof-read it carefully to catch any spelling mistakes, typing errors, and the like. Remember that if you correct the errors, the worst that results is a messy paper. If the supervisor corrects the errors, the result is a paper that is losing grades for faulty writing.
5. As much as possible, use your own words. Any written work that simply strings together quotations does not demonstrate your understanding of what you have read. In general, it is best to close your books before you begin writing. Later, return to the books to find page references for the ideas in your paper and, if you like, to find a few particularly appropriate quotes that strengthen the argument in your paper.
6. Last, but by no means least, be sure to keep a copy of your paper (at least the rough draft) just in case it should go astray in the mail. If you have a copy of the written work on your computer's hard drive, be sure to keep a second copy on a disk. Remember to enclose a supervisor-marked exercise form with your completed assignment.