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Basic writing skills
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7753		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  forquare1 [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Basic writing skills
Hi all,

I'm sitting here, writing up my dissertation, and I realise that I've got next to no idea how to correctly do some things...
Currently, I have two questions:
1) When should I indent a paragraph?
2) When should paragraphs have space between them? (The difference between using shift+return and using just return)

Thanks very much,

Ben
Author:  ChurchCat [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
forquare1 wrote:
Hi all,

I'm sitting here, writing up my dissertation, and I realise that I've got next to no idea how to correctly do some things...
Currently, I have two questions:
1) When should I indent a paragraph?
2) When should paragraphs have space between them? (The difference between using shift+return and using just return)

Thanks very much,

Ben


Indent when a paragraph is hand written. Don't when using a word processor.

Spaces should be between all paragraphs when word processed and not when hand written.

HTH
Author:  Fogmeister [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
I agree with CC.

I was always taught that indents and spaces do not go together. Use one or the other.

I didn't know about the hand writing vs word processing rule though :D
Author:  forquare1 [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
Cool, thanks guys :)
Author:  cloaked_wolf [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
Did you never learn this in English? I remember covering it in Year 7, along with other basic skills such as letter writing and essays.
Author:  Linux_User [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
cloaked_wolf wrote:
Did you never learn this in English? I remember covering it in Year 7, along with other basic skills such as letter writing and essays.


When it comes to State schools, YMMV.
Author:  dogbert10 [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
Looking through some of my research papers, the format seems to be that all paragraphs are indented by three or four spaces and there are no blank lines between paragraphs. Different sections are separated by a couple of blank lines and section titles are centred with a blank line before and after. However, some papers don't bother with indentation.
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
How do you get to your dissertation without knowing this already?

Mark
Author:  big_D [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
It also depends on what you are writing. Generally, I agree with CC. But companies, for example, often have specific definitions, such as double line spacing or a specific number of points between paragraphs, numbering styles, fonts, page numbering, indents, page margins etc.

I've worked for companies with positive and negative indents on paragraphs and some with block paragraphs, others with left justified... If you are writing your dissertation, you should probably check that your Uni doesn't have its own preferred style. It would be a shame to have it rejected or marked down, because you didn't use the Uni style guide...

Edit: For manuscripts and for people who have to make lots of notes, double line spacing used to be preferred, the lines didn't run together, when you were reading hundreds of pages a day and you also have space to scribble notes and corrections...
Author:  EddArmitage [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
As others have said - indent for written, new-lined for typed. Or just go with whatever LaTeX gives you. (8-D)
Author:  AlunD [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
You shouldn't need to put an extra line between paragraphs if you set the WP up properly and tell it to add extra space before or and after each para. :D
Author:  John_Vella [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
timark_uk wrote:
How do you get to your dissertation without knowing this already?

Mark


I'll be doing my dissertation this year. The course is in I.T and Business and as such doesn't really have a lot to do with the correct formatting of paragraphs.
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
John_Vella wrote:
The course is in I.T and Business and as such doesn't really have a lot to do with the correct formatting of paragraphs.
So you haven't written any other essays during your time on the course?

Mark
Author:  forquare1 [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
cloaked_wolf wrote:
Did you never learn this in English? I remember covering it in Year 7, along with other basic skills such as letter writing and essays.

timark_uk wrote:
How do you get to your dissertation without knowing this already?


I've never been taught how to write an essay, or a letter for that matter...Just sort of told to get on with it and you'll get it one day....First class teaching in Wiltshire don't ya know :wink:

AlunD wrote:
You shouldn't need to put an extra line between paragraphs if you set the WP up properly and tell it to add extra space before or and after each para. :D

In a WP you set it up so when you hit return you create a new paragraph. But if you press shift+return, you don't get any white space...What's that for?

EddArmitage wrote:
Or just go with whatever LaTeX gives you. (8-D)

That's pretty much what I'm going with, it just threw me as I don't usually indent, but in the article class, I've got to suppress indentation, whereas in the report class it doesn't seem to indent by default.

timark_uk wrote:
So you haven't written any other essays during your time on the course?


I haven't on my course. I've done "write-ups", which have been essay-like, but not what I would call full blown essays...Then again, I'm not sure I'd know an essay if it hit me in the face!
Author:  John_Vella [ Fri Apr 16, 2010 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Basic writing skills
timark_uk wrote:
John_Vella wrote:
The course is in I.T and Business and as such doesn't really have a lot to do with the correct formatting of paragraphs.
So you haven't written any other essays during your time on the course?

Mark


Yes, but I've always used templates which do everything for you... except write the content, obviously ;)
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