Expressing Ideas Clearly and Reducing Bias in Language

Writing Style: 

The key to good writing is clarity. Writing should be direct, precise, and orderly. As such, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Transitional words should be used to facilitate the flow of the paper.
• Verb tense should be consistent throughout entire paper.
• Avoid unnecessary words; writing for social science is not as "flowery" or detailed as writing in the humanities.
• Avoid jargon.
• Avoid redundancy.
• Vary the length of sentences and paragraphs.
• Select words carefully to ensure meaning conveys the exact intended idea.
• Use personal pronouns rather than writing in third person.

Organization & Format:

The following guidelines should be used to help you format your paper in a clear and logical manner:

• Length:

• • Make manuscripts and journal articles only as long as necessary to effectively convey the key information in your study

• Use headings to divide your manuscript into key sections:

• • Heading structures should be organized hierarchically as follows:

• • • Level 1 - centered, bold, capitalize the first letter of all key words
    • Level 2 - left-align, bold, capitalize the first letter of all key words
    • Level 3 - indented, bold, capitalize only the first letter of the first word (all other words start with lowercase letter), period at the end of the heading
    • Level 4 - indented, bold, italicized, capitalize only the first letter of the first word (all other words start with lowercase letter), period at the end of the heading
    • Level 5 - indented, italicized, capitalize only the first letter of the first word (all other words start with lowercase letter), period at the end of the heading
  • Notice that NO headings or titles should utilize all capital letters
  • Do not label headings with letters or numbers

• Lists:

• • Use numbered lists ONLY for information that implies a sequence (chronology, importance, priority)
  • Use a bulleted list for all other lists
  • Within a paragraph or sentence, list elements in a series using lowercase letters in parentheses; separate lists of three or more with a comma (use a semicolon if the list items have internal commas)

Grammar: 

Proper grammar facilitates the readability and clarity of a paper. Do not rely solely on the grammar-check feature of your word-processing program; effective communication requires writers to pay close attention to word choice and sentence structure. Professional writing in the social sciences uses active voice, shows consistent agreement between the subject and verb, and eliminates misplaced and dangling modifiers. Social science writing should not use figurative language, poetic expressions, clichés, and colorful expressions.

Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language: 

Social science writing must be free of bias that is expressed (intentionally and unintentionally) via word choice. When describing people, you should be clear, specific, and precise. This precision needs to be balanced with the necessity of the relevant information; you should only report individual differences if they are relevant to the discussion or investigation. Avoid labeling individuals; use labels as descriptors rather than nouns.

There are three key guidelines that should guide your writing:

1. Describe at the appropriate level of specificity

• • Be as specific as possible
  • Avoid broad terms that may be loaded with innuendo
  • Use "gender" when referring to social groups and "sex" when highlighting biological distinction
  • Identify individuals as they wish to be called
  • Avoid labeling people when possible
  • Be aware that the order of presentation of social groups may imply that the first group listed is the norm
  • The phrase "participants" is preferred over the phrase "subjects"; the term "participants" recognizes the individuals' active role within the study

2. Be sensitive to labels

3. Acknowledge participation