CONTENTS

 

1.0	Introduction
2.0	Format Guidelines
2.1	Paper Size
2.2	Text
2.3	Paragraphs
2.4	Cover Page
2.5	Subheadings
2.6	Tables and Figures
2.7	References and Citations
3.0	Academic Writing
3.1	Linguistic Style
3.2	Write in the Third Person
3.3	Avoid Discriminatory Language
3.4	‘Pitching’ your Argument
3.5	Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
4.0	Features of a Good Essay
4.1	Basic Structure
4.2	Analyse the Essay Title
4.3	Introduction
4.4	Structuring your argument
4.5	Presenting your argument
4.6	Sources of Evidence
4.7	Conclusions
5.0	The Writing Process
5.1	Notetaking
5.2	Sources of Information
5.3	Progressive Focussing
5.4	Notetaking Guidelines
5.5	The First Draft
5.6	Redrafting
6.0	The Harvard System for Citations
6.1	Education Studies & the Harvard System
6.2	Summarising, Paraphrasing & Quotations
6.3	Citing your Sources (standard)
6.4	Non-standard citations
6.5	Conventions for Inserting Quotations
6.6	Altering Quotations
7.0	Tables and Figures
8.0	Compiling the Reference List (Harvard)
8.1	Single Author Book
8.2	Multiple Author Book
8.3	Book with no Attributed Author
8.4	Edited Book
8.5	Chapter in Edited Book
8.6	Journal Article
8.7	Information from Electronic Sources
8.8	Conference Paper/Speech
8.9	Newspaper Article
8.10	Personal Correspondence
9.0	Proof Reading
10.0	Responding to Tutors’ Comments
10.1	Read Tutors’ Comments
10.2	Comments in the Margins of your Work
10.3	Tutors’ Comments Sheet
10.4	Talk to your Tutor!

 

 

 

1.0        INTRODUCTION

 

A large proportion of your studies at King Alfred’s will be assessed on the basis of your written work. This may take a variety of forms, such as:

 

·        essays

 

·        portfolios (collections of shorter pieces of writing)

 

·        reviews

 

·        autobiographies

 

·        handouts to accompany presentations

 

·        dissertations

 

 

Whichever type of written assignment you are producing, it is in your own interests to ensure that it conforms to the required academic conventions, is well presented and easily readable.

 

 

2.0              FORMAT GUIDELINES

 

Presentation matters. Tutors read numerous assignments during the three week assessment period, and the process runs much more smoothly when assignments conform to the conventions stated below. Although good presentation alone will not gain you marks, it is possible that untidy and poorly presented work which hinders the tutor’s reading may lose you marks in extreme cases. Don’t let the hard work you have put into expressing your ideas be undermined by sloppy presentation.

 

2.1        Paper Size

Written assignments must be presented on A4 paper, with large margins (at least 1.5cm) so that the marking tutor can write comments on your work. One side of paper only should be used (leave the other side blank) and all pages must be numbered.

 

2.2              Text

Assignments must be typed or word processed in black ink, and left-justified. The normal font for academic work is Times, and the character size for the main text should be 12 point. Lines should be one-and-a-half spaced.

 

2.3              Paragraphs

There is no need to indent the first line of paragraphs, but you must leave an extra line space between paragraphs.

 

2.4              Cover Page

Assignments should have a cover page stating:

 

·        your full name

 

·        the assignment title

 

·        the module code and title

 

 

2.5              Subheadings

Subheadings are normally only necessary for assignments that are more than 5,000 words. When subheadings are used they should be clearly separated from the main body of text, and distinguished by using either bold, italics or underlining.  Never use a combination of these emphasising features, and do not use continuous capitals for subheadings.

 

2.6              Tables and Figures

Tables and figures are normally used only in assignments of more than 5,000 words. When they are included in assignments they should be labelled and numbered in the order they appear, and any accompanying text should be placed directly below them.

 

2.7              References and Citations

The Harvard system of referencing must be used (see section 6).

 

 

3.0       ACADEMIC WRITING

 

A successful piece of academic writing communicates your understanding of the subject content clearly and persuades the reader of the value of your analysis. To achieve this you clearly must first be confident of your subject understanding, but you must also be able to present this understanding in an accurate and assured manner. There are several conventions for academic writing which help you achieve this. These conventions can seem intimidating, unnatural, and unnecessary at first, but they serve a clear and valuable purpose, which is to enhance the clarity and impact of your argument. Don’t be alarmed by them, they simply require you to introduce greater discipline to your writing, and as with all skills, they may take some time to learn, but they will improve with practice.

