A recipe of good writing
- Logically organize the material
Logical organization closely related to your own
understanding of the subject or the content of your paper. Even before the
first letter is penned down a writer already has in mind the message that the
paper will deliver. What is the main story that you want to tell people? How
would you put it across so people can understand and use it? These are the
questions that will give you the way on how your paper will be written.
- Use good grammar
As a non-English writer, this grammar part is always
the hardest. But not worry, “just do it” will be the best motto. Good or bad is
secondary as the skill will develop along the way. It takes a long time to
perfect your grammar but as long as the error isn’t that glaring the message
will get across. The thing to worry is when the grammatical mistakes are all
over the place and has intimidated the content of your paper.
- Check spelling
With a spelling-checking software this can be overcome
immediately. Please don’t be lazy to check and change accordingly. Misspelled
words are like zits on a beautiful face, they ruin the look of your paper.
- Use short sentences and paragraphs
Short sentences and paragraphs will reduce the
language errors in your paper. You will go straight to the point by explaining
the important part and avoid any unnecessary elements. The long and winding
sentences are the result of translating the idea in Malay (or any non-English language)
into English. Therefore, it is important to think in English and right away put
that into writing.
- Don’t use big words
‘Big words’ refers to those words that are difficult
to understand or rarely used in scientific context. Words specific to our
research area are sometimes difficult to understand but they are necessary; so
its use is inevitable. So avoid using the unnecessarily difficult words as they
will put another barrier before the reader. An excellent tool is to use
thesaurus and pick the simple and easy to understand words instead.
Enjoy your writing folks!
Enjoy your writing folks!
2 comments:
This is my very first visit and I am pleased to have been led here. As usual I homed in on your first few entries to get some ideas of the owner, a lecturer with PhD.
Your views on a number of issues run parallel to mine. At least there is something in common. How I wish your email address is readily available, enabling me to express certain views privately.
Yesterday, in response to the comments left by a visitor who studied at the old ITM, I said how sorry I was that ITM had been changed to UITM. I look at ITM as a great achievement. Everything should be based this solid fouundation, the like of MIT, IC, LSE and other world great instituitions proud of their tradition. You wrote something about this in one of your postings.
My email is: almanar@pd.jaring.my
Salaam and selamat menyambut Ramadham.
Dear al-manar,
Thank you for visiting my blog. This is where I spill my guts; some people like it many don't. If you have some opinions to share please leave your comments. I welcome your brilliant ideas as long as you don't intimidate me too much. Thanks again and looking forward for your next visit. you can visit my FB /nordin abu bakar for contacts etc.
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