Writing Guide

 

Dr. Jeffery P. Dennis

 

 

 

Parts of the Research Paper

Introduction

  • Describe precisely what sociological problem you plan to investigate. 

  • Explain why the problem is important.

  • State a research hypothesis.

Literature Review

  • Analyze important previous work on the problem.

  • Use only scholarly books and articles.

  • Do not include dictionaries, encyclopedias, or textbooks.

  • Do not include works more than ten years old, unless they are classics in the field.

Methodology

  • Describe your independent and dependent variables.

  • Describe your sampling procedure.

  • Include time, date, and location of all observations.

  • Include demographic data on all respondents.

Results

  • Present only data that confirms or disconfirms your hypothesis.

  • Include specific examples.

 

Conclusion

  • State if hypothesis has been confirmed or disconfirmed.

  • Suggest a sociological explanation for the results.

  • Suggest ways to improve future research on the topic.

 

References

  • Include complete references for all works that you cite in the text. 

  • You may also include references for works that you consulted but do not cite.

  • Follow the American Sociological Association or American Psychological Association format.

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Academic Writing Style

Paragraphs

  • Paragraphs should contain at least two sentences, but be no longer than 1/2 page. 

  • Each paragraph should develop a single idea.

  • Clearly connect each paragraph with its surrounding paragraphs.

Sentences

  • Vary sentence length and type.

  • Vary the primary verb in the sentence.

  • Never use "this" as the subject of the sentence unless there is a clear, unambiguous reference.

Word Choice

  • Avoid wordiness.

  • Avoid slang.

  • Use sociological terms wherever possible.

  • Avoid potentially offensive terms.

Quotations

  • Quote directly from the text only when the text is particularly beautiful, insightful, or complex, so that you cannot paraphrase it.

  • Never include a sentence or paragraph that is only a quotation.

  • Use the citation format: (Name Date: Page)

Citations

  • Include citations in the text for all propositions, ideas, theories, and facts, unless you have thought of them yourself or they are common knowledge.

  • "Common knowledge" includes any factual data derived from dictionaries, encyclopedias, or textbooks.

  • Footnotes are not necessary.

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The Passive Voice
The passive voice defeats the purpose of academic papers by deferring or eliminating the agent in a sentence.  Saying "The interviews were conducted," for instance, suggests that an unknown or anonymous person conducted the interviews.  Use the passive voice only when you want to imply that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, or when the agent is actually unknown.

Excessive use of the passive voice will result in a lowered grade on the assignment.

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Essay Exams
  • Organize your answer around a clear focus, one that is limited enough to cover in the time allotted and that allows inclusion of all the material necessary to demonstrate that you can cover or go beyond the course material (as required in the question). 
  • Outline your answer. Know the three or four points to be covered to be sure that they all develop, explain, or prove the thesis statement.
  • Come to the point quickly, perhaps even beginning with the thesis statement.
  • Stick to the subject. Telling everything isn’t expected. The test is to select, organize, and analyze major points.
  • Be thorough. Do not leave out anything important to the defense of the thesis statement.
  • Do not copy your notes word-for-word; try to use your own words to define and evaluate course materials.
  • All essay examinations have key words that cue you to what will be required in your answer:
  • Analyze: separate into parts and then discuss the parts and their meanings.
  • Clarify: give a definition of a key term and use examples to illustrate it.
  • Classify: arrange in groups on the basis of shared characteristics.
  • Compare and Contrast: show similarities and differences.
  • Criticize: give your opinion concerning the good points and the bad points.
  • Describe: explain certain features to make clear an object, procedure, or event.
  • Discuss: consider as many elements as possible concerning an issue or event.
  • Evaluate: give your opinion about the value.
  • Explain: make clear or intelligible something that needs to be understood or interpreted.
  • Review: reexamine, summarize.
  • Show: point out or demonstrate.
  • Summarize: repeat briefly the major points.
  • Support: means to argue in favor.

[Adapted from the English Department, Bellarmine College]

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Submitting the Paper
All papers must be typed, double spaced, with standard margins and fonts. They may not be handwritten, submitted on a disk, or submitted via email.

Pages must be stapled.  Paper clips are not acceptable.

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Writing References

American Sociological Association, Style Guide. New York: ASA, 1996.

Becker, Howard. Writing for Social Scientists. Chicago: U. of Chicago Press, 1986.

Bernstein, Theodore. The Careful Writer. Boston: Free Press, 1995.

Cook, Claire. Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986.

Graves, Robert, and Alan Hodge. The Reader over Your Shoulder: A Handbook for Writers of English Prose. New York: Random House, 1979.

Hjortshoj, Keith. The Transition to College Writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001.

Kane, Thomas. The New Oxford Guide to Writing. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. Needham, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.

Turabian, Kate. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Chicago: U. of Chicago Press, 1996.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

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