Writing tips

Writing Tips

1             Know your reader

2             Think about what you want to tell your reader and why

3             Think about how many words you’ve got and how much time you have

4             Put your topic in the form of a question

5             Read everything you can about your question

6             Take notes, highlight passages, photocopy pages, copy and paste paragraphs, download passages from the Internet, and collect ideas from other sources into a computer file or hard-copy folders

7             When you keep finding the same references, stop reading and start grouping your materials into categories

8           Identify gaps, trends, themes, and differences of opinion

9             If needed, get more material to fill the gaps or to clarify the issues

10                      Brainstorm your answer; if it helps, use a mind map

11                      Write some headings and subheadings to frame your answer; use your categories to help you

12                      Phrase your headings like they’re summaries of your arguments

13                      Paste or transcribe the material you’ve collected under the relevant headings

14                      Start writing, without stopping

The introduction

15          Tell the reader the question you’re answering

16          Give your answer upfront

17          Briefly explain the reasons for your answer (‘I have answered this way because …’)

The body

18          Focus each paragraph on one idea that supports your answer

19          Use the first sentence in each paragraph to explain the point of that paragraph

20          Use the rest of the paragraph to amplify your point, support it with evidence, qualify it, or give examples

21          Link your paragraphs by—

•          opening with words like ‘But’, ‘Also,’ and ‘Moreover’; or

•          opening with words like ‘This’, ‘That’, ‘These’, ‘Those’; or

•          echoing the last words of the preceding paragraph

The conclusion

22          Keep your conclusion short

23          Summarise your answer, but restate it freshly

24          End powerfully; consider:

•          suggesting the next step

•          ending with a good quote

•          linking to the introduction

•          listing the reasons your answer is right

•          leaving the reader with a powerful image

•          mentioning the implications of your answer

ending with a slightly different angle on your