Sendmeyourpaper, Twitter post, March 17, 2011, 7:33am, http://twitter.com/sendmeyourpaper.
When in the editing process, consider reading through your draft with this question in mind:
Does this paragraph sound like I’ve spoken it OR does it read like I’ve written it.
As a rule, rework any sentences that are conversational in tone.
Using Wikipedia as a source of information in scholarly papers is generally frowned upon (unless of course you’re writing a scholarly paper on Wikipedia). When you find a juicy tidbit of information on Wikipedia, follow the bibliographic trail to a reputable source. If the information is footnoted and can be traced to a reliable source than it is worth putting in your paper. Otherwise, scrap it.
Kate Turabian is famous for her axiom: write as you read. Her rule is expanded on by Booth, Colomb & Williams. They reason that, “writing forces you to think hard”, and encourage the researcher not to “wait to nail down an idea in your mind before you write it out.”
“Writing out what we are trying to understand is a typical, probably even necessary, stage in just about everyone’s learning curve” (p.45).
(36 ways to cure writer’s block)
As I reflect on my academic career thus far, one regret I can pinpoint is how infrequently I spoke to librarians. I would often leave the library feeling frustrated after not finding adequate resources for a research assignment. I wonder how much of that frustration could have been alleviated if only I had asked for help.
Gary Provost, in his 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing, encourages the student to,
Speak to the reference librarian. Most libraries offer a reference service. Use it. When you need informationa dn you don’t know whereto find it, ask the librarian. He or she will find it, or direct you to the source (p.15).
The simplicity of this advice ought not take away from its significance. Talk to librarians.
