EDUC 502: English for Research: Getting Started

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1. Consult all type of resources (textbook, reference materials, online sources) in different format (print, nonprint)  for learning technical writing.
2. As you polish up your output, look into:

• Instructor feedback on previous assignments
• Common errors in research papers
• Writing rules (again)

3. Use normal prose including articles ("a", "the," etc.). As much as possible, avoid dangling sentences.
4. Concentrate on your research topic

5. Separate ideas, topics by paragraph (except for the abstract).

6. Present your points in a coherent flow. Always make sure to connect the previous paragraph to the succeeding paragraph.

7. Use present tense to report facts (Example: “This paper presents the results of …”)

8. Use past tense to describe specific results (Example: “Findings of the study revealed…”)

9. Informal word, jargons, slang terms, superlatives are not acceptable (Example “ain’t” for “I am not”,  “What- if’s” instead of “possibility”)

10. Use third person point of view, do not address the reader directly. (Example: Wrong - “This study gives you an idea…”. Correct - “This study gives idea about…”).
11. For graphs and illustrations, do not use excessive pictures or visuals, include only those figures necessary to present results.