 

3.1        Linguistic Style

Your primary aim in any assignment is to make yourself easily understood. You will achieve this if you write clearly and logically, and make appropriate use of relevant terminology. Good academic writing requires skilful use of formal language. However, while you should avoid using colloquial language and cliché, you should also avoid the temptation to make your writing style over-complicated or obscure in the effort to make it sound ‘scholarly’. The requirement for you to consider your language use carefully does not mean that your writing can not also be enjoyable and stimulating to read. You will only achieve this if your writing style is easily accessible and your ‘voice’ is authentic.

 

3.2       Write in the Third Person

You are normally expected to conform to the academic convention of writing in an impersonal style. This reflects your ability to present a reasoned and informed argument that is not merely personal opinion. However, there are occasions when it is wholly appropriate to use the first person, e.g. in an autobiographical assignment, when reporting your personal response to a certain issue/author or when describing how you have undertaken a piece of empirical research.

 

3.21      Follow the Golden Rule: write in the first person only when this is impossible to avoid or when a more impersonal style would make your phrasing awkward.

 

3.3       Avoid Discriminatory Language

It is often difficult to avoid sexist language because there is no singular pronoun combining he and she in the English language, and the use of ‘man’ as a generic noun is unacceptable except when quoting other sources. However, this difficulty can usually be overcome in your writing by using one of the following strategies:

 

3.31      Using ‘s/he’ or ‘he or she’, e.g.

 

 

 

3.32          Using the plural form wherever possible, e.g.

 

 

 

3.33     Rewording sentences so that pronouns are unnecessary, e.g.

 

 

 

3.34     Also avoid words or phrases that may stereotype any person, regardless of gender, ‘race’, ethnicity, nationality, age, social class, disability or creed. Carefully consider commonly used terms and phrases to ensure they are accurate, unbiased and acceptable.

 

 

3.4       ‘Pitching’ your Argument

Your writing has to achieve the fine balance of demonstrating your understanding of a subject, without allowing too many words to be taken up with explanatory detail. Assume that the reader is knowledgeable about the subject you are writing about, but remember that they are also looking for evidence of your knowledge. Don’t leave important information out simply because you think it is too basic or obvious for the tutor; it may be essential for demonstrating your knowledge of the subject. However, you should avoid wasting words on information that you can expect any educated person to be familiar with (e.g. Socrates was a philosopher). Instead, focus your attention on demonstrating your detailed understanding of issues in Education Studies (e.g. Socrates promoted ‘negative education’).

 

3.5              Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

These are essential elements in good academic writing because they enable you to be accurate and fluent in your expression. If you receive feedback from tutors that problems with these elements are adversely affecting your marks make sure that you seek support to improve them. Students Services regularly provide Essay Writing Skills support sessions, most word processing software has spell checks and grammar checks and there are essay writing guidelines on every College computer (locate them on the Application Launcher).

 

 

4.0       FEATURES OF A GOOD ESSAY

 

A successful essay presents a clear, informed and persuasive argument that addresses the issues raised by the title. It must be written in an appropriate style and have a coherent structure, which progresses logically to the conclusions. The information and assertions it presents should be clearly supported by appropriate evidence, and it should demonstrate that you are both knowledgeable and thoughtful about the subject matter.

 

4.1        Basic Structure

The basic structure of essays is very simple: Introduction, Argument, Conclusion. Put simply: ‘Say What You Are Going To Say, Say It, And Then Say It Again’. However, any essay that simply follows this formula will be very boring to read. The real skill in structuring an essay is found in the middle section, where you present the various aspects of your argument, and how you do this will depend on the requirements of the essay title and the nature of the subject matter.

 

4.2       Analyse the Essay Title

Essays titles are designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate what you know and think about a subject, and should be interpreted as instructions on how to write your essay. Identify the key terms used in the title and pay close attention to what it requires you to do. Make sure you have a clear sense of the relative importance of the issues it raises, and structure your writing accordingly.

 

4.3              Introduction

The introduction should clearly, but briefly, demonstrate your understanding of the essay title, and how you plan to respond to it. You should identify the issues that you will be dealing with, and where necessary, give definitions of key terms/concepts. Don’t waste valuable words by merely paraphrasing the essay title or using dictionary definitions: demonstrate the range and depth of your understanding of the subject matter from the outset by using your own language and referring to relevant literature when discussing key concepts. The introduction should also give an indication of the structure of the essay: this should be clear but concise, as the important detail will come in the following sections.

