Structure and Style in Writing

Structure and Style in Writing Ch. 2 Linda Yellin

2a: The 10 revision cycles • 1. Content • 2. Clarity • 3. Conciseness • 4. Elimination of slang, colloquialisms, trite expressions, • and jargon • 5. Tone • 6. Bias – free language • 7. Spelling • 8. Grammar • 9. Uniformity • 10.Format

Writing a Research Report • Introduction • The introduction tells the reader: • what the topic of the paper is in general terms, • why the topic is important • what to expect in the paper. • Introductions should: • funnel from general ideas to the specific topic of the paper • justify the research that will be presented later • Introductions are sometimes folded into literature reviews

Writing a Research Report • A research report has seven components: • 2. Introduction—an example

Writing a Research Report • A sociological article, paper, or report generally covers only one important topic of interest and conveys evidence and interpretations of evidence. • Research reports are NOT creative writing, opinion pieces, poems, novels, letters, musings, memoirs, or interesting to read.

2b: Content • A research paper has three sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion. • Headings created for subsections of papers body to make reading easier. • Ideas: Did you develop them sufficiently? Are they understandable? • Do you need to add more information? • Make sure every sentence says something necessary and important. • "Juvenile delinquency is a social problem" is poorly written

Content • Order • make sure paper progresses and orderly way. Check to see if the organization of your paper followed your outline. • An outline helps you see where arguments are not supported by evidence • Balance • Supply sufficient evidence, but not too much. To support a point, use two good quotes, as opposed to five redundant quotes

Content • Emphasis • Repeat major points for emphasis using different words. Don't make the reader do the • work of figuring out how your paper progresses or what is important • Transitions – indicates logical relationships between sentences. Indicates to reader that you are shifting to a new idea, or highlights • how certain material should be understood

Transitions • to Indicate Addition: additionally, again, finally, furthermore; • to Indicate comparison: by comparison, likewise, similarly • to indicate contrast: although but, conversely, despite, notwithstanding, nevertheless, nonetheless • regardless, yet, on the contrary; • to indicate concession: certainly, given that, naturally, undoubtedly,

Transitions • to Indicate examples: after all, for example, for instance, such as, to illustrate; • to Indicate location: around, below, beyond, to the north, to the south; • to Indicate sequence: again, finally, first, second, third, moreover, next, • to indicate results: as a result, because, consequently, therefore; • to indicate time: after, as soon as, at that time, since, earlier;

Transitions • To Indicate Repetition: as has been argued, demonstrated, indicated, as this paper has indicated, noted, stated • as mentioned earlier, as noted earlier; as stated earlier; • To Indicate Summary or Conclusion: as a result, consequently, in conclusion, in some, on the whole, therefore, to conclude, to summarize;

2d: Conciseness • Read through document and eliminate wordiness. Make sure each word in • your paper accounts. Get rid of the fluff, the filler, the useless words, meaningless sentences. “in other words” change to • regarding; • Wordy: beginning to learn concise: learns • is able to start starts • person of the masculine sex males

2e: Elimination of Slang, Colloquialisms, Trite Expressions, and Jargon • Slang: awesome formal: remarkable • bash party • dude chap • stinks low-quality

Colloquialisms and Trite Expressions • Boozealcohol • flunk fail • cops police officers • kids children • Trite Expressions • law and order law abiding • powers that be the authorities • last but not least last

Eliminating Jargon • When writing a paper do not use the jargon of your specialty area. Imagine the audience you're writing to be broader then just people from your field who are familiar with the jargon. • Ex: the perpetrator the subject • the collar the arrested subject • ethnomethodology what happens when people consciously break norms;

2f: Tone • Eliminate contractions: “don’t change to do not! • Eliminate first – person and second – person pronouns • I, me, my, mine • We, our, ours • You, your, yours • Makes your sentences more formal;

2g: Biased – free language • Avoid terminology reflecting stereotypes based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, • social class, disabilities, religion, family status, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics. • What is the matter with the term “illegal alien”?

Gender – neutral language • Don't use: Do Use • man – made artificial, synthetic • manpower workforce, staff • mankind humanity, the human race • manned staffed, handled • forefathers ancestors • assemblyman member of the assembly • Congressman member of Congress

Structure and Style in Writing