Extract topic sentences
To write more effectively and fluently, you should first collect many useful sentences—sentences that you might later include in your research. This section will help you achieve this goal.
Exercise
1.1 To start this journey, please read the following paragraph. As you read this paragraph
- underline words or phrases you feel could be improved
- perhaps record some possible improvements in the following space
- to demonstrate some vital writing principles, this section will later reveal how this paragraph could be improved
As several studies have revealed, when research supervisors demonstrate humility, research candidates tend to feel more confident they will finish their thesis on time. For example, Smith (2000) conducted a study that aimed to explore this association between the humility of supervisors and the confidence of candidates, comprising 200 participants who answered a survey online in which they were asked to describe their leader and answer questions about the likelihood they feel they will complete the thesis on time. A number of independent judges then evaluated the extent to which these descriptions of leaders manifest humility. It was shown that, when leaders manifested humility, the participants had more confidence in their capacity to complete the thesis on time. In terms of the conclusion, this is consistent with the notion that humility appreciably diminishes personal doubts.
Exercise
1.2 Collect a series of useful references; store these references on your computer or in a cloud. You may have already fulfilled this goal. To locate the most useful references, you could
- enter some relevant keywords into your library catalogue or Google Scholar
- visit websites that summarise the most interesting discoveries in your field—websites like ScienceDaily—and then locate the references from your library
- access theses in your field or discipline
Exercise
1.3 Extract a series of topic sentences from these references. That is, competent writers usually include one sentence that outlines the key purpose or argument of each paragraph—called the topic sentence. For example,
- in the following paragraph, the first sentence is the topic sentence
- indeed, in many but not all paragraphs, the first sentence is the topic sentence
- if your topic sentences outline the paragraph effectively, people should be able to understand your work even if they only read the topic sentences
As several studies have revealed, when research supervisors demonstrate humility, research candidates tend to feel more confident they will finish their thesis on time. For example, Smith (2000) conducted a study that aimed to explore this association between the humility of supervisors and the confidence of candidates, comprising 200 participants who answered a survey online in which they were asked to describe their leader and answer questions about the likelihood they feel they will complete the thesis on time. A number of independent judges then evaluated the extent to which these descriptions of leaders manifest humility. It was shown that, when leaders manifested humility, the participants had more confidence in their capacity to complete the thesis on time. In terms of the conclusion, this is consistent with the notion that humility appreciably diminishes personal doubts.
- If possible, identify at least 50 useful or interesting paragraphs in your references—paragraphs that outline an argument you would like to include in your thesis
- Extract and then store the topic sentence of these paragraphs in the following Working Document—perhaps in the section called unsorted sentences. You should then save this document to your computer or cloud.
- Include some information about the source of each topic sentence. For example, you might write “As several studies have revealed, when research supervisors demonstrate humility, research candidates tend to feel more confident they will finish their thesis on time (Jones, 2010)”
Develop arguments gradually
Obviously, if you included these sentences in your work, you would be guilty of plagiarism. Fortunately, during this program, you will gradually modify, and indeed enhance, all these sentences. For example, many writers include too many arguments in one sentence. They do not explore each argument gradually. Their arguments, therefore, are often hazy or contestable. Therefore
- unless your writing is advanced, you should initially write mainly short sentences
- that is, each sentence should present one very specific argument
- the next sentence should extend this argument slightly and so forth
- your arguments, therefore, should evolve very gradually
Exercise
1.4 To develop the capacity to develop your arguments gradually, attempt to divide the following sentence into many sentences
As several studies have revealed, when research supervisors demonstrate humility, research candidates tend to feel more confident they will finish their thesis on time.
Here is a possible answer: Notice how each sentence clarifies one specific feature or argument.
- Some researchers demonstrate humility
- That is, they acknowledge their limitations
- As studies have revealed, the candidates these researchers supervise often feel more confident
- In particular, these candidates feel confident they will finish their thesis on time
Likewise, attempt to divide this sentence into many sentences
For example, Smith (2000) conducted a study that aimed to explore this association between the humility of supervisors and the confidence of candidates, comprising 200 participants who answered a survey online in which they were asked to describe their leader and answer questions about the likelihood they feel they will complete the thesis on time
Here is a possible answer
- For example, Smith (2000) conducted a study to explore this association between the humility of supervisors and the confidence of candidates
- This study comprised 200 participants
- The participants answered an online survey
- Specifically, the participants were asked to describe their leader
- Furthermore, they answered questions about the likelihood they feel they will complete the thesis on time
- For this exercise, and every subsequent exercise, you can record some insights you gained in the following space.
Exercise
1.5 Now decide which of the sentences you have collected can be divided into more than one sentence. Then, attempt to divide some, or many, of these sentences into more than one sentence
Exercise
1.6 Sort your sentences into clusters. For example, you could utilise the existing topic headings, such as studies, theories, concepts, methodologies, methods, results, discussion, limitations, and future research. But preferably, you would develop more specific topic headings.