writing tips

A research paper is usually more concise and succinct than an essay, because, if it is written well, it focuses on one specific question, describes the method that was used to answer that one question, describes and explains the results, and guides the reader in a logical way from the introduction to the discussion without going on tangents or digging into not absolutely relevant topics. The conclusion section at the end of a research manuscript should therefore not start with a long-winded repetition of what was done and why and how, but rather get to the point in as few words as possible. Instead of beginning with “In conclusion, in this study, we investigated the effect of stress on the brain using fMRI…”, you should try to find a way to incorporate the repetition of the essential (and only the essential) details into the summary of the key points. “The findings of this fMRI study on the effect of stress on the brain suggest that…” or “While it has been known for a long time that stress has an effect on the brain, the findings of this fMRI study show that, surprisingly…” would be better ways to start a conclusion. 

What is Academic Writing? Academic writing communicates information and ideas to a narrow or wider academic readership.Academic writing can be descriptive (e.g., a results section), analytical (e.g., a comparison of different theories), persuasive (your own point of view), or critical (when you discuss other peoples’ points of view). This type of writing always has a […]

Graduate Admissions Webinar: Writing the Statement of Purpose and Recommendation Letter Title: Improving Your Graduate School Admissions Essays: Statement of Purpose and Recommendation Letters Instructor: Kevin J. Heintz (MA English), Senior Editor at Wordvice Wordvice Webinar Series presents a web lecture on writing essential essays for admissions to graduate school. Join writing coach and Wordvice […]

Being Informed About Reasons for Manuscript Rejection In the world of journal publications, rejections are the norm rather than the exception. There are of course many identifiable reasons for a manuscript not to be published–from lack of relevance, to the size of the submissions pool, to the specific tastes of a journal’s readership. However, researchers […]

In the first part of a series of editing tips, we will show you how to strengthen your writing effectively. The next few posts will cover the most frequent writing issues we see in our clients’ submissions–namely wordiness. We hope that these overviews and exercises help you reduce word count, clarify your writing, and improve […]

What is a diversity essay for college? If you are preparing for your college application, you have probably heard that you sometimes need to submit a “diversity essay,” and you might be wondering how this is different from the usual admission essay. A diversity essay is a college admissions essay that focuses on the applicant’s […]

What is the best way to improve writing style? It may sound counterintuitive (or overly obvious), but the best way to improve your writing style is to learn from your writing mistakes. And how do you learn from writing mistakes? Well, by learning about and recognizing the most common writing mistakes that authors make in […]

Why do You Need a Letter of Recommendation for Admissions? The college or graduate school application process is a long, difficult one. It can test one’s organization, planning, goal-setting, academic skills, and personal relationships. It can be overwhelming and confusing, with standardized test scores, application deadlines,personal statements and admissions essays, and requesting transcripts all part […]

Adjectives Adjectives are words that modify nouns. They give more information about people, animals, places, and things. For example: The large man sitting beside me called for the flight attendant. The flight attendant was veryattentiveandpolite. Using adjectives is a powerful tool that makes your writing more vivid and descriptive. For example, compare the two sentences: […]

Almost every Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program in the United States requires an essay to be included with the application. This video provides applicants with some essential tips for drafting this important MBA essay. Who will find this information useful? Current or future applicants of MBA programs in the United States This video will […]

Topic: How to Writea Strong Paper Introduction Instructor: Kevin J. Heintz (MA English), Wordvice Senior Editor Wordvice Senior Editor Kevin J. Heintz takes you on a guided lessonabout writing the Introduction section of a scientific research paper. The Introduction section of a scientific research paper is the first information researchers and journal editors will see […]

The Common Application Essay has been updated for 2017-2018. This means that some of the prompts have changed from previous years. This video analyzes essay prompts #2-4 and gives some suggestions for brainstorming and responding to these individual prompts. Who will find this information useful? This video will provide you with: Video Outline: For more […]