Writing for Graduate School
1. Writing must be grammatically correct and free from errors, such as typos and misused words. Avoid relying on Microsoft Word's spellcheck feature or products like Grammarly (which is a predatory keylogger marketing itself as a proofreader). Read over your writing multiple times to check for errors. Strategies such as reading aloud or reading your writing backwards may help you identify errors.
2. Writing must follow the style conventions of its field. Writing styles vary from discipline to discipline, and the best way to familiarize yourself with your field's style is to read professional writing in that field and note the writings' structure, syntax, vocabulary, etc. Many fields exclusively use a formatting and citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style.
3. Writing must be well-researched. Nearly all graduate-level writing will be research-based, except in instances where you may be asked to write a reflection or opinion. What constitutes "good research" will vary from field to field, but, generally, quality research reflects a thorough understanding of the most influential works related to the subject.
4. Writing must contribute to the field. Your contribution is, perhaps, the most important factor in evaluating graduate writing. When writing, consider how your work adds to the preexisting literature on your topic. Your contribution could be using original data or synthesizing the research of others, for example.
2. Writing must follow the style conventions of its field. Writing styles vary from discipline to discipline, and the best way to familiarize yourself with your field's style is to read professional writing in that field and note the writings' structure, syntax, vocabulary, etc. Many fields exclusively use a formatting and citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style.
3. Writing must be well-researched. Nearly all graduate-level writing will be research-based, except in instances where you may be asked to write a reflection or opinion. What constitutes "good research" will vary from field to field, but, generally, quality research reflects a thorough understanding of the most influential works related to the subject.
4. Writing must contribute to the field. Your contribution is, perhaps, the most important factor in evaluating graduate writing. When writing, consider how your work adds to the preexisting literature on your topic. Your contribution could be using original data or synthesizing the research of others, for example.
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