tailieunhanh - Publication Manual of the American Psychological association_2

Tham khảo sách 'publication manual of the american psychological association_2', y tế - sức khoẻ, y học thường thức phục vụ nhu cầu học tập, nghiên cứu và làm việc hiệu quả | Writing clearly and Concisely This chapter provides some general principles of expository writing and suggests ways to improve writing style. We focus first on the benefits of planning and choosing the best organizational structure to develop your argument. We next describe some basic principles for writing with clarity and precision and for avoiding bias in language. Last we demonstrate how correct grammar is the foundation of clear effective and persuasive communication. Organization Before beginning to write consider the best length and structure for the findings you wish to share. Ordering your thoughts logically both at the paragraph and at the sentence levels will strengthen the impact of your writing. Length The optimal length of a manuscript is the number of pages needed to effectively communicate the primary ideas of the study review or theoretical analysis. As a rule less is more. Discursive writing often obscures an author s main points and condensing long manuscripts often improves them. If a paper is too long shorten it by stating points clearly and directly confining the discussion to the specific problem under investigation deleting or combining data displays eliminating repetition across sections and writing in the active voice. At times a paper may need to be divided into two or more papers each with a more specific focus however see section on piecemeal publication . Journals differ in average length of articles published. It is generally wise to be consistent with the usual practices of the journal to which you are submitting your paper. 61 62 ORGANIZATION Organizing a Manuscript With Headings In scientific writing sound organizational structure is the key to clear precise and logical communication. This includes the use of headings to effectively organize ideas within a study as well as seriation to highlight important items within sections. Concise headings help the reader anticipate key points and track the development of your