Writing Guide
Introduction | Document structure | Style | Using references | Language, words & format |
Preparation for reproduction | Tips for writing | References on style and writing | Some final words
Document structure
All written material can be broken up into sections. A general structure in scientific papers and other reports could be:
Acknowledgments
Summary or abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References
Appendices
These sections need not be explicitly labelled or may be labelled differently. The above structure is, however, recommended for written work, although not all sections are appropriate to every document. The following provides some guidance as to the various sections.
Title page
A title page generally contains the following information:
- Name of author
- Unit of study (if work is done for a program or unit)
- Title, topic or question addressed
- Date handed in (particularly if there is a due date)
- Name of supervisor or lecturer.
- The number of words for a class assignment, or a report number for a School report, or a mailing address may also be added.
Contents
A contents page should show chapters or sections, along with page numbers. If you wish to show further detail then you may do so as long as the page(s) remain clear. Contents should normally be one or two pages only, and omitted altogether from small works.
List of figures and tables
For major works you may wish to list figures and tables included. Figures include diagrams, line drawings, photographs, maps and graphs.
Acknowledgments
You may wish to include an acknowledgments section for major works; the form is up to you. Acknowledgments may be added to one of the other preliminary pages.
Summary
A concise summary on a separate page is recommended for any work over 5,000 words in length.
Introduction
This section tells the reader the problem you are addressing. It should be scoped to lead the reader from the general to the specific: i.e. begin with the big picture and proceed down to the particular focus of your concern. As well as the problem and aim, the introduction could include references to previous work through a succinct literature review, an outline of method and data, structure of the report and perhaps foreshadowed conclusions. The introduction should be relatively short, about one twentieth of the length of the work.
Methods
The way in which you attempted to answer the question should be described including approaches to the question, any data collection methods used, design and execution of experiments, questionnaires or observations. In many cases statistical tools may be useful to determine if your results are 'significant'. If you use any tools of analysis you should state which tools you used and how you used them, to the extent that the reader of the work must be able to repeat the work. Fine details of analysis may be included in an appendix which should be referenced in this section.
Results
The results that you obtained should be laid out in a coherent manner through the use of tables and figures where applicable. Ensure that each of these is clearly titled and numbered and that each is referenced in the text.
Discussion
This section serves to broaden the message from your findings. It should be scoped in the opposite direction to the introduction, i.e. from the specific to the general. You should discuss how your findings compare to or contrast with previous views.
The discussion is your chance to make some comments on the meaning of your findings. A list of conclusions or recommendations based on your work is recommended. Any conclusions you make must be backed up by your results and your analysis.
References
This will be a full list of all references from the text. We recommend the Harvard (author-date) system in the text and full referencing in this section. All sources referred to in your text, tables or figures must be in this list. Further, only those sources should be in this list.
Appendices
These can contain details of techniques used, or data collected that are too long to present in the main body of the work. Each appendix must have been referenced in the text. There must be a good reason to include an appendix: do not include an appendix merely because you have some data.