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The Writing Process
Deciding on a Topic
Avoiding Writer's Block
Knowing Your Audience
Planning and Predrafting Writing
an Outline
APA Format
Style Grammar
The Writing Process
The writing process entails all of the stages involved in
the creation of a piece of writing. This process includes
everything from deciding on a topic and prewriting, to editing
the text and making final revisions. It is important to keep
in mind that the most time-consuming part of writing a paper
is deciding on a topic and performing the research . For this
reason, it is necessary to always begin the prewriting stages
well before the paper is actually due. Once the majority of
the work has been done performing the research and organizing
the information, the actual writing of the paper will seem
like a much smaller task.
Links
The
Writing Process, The Writing Center at George Mason University
Writing Techniques Handbook, Writers' Workshop, University
of Illinois
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Deciding On a Topic
Deciding on a topic for your paper can be challenging and
time-consuming, but it is an integral step in writing a good
paper. After researching one topic, you may find out that
you were really interested in something else. Or, you may
find that your initial topic was too broad. It is important
that you write a paper on a topic that interests YOU! Your
topic should also be specific enough to allow a thorough description
of previous findings, and it should always match the assignment
criteria provided by your professor.
Links
Finding
a Topic, Princeton University Writing Center
Topic
Selection: the Union Institute Research Engine
Idea
Generator, Old Dominion University Libraries
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Avoiding Writer's Block
For many writers, encountering Writer's Block can be very
discouraging.. Here are some sites with good tips for dealing
with Writer's Block.
Links
The
Writing Center's Guide to Avoiding Writer's Block
Getting
Started, Princeton Writing Program
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Knowing Your Audience
Knowing your audience is critical to writing any good paper.
Even if the content of your paper is excellent, if it is written
for the wrong audience, your grade will reflect this.
Links
General
Advice on Audience, University of Illinois
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Planning and Predrafting
In their book Writing For Psychology,
Thaiss and Sanford recommend the following items be included
in your predrafting stage:
- Notes on lectures, interviews, conferences, or experimental
procedures
- Comments that you have written in books and on articles
- Summaries of notes and articles
- Analyses and interpretations of research material
- Brainstorming or mind maps of your ideas and observations
about research material
Thaiss and Sanford also recommend doing a "Dummy Draft"
A dummy draft is a method of organizing the information that
you have gathered from your research so far. It is not a formal
draft of your paper, but can be used to generate the "real"
draft. The dummy draft helps to bring together all of the
details that you have gathered during your research. It can
also indicate what further work needs to be done by showing
any gaps or inconsistencies in the present research.
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Writing an Outline
Writing an outline is a helpful way of organizing information
and ideas. Outlines are especially useful because they can
be used during any stage of the writing process to bring cohesiveness
to the paper and to maintain a logical flow of ideas. Here
are some great websites with tips for writing outlines.
Links
How
to Make an Outline, University of Washington Psychology Writing
Center
Developing
an Outline, Purdue University Online Writing Lab
Writing
an Outline, Touro College
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APA Format
APA Style Helper
Handouts
Links
For most of the writing assignments in your psychology classes
you will be required to use APA format. This is a specific
set of guidelines outlined by the American
Psychological Association. All of the rules for APA format
are contained within the APA Publication Manual, 4th Edition.
If you are not a psychology major and/or you do not plan on
attending some type of graduate program or further education
in psychology, you may not need to purchase the handbook.
Instead, you can easily use the handbook available at the
GMU campus library.
However, if you intend to pursue a higher degree program in
psychology, it is recommended that you purchase the handbook.
It will serve as a vital reference guide for all of the writing
you will be doing in psychology.
To
purchase the APA Publication Manual 4th Edition
APA Style Helper
The APA Style Helper is a software program that you can purchase
from the APA. It includes
information on formatting such items as references, citations,
headings, statistics, and tables.
APA-Style Helper
2.0 (Information)
APA-Style
Helper 2.0 Download Demo
Purchase
APA-Style Helper 2.0
APA Format Handouts from The
University of Washington Psychology Writing Center
Handout
on APA Citations
Handout
With Practice Exercises for APA Citations
APA
References Guide Handout
Links
American Psychological Association
APA
Format Workshop, University of Illinois Writers' Workshop
Guidelines
for Writing in APA Style, Compiled by William U Borst Troy
State University
Frequently
Asked Questions About APA Publication Manual
APA
Style Resources, Psych Web
Electronic
Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological
Association
APA
Style Manual for Research Papers, Langara College Psychology
Department
APA
Citation Style, B.David Schwartz Memorial Library
Writing
in the APA Style, About.com
APA Writing
Links, Psychcentral.com
Using
APA Format, Purdue University Online Writing Lab
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Style
Most of the writing in psychology is done in scientific style.
Because of the distinct challenges that exist in this style
of writing, it is necessary to learn the proper format and
technique for scientific writing.
Links
Style
Points for Scientific Writing, University of Washington Psychology
Writing Center
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Grammar
Proper grammar is as important in psychological writing as
it is in all other fields. Here are some online resources
to help with correct grammar.
Links
Online
Grammar Guides, George Mason University Writing Center
University
of Illinois Grammar Handbook
Guide
to Grammar and Writing, Capital Community College
Guide
to Grammar and Style, by Jack Lynch
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