Writing and Citation Guide - Indianapolis

Every writing assignment will have unique, specific instructions. It's very important to read those instructions closely so that you understand how to complete each required task and write the assignment in a way that meets the required expectations. 

Look for the following information to help you understand assignment instructions:

• What task are you being asked to complete?  Look for verbs like analyze, argue, compare, discuss, summarize, or synthesize.  To read definitions of common assignment prompt verbs, visit this reliable resource from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab:
  • Purdue OWL - Common Expressions in Academic Writing
• What academic writing conventions are expected?  Look for guidelines about how many words or pages must be written, APA or MLA formatting requirements, and expectations about writing style or voice. Consider highlighting or underlining them so you don't forget. 
• What rubric criteria will you be graded on? Rubrics identify every single criteria that is expected in your writing and the point value for each criteria. Before you submit your final draft, check how well it meets the expectations outlined in your rubric and make revisions as needed. 

Some general guidelines for common assignment types are included below, but always check your specific class assignment instructions so you can tailor your writing appropriately. 

Annotated bibliographies are a type of writing used to compile and take notes on research sources, with an entry for each source you found in your research.  Annotated bibliography entries are made up of three parts:

1. Citation - a complete APA reference entry or MLA works cited entry (see the APA/MLA tabs on the left for more information)
2. Summary - a short description of the source's main ideas, written in your own words
3. Evaluation - a short evaluation of the source from your point of view and how you will be able to use it for your paper

For more information, see the "What is an Annotated Bibliography" video tutorial and the Writing Center's Annotated Bibliography handout on the left. 

Research proposals are a type of writing used to write about research you plan to do, often for an upcoming research essay or experiment. Generally, research proposals include several parts:

1. Rationale - a discussion of why your research is needed or how it will contribute to knowledge in the field
   • Literature Review -  a discussion of what research has already been done on the topic
   • Research Question - identify the specific gap or question that your plan to address in your research
2. Research Plan - identify how you will do your research by documenting where you will look for sources or the steps you'll use to conduct an experiment
3. Hypothesis - an educated guess about the anticipated results of your research

An essay is a type of academic writing on a particular topic. Although they can vary in purpose and length, essays are written with paragraphs that ultimately introduce, discuss, and recap the topic you're writing about. Essays are also typically written in a specific style guide like APA or MLA, which you can learn about using the tabs on the left. 

The general organization of an essay outline includes:

1. Introduction - a paragraph that introduces readers to your topic and relevant background information they need to know so they are prepared to understand your main ideas in the paper
2. Thesis Statement - typically located as the last sentence in the introduction paragraph; identifies your main point and often gives a preview of the subpoints you'll write about in the paper
3. Body - paragraphs in the middle of your paper that are used to discuss and support your ideas, with each paragraph focusing on and supporting one idea at a time
   • For more information on how to structure and organize body paragraphs, see the PIE Body Paragraphs handout on the left
4. Conclusion - a paragraph that restates your thesis and summarizes the main ideas discussed in your body paragraphs

You can use the Outlining handout on the left to help you get started with organizing ideas for your essays. 

Discussion posts are a common type of writing assignment that invite students to share their ideas about a particular topic in an online forum where they can also read and respond to ideas shared by their peers. Because discussion boards feature the diverse voices and perspectives of students, it's vital to remain open-minded and respectful with these assignments, which ultimately ask students to complete the following tasks:

1. Initial Post - your thoughtful response to the assignment's question or prompt
   • Sometimes needing to support your ideas with source evidence
2. Response to Classmates - your response to ideas that your classmates wrote about in their initial posts
   • Don't just say that you like, agree, or disagree with your classmates' ideas, or note that someone did a good job. 
   • Instead, use your response to continue the conversation with them. What did their post make you think about and why? Can you explain how their ideas connect to your own? What new ideas can you contribute to the conversation they started? What questions or rebuttals can you add in response to what they've written?

It's important to remember that if information from outside sources is borrowed or included in a discussion post, it needs to be cited using appropriate APA or MLA style in order to avoid plagiarism. Learn more about avoiding plagiarism using the tab on the left. 

Students often need to send emails to their professors or other college departments to share information and ask questions. When students write complete, professional emails, their messages are clearer, which makes it easier for the reader to process and quickly respond to the request. Emails typically include the following elements:

• Salutation to the reader - open your email by respectfully addressing the reader by name
  • Examples:
    • Dear Professor _______
    • Hello _______
• Establish context - identify who you are in relation to the reader
  • Examples:
    • I'm in your English 111 class that meets Monday and Wednesday at 9am. 
    • I'm a first-year student at Ivy Tech and you are my academic advisor.   
• Purpose of your email - briefly and clearly state why you are emailing the reader; provide enough details so that the reader can act on your request without needing to request additional information
  • Example
    • Can you help me schedule an in-person writing tutor appointment for my ENGL 111 essay? I'm available Tuesday and Thursday before 4pm and Friday after 10am. 
• Respectful sign-off - close your email with gratitude and your name
  • Examples:
    • Thank you, _______
    • Sincerely, _______

To learn more about why these elements (and a few others) help make emails more effective, read "How to Email your Professor" by Laura Portwood-Stacer.