 

4.4       Structuring your Argument

Different forms of structure suit different forms of subject matter, and in particular, different forms of essay title. There are no firm rules on how arguments should be structured, but there must be a clear and logical order to the presentation of the various elements that make up your argument.

 

4.41      There are numerous ways of structuring an argument. For example, issues may be dealt with in chronological order or grouped together according to ‘timeless’ themes. You may wish to deal with the most significant aspects of an issue first, and then refer to related, but less significant detail. Alternatively, you may want to discuss the less important issues at the beginning of the essay so that you can ‘build up’ to the more significant aspects of the argument. In some circumstances you may want to describe various issues initially and then lead into a discussion of their implications, in other circumstances you may want to combine description with analysis throughout the essay. Whichever structure you use for an essay, the golden rule is that the various elements must be presented in a coherent and persuasive manner

 

4.5       Presenting your Argument

            The arguments you present in response to the essay title should offered in a carefully considered manner. Remember, the requirement to present an argument is not an invitation to be argumentative, so don’t make the mistake of over-asserting the points you make. This will have the opposite effect of undermining them. You should use academically credible evidence to support your propositions, and set out to persuade the reader that you are knowledgeable and thoughtful about the subject. Present the relevant issues in an informed and considered manner, and your argument will be persuasive.

 

4.6       Sources of Evidence

The issues you raise in your essays must be illustrated/substantiated by evidence if your writing is to be academically credible. The nature of this evidence differs with the nature of the subject matter, but can include statistical data, historical information, the arguments of acknowledged experts in the field, experimental results, interview responses etc. A key skill in academic writing is evaluating the credibility and significance of the sources of evidence you use to support your arguments. You must also learn, and conform to, the established conventions for acknowledging the sources of your evidence which are explained in section 6

 

4.7              Conclusions

The concluding sections of an essay should succinctly summarise the main points you have raised and draw these together to make a final statement(s) that is directly related to the essay title. There should be no real surprises in the conclusion (it is not the place to introduce new material) but you should also avoid the mistake of merely repeating in the conclusion what you wrote in the introduction. It is worth spending time ‘crafting’ how you express your conclusions to make sure you leave a lasting impression on the reader.

 

 

5.0       THE WRITING PROCESS

 

A large proportion of your studies will be assessed by your written work, and inevitably, your writing skills influence the marks you receive. Although skilful writing alone will not gain you outstanding marks, you do need to be able to write accurately and fluently if you are to demonstrate your understanding and express your ideas to the best of your ability. If you fail to make your meaning clear in your writing, the marking tutor may interpret this as evidence of your confused, inaccurate or inadequate understanding. Ensure this doesn’t happen by developing your writing skills in parallel with your subject knowledge and understanding.

 

5.1        Notetaking

Notetaking is an integral part of essay writing. It should not be considered a chore, but an essential means of identifying important information and refining your ideas as you progress through a module and work towards producing your assignments.

 

5.2       Sources of Information

Your notes should be made from a variety of sources such as lectures, texts, seminars, the internet, TV, discussions etc. However, you must be discerning about the quality and relevance of these sources: be careful to distinguish between ‘laypeople’ and ‘experts’, personal opinion and considered theorising, empirical research and anecdote, and to give appropriate weighting and recognition to the various sources you use.

 

5.3       Progressive Focussing

The purpose of notetaking is to gather the information you need to produce a relevant and informed piece of writing. As you progress through each module, you will become clearer about the type of notes you need to make in preparation for your assignment. This results in a process of ‘progressive focussing’ where you write very general notes at the outset when your understanding of the subject is limited, and progressively more detailed and focused notes as your understanding develops. Inevitably, only a small proportion of the notes you write in each module will actually feature in the assignment. A single essay cannot assess all that you have learned and therefore a key skill in essay writing is selecting the relevant information for inclusion. However, none of your notetaking will be wasted: you will be surprised by the extent to which you return to, and use, notes that have been made carefully and thoughtfully.

