background preloader

5 Tips To Improve Your Academic Writing And A Grammar Infographic

How to Write Faster, Better, and Easier If you are a writer, you’ve probably wished that you could write faster, better, and easier. I have too. I’ve been writing for many years now and I’ve found some tricks that help. This system is about being organized and prepared. The Writing Routine 1. 2. 3. 4. Planning: Before you go to Google or other sources, write out in bullet points the questions you need to answer.Clipping: When you find information you need “clip it” which means to collect it somehow. 5. If you normally write on the computer, give longhand a try for your first draft. If you are tired, just type your outline assuming you have it in longhand. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. These steps may seem longer when you read through them, but they truly will make your writing better, and your ideas will flow faster and easier. What are your tips for writing? Written for Pick the Brain by K. Erin shows overscheduled, overwhelmed women how to do less so that they can achieve more.

Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing | ORI - The Office of Research Integrity The purpose of this module is to help students, as well as professionals, identify and prevent questionable practices and to develop an awareness of ethical writing. This guide was written by Miguel Roig, PhD, from St. Johns University with funding from ORI. This module was originally created in 2003 and revised in 2006 and 2015. * Note: Self-plagiarism is NOT considered research misconduct in accordance to 42 CFR 93. This module is intended for educational purposes only. Disclaimer

Writing the Essay Intro and Conclusion Your essay lacks only two paragraphs now: the introduction and the conclusion. These paragraphs will give the reader a point of entry to and a point of exit from your essay. Introduction The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and give her an idea of the essay's focus. Begin with an attention grabber. Conclusion The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic. All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula. Intro to Online Course Design "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." — Steve Jobs As an online instructor, you may find yourself involved in numerous roles related to online course design. Online course design requires a wide range of skills and tools. This article provides an overview of the field of instructional design and technology, a look at the typical process of an online course design project, guidelines for faculty subject matter experts (SME), as well as resources for further reading and research. Instructional Design & Technology Instructional Design and Technology is an area of study and practice that is constantly evolving. Models, Theories, and Frameworks Martin Ryder, an instructor with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Colorado at Denver, maintains a popular list of instructional design models that includes frequently used models as well as resources related to learning theories and taxonomies. Competencies Online Learning Quality Initiatives

How to Analyze Figures From Research Papers How to Analyze Figures from Research Papers Biology 601 fall 2006 Easton/Wadsworth. eastondp@buffalostate.edu wadswogj@buffalostate.edu. In order to effectively read research papers, one must be able to interpret the figures. What to Look for in Figures Figures usually represent the results of one or more experiments. A Short Checklist 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. In Class Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. Individual Student Summaries Each student will be responsible for answering the final summary questions. STANDARD OUTLINE FOR  RESEARCH P Not only will this outline help you write, it will help you skim college-level reading. Note: In a group project, each individual’s paper—like chapters-- may follow IV-VII. Later, write I, II, III &, VII-VIII to frame all of the individual sections coherently. This is a guideline, not a Bible!!! Content determines format; write to affect an audience. caster09 I. II. III. IV. V. Exploratory: Differences exist between Mt. Argument: Because of the implications of Mt. VI. · compare/contrast (cultures, genders, nations, ethnicities, etc. produce multiple viewpts. to compare) · cause/effect (or correlation) · problem/solution VII. VIII. IX. · It is hard to do all this credibly in less than 10 pages + References + Abstract + Title Page. · You may choose to use subtitles for your sections. · Remember: if what you are saying is complex and would be more easily understood in a graph or other visual, include one!!! · Be very careful with your tone and analyze tone in others' writing.

Understanding by Design Overview Understanding by Design, an excellent book by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, offers a powerful framework for designing courses through what they call “Backward Design.” It seems “backward” in that it starts from the opposite end of the planning process we typically go through to design courses—we usually start by thinking about how to teach our content. Backward Design, in contrast, leaves teaching activities until the end and starts with the desired results of that teaching. “Teaching is a means to an end. The Backward Design process proceeds in three phases, as follows: I. First, you establish your learning goals for the course. What should participants hear, read, view, explore or otherwise encounter? Answering each of these questions will help you determine the best content for your course,and create concrete, specific learning goals for your students. II. III. Resources Understanding by Design is available online and in the CFT library.

Reading and Analyzing Research Papers Objective: Read a research paper and identify its contributions and limitations. Summarize the paper's contributions and limitations clearly, succinctly, and articulately. You can return to the review later and quickly refresh your memory about what the paper was about. Reading: What to Look For While reading a research paper, look for (and mark) the following key things: problem they're solving (how large is the problem? In addition, think about any limitations you see to their approach. After reading the paper, you'll summarize your findings in a review. Review Content Your review should contain the following information. Statement of the Problem/Goals In one sentence in your own words, state succinctly the overall problem being addressed in this paper. Technical Approach In a few sentences in your own words, what is the key insight of this group's approach to tackling the stated problem? Discussion/Critique How did the researchers evaluate their efforts? Submission

7 Ways to Write Better (That Have Nothing to Do With Writing) | Emerging Writers Studio When it comes to unleashing our best, most potent writing, it’s not only about the hours we have, it’s the quality of mind and body we bring to those hours. There’s the skill of writing and then there’s our physiological, mental and emotional state. Ultimately, you can’t separate them. Here are some ways to improve your writing that have nothing to do with writing. 1. At some point on our road to adulthood, we buy into this idea that fun and pleasure is frivolous, non-productive, even fiscally irresponsible. But in my experience, joy is not a mere luxury. Joy fuels our creative momentum. Robert Holden, author of Shift Happens , believes when it comes to our quest for success, we have it all backwards. The myth of the tortured artist is just that, a myth. So, what lights you up? Make a list right now. I guarantee that if you make joy one of the top priorities in your life, you’ll write better. 2. Our creative output is only as good as our input. Eating well is not rocket science. 4. 5. 6.

Blended Learning Toolkit | Your First Literature Review - Write a Literature Review - Research Guides at Virginia Commonwealth University A literature review is an essential component of every research project. Literature reviews ask: What do we know, or not know, about this particular issue/ topic/ subject? How well you answer this question depends upon: the effectiveness of your search for information the quality & reliability of the sources you choose your ability to synthesize the sources you select Literature reviews require “re-viewing” what credible scholars in the field have said, done, and found in order to help you: Identify what is currently known in your area of interest Establish an empirical/ theoretical/ foundation for your research Identify potential gaps in knowledge that you might fill Develop viable research questions and hypotheses Decide upon the scope of your research Demonstrate the importance of your research to the field A literature review is not a descriptive summary of what you found.

How to Write a Blog Article Writing a good blog article is a fairly simple thing. If properly constructed, a well-written post will invite traffic from search engines and promote commentary. It may seem strange that people who can write a novel of 100,000 words can struggle so much over a mere 750 word post. In truth, it is no more surprising than discovering a decent sprinter might beat a champion marathon runner in a 100 yard dash. Let’s cover some of the basic considerations in crafting an effective blog article: form, focus, and strategy. FORM A blog article has the same general anatomy as any short-form essay: title, introduction, body, and conclusion. The title should clearly state what the article is about. If your article is a how-to article or a tutorial, the title should include those words. The introduction is the first paragraph or two of the article. Use the introduction to state the subject and scope of the article. Include hyperlinks to sources and resources where appropriate. Consider this sentence:

Related: