Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Tips for writing
1. Try color-coding your sources for a research paper so you can easily organize ideas within your paper.
2. Read your paper to a friend to make sure ideas that seem clear to you are also clear to your audience.
3. The final time you proofread, read OUT LOUD to yourself to hear any errors your eyes may overlook.
4. Follow your outline, but don't be afraid to stray away from it if you come across interesting information that doesn't “fit.” Writing is an act of discovery!
5. If you’re stuck on the introduction, try writing it last. It can be difficult to introduce what you’re going to say before you’ve said it.
6. When writing conclusions, do not simply repeat you have written in your introduction. Ask yourself “so what?” and stretch the readers’ thoughts to go a step further.
7. Be sure not to procrastinate when you have a paper due; do it slowly over time, allowing yourself the time to revise and edit.
8. Be as concise as possible; if you have to add 'fluff' to reach the word limit, then you haven't done enough research yet. Hit the books!
9. Know your audience: if your professor has a great sense of humor, consider beginning your paper with a joke. Try to catch your reader's attention.
10. Do some research before you choose a topic so that you know what you're getting yourself into- no one wants to write ten pages about a topic they hate!
11. Use all the resources available to you: books, magazines, newspapers, journals, the reference librarians, and the writing center.
12. Know how various punctuation marks work and double check your punctuation before you turn in every paper.
13. Try to write your paper without editing as you type. Sometimes, it is better to get your ideas out first, and then refine them.
14. Read whenever you can, it increases your vocabulary and trains you to remember styles of various authors and genres.
15. Seek help when you need it; it is important to have readers who are willing to give you constructive criticism on your writing before you turn it in for a grade.
16. When you pick a topic for senior thesis, pick something that you are truly passionate about. Remember, you will be studying this for a YEAR!
Happy International Writing Centers Week!
2. Read your paper to a friend to make sure ideas that seem clear to you are also clear to your audience.
3. The final time you proofread, read OUT LOUD to yourself to hear any errors your eyes may overlook.
4. Follow your outline, but don't be afraid to stray away from it if you come across interesting information that doesn't “fit.” Writing is an act of discovery!
5. If you’re stuck on the introduction, try writing it last. It can be difficult to introduce what you’re going to say before you’ve said it.
6. When writing conclusions, do not simply repeat you have written in your introduction. Ask yourself “so what?” and stretch the readers’ thoughts to go a step further.
7. Be sure not to procrastinate when you have a paper due; do it slowly over time, allowing yourself the time to revise and edit.
8. Be as concise as possible; if you have to add 'fluff' to reach the word limit, then you haven't done enough research yet. Hit the books!
9. Know your audience: if your professor has a great sense of humor, consider beginning your paper with a joke. Try to catch your reader's attention.
10. Do some research before you choose a topic so that you know what you're getting yourself into- no one wants to write ten pages about a topic they hate!
11. Use all the resources available to you: books, magazines, newspapers, journals, the reference librarians, and the writing center.
12. Know how various punctuation marks work and double check your punctuation before you turn in every paper.
13. Try to write your paper without editing as you type. Sometimes, it is better to get your ideas out first, and then refine them.
14. Read whenever you can, it increases your vocabulary and trains you to remember styles of various authors and genres.
15. Seek help when you need it; it is important to have readers who are willing to give you constructive criticism on your writing before you turn it in for a grade.
16. When you pick a topic for senior thesis, pick something that you are truly passionate about. Remember, you will be studying this for a YEAR!
Happy International Writing Centers Week!
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