Elements of Good Writing in Psychology
If you were asked to describe three qualities of good writing, what would you say? Definitely, you have to be clear in every word and sentence that you write. You need to know how to express yourself clearly. When your first draft is completed, you can read it aloud to note any slightest inconsistencies in your argument.
How to write a psychology research paper? The secret lies in your ability to build a logical and compelling argument. Remember that you must understand your audience. For example, does your reader have at least the slightest understanding of the topic that you are discussing in your work? Do you need to go into detail to explain the basic principles of statistics? Do not assume that the obvious things are obvious. Try to explain. Try to make it all easier for the reader.
Great Psychology Research Papers Rely on APA
If you were to define good writing, then formatting and style will definitely become a critical aspect of academic writing. Among the most basic 8 characteristics of writing, formatting and style certainly take the lead. You will never manage to produce a brilliant paper if you do not know how to use the basic conventions of APA formatting and style. With the help of APA you will be in a better position to incorporate the ideas that you borrow from external sources into your paper. Standardization is a good thing. How to make a perfect essay? It means that you will follow the logic and style of APA to create an ideal paper that is easy to read and understand.
How to Write a Good Essay in an Exam?
No matter what psychology subject you are discussing in your paper, your task is to balance the contents of your work and the quality of formatting and style. These are the basic elements of effective writing that you must incorporate into your psychology research paper. Create a story. Make it interesting to your reader. Teach a lesson. Provide recommendations for future research.
Psychology of Writing – You Have Seen Many of Them Before
When you are talking of the elements of writing style, you rarely mention other issues such as failed computer or the absence of a stable Internet connection. However, these problems can hinder your successes as a psychology writer. At the same time, do not disregard the importance of other elements of writing process.
So, as you are struggling with your psychology paper, begin with a draft. You can’t capture all things together. Therefore, it is better to think of the contents first and then address formatting and style issues. Putting it simply, you begin by writing the information that is relevant to the subject of your paper, without thinking about APA or other elements of style. You will add them later, when you see that the contents of your paper matches the requirements provided for your paper. Do not be afraid of revising your paper. The more revisions you do, the better paper you will produce at the end.
- Whenever you use a term, include a definition. Do not assume that your readers know everything about the topic of your paper. Make it easier for readers to capture the meaning of your words without making them consult a dictionary.
- Do not omit important things. Do not make your readers guess something. Be explicit, rational and reasonable when stating your ideas.
- Try to avoid direct quotes by all means. This is one of the key recommendations provided by contemporary psychology supervisors. Of course, when you feel that the quote is remarkable and fully expresses the meaning of your words, you can include a few directly quoted words. Do not overload your paper with quotes, and do not forget to cite them properly!
- In fact, proper citation and style are the fundamental components of effective writing in psychology. Using proper citations is a must, no matter if you are doing a psychology paper or a paper for any other subject. Do not omit citations. Each and every sentence that you borrow from an external source must have a citation in it!
- If you paraphrase a source but do not include a citation, it means that you are plagiarizing. It is a form of cheating. It is a legal and ethical violation. Do not do it!
- Do not overload your paper with terms and sophisticated words. For example, you do not have to use the word “acknowledge” when you can use the words “recognize”, “admit”, or “see”.
- Do not use too many categorical terms and expressions. For example, if you critique a research study, you do not have to use the words “prove” or “conclude”. Instead, you can use the words “demonstrate”, “suggest”, and so on. Be moderate and modest in your statements.
- Do not use sentences that are too complex. Do not include several clauses in one sentence. Otherwise, your readers will quickly get bored.
- Do not forget about the importance of transitions. Your paper must flow smoothly. You must build a logical argument that moves your reader from one part of your paper to another.
- This is an academic paper, so the use of colloquialisms is strongly discouraged. Never use slang in your papers. Maintain a formal tone in writing. However, do not write your paper as if you are a piece of software. Be flexible but do not violate the basic rules of academic writing.
- It is always better to rely on active voice. Passive voice can be acceptable, but an active voice-paper will sound much more acceptable and fluent.
- Do not use words that assign human qualities to inanimate subjects. For example, do not say that the research project “kills” or “wants” to achieve some purpose.
- It is not acceptable to use the 1st person in writing, except when you are writing a self-reflective piece.
- Monitor your grammar and style. Even the best psychology research paper will become nonsense if you make mistakes in each and every word. Consult the APA manual of style to improve the quality and consistency of your in-text citations. Ask someone to check your paper before you submit it for grading.