 

5.4       Notetaking Guidelines

The more focused and detailed you make your notes, the easier the writing process will be. When taking notes remember that you should have two aims in mind:

 

 

a)                  To make an accurate record of what you have read/heard

 

b)                  To record your ideas and responses/ideas to this information

 

 

There are a few simple guidelines that will help you make successful notes:

 

·        Do not transcribe the original words (unless you intend to quote them)

Writing notes in your own style they will ensure they are easily translated into longer pieces of writing, will help you avoid plagiarism (see section 6) and will make you think more carefully about what you are writing about.

 

·        Identify your sources using the Harvard system (section 6)

This will help you avoid plagiarism and enable you to return easily to useful sources at a later date. Also identify any connections between sources so that you become familiar with the body of information about a particular subject.

 

·        Consider the material’s relevance to the essay title

Be rigorously selective in your notetaking as your understanding of the subject, and the assignment requirements, develops

 

·        Evaluate your sources

Record your ideas in response to the information. Note where there are controversies about an issue, and consider the significance and credibility of your sources

 

·        Take care over the format of your notetaking

Recording your notes clearly and neatly will help your understanding and make the writing process easier. Develop a way of presenting your notes that makes recall and evaluation easy. This may involve using coloured markers, bullet points, indentations, various forms of spacing, diagrams etc. Experiment and devise a system that works best for you.

 

 

5.5       The First Draft

Nobody produces a good piece of writing on the first attempt. Writing is a lengthy process of experimenting with ways of presenting information, expressing ideas and structuring arguments. The first draft is simply about getting your initial ideas down on paper. Start writing as soon as you start your reading for the assignment; because the sooner you start writing, and the sooner you will be able to clarify and refine your argument. Inevitably, this will lead to further notetaking as you identify aspects of your writing that require more detailed consideration. Take the following guidelines into account when writing your first draft:

 

·        Write your ideas as they come into your head, no matter how silly they seem: they can be organised into a coherent argument (or rejected) as the piece develops

 

·        Consider the fine detail of your writing to identify aspects that are confusing, misleading or vague. Work to refine these through further reading with very focused notetaking, and becoming more disciplined in the expression of your ideas

 

·        Consider the overall structure of your writing to ensure that the argument develops in a logical and coherent manner

 

·        Use the Harvard system to make a record of any original sources you include at this stage. This will help you to organise your argument in terms of themes, chronology etc., and will also save time when you are producing the final version of the essay

 

·        Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation or grammar at this stage; these can be improved in the revision process

 

 

5.6       Redrafting

The redrafting process is crucial for successful writing. Skilful redrafting transforms your original writing from an unruly mass of vague, and poorly expressed ideas into a carefully considered and systematically presented argument The more rigorous you are about the content, structure and expression of your argument in the redrafting process, the more informed, coherent and authoritative the final version of the assignment will be.

 

5.61        Ask yourself the following questions as you redraft your work:

 

·    Is the focus and purpose of the writing clear, and directly related to the assignment title?

 

·        Does it address all the questions or instructions presented by the assignment title?

 

·    Is the linguistic style accessible, coherent and consistent?

 

·    Is the terminology clearly defined?

 

·    Is the information accurate with the sources identified using the Harvard system

 

·    Is there a clear sequence to the argument?

 

·    Is the argument persuasive?

 

·    Are the conclusions consistent with the issues and analysis presented in the main body of the text?

 

·    Does it conform to the word limit?

 

 

6.0              THE HARVARD SYSTEM FOR CITATIONS

 

Written assignments demonstrate your understanding of selected theoretical and empirical issues to the reader. You achieve this by using a combination of your own and other peoples’ ideas, and in particular, demonstrating how you have understood, evaluated and applied other people’s ideas. However, it essential that you cite your sources accurately and consistently when summarising, paraphrasing or quoting other people’s words.

 

6.1        Education Studies and the Harvard System

Much of students’ confusion and anxiety about referencing occurs because there is no universally agreed procedure for citing your sources. Education Studies students are expected to present their written assignments using the Harvard system for referencing and citations. This is the most straightforward system, and it is also the official College system. It may seem complicated at first, but don’t panic; you will find it becomes both more intelligible and more useful the more you use it.

 

6.12      There are three very important reasons for requiring you to conform to the conventions of the Harvard system:

 

·        Retrieval of Information

Clear and consistent referencing enables you and your readers to locate the sources of your argument easily, and to return to useful texts at a later date. Your appreciation of locating valuable information as easily as possible will increase as you progress through your studies.

