Academic writing at a doctoral level could be a challenging task for many students regardless of the institution or their chosen field of study. One has to have a complete grasp of the level of professionalism of the intended audience or readers to be able to write a paper that tailor fit to the level of their knowledge- in this case, the professors and other students in the class. Writing at a doctoral level requires demanding skills and effort from every student. Either the writing requires to be long or short, high standards should apply. Besides ensuring that the papers are well-written, student also need to consider the characteristics of the paper. Since writing is a constant learning process, it also requires the use of right tools or resources to ensure continuous improvement. Throughout the doctoral program, as students continue to enhance the writing skills, it is important to consider different approaches and steps to better manage and increase writing experience. Regardless of the assigned or chosen topic, following steps can serve as a useful guide that will make students better writers at the doctoral level. As a student at Trident University International doctoral program, there are ten steps to follow for writing a paper at the doctoral level. Ten Steps to FollowStay on topicStaying on the topic creates a connection between the writers and the readers. Therefore, the students need to appreciate the readers” time by not making them struggle to stay with the thoughts the writers convey or by figuring out what the writers want to say. Minimizing potential confusion will make the paper user friendly so that the readers can easily follow. Using convoluted sentence structured and ideas can distract the audience. To stay on topic, the students
needs to focus on the continuity of thoughts delivered in every sentence. In writing each paragraph, it is important to analyze that presence of a topic sentence and if the following sentences support and well-coordinated with the topic sentence. It is also recommended that as students write each paragraph or after you have written a paragraph, read it and ask themselves if each sentence is related to the topic sentence of the paragraph. If it is not related, it is better to drop it or change it (“Strategies for Writing”, n.d).
Avoid redundancyKeeping the writing simple helps avoid redundancy. Constantly, students face the challenge of meeting words or page requirements, but it is not smart to jeopardize the quality of the paper by making it longer. Writers can express thoughts or ideas with a minimum amount of sentences-there is no need to over explain. Additionally, maintaining an active vocabulary that is not only broad but also deep helps to learn not just what words mean, but what they imply, what they embrace (“Tips for Avoiding”, 2008).
Focus on the intended audienceGraduate-level writing is different from other types of writing because the professor is no longer the only audience (Deegan, 2016). In this case, the student is writing to a broader audience. For example, if the student is writing to an audience that is highly educated, there is no need to go into too many details or too basic.
Read it out loudReading the papers aloud or recording oneself can help students determine whether the ideas flows smoothly. If it sounds clipped or boring, adding a few longer sentences might help the flow. If students find themselves stumbling over parts, probably there are overly complex sentences that need rewriting (“How to Improve”, 2018).
Supporting evidenceAt a minimum, an academic paper should include a complete list of sources from which the information used in that paper was obtained (Cite). This information allows the student, professors, or the intended audience to easily find the supporting material.
EditThe process of editing is one of the most fundamental pillars that support a well-written paper. Editing should encompass content as well as format; condensing and clarifying the material included in the paper will help ensure that it is both concise and persuasive. By polishing the existing wording and eliminating excess verbiage, writers can produce papers that make their points more eloquently (rephrase and cite).
ProofreadingBefore submitting any academic paper for review, students should carefully examine their papers thoroughly. Any spelling or grammar errors can hurt the character of the paper, which can result losing the writer”s credibility and affect the student/writer reputation. Therefore, having several people to look over the paper is an effective way to improve its quality. (“How to Improve”, 2011).
FeedbackEven though every student has a different writing style, any type of feedback sets the stage for improvement. Regardless of who reads the paper, it is beneficial to ask for it. If the student is only starting, there is no need to hire anyone or spend money. Students can certainly get feedback online; or from friends and family they trust who can give an honest opinion — for good or for bad (“Four Easy”, 2017).
PracticeAchieving effective writing skills is a continuous process that can be improved through relentless practice. Practicing can help identify strengths and weaknesses. The more students write, edit, and proofread, the better they get at it. (“How to Improve”, 2018).
Be patient Being patient is a foundation of every accomplishment. It is a process that takes time and discipline, yet it has proven many times to be true. If one is seriously seeking advice on how to improve his/her writing skills, the best advice is to simply write. Setting aside at least two hours each day to practice will make a difference. Demonstrating this level of commitment can improve the writing skill over time and achieve goals more quickly. (“How to Improve”, 2011).
To ensure our papers are well written, students need to understand and follow the basic structure of the paper. A well-written paper consists of a cover page, an introduction, the body of the paper, conclusion and the references. (“Student guide Trident”, 2015). With this basic structure in mind, the student will be able integrate his/her ideas. For example, the first paragraph of the paper should quickly outline the main points to be covered in the entire document. This provides a structure for the paper and quickly establishes the primary topic for the reader.
When it comes to tools or resources to improve academic writing, there are many choices available to the student. The Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper (2015) recommends to start with our course professor, our advisor, the dissertation chair, our graduate-level writing coach, colleagues at work, a family member or friend whose intellectual prowess and/or writing ability we admire, and peers. As a student, I see the recommendation above as the first line of defense. These people are the experts; most of them have vast writing experience. They can put the student in the right path not only by providing guidelines, but by recommending websites, professional journals, books, videos or anything that can facilitate our writing process.
Additionally, according to Deegan (2016), for those who have not written recently, the Trident Writing Workshop can serve as a refresher when working on papers. Lastly, a significant tool to rely on is The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) (Deegan, 2016). This manual provides precise and clear rules and guideline to constantly improve students writing format skills.
At the doctoral level, a well written paper should have certain characteristics. The Writing Style Guide from Trident University International provides the student various characteristics for consideration. For example, characteristics such as a clear introduction, body, and conclusion, along with a valid and supported argument are very important for a well written paper. Additionally, each paragraph should start with a topic sentence stating the main point of the paragraph. A final draft should be edited carefully for grammatical correctness (“Writing Style Guide”, 2014).
Effective writing at a doctoral level is an essential ongoing learning process that is necessary to reach our academics and professional goals, but it takes practice and discipline. As students, we can achieve significant improvement simply by communicating our ideas on paper with clarity to our intended audience. Lastly, following the proper writing steps, considering characteristics and using the right tools or resources will ensure that our papers are well-written.
