Write Write Write

Ideas come from reading. Your writing starts with your reading.

• Establish reading practice early

• Read as if you are already an academic

  • Don’t take everything as “fact”

  • Read as if it is a discussion/dialogue with the authors

  • Your writing will be judged as you are academic

• Read with purpose

• Take purposeful notes

Prewriting

Choose the journal

Instructions to authors:

• Are there word limits? Page limits?

• Limits on the number of tables/figures?

• Do you need to provide any other sections in addition to IMRAD?

• Are there detailed instructions for each section?

• Save and refer to these instructions often!

Decide the authorship

Drafting

Review the literature

• Outline or create bullet points

• Organise from general –> specific

• Start writing: Don’t wait, just write!

Take the writing process one step at a time

1. Separate into sections

2. Leave blanks for parts you are unsure about

3. Keep thinking of the overall purpose of the paper and its answer

Keep the momentum going

• Your first draft is not written in stone it WILL change!

  The only kind of writing is rewriting.

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Keep track of your references

Get into the writing habit through regular writing

• Establish a writing routine: make a schedule and stick to it

• Making time to write rather than waiting to “find” time

• Snack writing: write little and often

• We will never feel ready to write. Don’t wait just start!

  Serious writers write, inspired or not. Over time they discover that routine is a better friend to them than inspiration.

Having trouble putting your thoughts into sentences?

• Organise your materials (the most effective method for me)

• Imitate model articles

• Write simply

• Use sample sentence fragments

• Write one step at a time

• Set deadlines