Writing Guide

This is not a report, so it is up to you whether you wish to write subjectively. It will help the reader if you try to remain open minded. However, don't be afraid to speak your mind as it is likely that other authors in this text may share opposite views. If it was seen as a common view shared among the profession, this could be introduced and edited into the book. That's what we're there for.

Although proofreading is part of what we do, we still need you to do it too. If an article is submitted that obviously needs a lot of work. We won't be afraid to tell you. Be safe, get a friend to read it over, or at least you could put it to one side and give it a fresh read another day.

Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

Author Unknown

Where possible, always try to paraphrase rather than quote. Although quotes can sometimes be good on their own, it adds much more value to text when you give your own interpretation.

When writing the article, take into account the needs and knowledge of the reader. Although this is generally someone who is technically minded, it could also include someone who is not. It is always best to stay on the safe side and explain things which are not overly apparent. You'll be surprised at how many 'technically minded' people may turn around and say, I never knew that.

Structure

The first paragraph is generally the introduction. This details the issue/problem; the context or background of the article; why the problem is seen as important; and maybe why you saw it necessary to write the article. You can use the abstract as a guide for directing your article, but don't feel tied down by it. After all, we only mean it to be used as a crutch until you find your legs.

Start with a list of bullet points or titles in the order of discussion and just try to fill in the blanks. You can always change it later or remove bits altogether.

The last paragraph will act as a conclusion or summary, Try and draw on the important points seen throughout your article, or end with a moral. Don't try to introduce any new information here, just draw upon information included in the main body of the article.

Images

If you wish to include images, charts or graphs in your article, we recommend that you use imgur or another online image host to upload your images. You can use the resulting 'Direct Link' URL to add to your reference list.

However, please bear in mind that the imgur website is a public service and any images you upload will be publicly viewable. We are not affiliated with imgur, and have no control or responsibility over any content you post.

Tips

Don't be afraid to disagree with ideas. People are human and have a habit of sometimes being wrong and either don't see it or are afraid to admit it. After all, people once believed (and some still do believe) that the world was flat. As long as the study or piece of literature in question is evaluated, discussed, and interpreted fairly then it could make for an interesting read. While we are on this topic, it is also worth to mention that statistics can also raise questions of validity. Always check your sources!

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics

Mark Twain

Try and start with a list of aims and objectives for the article. The aim is what you intend to do, and the objective is how you intend to do it. This can help ensure you stay on track and don't babble on too much.

Know what you want to talk about. It helps if you do your research beforehand. If you have a cut off point for your research, it will prevent it from dragging on too much. Relatively, the Internet a very new topic, it is still very much in a state of flux and could have you re-writing your article into the next decennium.

Just try to jot something, anything, down on paper each day. Even if you aim for 50 words a day, you'll be surprised how quickly it mounts up. Don't forget, this is a collaborative work so the writing process is what it is, a process. This doesn't just include writing, but also brainstorming, drafting, re-writing, reading, re-re-writing, proofreading, and editing.

Don't try to be too serious and methodical. Writing is as fun as you make it, and this also shows in the reading. This is not to say that good writing isn't hard. If it was too easy, it wouldn't be worth doing!

Recommended Tools

We recommend using an external application for the main composition of articles. This will improve usability and help prevent any unexpected loss of data through errors in transfer or power failure. Open office is the best free downloadable solution. However, if you are going to be accessing the document from multiple locations or are limited by your computer hardware, you may prefer using the web accessible Google Docs.

If you choose to not use either of these options, our website has a built in versioning system for all saved documents. While we do not have an included spellchecker, this comes as standard in the Firefox web browser.

Help!

We are here to lend a helping hand when you need us. Members can use the query feature of the website here to submit a request for guidance.

There are many more guides available on the internet. Some of the best have been selected and listed below:

Writing