Writing Tips
Writing Tips by Dr. Brandon Hunt
Avoid using the word "subjects" when referring to people. English and math are subjects. Use the word participant instead.
Always hand in typed papers unless the instructor tells you otherwise.
Be sure to include a cover page with every paper that includes a title, your name, and the course number.
Do not use one or two sentences as a paragraph.
Do not misspell words. Use a dictionary or a friend to check your spelling. It is not considered cheating to get help with spelling and punctuation. It IS cheating if someone writes your paper for you.
Make clear and logical transitions between paragraphs. This is the most difficult part of writing, but it is the most important part.
Always cite the source for any information that is not "common knowledge." Not citing sources in this instance is plagiarism.
Use direct quotes sparingly. Quotes should be used to enhance what you are writing, not say it for you.
Avoid jargon, clichés, slang, and abbreviations in a professional paper.
State your ideas clearly and concisely. Nothing ruins good writing like overwriting.
After you have edited your paper, read it aloud. If it does not sound the way you want then you need to do more editing.
Write in complete sentences. Avoid run-on sentences.
Avoid the overuse of commas.
The phrase "a lot" is two words, not one.
Make sure your subjects and verbs agree in any sentence (i.e., do not mix plural and singular in the same thought). For example, do NOT write the following sentence: "A person needs to know their values if they are going to be counselors." A more appropriate sentence would be either "A person needs to know his or her values if he or she is going to be a counselor," or "People need to know their values if they are going to be counselors."
Do not interchange the words "that" and "who" when writing about people. Do NOT write: "There are a lot of people that…" The sentence should read: "There are a lot of people who…"
Technical papers should not include your opinion unless you can support it with research. If you need to express your personal view it goes in the discussion section.
It is best not to start a sentence with the word "however." It is acceptable, however, to move the word to another part of the sentence.
Do not use the word "etc." in a technical paper.
Know when to use "who" and "whom." If you can substitute "he" or "she," then "who" is correct; if you can substitute "him" or "her," then "whom" is the correct pronoun.
Use the following Latin abbreviations only in parentheses: "e.g." (which means "for example") and "i.e." (which means "that is" or "in other words").
Write in the active rather than passive voice. The results will be better if you write the paper than if the paper is written by you.
Learn when to use colons, semicolons, and apostrophes.
Good writing is hard work. It requires time, energy, and persistence. The best way to become a good writer is to write often and edit your work diligently.
APA Writing Style Hints
The margins on all four sides of the paper should be one inch. Every line should be double spaced (including references and tables).
The title (cover) page is numbered page 1. The numbers should be typed in the upper right hand corner of the paper.
Use a comma before the words "and" and "or" when writing in a series (e.g., "I do not know which theorist to believe, Freud, Rogers, or Skinner.").
On the reference page, include the issue number of a journal only if each issue starts on page 1.
APA format places commas and periods inside quotation marks. For example, "I would never misplace a comma." All other punctuation is placed outside the quotation mark.
Reference: American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th Ed.). Washington DC: Author.
