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Tip to improve your writing/posts

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posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:00 PM
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Here is a tip to improve the quality of your writing/posts. This link describes the proper way to document sources you use in your writing.

honolulu.hawaii.edu...

This is the MLA method of citing work. Good stuff to know. It has been years since I used this in school so I am myself very rusty. If you want to lend more credibility to your posts I'd recommend bookmarking that page and visiting it often.

Just my two cents worth. Hope it helps.



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:11 PM
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thanks for the link Indy
always good to know.

I would also like to remind our new members and even some of the senior ones, to watch it with the one line responses. If you can't come up with more than one line, maybe it's not worth it to post just yet, hold your thought until you can come up with a few more sentences then make your post.

Also when quoting from a source, provide the link and quote the first 3-4 paragraphs, we can click the link if we want to read more. Never copy and paste an entire article.



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:15 PM
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Exactly. Copying and pasting an entire article is not only against forum rules but it is also a violation of copyright laws. Quoting a few paragraphs is considered acceptable use. Plus in my opinion the posts with long articles pasted in to them are often too long to read and rarely hold a reader's attention for that long of a time. If someone likes what you post they will be more likely to click the link and finish reading the article. But then again if you quote the important parts of the article in many cases it is unnecessary to even view the entire article. That is the case when you read research work. Only the important stuff is quoted.



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:28 PM
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Another good tip is to try to remember is not to use blanket statements and generalizations when composing your posts. Always be open to suggestions and differing opinions because it helps promote a good and healthy discussion. And if you're going to make a claim always try to provide a supporting link well unless you discovered sasquatch and have the pics to prove it, then the link won't be necessary.

Also remember to use the search feature before posting, with so many member across the world, we're bound to run into duplicates but it's always good posting practice to remember to check first.

And lastly always try to keep your discussion civil and friendly, we can oppose each in thoughts and may feel certain emotions towards another person, but snippy comments, crude statements and personal attacks does nothing to help a discussion.



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:37 PM
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Yes, I agree, let's see more source than sauce.

There are a myriad of ways that people describe articles/sources that they are linking to and their* are academic standards for those too, but I doubt we will ever see perfection in their application here. Would we want to?

And this is not a one-line response.

Nosiree.





* highlighting pathetic perfectory attempts - when did you unremember your theres from your theirs, MA?

[edit on 14-4-2005 by MaskedAvatar]



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 06:51 PM
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it's not a matter of more source than sauce, but a healthy combination of both. There are many great posters here on ATS, most of them have mastered the balance between both. No one is looking for perfection, just a good attempt at it though.
We should always strive to be the best we could be.



posted on Apr, 14 2005 @ 07:03 PM
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Originally posted by worldwatcher
Another good tip is to try to remember is not to use blanket statements and generalizations when composing your posts. Always be open to suggestions and differing opinions because it helps promote a good and healthy discussion.


Allow me to extend this advice, especially the bolded pieces, to life. Really, it's good stuff.

Ahhh, MLA. So many memories. So many editions. Strunk and White, anyone? They're both 'good' reads for people who write at all, even if it's a post on some random webboard.


I like my sources with sauce, my signal with some noise. Let's ya know you're a live, no? Let's not ruin the humor, people, let's just make sure its well-placed (timing is everything!)




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