Writing

Twenty-one chapters give information on all aspects of writing and of preparing copy for publication, whether in print or electronically. New Hart’s Rules gives guidance on a broad range of topics including publishing terms, layout and headings, how to treat illustrations, hyphenation, punctuation, and bibliographies and notes. All chapters have been revised and updated to reflect current practice (taking into account changes in the world and in the publishing industry over the last eight years), with the help of a team of experts and consultants. Chapters that have been particularly heavily revised include those dealing with the use and presentation of illustrations, with the conventions of scientific publishing, and with the art of indexing. Additionally, an entirely new chapter has been written to explore and summarize the differences between UK and US English.

The text is designed and organized for maximum accessibility with clearly displayed examples throughout. Authoritative and comprehensive, and endorsed by the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, New Hart’s Rules is the essential desk guide for all writers and editors. Together with the New Oxford Spelling Dictionary and the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors it forms the complete editorial reference set.

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New Hart’s Rules, Oxford’s definite guide to style, gives authoritative and expert advice on how to prepare copy for publication in print and electronically. Topics covered include how to punctuate and hyphenate accurately, capitalization guidelines, structuring text coherently, how to use quotations and citations clearly, how to provide accurate references, UK and US usage, and much more. Recent developments in the publishing industry, such as scientific publishing conventions have been included in the up-to-date second edition.

These guidelines are complemented by the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors which features 25,000 A to Z entries giving authoritative advice on those words and names which raise questions time and time again because of spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, or cultural and historical context. Entries give full coverage of recommended spellings, variant forms, confusable words, hyphenation, capitalization, foreign and specialist terms, proper names, and abbreviations. The New Oxford Style Manual also includes superb appendices for quick reference including proofreading marks, countries and currencies, and alphabets.

Combining these two updated works and drawing on the unrivalled research and expertise of the Oxford Reference and Dictionaries departments, this volume is an essential part of every editor’s and writer’s toolkit.

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Writing a Dissertation For Dummies walks you through all the practical and theoretical aspects of writing a dissertation to help you produce a first-class work. This guide is ideal for any student in the broad range of the social sciences, from anthropology to law, psychology to media studies. From choosing a topic, to researching the literature, utilising your supervisor, managing your time, and structuring and writing your dissertation, you’ll be able to avoid all the common mistakes and stay on top of your workload throughout the process. You’ll also find tips on the best way to reference your work, and expert advice on presentation and binding. This is a must if you want to maximise your marks on your university dissertation.

Writing a Dissertation For Dummies covers:

Part I: What is a Dissertation?
Chapter 1: So You Have to Write a Dissertation
Chapter 2: Thinking About a Research Question

Part II: Getting Set Up for Your Dissertation
Chapter 3: The Structure of Your Dissertation
Chapter 4: Getting Started
Chapter 5: Finalising Your Research Question, Dissertation ‘Type’ And Considering Ethics
Chapter 6: Reading Efficiently and Taking Useful Notes

Part III: Getting On With Your Research
Chapter 7: Researching in Libraries and the Using the Internet
Chapter 8: Creating Your Own Empirical Data
Chapter 9: Analysing Data And Drawing Conclusions
Chapter 10: Staying on Track

Part IV: Writing and Polishing
Chapter 11:  Managing Your Argument: ‘Writing Up’ Your Non-Empirical Dissertation
Chapter 12: Writing Up Your Empirical Dissertation
Chapter 13: Writing Effectively
Chapter 14: References, Bibliographies and Appendices
Chapter 15: Sorting Out The Presentation of Your Dissertation

Part V: Managing The Overall Experience
Chapter 16: Your Work Habits
Chapter 17: Looking After Yourself Physically and Emotionally
Chapter 18: Ten Common Dissertation Pitfalls to Avoid
Chapter 19: Ten Essential Tips For Completing Your Dissertation
Chapter 20: Ten Items For Your Very Final Checklist

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