 

·        Entering into the Community of the Subject

It is part of the normal discipline of Higher Education to acknowledge the influence of other people’s ideas upon your own writing. As a student of Education Studies you are entering into the community of thinkers and writers sharing an interest in this subject, and who converse primarily through written texts. You are continuing this practice by identifying those writers who have influenced the ideas that you present in your writing.

 

·        Academic Integrity

If you fail to cite your sources, you can be accused of plagiarism, a serious academic offence which is defined by the College as

 

‘The verbatim or near-verbatim copying or paraphrasing, without acknowledgement, from published or unpublished material attributable to, or which is the intellectual property of another, including the work of other students.’

 

It is normally assumed that students understand what constitutes plagiarism, and if you are found to have plagiarised another’s work (even unintentionally) you will receive a zero mark for that assignment.

 

6.2       Summarising, Paraphrasing and Quotations

These are the three ways in which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of other people’s ideas in order to present your own argument, and all three ways require acknowledgement according to the conventions of the Harvard System.

 

6.21      A summary is a succinct version of the original source, restated in your own words where possible, which presents the author’s main idea or argument only.

 

6.22     Paraphrasing expresses another person’s ideas in your own words. It is more sophisticated than summarising because it involves an element of interpretation, as you act as a mediator between the original author and the reader. The more successful you are at paraphrasing, the more authoritative and stimulating your writing will become.

 

6.23     Quotations are the exact reproduction of the original author’s words and should be used only when:

 

·        the information presented by the original author is significant and eloquently expressed

 

·        paraphrasing the information would alter significantly the meaning of the original source

 

·        the purpose is to present the linguistic style of the original author

 

6.3       Citing your Sources

When you summarise, paraphrase or quote a source you must cite the original author so that the reader is aware that you are presenting or discussing another person’s ideas, and not your own, e.g.

 

Summary

 

Paraphrasing

 

 

 

 

Quotation

 

 

6.31     Standard Citation for Summaries and Paraphrases

Each summary or paraphrasing of another person’s ideas should be cited as part of the main text by giving, in parenthesis, the author’s name and/or the year of publication, e.g.

 

 

 

6.32     Standard Citation for Quotations

Quotations should be placed within quotation marks followed (in parenthesis) by the author’s name, year of publication and page reference (indicated by p. for a single page and pp. for more than one page), e.g.

 

 

Or

 

 

 

6.4       Non-standard Citations for Summaries, Paraphrases and Quotations

Care should be taken with the following types of texts to ensure that the relevant citation is given.

 

 

6.41      Dual Author Texts

Texts that have two authors should be cited using both their names on every occasion, e.g

 

 

 

6.42     Multiple Author Texts

            Texts that have multiple authors should be cited using all their names in the first instance. In subsequent citations it is only necessary to mention the first author followed by ‘et al’ and the year of publication, e.g

 

First citation

 

Subsequent Citations

 

 

6.43     Texts with No Attributed Authors

            Texts that have no attributed author should be cited using the title and the year of publication, e.g.

 

 

 

6.44     Secondary Citations

This type of citation is used when you want to refer to a text that you have not read in its original form, but have read about in another source. Because you are not referring to the original source directly, your citation should be presented in the following format:

 

 

Secondary citations should only be used when the original source is unavailable or if you are discussing another person’s interpretation of the original author

 

 

6.45     Citations of more than one publication by the same author in the same year

If you are citing two different works published by the same author in the same year you must distinguish between them by designating them as a, b, c etc. e.g.

 

 

 

6.50     Conventions for Inserting Quotations in Your Writing

There are several conventions for including different types of quotations in your work. It is important to comply with these requirements because they make both the structure and the content of your argument more accessible, and also help you to avoid the pitfalls of unintended plagiarism.

 

6.51      Quotations of less than 40 words

These should be incorporated into the text, and enclosed by single quotation marks and then followed by the appropriate citation e.g.

 

 

 

6.52     Quotations over 40 words

These should start on a new line, be indented and have no quotation marks, and then be followed by the appropriate citation e.g.

 

...The complexities of defining ideology are discussed by Burr, who states:

A version of events, or a way of representing a state of affairs, may be true or false, but it is only ideological to the extent that it is used by relatively powerful groups in society to sustain their position ... The study of ideology is therefore the study of the ways in which meaning is mobilised in the social world in the interests of powerful groups (Burr, 1995; p.82) .

This view suggests that the ideological character of ideas is depends wholly upon their context....

