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Guidelines
1. Integration of the course concepts
Check the powerpoint lecture notes
2. Introduction
Check the powerpoint lecture notes
3. Methods
Check the powerpoint lecture notes
4. Expected results
Check the powerpoint lecture notes
5. Timeline
Check the powerpoint lecture notes
6. Cohesiveness of writing
6.1 Topic and concluding sentences
Improve your writing cohesiveness by using topic and concluding sentences. A topic sentence introduces the main idea of each paragraph. Paragraphs should include at least two relevant and clear evidence statements, with smooth and coherent transitions between them. Evidence statements should follow a logical sequence, maintaining clarity and coherence throughout the paragraph. A concluding sentence summarizes the main idea of the paragraph and should provide smooth transitions to the following paragraph. Check this pdf file for details.
8. Citation and source integration
8.1 Proper citation
Data and information from other sources are:
- all cited
- mostly cited
- poorly cited
- not cited (plagiarized)
Always cite the source when you incorporate research, words, ideas, data, or information that is not your own. Even when synthesizing or summarizing multiple pieces of information, you must cite any concept that is not originally yours. For more guidance, refer to When to Cite.
8.2 Paraphrasing and quoting
Paraphrasing involves rewording ideas while maintaining the original meaning.
Example:
- Original text: “Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, impacting global ecosystems and human communities.”
- Paraphrased text: “Climate change is driving more frequent and severe weather events, affecting ecosystems and human communities globally.”
The article Direct Quotes vs. Paraphrasing provides details that are copied and pasted here:
As a general guideline in academic writing, it is important that direct quotes from other sources should only be used selectively. Even if the temptation might be high and your motivation to formulate the idea in your own words low—your essay should really be your own work. If you think it is too difficult to decide whether or not to use a direct quote, think about these aspects:
- First and foremost, direct quotes are used when the language matters, i.e. when quoting an original primary source such as a novel, an interview, or similar.
- If the quote uses a specific historical language that is striking for that period of time, you can quote directly.
- If you want to refer to specific concepts, ideas, or technical terms such as in philosophy or social sciences, it makes sense to quote the actual expression. Otherwise, you might need to write a lot more words to describe the same issue that could otherwise be described in two or three expressions. Such one- or two-word specialized terms are not even considered quotes if they have become part of the disciplinary discourse.
- Sometimes a well-expressed statement can lose its specific meaning, or the meaning might be changed if it is paraphrased or summarized.
Other than these aspects, bear in mind that you should not use a direct quote for the sake of using it. Your argumentation should make it clear why you integrate a certain quote in a certain position. Also, remember that a quote does not stand for itself. You should always introduce it smoothly into your text and also explain it.
Here are some tips for you in order to learn how to paraphrase:
- Make sure to read the passage that you want to paraphrase carefully in order to grasp its core idea.
- Try to rewrite the source in your own words by incorporating 2-3 key terms.
- Reread your version of the passage and make sure to change any expressions or phrases that you have copied from the original source.
- Try to think about synonyms to find different words which convey the same meaning.
- Change the syntax of the original quote and construct a different sentence structure in your passage.
Other sources: Online paraphrasing tools
8.3 Use of secondary sources
Whenever possible, avoid relying on secondary sources. Instead, locate and cite the original sources directly to ensure accuracy and credibility in your work.
Example:
- José (2008) mentions, “Beaches also provide protection from storm surge and energetic waves during hurricanes and tropical storms (Fritz et al., 2007; Morton and Sallenger, 2003).”
Before citing, make sure to verify and read the original sources (Fritz et al., 2007; Morton and Sallenger, 2003). This reduces the risk of misrepresentation of the original data.
8.4 Citation style adherence
Cite sources correctly. For example, “and central nervous system birth defects (Borchardt et al., n.d, figure 1 in chapter 2)”
You need to improve citation by following these guidelines:
- Use the author’s surname and the publication date in your citations.
- Do not include chapter titles or numbers in the citation.
- Only cite figures that you actually include in your text.
- Follow citation styles commonly used in peer-reviewed articles.
9. Language clarity and precision
9.4 Avoid long sentences and use punctuation
A lengthy sentence can be difficult to follow. Breaking it into shorter sentences and using punctuation effectively improves clarity and readability.
Example:
- Less clear: “Storm water management is a common requirement in land development projects and it is important because land development comes with an increase in impervious areas and compacting of previous permeable undeveloped areas which can cause issues with how a watershed receives stormwater.”
- More clear: “Stormwater management is essential in land development projects. Development increases impervious surfaces and compacts previously permeable areas, disrupting how a watershed receives and processes stormwater.”
9.5 Avoid careless mistakes
Careless mistakes in academic writing can undermine the credibility of your work and distract readers from your main arguments. These errors can be avoided with proofreading and attention to detail. Below are common types of careless mistakes.
