Writing as Thinking:

Early in research process start writing and informally presenting your ideas/reading: this makes you think clearer and will reveal holes and problems in your thinking/explanation

Drafts

1. Spew draft

2. Outline developed from spew

3. Draft 1 with sentences and sections

4. Draft 2: move sections around, make sure no repetition

5. Draft 3: add cites for statements in Draft 2

6. Draft 4: polish sentences

7. Give to friend for informal review

8. Draft 5: revisions from friend’s review

9. Give to professor for review

10. Revision = draft 6

Writing Rituals

1. Identify your best writing time

2. Don’t wait for big chunks of time to write

3. Find a safe place: location, surroundings, on paper or computer...

4. Start each session with something easy. Leave yourself a note where you left off. This note is a good way to start a new writing session later.

Style

Developing your own style: While you are reading papers note how they organize paper, frame the intro, write sentences, cite work, present methods, etc. Make an organizational outline of papers you like and would like to model

Verbs: action vs. To be

Tense: past vs. Present

Voice: first or 3rd

Citations:

1. Cite if:

1. The idea came from somewhere else besides your head
2. If direct quote (rarely do this)
3. If paraphrased

2. Don’t over cite:

a. Use most recent cite

b. Don’t overly use 1 cite

c. Try not to go over 3 cites per point

1. Cite style:

• "Smith and Jones (year) found xxxx. "
• "Many research studies have explored what programs work best in preventing teenage pregnancy (author’s last name, year; authors’ last names, year;)."
• If a paper has more than 3 authors use "First author’s last name, et al.,"
• "Many research studies have explored what programs work best in preventing teenage pregnancy (White, et al., year)."

References: list alphabetically

Author names. Date of publication. Article or Book Title. Journal name (if journal) or publishing house (if book).

Use page numbers and double spacing

Use Headings (Intro, lit review, methods, etc..) and Sub headings within each section to guide the reader through.

Don’ts:

1. Use the word "proof" or "prove" or write any thing that sounds like you will be seeking a definitive answer (instead: is there evidence to support your hypothesis, or gathering info to explore a RQ)

Why? Too many chances of error in research and people’s behavior is probabilistic, not certain. Can’t say anything definitively.

2. Underdevelop ideas: each paragraph should start with a new idea and then concrete explanation of the idea

3. Forget your reader: provide transitions, remind reader occasionally of subject in sub-sections (identify "they, it,...".), remind reader organization of paper (ex. In the next section of this paper, we will review "x")

4. Make non-beings act: concepts can’t act, companies can’t act, etc...

Editing:

1. Delete any unnecessary info: for each sentence, does the reader need to know this to evaluate my work?

2. Check for grammar, spelling, flow, unnecessary words

3. Get a non-academic to review: does it make common sense?

4. Get a sociology student to review: does it make sociological sense?