Secrets to Writing Great Papers illustrates how to work with ideas—develop them, hone them, and transform them into words. It provides techniques and exercises for brainstorming, choosing the right approach, working with an unknown or boring assigned topic, overcoming writer’s block, and selecting the best point of view.
Secrets to Writing Great Papers illustrates how to work with ideas—develop them, hone them, and transform them into words. It provides techniques and exercises for brainstorming, choosing the right approach, working with an unknown or boring assigned topic, overcoming writer’s block, and selecting the best point of view.
This book takes an integrated approach, using the principles of story structure to discuss every aspect of successful science writing, from the overall structure of a paper or proposal to individual sections, paragraphs, sentences, and words. It begins by building core arguments, analyzing why some stories are engaging and memorable while others are quickly forgotten, and proceeds to the elements of story structure, showing how the structures scientists and researchers use in papers and proposals fit into classical models. The book targets the internal structure of a paper, explaining how to write clear and professional sections, paragraphs, and sentences in a way that is clear and compelling.
The wise and witty guide to researching and writing a thesis, by the bestselling author of The Name of the Rose—now published in English for the first time. Learn the art of the thesis from a giant of Italian literature and philosophy—from choosing a topic to organizing a work schedule to writing the final draft. By the time Umberto Eco published his best-selling novel The Name of the Rose, he was one of Italy’s most celebrated intellectuals, a distinguished academic, and the author of influential works on semiotics. Some years before that, Eco published a little book for his students, in which he offered useful advice on all the steps involved in researching and writing a thesis. Since then, it has been translated into 17 languages—and is now for the first time presented in English. Eco’s approach is anything but dry and academic. He not only offers practical advice but also considers larger questions about the value of the thesis-writing exercise in six different parts: • The Definition and Purpose of a Thesis • Choosing the Topic • Conducting the Research • The Work Plan and the Index Cards • Writing the Thesis • The Final Draft Eco advises students how to avoid “thesis neurosis” and he answers the important question “Must You Read Books?” He reminds students “You are not Proust” and “Write everything that comes into your head, but only in the first draft.” Of course, there was no Internet in 1977, but Eco’s index card research system offers important lessons about critical thinking and information curating for students of today who may be burdened by Big Data. Irreverent and often hilarious, How to Write a Thesis is unlike any other writing manual and belongs on the bookshelves of students, teachers, writers, and Eco fans everywhere.
Schaum's is here--to help you write great research papers The experts at Schaum's are at your service-ready to help you with concise, complete, step-by-step instructions that will make writing research papers a breeze, not a burden. The clear, concise guidelines and in-depth instruction in this book will show you how to write high-quality research papers that will help you succeed academically and in the professional world. You'll quickly learn how to: Select and narrow your topic Evaluate and present evidence persuasively Avoid plagiarism and other novice mistakes Learn from examples, sample papers, and model documentation
Many scientists and engineers consider themselves poor writers or find the writing process difficult. The good news is that you do not have to be a talented writer to produce a good scientific paper, but you do have to be a careful writer. In particular, writing for a peer-reviewed scientific or engineering journal requires learning and executing a specific formula for presenting scientific work. This book is all about teaching the style and conventions of writing for a peer-reviewed scientific journal. From structure to style, titles to tables, abstracts to author lists, this book gives practical advice about the process of writing a paper and getting it published.
An expanded and updated revision of the already comprehensive first edition, The Magazine Writer’sHandbook offers insightful strategies addressing virtually every aspect of writing a magazine article for publication. Designed to be useful for both experienced magazine writers and those seeking to break into the magazine-writing industry, this handbook provides an exhaustive step-by-step approach taking the reader through every stage of the publication process. From targeting the right publication to constructing a professional article, and from dealing with legal considerations to working with editors, the revised edition of The Magazine Writer’s Handbook will be an indispensable addition to any writer’s desk. Extensively published in popular trade magazines, the authors dispense their knowledge in this handbook to help writers of all levels see their work published.
I'm a longtime English teacher, consultant, editor, and professional writer. Over the years many people told me about their secret desire to write for publication. They have an abundant storehouse of ideas and experiences to write about. What holds them back is finding time for an intensive review of English grammar. They're always astonished when I tell them that there's an easier pathway to writing-one that doesn't involve complex grammar theory, workbook exercises, and grammar tests. Here's what your English teacher may not have told you: You've been using language expertly all your life, and you can easily build on that foundation to learn the sentence patterns and writing strategies used by professional writers. The traditional curriculums and teaching materials used in many schools don't always cover the skills needed for 21st-century writing. But you'll find them in my book. "What Your English Teacher Didn't Tell You" offers you a thorough review of punctuation, sentence structure, and usage. Practice Activities and a Pretest allow you to assess what you're learning. A complete Answer Key is included. Everything is presented in plain, everyday language. More important, you'll learn how to use writing to showcase yourself, your knowledge, and your ideas. You can use your new skills in writing classes, workplace tasks, and creative writing-short stories, a novel, a nonfiction book, a memoir. This book was written with YOU in mind. My teaching techniques have helped countless students take their writing skills to exciting new levels. I'm eager to share them with you. Let's get started! Praise for "What Your English Teacher Didn't Tell You": "Practical and accessible" - Marcella Cooper, Temple University, Osaka, Japan "Personable and readable...Jean knows her subject forwards and backwards." - Adair Lara, author of "Hold Me Close, Let Me Go"
"This book belongs on every fiction writer's bookshelf. Anyone who has ever had a story to tell and is dying to get it down on paper will find guidance and inspiration in GMC. The presentation is clear, immediate, and relevant to all writers--from novices to seasoned professionals. Experienced author Debra Dixon has done a magnificent job of demystifying the toughest aspect of fiction writing: that of a giving a story shape, form and urgency." -- Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling and RITA® Award winning author of over 40 novels and novellas "One of the best in her craft." -- Toronto Star "Goal, Motivation & Conflict is one of my all time favorites." -- Jane Porter (Flirting With Forty), award winning and bestselling author with 10 million books in print, in twenty languages and 25 countries Goal, motivation, and conflict are the foundation of everything that happens in the story world. Using charts, examples, and movies, the author breaks these key elements down into understandable components and walks the reader through the process of laying this foundation in his or her own work. Learn what causes sagging middles and how to fix them, which goals are important, which aren't and why, how to get your characters to do what they need for your plot in a believable manner, and how to use conflict to create a good story. GMC can be used not only in plotting, but in character development, sharpening scenes, pitching ideas to an editor, and evaluating whether an idea will work. Be confident your ideas will work before you write 200 pages. Plan a road map to keep your story on track. Discover why your scenes aren't working and what to do about it. Create characters that editors and readers will care about.
This worthy successor to Strunk and White* now features an expanded style guide covering a wider range of citation cases, complete with up-to-date formats for Chicago, MLA, and APA styles.