Undefined acronyms: Using acronyms without defining them upon first use.
- Example: “The study was conducted in accordance with WHO guidelines.”
- Correction: “The study was conducted in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.”
Incorrect or inconsistent terminology: Using different terms to refer to the same concept or object, leading to confusion.
- Example: “The survey measured water quality, and later the questionnaire assessed it.”
- Correction: “The survey measured water quality, and later the survey assessed it.”
Typographical errors: Simple typos that can change the meaning of a sentence or make it unclear.
- Example: “The results show a statically significant difference.”
- Correction: “The results show a statistically significant difference.”
Misuse of words: Using words that sound similar but have different meanings.
- Example: “Different stakeholders have different prospectives about the meaning of sustainable yield.”
- Correction: “Different stakeholders have different perspectives about the meaning of sustainable yield.”
Inconsistent formatting: Variations in formatting such as inconsistent use of headings, bullet points, or font styles.
- Example: “3. Methods… 4. RESULTS”
- Correction: “3. Methods… 4. Results”
*Inconsistent citation style: Not following the required citation style consistently.
- Example: “All models are wrong, but some are useful” (Box, 1976). “Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful” (Box 1987)
- Correction: “All models are wrong, but some are useful” (Box, 1976). “Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful”(Box, 1987).
Numerical errors: Inaccuracies in presenting data, such as incorrect figures or mislabeling units.
- Example: “The acceleration due to gravity is 98.1 m/s”
- Correction: “The acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s2”
Ambiguous pronouns: Using pronouns that do not clearly refer to a specific noun, leading to confusion.
- Example: “The researchers interviewed the participants, and they reported…”
- Correction: “The researchers interviewed the participants, and the researchers reported…”
To catch careless mistakes, review your work carefully after a break or the next day, or ask a colleague to review it before submission.
9.6 Avoid coordinating conjunctions and use subordinating conjunctions
While starting a sentence with coordinating conjunctions like “but,” “nor,” “or,” “and,” or “so” is not grammatically incorrect, it is generally best to avoid this practice in academic and professional writing. Instead, use subordinating conjunctions or transition words such as “however,” “in addition,” “on the other hand,” etc., to create a more polished and formal tone.
Example:
- Less formal: “But that issue does not appear …”
- More formal: “However, this issue does not appear …”
9.7 Be succinct and cut the clutter
In academic writing, aim for the shortest sentence that conveys the meaning. The rule is simple: “Ensure every word adds value. If words can be removed without losing meaning, delete them.”
Example:
- Not succinct: “As documented in a 2011 study by King et al. (2011)” (11 words)
- Succinct : “King et al. (2011) show” (5 words)
9.8 Tenses in academic writing
For detailed guidance, see The Three Common Tenses Used in Academic Writing. Below is a summary of key points from the article.
Tenses can be used in both passive and active voice, depending on the journal’s requirements. If no specific voice is required, the active voice is preferred. The most commonly used tenses are:
- Present Simple: The default tense, used unless another tense is more appropriate.
- Examples:
- “This paper analyzes the impact of high temperatures on certain species.”
- “Figure 1 shows that children ingest roughly 5-20 mg of soil per day.”
- Examples:
- Past Simple: Used for actions or events completed in the past, often describing methods from a completed experiment.
- Examples:
- “Rauscher et al. (2012) first documented this effect in their seminal paper.”
- “Statistical analyses were used to determine relationships between variables.”
- Examples:
- Present Perfect: Used to refer to previous research with findings still relevant today.
- Examples:
- “Some studies have found that girls have significantly higher fears than boys after trauma (Pfefferbaum et al., 1999; Pine and Cohen, 2002; Shaw, 2003).”
- “While these measures have proved reliable and valid, there is little data on how they relate to each other.”
- Examples:
9.9. Academic writing versus creative writing
Creative writing emphasizes personal expression, while academic writing focuses on presenting evidence-backed ideas and arguments. Academic writing requires precision, and clarity. Academic writing is not a thriller where you build suspense, nor is it a poem where language is open to interpretation. Your goal is to present your argument clearly, with key points up front. Both academic and creative writings have distinct purposes, so improve your skills in each. Learn more about the differences between academic and creative writing.
Example:
- Creative writing (33 words):”The economy gets damaged because Southwest Florida is a destination for tourism and if tourists cannot go to the beach safely they do not want to spend the money to travel all the way to Southwest Florida.”
- Academic writing (22 words): “Red tides in Southwest Florida produce pungent odors, degrade scenery, and pose health risks, leading to a decline in tourism (Zohdi and Abbaspour, 2019).”
The creative writing sentence uses a narrative style to describe the economic impact. The academic writing sentence directly presents the causes and effects, supported by evidence.
10. Overall evaluation
No additional guidelines beyond the rubric.