 

6.55     Incorporating Brief Quotations

It is very easy to make grammatical errors that undermine the impact of your argument when inserting brief quotations into your own writing. Make sure the verb tenses and pronouns agree, and that the use of the singular or plural forms of nouns is consistent between your writing and the quotation.

 

6.54     Combining Quotations with Your Own Words

There are numerous phrase structures for introducing quotations, e.g.

 

 

 

6.56     Numerous verbs can be used interchangeabley with these phrase structures, such as:

 

Affirm	Claim	Describe	Propound
Allege	Conclude	Demonstrate	State
Assert	Confirm	Explain	Summarise
Believe	Declare	Propose	Write

 

 

6.60     Altering Quotations

Quotations should normally be reproduced exactly from the original source. If you alter a quotation in any way, this must be acknowledged in one of the following ways:

 

6.61      Omitting Sections of a Quotation

If you omit any part of a quotation, either to make it more succinct or to ensure that it fits easily into your sentence structure, you must include ellipsis points to inform the reader, e.g.

 

 

 

6.62     Adding or Changing Words in Quotations

If you add or change words in a quotation to make its meaning clearer, these need to be identified by square brackets, e.g.

 

 

6.63       Identifying Errors/Problems in Original Sources

Errors in a quotation such as incorrect spellings/terminology, misunderstandings or problematic details, such as erroneous or discredited assumptions can be identified by inserting [sic] at the appropriate point in the quotation. e.g.

 

 

 

6.64     Emphasising Aspects of Quotations

If you wish to emphasise a particular word or phrase within a quotation, this should be printed either in bold or in italics. This emphasis should be acknowledged immediately after the quotation, e.g.

 

 

 

6.65       Acknowledging Authors’ Original Emphases in Quotations   

It is also helpful to acknowledge when such emphasis has been made by the original author, e.g.

 

 

 

 

 

7.0       TABLES AND FIGURES

 

Tables and figures convey a great deal of information in a succinct and easily accessible manner.

 

7.1        Tables present raw data systematically in rows and columns to help the reader comprehend the relationships between different categories of information. This raw data is usually numerical, but can also include single words or brief phrases.

 

7.2       Any chart, diagram, illustration or graph that is not a table is referred to as a figure. These are often useful for communicating concepts or findings that are difficult to express in writing.

 

7.3       The sources of all information presented in your tables and figures must be cited according to the conventions of the Harvard system, wherever possible.

 

7.4       Tables and figures should be labelled and numbered in the order they appear, and any accompanying text should be placed directly below them.

 

7.5       All tables and figures should also be succinctly explained in words, so that the reader has two complementary approaches to the data.

 

7.6       In the text, refer to the tables and figures by their numbers

 

7.7       Remember, tables and figures are intended to make complex information easily accessible. Don’t get carried away with over-complicated graphics at the cost of this principle of accessibility.

 

 

8.0       COMPILING THE REFERENCE LIST

 

The reference list is, quite simply, a list of all the sources you refer to in your writing. Don’t be tempted to include sources that you have not consulted, or those sources that you read in preparation for the assignment, but which didn’t feature in the final product. Only those sources of information to which you explicitly refer in your writing have a legitimate place in the reference list, which follows the conclusion of your writing and starts on a new page. The references must be arranged alphabetically by each author’s (or editor’s) last name, and each reference should start on a new line. The conventions for citing sources in the reference list can be rather confusing at first, but if you follow the guidelines below, you will begin to see that there is an underlying logic, which becomes ‘second nature’ with practice.

 

8.1        Single Author Book

Author’s last name, Initials., (year of publication), Title of Book, City of Publication: Publisher’s Name. e.g.

 

 

8.2       Multiple Author Book

Authors’ last names and initials should be presented in the order they appear on the title page of the publication (use commas to separate the authors and an ampersand before the last author)., (year of publication), Title of Book, City of Publication: Publisher’s Name, e.g.

 

 

 

8.3       Book with No Attributed Author

Title of Book, (year of publication) City of Publication: Publisher’s Name, e.g.

 

 

 

8.4       Edited Book

Editor’s last name and initials., (ed.) (year of publication), Title of Book, City of Publication: Publisher’s Name, e.g.

 

 

 

8.5       Chapter in an Edited Book

Chapter Author’s last name and initials., (year of publication), ‘Title of Chapter’  in: initials and last name of editor, (ed.) Title of Book, City of Publication: Publisher’s Name, e.g.

