A good writer

1
A good writer

• thinks of writing as a process and not just as a
  product.
• thinks, and thinks about thinking
• takes time.
• revises

2
What Makes a Sentence Not a Sentence? Too Little
and Too Much

• at least subject its verb main clause
• dependent clauses depend upon another actual
  sentence set of subjects and verbs for their full
  understanding
• Begin with words for time or condition (although,
  because, if, since, when)
• Relative clauses who, which, that, etc.

3
with regard(s) to in terms of partner (v.)
inform arguably feel commonality synergize
comfortable tremendous firstly more
specifically Human Beings It is the fact that
prioritize impact competency
Words to avoid
to critique relevancy proactive venue cutting
edge behaviors mindset wellness Interface privi
lege (v.) role model hopefully finalize to
craft to showcase
input lifestyle empowerment multifaceted
incomparable outright amazing ultimate
incredible awesome enormous remarkable
tremendous impressive utmost
quality time parenting utilize really
necessarily notion access (v.) vivid blatant
feedback evidence (v.) interesting throughout
history of course basically contact
4
Never use this construction

• It is sacred symbols that guide people's
  understandings of their religion

Sacred symbols guide people's
understandings of their religion
5
Apostrophes mark possession

• That will fix his little red wagon.
• That will fix John's little red wagon.
• Wagon's for sale.
• The cars' wheels came off all at once.
• Boas's theory of culture is complex.

6
Quotations

• Not too much
• Pick the best passage
• Distinguish clearly your voice from your sources
• Don't disrupt the flow of your argument
• They don't speak for themselves

7
Quotations and proof

• 'cosmography ... considers every phenomenon as
  worthy of being studied for its own sake' (Boas
  1940642).

This quotation proves that Boas was a cultural
relativist from the start.
Already in 1887, Boas outlined a culturally
relativist stance as the basis for his type of
anthropology 'cosmography ... considers every
phenomenon as worthy of being studied for its own
sake' (1940642).
8
Accurate Quotations

• Get the words right.

Halder does his argument no credit when he
opines, 'History shows that men are more
intelligent then sic women' (Halder 198834).
Mary Wollstonecraft does not wish to reverse the
sexual balance of power, but to move from
domination to autonomy 'I do not wish them
women to have power over men but over
themselves' (1975 1792156).
9
Use Quotations

• Don't quote too much
• Distinguish your own argument from the arguments
  of various quoted passages
• Make sure the reader understands what a quotation
  is expected to accomplish. Unpack it.

In medieval Europe love "was not the normal basis
of marriage" (Trevelyan 197964).
10
Set off long quotations

• Use a complete statement, not a fragment, to
  signal the quotation.
• Punctuate the signal statement with a colon.
• Indent on the left (one tab).
• Don't put quotation marks around the set-off
  quotation.
• Put a space after the quotation's terminal
  punctuation and then supply the parenthetical
  reference.
• Double-space throughout the quotation.

11
Punctuation tips

• Colons look forward, dashes look back
• Culture is relative at the group leveldifferent
  groups have different cultureswhile individuals
  have varying commands of particular cultures,
  different amounts of cultural capital.
• Our many conversations inevitably turned to my
  friends obsession his art.
• Parentheses provide supplemental information
• There are no generic dances. Discotheque dancing
  is classed as Western, or European, or (when
  talking to the ethnographer) as your style.

12
Writing skills

• Know your audience and their expectations
• Style - formal, but not stiff, your own voice,
  but not casual
• First person - the cutting edge of an
  intersubjective anthropology is not for everyone
• - not easy to carry off well
• Passive voice - effective only when used in rare
  instances
• Thus, therefores - make sure they really follow
• - not just plopped into your text

EDIT YOUR WORK, TRADE WITH OTHERS
13
Critical Thinking when Writing

• Identify your line of reasoning/ viewpoint/
  argument
• Evaluate your argument
• Question surface appearance
• Identify evidence
• Evaluate evidence
• Identify conclusions

14

• Introduction
• Provide thesis statement
• Summarize your argument
• Provide necessary background
• Main Body
• Show a series of supportable points which
  directly address the thesis.
• Discuss each point in turn, developing a linear
  argument, linking one to the other.
• Conclusion
• Minimal summary of main points
• State general conclusions, why important