Students Must Write: A Guide to Better Writing in Coursework and Examinations

by Barrass; Robert

• ISBN13: 9780415358255
• ISBN10: 0415358256
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781134245529
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-27
• Publisher: Routledge
• More Book Details

Summary

This third edition of the well-respected guide provides assistance for students of all subjects on how to write better. If students are to do well and progress in their chosen career they must develop the ability to write clearly, concisely and persuasively. This text helps students achieve this by providing them with valuable advice on how to: * make good notes * find information, cite sources and list references * write better coursework assignments * achieve higher grades in tests and examinations * prepare a well-organized dissertation, long essay, term paper, project report or thesis * write effective letters and applications. The text includes straightforward guidance on word choice and use, and on using numbers, tables, and illustrations to complement writing. Revised and updated, this edition acknowledges the increasing importance of computers as an aid to writing and discusses how they can be used to retrieve information and prepare coursework assignments. The exercisesat the end of most chapters are there to consolidate new information and can be undertaken by students working alone or by tutors as a basis for group work. Written by an esteemed author with many years experience of helping students improve writing and other key skills, this book provides stimulating and eminently sensible guidance on how to write successfully.

Table of Contents

List of figures and tables	x
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xiv
Judged by your writing	1	(10)
Effective writing as the basis for success	1	(5)
Could you improve your writing?	6	(5)
Some key skills	7	(4)
Four reasons for writing	11	(10)
Writing helps you to remember	11	(4)
Making good notes	11	(4)
Writing helps you to observe	15	(2)
Making notes in practical work	16	(1)
Writing helps you to think	17	(1)
Capturing your thoughts	17	(1)
Writing helps you to communicate	18	(1)
Improve your writing	19	(2)
Listen and note	19	(1)
Observe and describe	19	(1)
Think and write	19	(1)
Read good prose	20	(1)
How students should write	21	(10)
Use words to convey your thoughts	21	(2)
Essential characteristics of scholarly writing	21	(2)
Present the results of your own thinking	23	(2)
Originality	23	(2)
Improve your writing	25	(6)
Prepare a set of instructions	26	(1)
Read critically	26	(3)
Practise writing	29	(2)
Answering questions in coursework	31	(20)
Think about the question	31	(3)
Analyse the question	32	(1)
Stimulate your thoughts	32	(2)
Plan your answer	34	(2)
Select effective headings	34	(1)
Prepare a plan of your answer: a topic outline	34	(2)
Maintain order	36	(3)
Write your answer	39	(2)
Write in your own words	39	(1)
Write at one sitting	40	(1)
Check your answer	41	(4)
Assess your answer	44	(1)
Improve your writing	45	(6)
Always work to a topic outline as you write	46	(1)
Learn from successful writers	46	(1)
Discuss your written work with other students	47	(2)
Benefit from your assessor's criticisms	49	(1)
Prepare every composition in four stages	50	(1)
Thoughts into words	51	(18)
Vocabulary	51	(3)
The meaning of words	54	(9)
Some words that many people confuse	54	(4)
Some words that many people misuse	58	(5)
The words of your subject	63	(2)
Abbreviations, contractions and acronyms	65	(1)
Improve your writing	66	(3)
Choose words with care	66	(1)
Use your dictionary	66	(1)
Understand the words used in questions	67	(1)
Prepare definitions	68	(1)
Using words	69	(16)
Words in context	69	(3)
Position your words with care	69	(1)
Repeat a word if necessary	70	(1)
Use standard English	71	(1)
Avoid ready-made phrases	71	(1)
Superfluous words	72	(7)
Reasons for verbosity	75	(4)
Improve your writing	79	(6)
Be clear and concise	79	(1)
Read to understand	79	(1)
Read to summarise	80	(2)
Edit the work of others	82	(3)
Using numbers, tables and illustrations	85	(16)
Use numbers when you can be precise	85	(3)
Using numbers in written work	85	(1)
Using International System units	86	(2)
Use tables and illustrations to help you explain	88	(13)
Tables	88	(2)
Illustrations	90	(11)
Helping your readers	101	(13)
Write for easy reading	102	(5)
How to begin	102	(1)
Control	102	(1)
Emphasis	102	(3)
Rhythm	105	(1)
Style	106	(1)
How to end	106	(1)
Capture and hold your reader's interest	107	(1)
Improve your writing	107	(7)
Write for your readers	107	(1)
Make your writing interesting	108	(1)
Write good English	108	(1)
Read good English	109	(5)
Finding and using information	114	(21)
Think before you read	114	(1)
What to read	115	(10)
Make good use of local libraries	115	(8)
Use resources available via the internet	123	(3)
Use other resources available in libraries	126
How to read	125	(6)
Evaluate each source of information	125	(1)
Read to find just the information you need at the time	126	(1)
Make good notes as you read	127	(4)
Improve your writing	131	(4)
Use your notes	131	(1)
Cite sources of information	132	(2)
List your sources of information	134	(1)
Answering questions in tests and examinations	135	(17)
Taking tests as part of coursework	135	(2)
Answering questions in tests	136	(1)
Taking examinations	137	(15)
Learn from other students' mistakes	138	(9)
Answering questions in a theory examination	147	(3)
Answering questions in a practical examination	150	(2)
Writing a dissertation, long essay, term paper, project report or thesis	152	(16)
Agree your terms of reference with your supervisor	153	(1)
Find out how your work will be assessed	153	(2)
Organise your work	155	(2)
Write from the start	157	(3)
Search the literature	160	(3)
Review the literature	163	(2)
Improve your writing	165	(3)
Work on your first draft	165	(1)
Check your composition	166	(2)
Writing letters and applications	168	(14)
Writing a good letter	168	(8)
Communicating by electronic mail	176	(2)
Improve your writing	178	(4)
Applying for employment	178	(4)
Your computer as an aid to writing	182	(11)
Using your computer	182	(5)
Improving your keyboard skills	182	(1)
Word processing	182	(5)
Making more use of your computer	187	(2)
Desk top publishing	187	(1)
Preparing presentations	187	(1)
Using spreadsheets	188	(1)
Preparing and using a database	188	(1)
Looking after your documents	189	(1)
Looking after yourself when using a computer	190	(1)
Purchasing a computer	191	(2)
What is the point? A quick guide to punctuation	193	(10)
Using punctuation marks to make your meaning clear	194	(1)
Using punctuation marks to ensure the smooth flow of language	194	(1)
Using conjunctions to contribute to the smooth flow of language	195	(1)
Using capital letters	195	(1)
Punctuation marks that end a sentence	196	(1)
Full stop, question mark and exclamation mark	196	(1)
Punctuation marks used within a sentence	197	(2)
Comma	197	(2)
Brackets and dashes	199	(1)
Colon and semicolon	199	(1)
Other essential marks	199	(3)
Apostrophe	199	(1)
Hyphen	200	(1)
Quotation marks	201	(1)
Improve your writing	202	(1)
Spelling check	203	(6)
Some reasons for poor spelling	203	(1)
Some rules to remember	204	(3)
Improve your writing	207	(2)
Read good prose	207	(1)
Spelling test	207	(1)
Take an interest in etymology: the study of the origins of words	208	(1)
Keep a good dictionary on your bookshelf	208	(1)
References	209	(3)
Dictionaries	209	(1)
Further reading	209	(3)
Index	212