 

 

 

8.6       Journal Article

Author’s last name and initials., (year of publication), ‘Title of Article’, Title of Journal, Volume Number pp. ?-?, e.g

 

8.7       Information from Electronic Sources

There are no firmly established rules for citing electronic sources, other than that they comply with the golden rule of accuracy and consistency. Modified Harvard conventions can be applied to electronic sources in these ways:

 

World Wide Web

Author’s last name and initials., Title of Article, date of publication or last revision, full http address , (date of visit) e.g.

 

 

 

CD-ROM

Author’s last name and initials., (Year of Publication) Title of Document, Name of Publisher, e.g.

 

 

 

            E-mail

Author’s last name and initial, (date) Subject line from the posting, Type of communication (e.g. personal email, distribution list etc.), (date of access), e.g.

 

 

 

8.8       Conference Paper/Speech

Author’s last name and initials., (date of publication/speech) Title of Paper (if available), Title of Event, Date of Event, Location of Event, e.g.

 

 

 

8.9              Newspaper Article

Author’s last name and initial, (date) ‘Title of Article’, Title of Newspaper, , e.g.

 

 

 

8.10           Personal Correspondence

Author’s last name and initial, (date) Personal Correspondence, e.g.

 

 

 

9.0       PROOF READING

 

It is important to proof read your work carefully because typographical and stylistic errors can undermine the credibility of your argument. It is a lengthy process, which you should account for when planning your assignment: don’t make the mistake of thinking you can quickly ‘skim through’ your completed work for spelling mistakes. Proof-reading should not be an ‘after-thought’, but part of the process of ‘crafting’ your writing. It is also extremely useful to have a friend read and comment on your work at this stage, as they will be able to tell you which parts are unclear, repetitive or confusing. When proof-reading your work, consider the following issues:

 

·        Is the content directly relevant to the assignment title?

 

·        Is the linguistic style easily accessible?

 

·        Does the argument development develop logically and coherently?

 

·        Is each statement/claim supported by academically credible evidence?

 

·        Do the citations comply with the Harvard system?

 

·        Do the quotations reproduce the original authors’ words exactly?

 

·        Is the spelling accurate?

 

·        Is the grammar accurate?

 

·        Is the punctuation accurate?

 

·        Does it comply with the word limit?

 

·        Is the reference list accurate and complete?

 

·        Does the presentation comply with the assignment guidelines?

 

 

 

10.0RESPONDING TO TUTORS’ COMMENTS

 

What tutors write about your essays is a major form of communication between tutors and students. Tutors try, where possible, to make their comments personal, reflecting on your past work (if they are familiar with it) so that you and your tutor can see where, and if, there is progress

 

10.1      Read Tutors’ Comments!

The comments tutors write about your work are intended to provide constructive criticism. It is well worth taking the time to read carefully what a tutor has written about your work, both in the margins of your assignment and on the official response sheet.

 

10.2      Comments Written in the Margins of your Work

Tutors will often write questions (both to you and themselves) about the content of your argument in the margins of your work as they are reading it. These may ask for more supporting evidence, identify misunderstandings/misinterpretations, or note gaps or inconsistencies in your argument. Take the time to read these comments so that you can take them on board in your subsequent writing. If you are unclear about any of the tutors’ comments, make an appointment to discuss them and identify strategies for improving your work. Remember, tutors are unlikely to write detailed comments about the successful elements of your writing, and will usually simply identify these with a tick. If you want more detailed information on how to develop your strengths and extend your writing skills, make an appointment with a tutor to discuss how you can achieve this.

 

10.3      The Tutor’s Comments Sheet

This is intended to provide the tutor to write a considered response to your work. It should clearly identify both the strengths and weaknesses of your work and give you an insight why you have been awarded a certain mark. You should interpret these comments as ‘pointers’ on how to improve the quality of your work, by eliminating the weaknesses and building on its strengths. If you find are consistently receiving the same types of comments about your work (e.g. about grammatical mistakes or inappropriate referencing) then you probably need to work on specific strategies for improving these aspects of your writing. Make an appointment with a tutor to talk about how you can achieve this.

 

 

10.4      Talk to your Tutor!

Tutors want to you to do well in your studies. If you are confused by any of the comments written by tutors about your work, or want more information on how to respond to these comments, make sure you talk about this with the tutor.